wingstofly

Royal Wedding Goodies

2011-05-23T14:00:00.001-07:00

Evening all!

I'm writing this short but sweet blog post as I watch Strangeways on ITV. Have any of you seen it? I've got to say, I think it's compulsive viewing. But as for David Charlton... urghhh! (If you do watch it I'm sure you'll know exactly what I mean and concur!)

I just wanted to write a quick post to tell you about some goodies I was lucky enough to win on Twitter recently (you know how much I love a competition!). Just after the royal wedding, Collection 2000 asked their followers to tweet a picture of what they did to celebrate the big day, so I showed them the following...

Now I know what you're thinking... they look a bit... umm... amateur!! And you would be right! But as I said in my tweet, I never bake at all, so for me these were a pretty good effort. And as each one had a different decoration, the effort was most definitely there :-)

Collection 2000 seemed to appreciate my efforts and so they sent me these goodies...

The exact products are:

- Skyscraper Length and Definition Mascara

- Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner

- Lock and Hold Lipgloss in Rock Steady

- Blush in 02 Bashful

- Ultimate Fix 3-in-1 in 01 Ivory

I actually only bought this exact mascara a couple of weeks ago to try out, and am absolutely loving it (I can do a full review post if anyone is interested) so I am particularly excited that they sent this as it means I don't need to buy a replacement :-) And I'm excited about trying out the eye liner too, as I don't currently have a felt tip liner in my collection. I might wait for an evening occasion though, so I can try out a dramatic look.

Thanks all at Collection 2000 for my goodies, I really appreciate them!

Do any of you ever enter competitions on Facebook or Twitter, and if so have you ever won anything? Make me jealous!

The Man in My Life!

2011-05-17T14:36:00.001-07:00

Hi ladies,

I was lucky enough to have a three-day weekend this weekend, as I took Monday off work. After all those bank holidays, one 5-day week was enough for me! I took the extra day off work to allow me to join my family for my Grandad's birthday meal. I thought this gave me a good excuse to do an OOTD post, as I haven't done one of these in aaaages!

Here's a close up of my face (please ignore the messy hair!) which I think shows off my necklace quite well. I absolutely love this network and wear it so much to add a bit of interest for a plain outfit. It was a bargain Primarni buy, and I bought two just incase one breaks!

Here's a full length piccie of my whole outfit...

Vest top - Topshop

Lightweight jacket - New Look

Necklace - Primark

Skirt - New Look

I've had the skirt for a while, but this s the first time I've worn it and I really liked it.

I picked out some nail varnish to match my necklace ( I like a bit of colour coordination!) and chose Mint Choc Chip by 17 which I reviewed here back when my blog first started.

The ring is a new purchase from a shop called Muse in Coventry which is a factory outlet shop, selling old stock mainly from Dorothy Perkins. This little beauty cost me just £3 :-)

Just because it was his birthday and I love him very much, here's a couple of pics of my grandad and I, who has now reached the ripe old age of 87!

He should have his own fashion blog - I love how smart he dresses :-) Although it could get a little repetitive, as he wears a shirt, tie and blazer every day, even if he's not going anywhere!

Before I go, I just want to say good luck to everyone sitting exams at the moment. I was there last year doing my finals so I know how you feel!

Take care,

30 Day Challenge (Post 3) - 'A Gift'

2011-05-14T07:57:00.001-07:00

Evening ladies,

Hope you're all good and have already got that Friday feeling in anticipation for tomorrow - I have, and can't wait for the weekend!

Last night I had a very exciting evening, as I went to the National Movie Awards at Wembley Arena :-D Typical me, I forgot to take my camera, but my friend who I went with had hers, so I'll share some pics as soon as I get them from her! There might even me the odd snap of a celeb or too, but I'll keep you waiting...

Anyway, back to business - this is the third post of the 30 day challenge, and the challenge is to post a picture of 'A piece of clothing or jewellery that was a gift'

To be honest, I thought this would be really easy, but when I looked through my stuff I really struggled to find anything that was a gift. However, then I remembered this cute necklace that I got from a friend in a not-so-secret Santa.

I'm not sure where it's from but I really like it and wear it quite a lot :-)

I do have some really 'special' jewellery that's been passed on to me, but I'll save that for another post in the series.

That's me for now, and as I said, hopefully I'll be able to post up some pictures of my glamorous evening over the weekend :-)

Take care all and have a good Friday!

30 Day Challenge (Post 2) 'Your Favourite Shirt'

2011-05-08T13:07:00.001-07:00

Hi all!

Hope you've all had a great weekend :-) I had a great night out on Friday (no photos were taken unfortunately) which meant that due to a combination of alcohol and tiredness, yesterday was pretty much a write off! I've had a good day today but now it's Sunday night and I can't believe how quickly Monday comes around.

Anyway, moving on, here's the second part of the '30 Day Challenge', which is...

2. Post a picture of... your favourite shirt.

I've taken 'shirt' to mean 'top', assuming this tag started in America. So, here it is. I am just loving this top from Next at the moment, which I got a couple of months ago, I think for around £28. The colours are really rich and gorgeous, which I think you can see from this photo. It's also got a lovely silky feel, so it feels nice to wear.

The reason this top is my favourite, and not just a top that I like lots and lots, is that it is really versatile. I can wear it with a maxi skirt, shorts or trousers to create different looks, and it can be made to look really casual or really dressy. It's so nice when you buy something you totally fall in love with which I did today when I bought a new handbag, but that's a whole different post!) :-D

That's all for now girls, and enjoy the last few hours of the weekend!

30 Day Challenge - Post 1!

2011-05-03T14:07:00.001-07:00

Hola chicas,

I said last night that I really want to become more consistent with my blogging again. Up until a few months ago, I was blogging really often and really enjoying it, but recently I seemed to have lost my way a bit.

So, when I stumbled upon a tag on Selina'a blog I though it would be something that could help me get my mojo back!! (You can find her blog at flyingsaucer.typepad.com - check it out, its amazing!) It turns out the tag was originally meant for tumblr, but like Selina I'm going to give it a bash on my blog. The idea is that there are 30 posts you do in 30 days (I'm going to admit right now that I might not quite do it in 30 days, but I'll do them all as quickly as possible).

So without further ado, here goes!

1. Post a picture of... Your closet.

Ta daaaaa! This is my wardrobe. I got it from Ikea quite recently and it was a bargain at about £80. It's only small, and isn't quite the build in double wardrobe I have at my mum's house, but it get's me by!

On top of my wardrobe I have these two baskets I got from Tiger Tiger. They are perfect for all my bags....

And here is inside my wardrobe (it's quite tidy so I'm rather proud of myself!). I have most of my clothes hanging up, and then on the top shelf have plain vests and t-shirts, and my gym clothes. On the bottom are my hoodies, and shoes that I don't wear very often (I have the shoes I wear more often on a separate shoes rack). As you can see it's a tight squeeze so I have to keep it tidy really, else it would be ridiculous!

And there we have it - my wardrobe :-)

See you tomorrow (hopefully!) for post number 2!

Bank Holiday Bonanza!

2011-05-02T13:52:00.001-07:00

Evening girls,

Well, we can't really complain can we?! Two four-day weekends of absolutely gorgeous weather have made me a very happy girl indeed. To be honest I haven't done anything tremendously exciting, but it's just been lovely to really relax, and I headed back to the homeland for the first time in two months. I hope if you've been lucky enough to not have to work, that you've really enjoyed your time off too :-)

I just thought I'd share some snaps of my bank holiday weekends...

On Easter Monday I took at little jaunt to Warwick Races. I'd never been to the races before, but it was such a lovely day out (helped greatly by ridiculously gorgeous weather) so I would definitely like to go again sometime...

I know you have to bet big to win big, but that's not really my style! All bets placed based on horses names. Obviously.

To mark the Royal Wedding I thought I'd do something I never do - bake!

Ta da - here are my finished creations!! Ok, so they look a little messy and childlike, but the thought was definitely there! I took them into work and I think they went down pretty well :-)

The sun was also shining in beautiful Leamington Spa this weekend, where I enjoyed an ice cream in the park and watched the world go by...

Chocolate bananas and white mice anyone?!...

May Day bank holiday was spent in Stratford-Upon-Avon, birthplace of Shakespeare...

When the sun's shining, I recommend to any of you that Stratford is well worth a visit. It's always buzzing down by the river, with plenty going on to watch and do. I really love it there...

I took the opportunity to have a bit of a bash at golf, at my local driving range. I have my first golf event at work this week, so I'd really like to be able to just hit a ball.

To be fair, it didn't go too badly - I managed to hit the ball about 80% of the time, and some went really high and far, which I'd say isn't to bad going for my first attempt ever :-)

How on earth am I going to cope when next week, god forbid, I actually have to work five whole days?!

On a different note, I really want to get more consistent with my blogging. What with getting a new job, flat etc, I wasn't blogging too often, and now the internet in my flat is being extremely temperamental so sometimes I struggle to get online at all. However, I've just seen a new series of tag posts that I'd really like to do, so internet connection permitting, I'll be posting much more regularly over the coming weeks :-)

Anyway, that's all from me for now, so have a lovely four-day week all!

Musical Mothers' Day

2011-04-19T14:04:00.001-07:00

Evening ladies!

Just thought I'd do a really quick post to show you some snaps from my weekend, when I celebrated (albeit belatedly!) Mothers' Day with my mum and her boyfriend.

They travelled down to see me in London for the day, and we visited the bright lights of the capital! It was a gorgeous day in London so we were very lucky :-)

First stop was food (typical!). We went to Bella Italia in Leicester Square and managed to nab ourselves a perfect spot outside to enjoy the sunshine and do some good old people spotting.

Perusing the menu...

I know it's boring, but I went for my old favourite - margarita pizza :-D Nom nom!

The food was delicious and we were so stuffed as we headed off to the theatre that we didn't even have room for dessert... very rare!...

W then made our way to Her Majesty's Theatre close by for the matinee of Phantom of the Opera. I do love a musical, but I'd never been to see this one before so was very excited. Her's my mum and I on our way in...

The show was amazing!! It wouldn't have been my normal choice as it was quite dark and intense (the title should probably have given that away...) but I would highly recommend it. It isn't my favourite musical I've ever seen, but I'm still glad I've ticked it off my list!

After the show we headed towards Piccadilly Circus, for a drink and some more people watching before my mum and her boyfriend went home.

Until next time...

What's In My Bag?...

2011-04-05T14:14:00.001-07:00

I love watching 'What's In My Bag' videos and toyed with the idea of making one myself. But seeing as I've gone off the idea of seeing my own mug on YouTube, I thought that writing a post on it may be a good compromise. It's not quite the same I know, but at least I can still show you 'what's in my bag'.

So first up, the all important bag. This is the baby I'm carrying round on a day to day basis at the moment...

I got it from Accessorize for a bargainous £8.40 in the sale. My mum bought the same one - we match! I love it because it's big enough to fit everything I need, but is still pretty light. I don't know about you, but I find some bags are just so heavy before you even put anything in them, so once you have got all your things in it, they're just ridiculous.

Here's what I have in my bag at the moment. I didn't realise I carried so much 'stuff' around with me all the time - and this is on a good day!

So I have some random essentials - I usually keep these in the little pocket on the inside. Tissues, hairbands, chewing gun, paracetamol, lipgloss and lip balm. I love cute little packets of tissues like this one :-)

Then we have the three items I never leave the house without - my Accessorize purse, iPhone and keys (complete with Tesco clubcard!). I literally couldn't live without my iPhone - I don't know how I used to function without it!

My iPod and pass holder with my Young Persons Railcard and Oyster card are always in my bag. I always need them on the tube/train/bus, so rather than have to remember them everytime, it's just easier if I always have them with me.

Looking in my bag it seems I'm prepared for all weathers! I've got my leopard print umbrella which I got in my goodie bag at The Look Show, some fingerless gloves from Primarni and sunnies from Dorothy Perkins. Come rain, cold or sunshine, I'm ready!

Last but not least, I might have been a little bit naughty as in the front pocket I appear to have a half eaten packet of Skittles (better than an empty packet I guess!).

So that's what I have in my bag :-) It's pretty tidy for me - no random receipts or half empty water bottles like there normally are! I might do another one of these posts in a couple of months time if I change things up at all.

If you've done a 'What's In My Bag' video or blog post, link me up :-D

I'm Feeling Forever 21

2011-03-14T15:10:00.001-07:00

When I went to Birmingham recently to meet a friend for dinner and a few cheeky drinks, on my way from the station I couldn't help but pop in to Forever 21 in the Bull Ring. I went to uni in Birmingham so for four years the Bull Ring was my second home, so it felt good to return :-D

As it was only a very fleeting visit I didn't actually try anything on or buy anything, but I did do a bit of exploring.

My main observation is that the store is MASSIVE!! Three floors of goodness :-D The ground floor is some mens and some womens, the middle floor is all women's clothes, and upstairs is mainly accessories, underwear and sleepwear. There's even a Costa inside the store, so you can stop for a bit of a rest after you've shopped 'til you've dropped!

The store is really nicely decorated (if that's the right word!) with big chandeliers, good lighting and lots of glittery-ness. I thought it was a really great shopping experience, as everything was well spaced out, well displayed and tidy (a nice change if you are used to Primark!).

As I say, I didn't try anything on, but a quick peek at the price tags suggested everything was pretty affordable - I'd probably say about New Look prices.

The top floor was my favourite - a treasure trove of jewellery, belts, hair accessories, bags, purses and belts... I wanted everything :-D I'm pretty sure if I was after a necklace to go with a specific outfit, I could have easily found one in there.

Look how these accessories are displayed - on cute tiered cake stands! I just think showing things off like this makes everything seem more expensive than it actually is, so you really feel like you're buying something special :-)

I'll definitely be making another trip to Forever 21 next time I'm in Birmingham, when I'll hopefully have more time to peruse the rails (and not just take some rushed photos!).

Have any of you managed to visit Forever 21 yet, either in Birmingham or across the pond in America? If you have, what did you think? Did you buy anything?

Put A Ring On It!

2011-03-06T14:16:00.001-08:00

Evening all.

So I'm pleased to report that I had a really good second week at my new job :-) But I still think that no matter how much you like your job, you still get that Sunday night feeling where the weekend just seems to have flown by and you can't believe it's Monday so soon. Ah, well, it will be Friday again before we know it!

I really want to do another couple of posts like my last one on my old room at home, but because I don't want things to get too boring, I thought I'd mix it up, do this post on accessories, and then do another room post next.

Now I do love a good old bit of costume jewellery. A statement ring here. A funky necklace there.

Over the last few weeks I've added a few new rings to my collection. I only really tend to buy costume jewellery in the sales, as you can get some real bargains. Here are a few of my latest purchases... I can't wait to wear them...

Miss Selfridge - £2

Big. Chunky. Flower. Can't go wrong.

Left: Miss Selfridge £2. Right: Bijou Brigitte (Uxbridge) £5

I bought these two separately but I think they look good together. I bought the Miss Selfridge one because I have so many rings for my middle finger, but none for my ring finger.

Accessorize - £1.80

I'm not really sure about this one, as the diamantes aren't my usual style, but it's still quite pretty and will look nice when I want something a bit more subtle.

Dorothy Perkins - £2

So this one's pretty big and impractical, but it's pretty! I wouldn't wear it on a daily basis but thing it could be a statement piece to add to quite a plain outfit for a night out or event.

Miss Selfridge - £3

I couldn't resist the colour of this, with the wires and chains. I also picked up the matching long necklace for £3. I probably wouldn't wear them at the same time though.

I don't know about you, but my heart always skips a beat when I see a sale jewellery rail! *need to get my kicks in ways other than shopping*

Pretty Place for Pretty Things

2011-02-26T13:29:00.001-08:00

Hi girlies,

Sorry I've been a little bit absent from blogging over the last week or so. I started a new job on Monday which meant moving city and being really tired from taking lots of new information in every day, so I haven't had the energy in the evenings to blog. But now I've had a lovely lie in this morning I feel much more awake and ready to get into the swing of things! My job is going really well so far - I've had a great first week :-D I'm looking forward to moving into my new flat in a week or so too, and not longer having to live out of a suitcase (MBFGW calls...)

Anyway before I left home for this new job I'd just about got my room at home how I wanted it, so I took loads of pictures. I'm going to miss my room as I'd just got it really pretty and girly, but hopefully I can make my room in my new flat just as nice.

So, despite moving out and so my room at home not looking like this any more, I still thought it would be nice to show you some photos of what it did look like. I've done a post on my bedroom before (which you can find here) but all the pictures were taken for that when I didn't actually live at home and was at uni. However, when I moved back in before Christmas, the room had all my stuff in and so was a lot more 'me' :-) I'm going to do a couple of posts to show how I finally got my room looking, but for now I'll start with my dresser (well, it's not a dresser, it's a chest of drawers, but I used it for the same purpose).

So, here it is, as it was...

The chest was from Ikea and I believe it was about £80, which I think is great value. The mirror is also from Ikea and it was a bargainous £10!

On top of the chest I kept all my jewellery, everyday things that I need easy access to, and a range of trinkets to keep my room looking pretty :-) I'm not a particularly girly girl generally, but I find a girly, pretty room so much more relaxing that any other style.

The 'LOVE' block is one of my more recent purchases. I got it from TK Maxx for just £3.99, and couldn't resist its sparkly goodness! There's also a pair of adorable tealight holders on there. I don't ever light them, but they're cute just for decoration. The flowers are artificial, but added some much needed colour. The dark box is my nifty solution for storing all my earrings - you can see the post I did on it here - I thought it was a cool idea!

I kept my everyday essentials out on top of the chest. I have more brushes than this, but not that I use on a regular basis. I keep a few brushes, emery boards, tweezers, scissors and eyelash curlers in this 'Bridesmaid' mug which I was given when I was a bridesmaid last year.

In the back corner are all my necklaces and bracelets on a mug tree. I find its the only way I can keep them all untangled, which made it much easier in the morning when I'm rushing about, trying to get ready.

Probably my favourite thing on the chest is this lovely glass pot, which I got from a car boot for £1. It actually has a silver lid that goes with it, but because I use it to store all my eye make up, it wont fit on. These are all the eye shadows, eye liners and mascaras I have - not a huge collection, but to be honest if I had any more I probably wouldn't use them.

I got this cute vintage pot from a car boot for just 50p! At the moment it's perfect to store all of my rings. However, my collection seems to be growing rapidly, so I might need to reassess...

Finally, hanging off the handle of the top drawer is adorable sign... so true...

So there we have it - my much loved chest of drawers. I'm really going to miss it now that I've moved out again, as I'd just got it set up exactly how I wanted it.

I'll be doing another post shortly to show where I kept all the rest of my make up and toiletries, and how I stored them while I was back at home.

Have any of you got any cute storage ideas? Send me links to your blog posts on your storage if you've written any...

Alphabet of Love! T-Z...

2011-02-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

Evening ladies!

Hope you're all good, and happy that tomorrow is finally Friday! As I haven't had a job since Christmas all the days have started to blend into one for me, but as I start my new, very exciting job, on Monday, I'm looking forward to the days actually meaning something and getting that Friday feeling again :-D

Today I was finally able to finish my 'Alphabet of Love' - my A-Z run though of all the things that float my boat. You can find the first three parts here, here and here if you haven't already read them. Turns out it's much harder to think of things the closer you get to Z! Anyway, here's the final countdown...

...Tattoos (but not on me!)

I really love tattoos, even though I don't think they're for me. On other people I think they can look so gorgeous, but I just wouldn't get one myself (even though I think about it A LOT). I think it's because I'm very pale, could never decide on what to actually go for, and that I always think that it wouldn't look nice on my wedding day.

If I looked like the girl in this picture I would definitely have one. I really like meaningful quotes/words in particular, and I'm not a big fan of getting wives/husbands names tattooed - just asking for trouble me thinks!

...University

As you'll know if you read my blog regularly I graduated from university last summer after four years. One word to summarise my uni experience... awesome!

Although I was ready to leave, it doesn't mean I wasn't sad. I had a brilliant time, met great people and had so many memorable experiences! From other people's blogs I can see that many don't have as good a uni experience as I did, so I guess I was very lucky :-)

...Virgin Islands

So, in 2009 I basically visited paradise on earth! I hadn't really visited any exotic locations on holiday before, so when I went to the British Virgin Islands I loved it so much (it's where Richard Branson's Necker Island is). We stayed on Tortola but managed to visit some of the other islands too, and the scenery, beaches and people were amazing. The only problem is that I'll now probably never be able to top that holiday, so am going to feel disappointed for the rest of my life!

What's not to love about these pictures?!

...Weddings

Believe it or not, until a few years ago I'd never been to a wedding. But in the last few years I've been to quite a few, and feel like I was missing out before - they are so much fun! I was even a bridesmaid last year for my (now ex) boyfriend's brother and wife-to-be :-) I loved it so much and it was such a gorgeous wedding! I'm sitting on the left of the bench...

So if anyone ever needs people to attend a wedding because they haven't got enough guests and want to look a bit more popular, I'll be there!

...X Factor

So this choice isn't that unusual at all - along with the rest of the country I love the X Factor. And pretty much every other reality show out there for that matter. I never actually phone up and vote, but that doesn't mean my Saturday nights don't revolve around the TV. I usually pair this with a Pizza Hut delivery, making me one very happy bunny :-)

...YouTube

Once I log on to YouTube, the next thing I know a couple of hours have passed - I just don't know where the time goes! I spend most of my time watching videos by all the big beauty gurus, and enjoy discovering new favourites too. However, my most watched video on YouTube has to be this performance of 'Set Fire To The Third Bar' by Snow Patrol and Cheryl Cole. I wouldn't usually say Cheryl has that great a voice, but I think this song really suits her, and their voices sound great together.

What do you think?

...Zzzzzz

Sorry if this is a bit of a cop out as it's not really a word, but I couldn't think of anything else apart from zoos or zebras! And it is true - I do really like sleep :-) I've never been one of these people who can get away with not getting much sleep, and if I go a few days without my 8 hours definitely start feeling a bit ropey! I love nothing more than snuggling in my bed, in some nice pyjamas, with some magazines in hand :-)

So that completes my alphabet of 'loves'! I hope you've enjoyed reading it, and if you've found it just a tiny bit interesting, funny or insightful then I'm happy :-) Hopefully it's allowed you to get to know 'the girl behind the blog' just that little bit better.

As I said at the top, I start my new job on Monday, so along with that and moving city and finding somewhere to live, things could be a little hectic. So I apologise in advance if my blogging is quite sporadic over the next week or two.

Loves.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T23:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day one and all!

I spent my evening alone watching Bridget Jones. Tragic.

Please fill me in on your Valentines stories to cheer me up!

And just because I'm a bit of a maths geek..

All pictures from weheartit.com

Loves.

Alphabet of Love! M-S...

2011-02-12T12:29:00.001-08:00

Hi ladies,

Sorry for the lack of posts this week - it's been a rather hectic few days in the life of Erin. To sum it up, I had a second interview for a job I REALLY wanted, and I actually got it! I am so happy but so nervous at the same time. In a recent tag post I did (which you can find here) I described my ideal job, and this new job is basically exactly this, so really I couldn't have wished for anything better :-D But now the frantic search begins for a flatshare, as I need to move back to London again.

Anyway, after a busy week, I'be finally managed to put together the third part of my 'Alphabet of Love' series. The first two parts are here and here. So without further ado...

...Macbook

Without doubt the best purchase I've ever made. I just couldn't live without my lovely little macbook. I got it in my final year at university and compared to my old, super slow laptop, I would say that it's genuinely changed my life.

...Names

Ok, so this one's quite weird, I admit. I have a slight obsession with baby names! I just find it interesting what names mean, what celebrities call their children and what names go together for siblings. Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that one?..

...online window shopping

I love a good old bit of surfing my favourite sites to see what goodies I'd like to buy if money was no object. I've bought a few things online but don't tend to do it that often, as for me I like the whole shopping experience and trying things on. But I do like to see what's out there and create my own little wishlists :-)

...Puddles

No, not of the rainy variety. Puddles was the name of my dearest pussy cat who sadly passed away about two years ago. We called him Puds for short.

He lived to 18 years and I'd like to think he had a very happy little life :-) I still miss him all the time though. I don't think people who don't have pets can ever understand how close you can get to them.

...Quizzes

I LOVE quizzes. I don't know why really though, as I'm not actually that good at them! My general knowledge is pretty poor, especially geography and history. I tend to do alright on the celebrity, entertainment and music rounds though (no surprise there then!). In my first year at university we used to do the pub quiz every Monday, and those were some of my happiest times :-)

... Revision

Jokes. I HATED revision with a passion. At uni I didn't mind lectures, tutorials, coursework, or actually doing exams themselves. But revision periods were just the worst ever - I could always find something better to do with my time. So for all of you that are revising for school or university - I feel your pain. But believe me it will all be worth it in the end when you can be proud of yourself. Then you can LOVE that it's over!

This picture was taken when I was revision for my finals - hoping that all the contents of my Operations Strategy module would go into my head through some sort of osmosis-like process!

...Stationery

I'm a sucker for cute stationery - I could get lost in Paperchase for hours. Having pretty stationary just makes writing things down so much more fun! And as I'm always writing lists, I go through them really quickly. This is my current notebook - so cute from WHSmith...

Only one more post to go! As i said before, if any of you want to do this tag then go for it - just send me the link so I can check it out :-) You don't have to make it a mega 4-part series like I have!

All Snuggled Up!

2011-02-07T15:06:00.001-08:00

Evening chicas!

Hope you've all had a lovely start to your week (or as lovely as is possible!). I had an interview in London and then met up with a friend for drinks in Birmingham, so I've been a busy bee :-)

So I just have a very quick OOTD post for you today. This is what I wore on Saturday to go shopping with my mum... (I apologise for dodgy pictures taken on my iPhone and Photobooth)...

Jacket/Cardigan - New Look

Trousers - Dorothy Perkins

Boots - River Island

Bag - River Island

Necklace - Secret Santa!

Vest - New Look

I put my hair up after I took these two pictures, because it just didn't look right. It just seems very nothingy to me at the moment - very long, but it doesn't really 'do' anything (if this makes sense). I really want to have a bit of a change in the hair department, so I'm busy looking for inspiration.

I am so in love with this jacket, cardigany thing (I don't really know what to call it!). It's just a gorgeous mix of autumny colours and is really snuggly - perfect for this chilly weather we seem to be having.

It was actually a bit of a bargain - I picked it up in the New Look sale for just £5. However, when I got home and looked at my receipt it said 'Zip Leggings', so it turns out it had the wrong tag on it! I practically haven't taken it off since I bought it!

Getting gangsta...

Alphabet of Love! G-L...

2011-02-03T04:24:00.001-08:00

Hi all!

Hope you're all having a good day :-) Despite it being pretty cold it's really sunny where I am today, which is making me excited that summer is nearing! As much as I love hibernating in the winter, I can't wait for longer evenings and not having to wrap up in so many layers.

Anyway, I'll stop nattering and get on with the whole point of this post - continuing with my alphabet of things that I love :-) (You can see the first post in this little series here). So, I'll carry on where I left off, with 'G'...

...Gladiators

I couldn't possibly do an alphabet of things I love without mentioning Gladiators! And by this, yes, I do mean the 90s TV show. I was SUCH a big fan of Gladiators - I had all the annuals, recorded all the shows on our VHS player and was lucky enough to go to see the show about six times. Whenever anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I was older, I would say a Gladiator! I was excited when they announced it was coming back a few years ago, but it just wasn't the same (maybe because I'm not 7 years old any more!...)

This was taken when I went to see the show one time - Falcon wasn't actually there, they just put a little lens in the camera with her picture on. I was very proud of it though!

...Handbags

I'm sure you all have your own fashion and beauty weak spots - be it shoes, jewellery, lipsticks or anything else. But for me it's handbags - I just can't resist! I don't have a huge collection at all, and I definitely don't own any designer bags, but sometimes I just spot a handbag (usually in River Island) that I just can't walk away from! *must get more will power* What is it that you just can't resist?

...Inbetweeners

Despite it making me cringe soooo badly, I love The Inbetweeners. I didn't watch the first series when it was first on, but had a marathon box set session to catch up for series two, and it's blimin' hilarious! It reminds me so much of my school and is just so true to life. I love Will the 'Briefcase W****r' in particular! I am super duper excited for the film that's due out this summer :-)

...Joe Hart

I'm a huge football fan, and as much as I love the 'beautiful game' I also love the 'beautiful people' (not that they're all attractive by any stretch of the imagination - Wayne Rooney being a perfect example). As I said in my 15 Random Questions tag post I did here, Sami Hyypia is my favourite footballer ever and my big crush! But Joe Hart has to be up there too - a goalkeeper who plays for Machnester City. Fit.

Now I come to think of it he actually looks like a young Sami, so maybe that's why I like him!...

... Kardashians

I am ADDICTED to Keeping Up With The Kardashians! I just love that family so much - they're brilliant. I don't know whether it's because I'm an only child with quite a small family, but I love how close they all are and how much fun they have. The programme is hilarious and I am mucho jealous of their glamorous lifestyles.

Couple how entertaining they are with how darn stunning they are and you've got a winning combination. Basically my ambition is to be a Kardashian. Could be a difficult one...

... Laughing

Don't worry I don't like laughing like some kind of weirdo. But I love that feeling when you're laughing so much that you just can't stop, your mouth hurts and you can't breathe. These moments don't come that often, but now I can think back to the last time I did this and it's making me smile just thinking about it :-) Even better is if you're in a situation when you aren't meant to be laughing - you know it's wrong but just can't control yourself.

I'm nearly half way through the alphabet now, so hopefully you'll stick with me all the way to 'Z'!...

Just want to be me... but who's me?!

2011-01-29T10:25:00.000-08:00

Hi girls!

Hope you're all having a good weekend :-) And more importantly I hoped you enjoyed your weekly dose of 'Take Me Out' tonight! (Love that show!). Still no date for Lucy though, bless her...

Anyway, if you've been following me on Twitter, you might have noticed that recently I had a major clearout of my wardrobe. My wardrobe was practically bursting at the seams but at the same time I never seemed to have anything to wear! I'm sure some of you must feel the same sometimes...

I finally decided there's no point owning items that I don't like or that I'm not going to wear. Although I now have hardly any clothes left (maybe this is a slight exaggeration) it feels strangely liberating. Now I only have things I use regularly, really love or really enjoy wearing.

But it does mean that I now need to get some more clothes, as I have a lot of nice pieces but not really any outfits (if that makes sense...). But I want to start buying 'sensibly' from now on - not just buying things because they're in the sale, or if I've got nothing to wear them with.

And this is what leads me on to my lack of inspiration...

I sat with my mum and tried to make a list of all the thing that I needed; 'tops for brown trousers', 'casual dress', 'black jeans for evening' etc. However, despite the detailed list, when I headed out shopping I still didn't know what I was looking for. I just didn't really know what I wanted to buy or how I wanted to look.

Do any of you ever feel that you don't really know how you want to dress? Sometimes I can't help feeling that everyone else has their own style - quirky, glamourous, casual, pretty, preppy etc, while I wander round aimlessly not really knowing what I want.

So after a disappointing shopping trip I thought I'd try to get some inspiration - to really understand how I want to dress. I decided to put all my old magazines to good use and set about cutting out all the pictures that I liked. Here's what I ended up with...

Now I'm not saying I could pick any of these pictures up and would want to copy the whole look. But cutting out so many pictures was useful in helping me recognise what appeals to me and what general 'looks' I like.

Some of the faces that cropped up a lot were the girls from The Saturdays. They generally seem to favour quite a casual look, and as they're young, whatever they wear tends to be on trend.

I noticed that I'd also cut out quite a lot of similar pictures of some very laid back looks. Turns out I really like the casual jeans, basic top and scarf look, as these pictures of Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Beckinsale show. It's really simple, but I love this effortless style (just need the gorgeous LA weather though, right?!).

Most of the evening looks I cut out were Blake Lively and Olivia Palmero. I reckon I was drawn to these because they look glamorous and put together, but still very young. Sometimes when I'm looking for dressier outfits I think I tend to pick out things that are a bit old for me, when I still want to be dressing like a 23 year old.

I think after doing this exercise I actually have a much better idea of what clothes I like and how I want to dress. I'm not saying I want to start dressing like a Frankie or Jessica clone, but I can recognise what elements of their style appeal to me. I'd probably sum it up by saying I like quite a laid-back, casual look, yet still young and well put together.

Hopefully now I can start building up my own style, rather than owning so much 'stuff' that doesn't say anything about me or make me happy. Here's to more successful shopping trips in the future! I'll let you know how i get on with hauls and outfit posts :-)

Do any of you ever cut out pictures like this from magazines, or keep files of images you like on your computer, or am I the only one?!

Alphabet of Love! A-F...

2011-01-24T10:51:00.001-08:00

Hi girls,

I thought it might be a nice idea to do something different with my blog. I read so many other blogs and feel like I know some of the bloggers so well, even though I've never met them. The photos they share, the way they write and experiences they talk about make me feel like I've known them for years!

When I was looking through some old posts on my blog I started to think that maybe my blog doesn't really allow you to get to know me as a person. I would love to get to know some of you lovely people from the blogging community, whether you have a blog yourself or not, and I figure the best start is to allow you to get to know me a little better :-)

So I've come up with the idea of doing an alphabet of things I love. Hopefully this will allow you to understand the people, objects and slightly random 'things' that rock my boat, so to speak!

I'll be doing this in four separate posts over the next week or two. So, where better to start than with 'A'?!

...A Walk to Remember

I'm such a girly girl when it comes to films. I hardly ever settle down to watch a movie as I don't really have the patience, but whenever I do it's always for a real chick flick! A Walk to Remember is a real favourite of mine - so happy yet so sad at the same time. If you are one of the few that hasn't seen it, I can't recommend it highly enough. (And who wouldn't want to change Landon from bad boy to marriage material like Jamie does?!)

...Britney

So Britney's staging a bit of a comeback at the moment what with her recent Glee appearance and all, but I've been a fan since waaaay back in the day. I was lucky enough to see her perform at the O2 a couple of years ago, and although her voice wasn't the greatest, the show she put on was just unbelievable.

It's Britney, bitch!

...Cheese

Anyone who knows me in real life knows what a terribly fussy eater I am, and that basically my whole diet is based around cheese (I'll worrry about my cholesterol in a few years). Even on Christmas day when the whole family tucks into a traditional meal, I have a cheese and tomato pizza! This is serious - the picture below was Christmas Day 2009...

I need to start expanding my list of 'Erin-safe' foods!

...Dancing

'Dance like no one's watching', so the saying goes. I just LOVE to dance. I never went to lessons as a child but spent many an hour in my bedroom dancing along to the Spice Girls, Five and the Backstreet Boys! When I went to university I joined the dance club - the Aston WildKatz, and had the most brilliant time. Here's a pic of some of us after one of our performances...

I met so many great people and had so much fun performing and competing with them. Now I've left uni I'd love to join a new dance club, as I really miss it.

...Ebay

I am a little bit addicted to ebay, although much more on the selling than buying side. I've bought a few things but mainly sell items I buy from car boots and charity shops, or my own no longer wanted goodies. I tend to go through ebay bursts though, so whenever I have 20 parcels to post, people in the Post Office better beware - they're in for a long wait!

... Fancy Dress

I am a huge fan of fancy dress. When I was at university (I graduated last summer) no night out was complete without fancy dress! It's one of the big things I miss from my uni days. I did a post here on some of my favourite fancy dress outfits if you want to check any of them out.

Join me next time for 'G' onwards (if you're at all interested!)...

Tag: 15 Random Questions

2011-01-20T15:28:00.001-08:00

Evening lovelies.

Something exciting happened today - I was 'tagged'! ha ha. I know this might not seem exciting, but seeing as I've never been tagged to do a post before I was very excited :-) As you can see I don't have that many 'followers', so I'm so grateful to those that I do have and to anyone else who reads my blog. It makes me happy!

Anyway, on to the tag. I was tagged by the lovely Leslie at Strategic Skin to do these 15 random questions. You can check her blog out over at...

http://www.strategicskin.com/blog/

So, without further hesitation, here goes...

1) What is your dream job?

Ideally I would love a career in the sports industry. I graduated in the summer and managed to get a good job with a national retailer, but I just wasn't passionate about it. I've always had a passion for sport, so my dream job would be to work for a top sports club or organisation, maybe in a Marketing, PR or Player Liaison role. I'm on the job hunt as we speak, so if anyone knows of any good opportunities, send them my way! ha ha.

2) What is your favourite fragrance for winter?

If I'm totally honest I don't have a lot of different fragrances and don't have much knowledge in this area. I tend to have one fragrance, use it until it runs out, and then buy a new one. I'd love to have a big collection, but I just don't. This winter I've been wearing my Herve Leger Femme. I think it's gorgeous.

3) How do you take your tea/coffee?

I don't drink tea or coffee at all, I never have. Instead I survive on water, milk and Diet Coke!

4) What is your most important beauty secret?

I don't think I really have a beauty secret - I have a pretty basic routine and don't do anything particularly unusual. Two things I would say are to always take your make up off before bed, and smile! Everyone looks so much more beautiful when they're smiling not scowling!

Picture from weheartit.com

5) If you had an all expenses paid vacation anywhere, where would you go?

I would love this so much right now! Quite random, but I'd probably say somewhere like Iceland. I just love the idea of it being freezing outside and being in a hot spring with a drink in hand. Plus, I believe Iceland is very expensive, so I would probably never be able to afford to go there unless it was paid for by someone else!

6) If a genie popped up in your lap right now and offered you three wishes, what would you ask for?

I would ask for good health for me and all those I care about, enough money for me to get a nice flat and not have to worry about rent, and to meet the man of my dreams :-) One can only hope...!

7) If you could only have breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert foods for the rest of your life, what would you pick?

I'd have to go for breakfast. Crumpets, bagels, toast, cereals, fruit, yoghurt, milk, juice - I don't need anything else!

8) If you were Hello Kitty, what colour hair bow would you wear?

I'm not much of a Hello Kitty fan to be honest. But if I had to choose, judging by the general theme of my wardrobe, I would probably have a black bow, maybe with a bit of sparkle thrown in for good measure. I need to inject more colour into my life and wardrobe...

9) What is your biggest make-up pet peeve?

Hmmm, difficult one. I have a few, but my biggest one would probably be bad foundation/fake tan, where someone's face is a totally different colour to the rest of their body. I may have been guilty of this in the past when I haven't done my make up in the best light, but I don't reckon it's ever been too noticeable! Fingers crossed anyway...

10) If you could wear only one piece of jewellery for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I don't own a piece of jewellery that is particularly special to me, or something that I wear on a daily basis. Hopefully when I meet the man of my dreams (which the genie from the question above will find me!) then I'll have a wedding ring which I wouldn't want to be without.

11) What one talent do you wish you had?

I'd love to be able to sing. I wouldn't even want to be a professional singer, but if I could just get up at karaoke or a party and blow people away I'd be happy :-) And I am a loooong way off from being able to do that I assure you.

12) Which product will you continue to purchase?

Not particularly exciting, but one thing I can't ever imagine not having in Vaseline. I always have a small tin by my bed and one in my handbag - it sorts out my dry lips a treat :-)

13) If you could look into the future, would you? And what would you like to know?

Although it would be majorly tempting, I don't think I would do it, in fear of not liking what I see! But if I did do it, I'd just want to know if I was happy.

14) Who is your biggest celebrity crush? Include pictures!

I'm not sure if he would really be classed as a celebrity, but there's no way I could ever pick anyone other than this person - Sami Hyypia! No, you don't know who he is?! Well, he's a Finnish footballer who used to play for Liverpool but now plays in Germany. I've pretty much loved him for the last 10 years! Seriously. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about him, as I know he's not the most stereotypically good looking person, but I just love him! Oh, and he's 37, not that a bit of an age gap ever mattered!

15) What made you start a blog?

I was encouraged to start a blog by my then boyfriend and a couple of his friends. They had blogs of their own about technology and music and told me I should write about something that really interested me. So I gave it a go and have been hooked since! I enjoy reading other people's blogs just as much as I enjoy writing my own.

So there we go - my random answers to some random questions!

I tag anyone to do this tag who wants to give it a go! If you do it, leave a link in the comments so I can check it out.

Beautifully Black

2011-01-17T13:02:00.001-08:00

Hi ladies!

I haven't done a nails post in a while, and really wanted to show you this little baby, which I put on for the meal I posted about here.

It's from No7 and is 'Beautifully Black' (number 70). It's the first No7 nail varnish I've ever owned because I normally stick to the slightly cheaper brands such as 17, Rimmel and Barry M. If I'm totally honest I only got it because I had one of those £5 No7 vouchers they regularly give out at Boots, so I thought I would try it out!

Here's the same image, with and without flash, to hopefully show the shade off in its most realistic light.

I used two coats. One would have probably been ok, but I wanted two just to ensure I had full coverage. I have to say that it did exactly as it says on the tin - speed dry. After only a minute or two I was ready to rock and roll.

I hope you can see from the pictures the lovely glittery effect this nail varnish gives. The glitter is very subtle and just gives a gorgeous sheen. It's not like many glitter nail varnishes that are really thick and give a coarse finish that you can tell will be difficult to get off - it still has a super smooth finish. From a distance it almost looks just plain black, as you get a bit closer you can see the lovely sparkling effect.

I was very impressed and will definitely be wearing this again when I want a modern yet sophisticated look.

The reason I have waited a few days to post this review is that I wanted to wait to see how it would fare after being worn for a longer period of time. It's now two days since I painted my nails, and I have to say it's not doing too well. Although some nails are still intact, I do have a lot of chips. However, I have been swimming twice and done a lot of sorting in my room, so maybe this has had something to do with it.

If I were to sum it up I would say it's an absolutely gorgeous nail varnish for an event or evening out which I will definitely be using again, but I wouldn't recommend it for daily wear as I found it did chip quite easily.

What are your favourite nail varnishes at the moment? I find it hard to find darker shades that I really like - has anyone got any recommendations?

All In Black

2011-01-15T10:38:00.001-08:00

Evenin' gals!

Just thought I'd share a little outfit post. I wore this ensemble last night when I headed out with my mum and a couple of our friends for dinner. We were just going to a lovely country pub, so I wanted something nice as I hadn't seen them in a while, but nothing too dressy.

This is what I eventually plumped for...

I've been wanting to wear this top for ages. Well, it's actually a body (is that what everyone else calls them?!) with cut out sheer panelling at the sides. It also has a small zip that goes part way down the front. I love it because I can wear it when I would normally wear a black vest, but it's just that bit more interesting.

I got the body and black trousers from Tesco, with some vouchers I won in a competition being held by Tor on her Fab Frocks blog months ago - so thanks Tor - I finally get to show you what I got with my winnings! (You can find Tor's blog here - check it out, it's fab by name and by nature!)

I finished the outfit off with my River Island boots, which I did a post on in November and practically haven't taken off since! I also wore my New Look blazer and new River Island scarf :-)

Trousers - Tesco

Body - Tesco

Blazer - New Look

Scarf - River Island

Boots - River Island

Just a few close up of my face :-/ I don't really know why, because my make up wasn't anything special a) because I didn't have much time and b) because I am such a make up amateur!

We all had a lovely meal and, more importantly, a good old gossip about holidays, men and life in general!

The evening was finished off with a naughty but nice 'Marshmallow Mountain', with wafer, marshmallows, ice cream and strawberry sauce :-) Not quite in keeping with my aim to get a bit healthier in 2011, but never mind!

Hope you are all sticking to you New Year resolutions a little bit better than I am!

Pin Your Dreams On It

2011-01-13T13:34:00.001-08:00

I've been collecting brooches, old and new, for a few years now and have finally got round to setting up a little blog shop of sorts to sell all my goodies :-)

I've picked them up from all sorts of places - auctions, car boot sales and boutiques, and they're all so different. I'm quite picky and only buy the ones I really like, either because they're cute, versatile or just plain crazy!

You can find my shop at...

pinyourdreamsonit.blogspot.com

And there's also a link to it over there on the right -->

Here's a peek at some of my favourite pieces...

So go on, please take a peek! I would reeeaaaaalllly appreciate it :-) And I'll always be adding new pieces, so pop back every so often to see if anything takes your fancy!

I've only got a small sample of my collection on the site at the moment, but I'll be adding as many as possible over the next few days/weeks.

I think brooches are a great, if under-recognised, accessory - whether on your top, scarf or bag, they can add real impact. And it appears some celebrities might just agree...

Snippets from the Sales

2011-01-08T10:21:00.001-08:00

Hello lovely ladies!

As promised, as a follow-on from my last post which showed all my recent bargainous beauty buys, here's a peek at some of my clothing and accessories purchases from the good old January sales :-)

First up is this beautiful evening bag from Next...

I love that it is a clutch, but it also has a strap which can be tucked inside if its not needed (because 90% of the time I take a clutch bag out with me, and by the end of the night when I'm giving it my all on the dancefloor I wish I didn't have to hold my bag!). The colour should go with anything too. I'm having a bit of a clearout at the moment and am discovering I own way too many cheap going out bags (mainly from Primarni) which I want to get rid of, and just have a couple of really nice bags instead.

This little beauty was just £8, reduced from £18 :-)

I'm really into scarves recently, as I seem to be wearing a lot of plain outfits and then adding colour or texture with a scarf. This was from River Island...

It was £24.99 reduced to £10, and is a mix of white, greys and black, with some velvety-feel parts, and some see through sections. Scrumptious!

Everyone has to get PJs for Christmas or in the sales don't they?! It's like an unwritten rule! These were from Dorothy Perkins, reduced from £20 to £12...

The trousers are full length but I folded them to get them all in the picture. I particularly like the top, as on the front it is plain black, but on the back it has the same floral pattern as the trousers - this means that from the back I look like I'm wearing an all-in-one! I can't wait to snuggle up in these :-)

Probably my favourite purchase has to be this jumper from the Signature collection at Next... (even though my mum says it looks like I have ferrets on my shoulders)...

I had wanted it when it was full price at £40, so I couldn't resist when it was marked down to £20 :-)

There's cute button detailing on the back too...

It reminds me of something I saw Frankie Sandford wearing in a magazine. It isn't exactly the same top, but I'll probably wear it in the same way (but won't look as good!).

FInally I got some shoes (of course!). A girl can never have too many black heels right?! Again, these were from Dorothy Perkins...

I love that they will go with everything that a normal pair of black heels would, but are a bit more 'interesting', with the zips and silver heel and platform. The fact that they were reduced from £40 to £10 just makes them even better!

And that's pretty much it :-) I still plan to head in to the sales once more this week, probably in Birmingham, to have a final look for some last minute bargains.

Let me know if you managed to get anything good in the sales. Even better, if you've done a blog post on your bargains, just post the link below - I really want to discover some more good blogs!

Bargain Beauty Buys!

2011-01-05T14:20:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year All!

I'm sure along with many other bloggers, one of my New Year's Resolutions is to blog more often (or at least be more consistent), so here I go with my first post of 2011!

Anyone who knows me knows how much I love a bargain :-) So I always get particularly excited about hitting the January sales (I'm not one of those people who queues at 5am though - I normally give it a few days so the serious shoppers get out of the way!)

This year I managed to get quite a few bargains. I'll show my clothes and accessories in a different post, but for now I thought you might perhaps like a gander at my bargain beauty buys!

First up is this gorgeous eye set from No7. As I'm sure you all know, all of Boots' gifts went down to half price after Christmas, and this set was one of those items. I was a very happy bunny to pick this up for £7.50, and it consists of three trio eye shadows, two eyeliners and a small mascara, perfect for my handbag. The packaging on the eye shadows is just adorable.

Next up were these three trio eye shadows from 17. Again, these were half price so I got them for £3. I know the colours are quite similar to some of the ones in the No7 set above, so I'll definitely wait to finish one set until I start the other - I hate having too many similar products on the go at the same time, as I never end up finishing anything off!

I hit Ruby and Millie next (not literally) and got this brush for £4, again from Boots. The shiny casing is gorgeous and it even comes with a lovely leather feel case so it doesn't get scratched on its travels.

Ruby and Millie again, next up is this sleek compact mirror. It has gold casing, swivels open, and has a normal mirror and a x2 mirror (scary!). I wanted to nab myself a compact mirror for my bag in the sales so was very pleased with this :-)

I'm sure many of you know that Boots have recently been doing an offer that when you spend a certain amount you get a £5 voucher for No7 - they do this quite regularly and I'm a big fan! After visiting Boots several times (as you can tell above!) I managed to get hold of two vouchers, and quickly snapped up these two brushes - a concealer brush and an eyeshadow brush. Obviously I had to pay some money towards them, but I still saved £10. I've been wanting to throw out all my old brushes for ages and start a fresh so was very pleased(continued below...!).

I managed to drag myself away from Boots (just!) and next stop was Marks and Spencer. It's not usually one of my favourite shops, but I just fell in love with this little set - funky tweezers, nail clippers and nail file! How cute are the tweezers in particular?! The set was reduced to just £3 so I couldn't say no!

Finally we have these little beauties - a brush set from No7. I've seen these on a few blogs, and I have to agree with everyone that's written about them - the floral pattern is super gorgeous, and the brushes seem great quality. I haven to admit that I didn't actually buy these for myself :-/ I bought them for my mum as an extra Christmas present for £15 from Boots, and then told her that I planned to get myself a set in the sale. However, when I tried to get them in the sales all my local Boots were sold out :-( So my mum said I could have the set I got her, as she knew I really liked them and she already had a nice set :-)

They even come with this cute black patent case with pink lining, which is really handy if you are taking them anywhere with you.

And that's it! Mission Sales Shopping, Accomplished!

Hope you like my purchases! I'm a very happy lady, as I love all the things I bought and, even better, I love that I got them for bargainous prices!

Have any of you managed to get any bargains in the January sales? I'd love to hear about them!

Give A Little Love (This Christmas!)

2010-12-13T13:32:00.001-08:00

I've been a little absent from the blogging scene for nearly a month now, and am giving myself a slap on the wrists for being so bad!

However, I decided to get my a**e in gear to make this video, as it's about something I had great fun doing and hope you may feel inspired to do the same :-)

I'm aware the sound and video aren't quite in time with each other, and I have no idea why :-( But I really hope you stuck with it and hopefully got a general idea of what I was going on about!

Here's a few pictures I took of all the goodies before whisking them away to a very deserving cause this afternoon - it's a real fest of all things girly!...

So I hope you might just fell inspired to give a little love this Christmas too, in whatever way you can :-)

These boots are made for walkin'!

2010-11-21T14:04:00.001-08:00

You know when you buy something and you like it so much that you have to keep looking at it?! Well that's how I feel about my latest purchase - my gorgeous boots from River Island :-) I keep popping into my bedroom to get another peak! ('sad' springs to mind...)

I was in Watford supposedly shopping for Christmas presents recently, but 'accidentally' wandered into River Island and picked these beauties up for myself...

I've been after a new pair of boots for a few weeks now, what with the colder weather n all. These were just what I've been looking for as they're flat (I can't be doing with heels on a daily basis), a lovely tan colour, and have fur, which is just everywhere at the moment.

Now this might sound strange coming from someone who shops a lot, but the £44.99 I spent on these is the biggest amount of money I've spent on any single item in ages. Although I buy quite a lot, I normally shop in sales and am a bit of a bargain hunter. However, I reckon they're great value for money. They're really good quality and I think they'll be pretty versatile.

They should be perfect for work as well as play, and I think I can wear them with a whole range of looks. Also, as well as wearing them with all the fur showing you can turn them up so they look more like boxing boots, to give another look again.

I am tres happy with my new purchases and can't wait to debut them at work a some point this week :-)

But from now on I think I need to be kept on a tight leash on Christmas shopping expeditions, and remember I'm supposed to be buying for other people! I think it's probably best that I avoid River Island then...

Now We're Back Together...

2010-11-16T12:48:00.001-08:00

Last weekend we had a bit of a uni reunion. After graduating in July it was the first time a big group of us had got together. It was quite the shindig.

Drinks were downed.

Shapes were thrown.

Poses were struck.

Hangovers were suffered.

Photos were de-tagged.

I wore:

Dress: River Island

Cardigan/Jacket: River Island

Boots: Dorothy Perkins

Earrings: George at Asda

Loves it.

A Nail Revolution!

2010-11-14T14:06:00.001-08:00

As I've said on here many times before, I'm no beauty expert. I love getting all dressed up, but I lack a bit of confidence in the make up area and so tend to stick to the same routine on a daily basis. The one thing I do like to play around with is nail varnish, because that seems far less scary to me and I figure you can't go too far wrong :-)

I own quite a lot of nail varnishes and tend to buy a new one and wear it religiously for a couple of weeks. However, the nail varnish I bought recently has to be one of my favourite ever nail purchases - I've just never seen anything like it.

I'm sure you've read many reviews on different blogs about Barry M's Nail Effects so I won't bore you too much with the details, but basically, for those of you that don't know, the idea is that you paint your nails a base colour of your choice (it doesn't have to be a Barry M polish), let it dry, and then over the top paint the Nail Effects black polish. Then, before your very eyes, it dries and starts to crack, leaving a really cool finish.

I've tried it out with a few different base colours, and so far my favourite has to be Toasted Almond by 17. I think it looks really good with the black Nail Effects over the top, and almost gives a bit of a leopard print feel.

I've had so many compliments since I've been wearing it, and I telling people all about it who haven't heard of it yet - I feel very 'in the know'! One random thing I really like about it (and I probably shouldn't admit this!) is that when your nails start to chip you don't really notice it so much, so you can keep hanging on for those extra few days! There's a lazy girl's review for you!

Overall, this is one of my very favourite new products ever and I'm a total convert :-)

Good one Barry M - you've really excelled yourselves with this little baby! xx

Heavenly Haul

2010-10-24T04:25:00.001-07:00

Hola Chicas!

Firstly I should say that I haven't gone AWOL! My recent absence from the blogosphere has been due to my poorly mac, which had to be fixed in the apple shop. But it's now back fighting fit and I'm once again ready to rock n roll!

After getting my hands on a few new purchases recently, I thought I'd do a lil haul post for you :-) I managed to get a few sale bargain as well as some really useful items that should be perfect for work. So here goes...

Poodle Beanie Hat - Topshop -£2

I was very happy to stumble across a Topshop outlet store in Slough the other week - I didn't know these even existed. I'm trying to build up my stash of winter accessories to make the thought of the colder weather a little bit more bearable. And for £2, what a bargain!

Gold Leaf Necklace - Republic - £2

A girl can never have too much jewellery! What more can I say...

Motif T-Shirt - New Look - £4

Since starting work I've got a little bored of dressing sensibly 5 out of 7 days a week, so on the other two days I'm starting to want to be a little bit more fun with what I wear. I thought this was super cute (look at the little bow in the girl squirrel's hair) and I just couldn't resist :-)

Beige Cardigan - New Look - £16

So this cardigan isn't the most exciting thing I've ever bought, but it will be really useful for work. I'm wearing a lot of basics for work at the moment, made a bit more interesting and adding colour with scarves and jewellery.

Maxi Skirt - New Look - £12

I was lusting after this maxi skirt when it was full price, so when it was reduced to £12 in the sale I just had to get it. I think the colours are lovely and its perfect for this time of year.

Skinny Trousers - Dorothy Perkins - £25

I was in need of some trousers for work that were smart but still casual (if that makes sense!). These fitted the bill nicely and are super comfy - shame I saw them reduced in the sale yesterday for £15 :-(

What have you guys been buying recently? Any good sale bargains or cute winter purchases?

My Summer Faves!

2010-10-10T12:32:00.001-07:00

So I've finally (reluctantly) admitted to myself that summer is over, after having to turn the heating on for the first time this week, digging out all my winter clothes and starting to browse the shops for scarves, hats and ear muffs. In doing so, I thought it might be a nice idea to do a post on what have been my 'summer faves', to point out what have been my favourite new purchases, the items I just haven't stopped wearing and my bargain buys of Summer 2010, before they are banished to the back of my wardrobe for winter! On that note, on to business...

My favourite... first!

Now I'm sure this might sound strange to many of you, but before this summer I'd never owned a pair of ballet pumps of any description. I'd just never found a pair that were cute AND comfortable. Well, that was until I discovered these little beauties for £12 in Tesco. I think the combination of bows, leopard print and jewels is so tacky that it just about works! I've worn these shoes so much this summer and am yet to find a second pair of pumps that lives up to them!

My favourite... bargain!

If we're talking on a cost-per-wear basis, my absolute bargain of the summer just has to be this floral dress from the G21 range at Asda :-) It cost £7 and I have worn it soooo many times! The great thing about it is how versatile it is - I've worn it for a job interview, nights out and just chilling in the daytime. It's so easy to transform with different shoes and accessories. It was perfect for those days when I couldn't really think what to wear, as I new I could just put this on, and with the right accessories and shoes it would be prefect for whatever I was doing - I need to get myself a winter equivalent!

My favourite... 'unusual' outfit!

My favourite outfit that I've only ever worn once and am 99.99% sure I'll never wear again is my graduation outfit, which I wore back in July for my graduation ceremony :-) After 4 years hard work (and a lot of fun!) it was a great feeling getting the gown and mortar board on - we had finally done it! I thought I might feel a bit silly wearing it, but I think you really get into the festivities of the day, and are so proud of what you and all your friends have done that it feels like such an accomplishment to finally be wearing it :-)

My favourite... freebie!

Between graduation in July and starting my new job last week I had a lot of lovely spare time over the summer months, and one of the things I busied myself with was entering lots of competitions (random I know!). I was pretty successful anyway, and won a whole plethora of goodies, from make up to vouchers, and hair products to teapots! However, my favourite win just has to be this gorgeous dress from Tesco's couture range which I originally reviewed here. I'm still waiting for the perfect occasion to wear it, but I just can't wait to do so - I think it's so pretty :-)

My favourite.... 'special' purchase!

My absolute favourite purchase of the summer overall has to be the dress I bought back in June for my Graduation Ball. Some of you may have followed my search for the right dress for the occasion, and I just knew when I lay my eyes on this Karen Millen number that it was 'the one'! I LOVED everything about it - the cut, the colour, the detailing - I just thought it was perfect. I felt really good in it, which I think is the most important thing when dressing up for a special occasion as confidence really shines through :-) And it was only £55 which I think for a dress like that is pretty darn reasonable! If you want to see more pics from that night you can look at the post I wrote back in June here.

So there we have it - my favourites of the summer :-) I hope you've liked this post. If you have, maybe I can make this sort of post a more regular thing.

What have been your favourite items from your wardrobe this summer? And what are you most excited about wearing this winter? I need some inspiration, as at the moment I'm pretty depressed at the thought of cold weather!

The Look Show!

2010-09-30T01:47:00.001-07:00

Morning all,

I hope you are all believers in the saying 'better late than never', because I'm eventually posting my review of The Look Show which took place nearly two weeks ago :-/ It's quite long (with a lil video at the end!), so grab a cuppa and enjoy...

I was one very happy (and lucky!) bunny when I got an email from New Look telling me I'd won a pair of tickets to The Look Show - an event hosted by Look magazine showcasing the hottest collections for Autumn/Winter from all our high street favourites. I'd never been to a fashion show of any description before so it's true to say I was positively bursting with excitement before the big day!

I didn't have much idea about what to expect so I spent ages umm-ing and ahh-ing over what to wear. As New Look had given me the tickets, I thought I should show my loyalty and so plumped for my New Look t-shirt, skirt and jacket. This is the ensemble I eventually ended up in...

Jacket - New Look

Tshirt -New Look

Skirt - New Look

Boots - Tesco

I also wore this gorgeous necklace that I got from Primark for £3. I've seen quite a lot of turquoise jewellery around recently, so I thought I'd add this little baby to my collection :-)

With my friend Fay as my plus one, we headed off to the Saatchi Gallery where the event was being held - a very ooh-la-la venue in Chelsea (I could get used to this life very quickly!)

Once past the burly bouncers and relieved to find our names were on the guestlist, we navigated our way to the champagne and canapes. With an hour to go until the show started we had time to people-watch and have a snoop around. The room was full of super stylish people dressed to impress, but it wasn't at all intimidating and bloggers, competition winners, models and people from all the brands mingled together.

There was even a handful of celebrities thrown in for good measure! We spotted the gorgeous (although a lot shorter than expected!) Shayne Ward, Callum Best, Ali Bastian, Una from the Saturdays (her hair is to die for!) and Joe McElderry amongst others. Although most people seemed to take being with all these famous people in their stride, I wasn't quite so cool! When I spotted Danielle Lloyd I couldn't resist asking for a photo - she was glowing and really pretty.

I also had to grab a picture with the beautiful Ali Bastian, as I was a huge fan of hers on Strictly Come Dancing (I am in love with that show). In real life her figure is amazing - tanned legs that go on forever! (I would hate her if she wasn't so nice...)

Whilst all this was going on, we were treated to some great musical entertainment. First up were 'The Like' who you can see in the picture. They looked and sounded brilliant, especially the lead singer who had an amazing voice. Next up was Gabriella Cilmi. She wore a gorgeous black lace dress, sounded great and had real stage presence - I was mucho impressed.

Just before the show started, Fay and I spotted this weird looking contraption...

It turned out to be a photo booth. But unlike any normal photo booth, this came complete with wind machine and instant airbrushing (no wonder the queue was so long!). After an initial unsuccessful attempt where we failed to notice the seat you were supposed to sit on and so ended up with pictures of our torsos, it was second time lucky and we ended up with some lovely pictures. If only my little digital camera could do this my Facebook pictures would be a whole lot more pleasing on the eye!

When 4pm struck we stopped with the schmoozing and settled down for the show. The basic format was a short video on the projector from one of the brands, followed by the models strutting their stuff in that store's outfits. It was really great to see clothes on the catwalk that were affordable and available on any high street. It really showed me that style isn't about how much money you spend, it's about how you wear things and the confidence you have.

The models were all stunning, and it was great to see some plus size beauties too. Fay and I went all 'Miss J' (of 'America's Next Top Model' fame) and were critiquing all their walks! But they did so well, made the clothes look gorgeous and successfully managed to stay upright on some ridiculously high heels!

There were pieces from all the collections that tickled my fancy, and New Look's was no exception. In fact, if it weren't for my huge student debt I would have happily toddled off to the nearest store and purchased the vast majority!

New Look's collection included faux fur (as I predicted in my entry to the competition!), cool hats and cute print dresses. The 70s were also clearly a huge influence with high waisted skirts and shorts, and bows on blouses. There was also a little bit of sparkle thrown in for good measure, which in my eyes is never a bad thing!

Even once the show over, the event wasn't finished yet! We were all treated to a great performance from Diana Vickers who rocked out despite being all alone on stage.

Eventually it was time for us to (reluctantly) head home. Fay and I parted ways, and as I sat on the train I had a rummage through the goody bag that we were all lucky enough to receive. Bursting at the seams with beauty goodies, discount vouchers and even some yummy chocolate to munch on the way home, we were extremely spoilt!

I slept soundly in my bed that night and had sweet dreams about fashion, celebrities and champagne!

I would really like to thank Look magazine for putting on a fantabulous event and, of course, major kisses to New Look for choosing me as a winner and giving me this great experience :-)

Throughout the day I also tried to record little snippets of videos, which I've combined below for your viewing pleasure!...

I could get used these events very quickly! Were any of you at The Look Show? DId you have a great time too?

The wanderer returns... In Primark wedges!

2010-09-26T05:45:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon lovelies, on this lazy Sunday (well it's pretty lazy for me anyway!)

Firstly I want to say sorry (cue puppy dog eyes) for my absence recently. As you'll know if you follow me on Twitter I've moved to a new part of the country recently and have been super busy making our flat feel like home (and getting a job in the process - yay!). Anyway, because I've been run off my feet I haven't written a post for over a week :-/

I promise to get my act together now we're all settled, and I still need to fill you in on all my goss from The Look Show I went to last week - better late than never! My post on that should be up real soon.

For now though, I just thought I'd do a really quick post on my latest purchase. Now I love Primark as much as the next bargain-hunting fashionista, but on my last few visits I haven't found anything that tickled my fancy. However, yesterday I grabbed (in a slightly aggressive manner I admit) the last pair of these beauties from the shelves...

I wouldn't normally dedicate a whole post to one item, but these just have to be one of my best buys in ages - I'm in love with them :-)

I've been reading everywhere that 'camel' is the colour for this season, so I really wanted to get myself some camel-coloured shoes. These ones are just perfect. They have a suede feel and wedge design, and in my opinion were a bargain at just £12!

I think they'll be perfect for my new job, as they look professional but are still young and on-trend (and comfy too, which will be important for all the traipsing round the office that I'm sure I'll be doing as I learn where everything is and no doubt get lost on my way to the canteen on my first day!)

What do you guys think? Have you got any good bargains in Primark recently?

Again, sorry for my lack of posts recently but now we're settled in the flat I'll be back and firing on all cylinders! If you have any requests of posts or videos you'd like to see, just let me know - I have a week until I start my new job so should have some time to get writing/filming :-)

Hope you all enjoy the rest of this lazy Sunday...

Specs Appeal (or not, as the case may be!)

2010-09-15T16:39:00.001-07:00

I'd always thought my eyesight was pretty good, so I was a little bit sad when I went to Specsavers a few days ago and was advised to get glasses :-( I don't have to wear them all the time though, just for 'concentrating tasks'... for some reason this makes me laugh, as I seem to concentrate a lot when straightening my hair, choosing an outfit etc, but I don't really think that's what they meant! Watching tv and being on the computer was more what they had in mind...

Anyways, as I won't have to wear the glasses that much I didn't want to spend a lot of money, so I went for one of the cheapest pairs they have in Specsavers - these black rimmed ones at £25... (please don't laugh!)...

It's not that I don't like glasses. It's more that I like them on other people but don't like them on myself! Other people can make them look cool or sexy, but I'm not close to achieving either of these looks! But hey, if they help my peepers, then I'm all for them :-)

I'm slowly getting used to my spectacles (I love that word!) although I can only wear them in short periods at the moment. Adjusting my eyes should be achievable. Mastering looking cool/sexy/seductive may take a little while longer!

Now I'm off to plan my outfit for The Look Show on Friday. Let the deciding I hate all my clothes, throwing everything out of the wardrobe and crying, commence!...

My First Fashion Show! Tres Excited!

2010-09-13T07:22:00.001-07:00

Hello loves :-)

I have some very exciting news to share - this Friday I'll be attending my first ever fashion show! Needless to say, I'm a very happy and excited little bunny.

I was lucky enough to win a pair of tickets to The LOOK Show in a blogging competition being run by New Look, who'll be showcasing some of their latest pieces at the event. To enter the comp, you had to write a short paragraph on your 'Top Autumn Trend Prediction'. As is always the case with me and these types of thing I got rather carried away, and instead of just writing a short paragraph this is the entry I submitted (you can click on it to see it bigger)...

New Look must have liked it, as I got an email earlier today saying I was one of their two winners :-) I'm so excited as I can't wait to see all the clothes, and apparently there'll be some celebs there too, and I do love a good ol' bit of celeb spotting! I'll be sure to post pics on here, and obviously I'll be writing a piece for the New Look blog too, so I'll post a link to that once it's up.

So now I'm off to find a friend to go with and, most importantly, decide what to wear! Any suggestions are most welcome...

Getting DIY Design Confident!

2010-09-09T13:40:00.001-07:00

As I had a few very lovely comments on a recent post I wrote about a table I bought from a car boot and decorated lovingly (you can see it here) I thought I'd show you my latest creation. Again, I plan to put this to use somewhere in our new flat which we move into soon.

This time round I bought a stool. Again, it was from a car boot and cost £2. It was a pretty basic and boring stool that wasn't in the best condition, so I wanted to give it a bit of a makeover!

This is the bit when I go all Blue Peter on you! he he. Here's me (looking rather scruffy I do apologise :-/) with all the bits and pieces I used. I needed...

- white paint - I just used one tester pot from B&Q which cost 98p

- coverlon (I don't know if it's actually called that, but that's what I call it! You know that sticky stuff you cover your books with at school. Sticky back plastic?)

- piece of wrapping paper

- 1 meter of beading

First up I painted the whole thing (except for the top) white. Obviously you could paint it any colour, but this just went with the look I was going for.

And here's one I made earlier!! I was so into what I was doing that I forgot to take pictures at each of the next steps! But basically I cut a circle of wrapping paper the same size as the top of the stool. Then I cut a slightly larger circle from coverlon, and stuck this to the top. You could then see the coverlon stuck down around the sides, so I superglued some beading around the edge to hide it.

And voila!!...

I think it looks really cute even if I do say so myself :-)

I actually think it's too nice to use as a stool now, so I might use it as a stand with a plant or something on and put it in the corner of the room.

I'm in the process of making over a couple more items that I've managed to get my little mitts on over the past few days, so if anyone is interested I'll post pics of them too. Let's just say I plan that one item will incorporate a feather boa!... should be interesting!

The Big 2-3 - My Birthday!!

2010-09-06T14:41:00.001-07:00

I've had a lovely few days of celebration this weekend because it was my birthday on Saturday! I hit the big 2-3 which I'm finding very scary since it only feels like two minutes ago that I was 18. However, a day out in London helped take my mind off my rapid ageing, so I thought I'd just post a few little piccies.

We headed down early in the morning to queue for tickets for Wicked at the Apollo, and luckily we managed to get our hands on some. Before the matinée started we went to Covent Garden. I know it's really touristy, but it's still one of my favourite places to go to in London.

While we were there we saw a Pearly King collecting for charity. I just had to grab a picture as he looked so dashing! (and of course I added my donation to his collection box).

The street performers were all out in force as usual. I think the human statues are brilliant, but I never stand at the front to watch because I find them a little bit scary!

At 2.30 we headed back to the Apollo for the show...

I knew very little about the show before we went, and was surprised (and very pleased!) to find out that the talented (and a little bit gorgeous!) Lee Mead was in it...

I can't praise the show highly enough - it really was amazing. The set was stunning and the voice of the lead character in particular blew me away. If you happen to be in London I can't think of many better ways to spend a few hours.

After the show we headed to the Waldorf for cocktails, and then on to an Italian back in Covent Garden for dinner. A lovely day finished off with my favourite meal...

All in all I had a fantabulous day - a very happy (and lucky) girlie :-)

Now, to find some wrinkle cream and my Bonmarché vouchers...

Feelin' Fruity!

2010-09-03T13:35:00.001-07:00

Evenin' all!

I'm a wee bit late with this post, but thought better late than never... (I always say that when I'm trying to convince myself that my questionable timing is not a problem)...

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was lucky enough to enter and win a Rimmel competition, and as a result was sent a bundle of Rimmel goodies as a prize :-)

On Twitter, Rimmel (@rimmelondonbuzz) challenged their followers to send a picture of themselves and the make up look they were sporting that day, from which they'd choose a favourite who would win a goodie bag. As I was feeling creative and had the time on my hands (one of the benefits of having a long summer before finishing uni and starting work) I created a look based on Rimmel's Twitter logo. Now, as I've said on here before, I am no expert with make up at all, but I though't I'd give it a whirl, and even if I didn't win I enjoyed doing it. Rather than just sending a picture of my finished face, I created this little collage below which I sent to them (maybe I should change 'have time on my hands' to 'have WAY TOO MUCH time on my hands!)...

Despite having some other great entries, Rimmel must have liked it as they announced I was the winner!! They messaged to say they would send me some goodies and so I was mucho excited when a few days later Mr Postman came a-knockin'!

The gang at Rimmel Towers were extremely generous and sent me a great selection of products...

The products are...

- I Love Fruities Lasting Finish Nail Polish - 053 Apricot Punch

- Glam'Eyes Eye Shadow - 200 Spicy Bronze

- Glam'Eyes Eye Shadow - 500 Posh Peacock

- Vinyl Gloss - 330 Snog

- Stay Matte Pressed Powder - 004 Sandstorm

- Volume Flash x10 Waterproof Mascara - 001 Black

- Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definer - 240 Aqua

If anyone is interested I can review any of these products in more detail, but for now let's just say I've tried them out and they're amazing. I'm particularly in love with the eyeshadows, and although not an obvious combination, I've found that if blended well the two colours actually look really good together (trust me!).

I have got some pictures of the nail varnish though, as I've just applied it ready for my day out in London for my birthday tomorrow (yay!). I'm not normally a fan of orange (not just in nail varnish but generally in life!) but because this is more on the coral side than red side I really like it. Also, the lid claims that when dried the varnish would smell of apricots, and I was highly doubtful this would be true (sorry, I'm a naturally cynical person, what can I say?!), but it actually does! I can't stop smelling my nails, which may look slightly strange to passers-by, but it just smells so good! Looks good and smells good - what more could you want?! I love it!

That's all for now folks - I'm off to get sorted for my birthday trip :-) Hopefully I'll have lots of nice photos to post on Sunday. Until then, hope you have a fantabulous weekend (and why not start following @rimmelondonbuzz on Twitter if you don't already, and look out for any future comps).

Kisses.

Car Boot Bargains :-)

2010-08-31T11:15:00.001-07:00

After writing about my new ingenious storage solution (even if I say so myself!) for my earrings that I bought from a car boot recently (see post here) I thought I'd share a few of my other recent car boot buys with you. I tend to buy a real range of things from car boots - anything that catches my eye :-) Also, as I'm moving into a flat with my boyfriend soon, I've been on the lookout for anything that might be useful for that. So here goes...

Leopard print mirror - £1

We'll need a mirror in the flat, and I've already got a full length one, so I thought this would be perfect for doing my hair and make up. I know leopard print can be a bit Peter Stringfellow-y, but I think it's cool! And plus, £1 = bargain!

Girly reads! - 10p/20p/50p each

I have to be honest and say I'm not much of reader, so when I do pick up a book I just want something girly that's easy to read. Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern always have me hooked, and I heard that Eat. Pray. Love. by Elizabeth Gilbert is a book 'every woman should read' so I thought I'd give that a go too.

Flower letter rack - 50p

I thought I could put this to use in our new flat to hold all my letters, post it notes etc. Cute and girly is always a winner in my mind :-)

Retro Cadbury tin :-) - 50p

I really want to use this tin for all our chocolates and other naughty treats in our new flat! I have huge affection for Cadbury as my nan used to work for the company so it's always been part of our family, so I thought this was a really cool find.

Finally, this is my favourite recent buy. I picked up a really basic round chipboard table with legs that can be unscrewed for just £1.50. It was really plain and boring, but after getting back from the car boot I thought I'd make it my afternoon project to transform it into something unique for our flat. So I set to work...

Plain chipboard table - £1.50

And this is what I ended up with...

I'm so pleased with it! First up I painted the whole thing white, then on the legs I used masking tape to create a different design on each leg with bright pink paint - one is a spiral, another is stripes, and the third is squares.

For the top of the table I printed out a picture from the internet on to normal paper, cut it out and used it as a stencil.

This was my first little step into DIY design (I've never done anything like this before in my life) so I'm really pleased with how it looks. I think it will be perfect for my bedside table. Now I'm on the look out for a similar one that I can paint with a more manly design/colours for the boy's bedside table.

I really want to do other mini projects like this cos I really enjoyed it, so if any of you have any ideas of things I could do I'd love to hear them :-)

So that's just a few of my car boot buys. I'm off to another one tomorrow, so hopefully I'll pick up some goodies there too!

And The Hunt Continues...

2010-08-28T08:37:00.001-07:00

Firstly, can I just say that I am very happy to have just joined the Blogger gang! I used to write my blog on Posterous but I felt a bit like the odd one out so I've moved over to Blogger :-) So now I hope that you can follow me over here along with all the other girlies you read about, and who knows, I might even get my first ever follower!... I hope you enjoy reading my blog and if you have any comments/requests/feedback I'd love to hear them.

So, on to my actual post for today - another interview outfit. If you have been following my blog/Twitter you'll know that I have just graduated and am moving house soon. Whilst these are exciting times, it does mean I am busy hunting for a new job. For me, as well as researching the company and looking over my CV, choosing what to wear is a crucial part of my interview preparation! Here's what I went for this time...

(Sorry about the quality of the photos - I had to take them on my phone which isn't as good as my camera)

I couldn't believe that I actually had to wear a coat in August - very depressing! Although I do love this coat. I got it a few weeks ago in the Warehouse sale, reduced from £75 to £20 - what a bargain :-D I love trench style coats and the colour of this one is lovely.

Coat - Warehouse

Top - New Look

Belt - Primark

Skirt - Marks and Spencer

Shoes - Marks and Spencer

Bag - Primark

I think the interview went well so I will have to wait and see. I actually got offered the job from the interview I went to last week and I have the weekend to make my mind up. Decisions decisions!

Hope you guys all have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend :-D What are you up to? I don't have any real plans yet, but hopefully the sun will be shining and I can do something fun!

August? Seriously?!

2010-08-25T16:18:00.001-07:00

Evenin all,

Hope you're all good and surviving the cold weather... seriously, it's meant to be August, what's the cold snap all about? We actually had to turn the central heating on tonight... bad times.

Anyway, I've just got a really quick outfit post of what I wore the other night, before it turned chilly. The plan was to head to a friend's house for drinks, before heading into town for a boogie and a bit more drinking! This is what I went for...

This dress has been one of my best recent purchases - it cost just £7 and I've worn it so much. I think it's really versatile, as I can wear it during the day, on a night out, and I even wore it to a recent job interview (see my post here).

Dress - G21 at Asda

Sandals - Tesco

Belt - Primark

Clutch - Dorothy Perkins

Earrings - can't remember...

I had a bit of a hair malfunction before I went out (well, to be honest, it was probably just wasn't doing quite as it was told, but at the time it seemed like an actual disaster - I HATE hair stress before going out!). I tried to curl it but it wasn't really behaving, so in the end I ended up with general messy hair with random ringlets - I was NOT pleased!

Make-up wise I tried out a few new Rimmel products I won in their Twitter competition recently, which I've fallen in love with, so hopefully I'll do a more detailed post on some of those soon.

In the end, after starting of with a few drinks round a friends house, we all said we were pretty much happy to stay there rather than go out, and someone suggested we play some good old fashion games! What old people we are at heart! We got Articulate out at midnight and were still playing at 5.30am!! I have never played it before, but it was sooooo funny - actually had one of the best nights I've had in ages :-D I can highly recommend it. However, walking home at 6.30am wearing the night before's clothes passing random people who were out on their early morning walk, I did feel a bit naughty, like I'd done something wrong :-/ I bet they thought I was a real dirty stop out - little did they know I'd been playing board games, not painting the town red!

What board games do you guys like to play?! After only just discovering Articulate, I feel like there must be loads of other gems out there that I've been missing out on!

Dressed for Success!

2010-08-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've just got a really quick outfit post for you on what I wore for my interview in London town today.

I went for a much different look to the outfit I wore to my last interview (you can see my post here). Last time the company had no dress code and was quite a young, fresh company, so I wore something quite 'me' but still appropriate for the day.

This time round though, I didn't know too much about the company's culture/dress code. However, I did know that they are hugely successful, a market leader and that they deal with some of the biggest banks, law firms, investment companies etc in the country (actually, in the world)... all very impressive stuff! So I though it was best to go for something very profesh! I would much rather be over dressed than underdressed at an interview, so this is what I went with...

I am aware that my hair looks slightly red in these pictures, which I find a lil strange...

Blazer - New Look

Blouse - Next

Skirt - Tesco

Bag - Primark

Shoes - Asda

I've gotta say I felt very professional, and.. dare I say it... grown-up, walking past all the tourists wearing this! (I'm 22, so I know it shouldn't feel strange to feel grown up, but it does!)

I've got my fingers crossed I get through to the next round of interviews, and I'll let you know when I hear. If I do, that means another outfit to plan :-/

Hope you all have a lovely weekend :-D

The Key to My Storage Issues!

2010-08-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

Hola chicas!

Just thought I'd share with you my new found solution to one of my storage problems!

I don't know how you guys go about doing it, but for ages I've been struggling to find a good way of storing my jewellery, and in particular, my earrings. I tried putting them in little drawers, but I never bothered rooting though them all and so always ended up wearing the same few pairs.

However, when I was at a car boot recently I came across this little beauty which has come to my rescue...

Can you tell what it is yet?!... he he... It's a key holder (you know, one of those boxes with all the little hooks in to hook your keys on to)!

I think it works perfectly! I can fit all my earrings in and can shut the little door so they don't have to be on display all the time :-)

Because I can flick through them and browse for a pair to wear, I feel like I've got my own little shop! And I can easily see them all which I couldn't when they were in a drawer.

Just when this beauty couldn't get even more perfect, let me tell you how much it cost... £1!! Another bargain, and if you read my blog regularly you'll know how much I love a bargain! The wood is good quality and it's really well made, and I think the pattern on the front is really pretty,

I've really got into car boots recently (not literally, let me point out!) and have got some really good bargains. Hopefully I'll do a post on them soon, cos I've go a few really nice bits and pieces for my room as well as some clothes for just 50p :-D

What do you guys think? I thought it was a pretty nifty idea, even if I do say so myself :-D

I'd love to see/hear your unique storage solutions...

Bargain for a BBQ

2010-08-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

Evening bellas!

Just a quick OOTD post for you all this evening. Yesterday I headed off to a friends BBQ and this is what I wore..

I have to tell you about this top cos I was a very happy girly when I picked it up in the sale recently. I got it in h&m for a mere £3! Yes, that's three Great British Pounds! I was soooo pleased when I saw it - I think it's just so useful, cos you can wear it as a top or a dress, and you can wear it quite casual like I did here, or could dress it up with bare legs, heels and jewellery. I just love a good bargain!

The rest of my outfit is:

Jeggings - New Look

Belt - Primark

Sandals - had them forever and can't remember where they're from

I curled my hair, but it didn't really work out (stupid damp weather) and so I just put it in a low side ponytail. Here's some close ups in the car, because I forgot to take them before I went..

Please excuse the silly pout! The sunglasses are from Primark and you can see the detailing better on the shoulders of the top - lovely gold beading..again, please let me repeat... three pounds!

A good day was had by all, so thanks for the invite Murray (I hope you are reading this as you say you read all my blog posts! he he)

I think I've held on to summer for as long as possible, and soon I'm going to have to succumb to cardigans and socks. The central heating actually came on in the house today... depressing times :-(

Anyway, on that happy note, it's goodnight from me!

It's Couture Darling, Couture...

2010-08-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

Morning all,

I have a very prettiful new dress to show you today!

If you read my blog post here you will know that last month I was lucky enough to win a competition on Twitter being run by Clothing at Tesco. As a prize I was allowed to pick any item I wanted from their new Couture range. Cue excitement, a little bit of celebratory dancing and an hour in front of the computer deciding what to buy! After a lot of thought (seriously, it took me ages to decide!) I plumped for the ruffle dress.

It arrived the week before last and I was soooooo pleased when Mr Postman delivered it :-) Luckily it fitted and I think it is so gorgeous. Here's some piccies...

The shape of the dress is different to anything I've worn before, but I really like it.

Sorry for the scowl in this one, but my eyes are so sensitive to the sun that if I don't have sunglasses even when its a tincy bit bright I have to majorly squint and therefore end up with quite an angry look on my face!! But at least it allows you to see the ruffly neck close up.

The back is tres pretty too...

Now although I love the floatiness of the dress, I thought I'd try it with a belt just to give it a bit more shape. I thought my flowery ribbon belt from River Island did the job perfectly, as it matched the grey pattern at the bottom of the dress.

I'm not quite sure when I'm going to wear it yet (I was going to wear it to my cousin's wedding, but thought it wasn't really appropriate to wear white to someone else's wedding - I didn't want any of those 'who does she think she is' comments) but its definitely a keeper. It will sit nicely in my wardrobe until just the right occasion comes up!

What do you guys think of it? Have you checked out the F&F couture range online yet? I think there are some lovely pieces.

I won a £30 Tesco clothing voucher in a different competition recently too (see my post here on my second piece of luck!) so I can't wait to spend that now :-)

Thanks Tesco - I love my dress and am going to hang it on my wardrobe door so its the first thing I see when I wake up tomorrow! (what, I shouldn't have admitted that?!...)

Lady Luck's Shining!

2010-08-05T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am a very happy girly again today cos I've just gone and won another competition!

The lovely Tor over at fabfrocks.blogspot.com ran a competition where you had to put together a wedding outfit for under £30 using clothes from Tesco. I've only just discovered Tor's blog and I think it's really great - she has such great style and is a bargain hunter just like me! You should definitely check her out and give her future competitions a go :-)

Anyway, I put together three looks and because I couldn't decide which one was my favourite I submitted them all! I think that although summer weddings are all in the same season (obviously!) they can be totally different in terms of location, people etc, and so can require totally different looks, so that's why I made them quite different. Here's what I created...

As you can see, the 3 for 2 offer on all sale items helped me a lot! I think Tesco have some lovely clothes at the moment so there was plenty to choose from. Which is your favourite of the three looks? I think I like the first one best, and seeing as I already own the shoes (see my post on them here) I'm a quarter of the way there!

It seems I've been very lucky recently, what with winning this, a Tesco couture dress, Wild Curls mascara and some goodies from magazine competitions :-) Maybe I'll do a video to show you all my lovely prizes...

I'll be sure to let you know what I decide to buy with my vouchers!

Let Battle Commence!

2010-08-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

I'm sure all of you lovely people are aware of a competition ASOS have been running recently to find blogging's 'next big thing'. Well I entered and... drumroll please... I didn't make it through to the ten shortlisted finalists :-(

Basically anyone who wanted to enter had to send in 900 words on 'My Favourite Fashion Discovery'. 5 judges then teamed up to decide on 10 finalists who were announced on Monday for the pubic to choose from. The winner will get amazing prizes - as well as a new laptop, they will become ASOS' new roaming reporter!

I entered a piece of writing entitled 'My Favourite Fashion Discovery? Discovering it's me who makes the rules'. I worked really hard on it as I'd never done a piece of writing anything like this before - been given a title, written a set length etc. I have to say I really enjoyed doing it and am pleased with what I ended up with :-) Despite not getting through, it definitely hasn't put me off writing and I'll be looking out for similar competitions in the future.

Although I am obviously disappointed not to have got through, after reading the 10 finalists' entries I can understand why I didn't - they are absolutely brilliant - funny, witty and clever, as well as really well-written. There is clearly lots of undiscovered talent out there!

At the bottom of this post I've copied my whole entry just incase any of you fancy a read of my attempt (hope you don't think it's too bad!)

As soon as you're done with that I suggest you get on over to ASOS.com to read the entries and vote for your fave - there are some very talented bloggers out there and I've happily whiled away an hour reading though them all! Good luck to all the entrants - all of them would really deserve to win :-)

Let battle commence!

My favourite fashion discovery? Discovering it’s me who makes the rules

I don’t know when the turning point was. Perhaps it wasn’t a ‘point’ at all. Maybe more of a gradual change or natural progression. But one thing is for sure; it led me to discover one of the most important lessons any fashion-lover can learn… that no one makes the rules but you.

Let me take you back.

Summer of 1999 I was busy preparing to start secondary school. Excited but anxious about mixing with the ‘big kids’, I spent most of August buying everything I thought would make me fit in. However, things didn’t go quite to plan, and it didn’t take long for the older children to single me out for, of all things, my choice of shoe. See I had bought this gorgeous pair of Mary Jane style shoes. I thought they were beautiful, all shiny black with a silver buckle and a small heel that my mum was finally allowing me to wear. But unbeknownst to me, this just wasn’t the ‘done’ thing, and whilst I tottered around looking all cute, the other girls were stomping around in chunky Rockport boots. I hated them. They were ugly, heavy and hot. But after a few days of sarcastic comments and teasing, I went home after school and explained to my mum that I had to have a pair. “But you loved the shoes we got you, and we can’t afford another pair anyway”, she said, pointing out that the Rockport boots cost around £60 which was money we just didn’t have. There were tears, a bit of shouting and I’m sure ‘You’re the worst mum ever’ came out of my mouth at some point. So, defeated and angry I continued to go to school in my Mary Jane’s. To be honest, after a few weeks the teasing slowly wore off and ‘shoe gate’ was forgotten. But the fear of doing something that would make me stand out from the crowd stayed with me for a long time.

Throughout the rest of school, I desperately tried to fit in. ‘In’, and things were great, but one false move and you were on the slippery slope to Loser Ville.

It wasn’t just my peers’ ideals that I had to live by. Magazines constantly shouted what was ‘hot’ and what was ‘not’. God forbid I was wearing something that was ‘not’. I can’t count the number of times I would buy something one week and the next be told it wasn’t ‘in’ anymore and banish it to the back of the wardrobe.

And then there were the glossy celebrity pictures. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve always been fascinated by the world of the A-List (and Z-List if I’m perfectly honest), and I would follow their style almost religiously. It didn’t seem to matter whether I actually liked what they were wearing; any such thoughts were quickly pushed to the back of my mind.

It was stressful living by all these rules. Not to mention expensive. My peers, shops, magazines, celebrities, TV programmes, the Internet. There were messages coming from everywhere about what I should or shouldn’t be wearing.

As I said, I’m not quite sure what or when the turning point was, but I would probably place it around the time I started at university, which after four years I have just finished.

Going to university meant a fresh start. The chance to finally be who I wanted to be.

Being at university in Birmingham was amazing. It’s such a cosmopolitan city and I was inspired by the places I saw and people I met. I quickly realised that here, pretty much anything goes. I could go into lectures in an outfit I had chosen, I had put together and I had decided I could wear, and not be mocked. In fact, it was quite the opposite. ‘Oh, I love your outfit’, ‘That dress is so different’ or ‘Where did you get that from’, replaced ‘ What on earth are you wearing?!’ The point I should make clear here is that I didn’t transform into some sort of fashion goddess or start dressing in anyway outrageously when I went to university. But I had that sense of freedom – free from rules and stress and worries. See, you can enjoy fashion so much more once you realise you don’t have to abide by anyone’s rules but your own. And if you don’t want there to be any rules, then what the hell, there doesn’t have to be!

I think this freedom showed in my face and body language. I actually looked like I was enjoying fashion. That I was wearing the clothes; they weren’t wearing me. That I was happy in myself and the image I was portraying.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love celebrity magazines, style shows and avidly follow loads of fashion blogs. But now I look to them for ideas and inspiration, not as some sort of bible or rule book.

Now, if I want to wear something my mum wore 20 years ago… I will.

If I want to rock something I got from a car boot sale… I will.

If I want to wear florals, stripes and spots all in the same outfit… I will.

See, making your own rules is fun. And fun is what fashion should be. That’s why discovering that it’s me who makes the rules, is my favourite fashion discovery!

Happily ever after starts here...

2010-07-28T19:51:00.000-07:00

WARNING!!! This post contains looooooads of photos! But I don't care cos I had a great weekend!!

Evening lovelies,

First up I have to apologise... I have been a very bad blogger of late :-( I haven't posted for over a week, and have so far failed to put up all my gorgeous pictures from the wedding I was a bridesmaid at at the weekend. But now that I have recovered from the amazing few days I can now put these things right, and share with you what was the beautiful marriage of Mr and Mrs Gordon!!

(I plan on putting up a YouTube video asap with loads more pics and me talking about the outfits I wore over the weekend, but I am still a bit of a dummie when it comes to editing videos, so will aim to do it as quickly as I can!)

So, on to the good stuff... the gorgeous pictures!! It was such a beautiful wedding and the bride had planned every detail so well - she planned it all herself, and with help from family and friends she pulled off an amazing event :-) Here's some of my favourite snaps...

This is the gorgeous barn the reception took place in. The day before we had started with a bare shell, so it was quite the transformation! There was a general pink theme, but it was really tastefully done and not too in-your-face. There was also a bit of a country vibe going on, with flowers in cute teacups, bunting outside and floral ribbon everywhere.

Just look at this cake! Instead of the traditional white tiered cake, they went for a profiterole mountain, with the occasional flower added for decoration... amazing!

There were no normal place names at this wedding, no no. Instead, we had our names tied on to big lollipops with bright pink ribbon. So cute. As I said, the bride really thought of everything - I think she should go into wedding planning professionally :-)

The day before the wedding we spent quite a while putting this sweetie table together. With old fashioned jars, bags and metal scoops, and all the favourites such as fried eggs, shrimps and love hearts, it was so in-keeping with the theme. I would like to say the kids loved it, but it was probably just as popular with the adults!

The reception was in such a stunning setting, which allowed us to get some beautiful pictures. Here's the blushing bride looking stunning...

Here's a lovely shot of the bridal party. You can see me second from left, and my boyfriend who was groomsman is on the right. Just wish I'd kept my shoes on for this pic!

Thought this was a really funny one...

After a looong day, which finished with a brilliant disco until midnight, I was absolutely shattered! Unfortunately the minibus had to leave without us, so myself, my boyfriend and the bride and groom were left behind waiting to be rescued! While the boyfriend rang round frantically trying to get a taxi for us all, I helped in the best way I thought possible!...

Although I admit I was pretty tipsy, I wasn't as paralytic as this picture might suggest! I was just so ridiculously tired. But hey, that's the sign of a great party!

Do you like these pictures? I think they are so gorgeous (apart from the last one!). Are any of you off to any weddings this summer?

(Just a quick note about these pics - the majority of them were taken by a professional photographer (I'm sure you can tell which ones are hers and which are my not-so-professional snaps!) who is absolutely wonderful. She works mainly in the Suffolk area, so if you are at all interested in using her for an event, just send me a message.)

It was without doubt the best wedding I have ever been to :-)

So please, ladies and gentlemen, raise your glasses...to the new Mr and Mrs Gordon, and the start of their happy ever after!

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside...

2010-07-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

Evening all,

Thought I would write a quick little blog with a few cute piccies of my day at the beach at the weekend :-)

On Sunday it was my boyfriend's stepmum's 60th birthday and she wanted all her friends and family (around 40 of us altogether!) to celebrate at one of her favourite places in the whole world... Frinton-on-Sea!! She owns a beach hut there with 4 of her friends so that was the hub of the day's activities. The hut is sooo cute! I really want one, but with a price tag of around £20,000, I think they're a little out of my price range!

We were very lucky with the weather, as it didn't rain at all. Although it was super sunny, there was quite a strong breeze so it was a little chilly (hence why I didn't feel the need to put suncream on, so am now nursing very burnt legs!). Here's what I wore...

I popped on my straw hat from Primark to keep the sun of my face and tied my hair in a messy side plait to try to keep it out of my eyes.

Bag- New Look

Shorts (again!) - Dorothy Perkins

Belt - Primark

Strapless Top- Dorothy Perkins

Cardigan- New Look

I spent the day releasing my inner child; building sandcastles, paddling and playing games. After food, the birthday girl was presented with the most amazing birthday cake...

How adorable is it?! With the beach huts (notice how it's number 60 because it was her 60th), a lilo, crab, the sand, beach ball, and the lady herself asleep on a deckchair, every detail was perfect :-)

What makes it even better is that it was all made by one of her friend's daughters - very talented lady! Her boyfriend even got roped in and helped make the deckchair - he cut lollipop sticks, sanded them down and even drilled holes in them so he could stick them altogether... now that's a lot of effort! It was all worth it though, as she seemed to love it...

Just as we were leaving, the boyfriend, his dad and stepdad felt the need to go for a swim :-/ Now, I know it was a sunny day and we were at the beach 'n all, but let's not forget... THIS IS ENGLAND and the water was still freezing!! Ah well, I guess boys with be boys, whatever their age!

I had a really lovely day at the beach and, most importantly, so did the birthday girl :-) Now, where's the aftersun...

Practically Famous

2010-07-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

Afternoon girlies!

Just a quick post to let you know there is a little picture of me in this week's Pick Me Up magazine. That's right, my face is right up there alongside such great stories as 'My Creepy Lover had a Corpse in the Freezer' and 'Both Our Heads Went Up In Flames'!

You can find me on page 4 which is the 'You're Having A Laugh!' page, where readers send in funny photos. The reason I did it? Money! You get £25 if your picture is printed and since leaving uni I'm running out of pennies, so thought what the hell!

Here's the pic and a little bit of writing... (although I have to say they made up the bit about always fancying being Ariel, I promise!)...

So there you go, I'm practically famous! Well, maybe not quite...!

Livin' Life on the Wild Side!

2010-07-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been a very lucky lady recently, as the day after winning an item of Tesco's gorgeous couture range on a Twitter competition (see previous post), I won a Wild Curls mascara from 17 at Boots :-) Cue cheesy photo!...

Before I review the mascara, let me show you how I won it. On Twitter, 17 (@Official17) asked their followers to tweet a picture of them with 'fierce eyes', from which they would pick their 10 favourites to win. As I wasn't really doing much that day, I had a bit of a play around. Here's what I came up with... (please ignore the rest of my face which I didn't do at all- I only did my eyes)...

I know some bloggers are brilliant with make up, but I'm actually quite a novice and actually don't really own that much. However, I really enjoyed experimenting and was pretty pleased with the look I created. Here's a close-up of my 'fierce' peepers!...

And closed...

The products I used to create the look were:

17 Eyes Trio - Pretty In Pink (on brow bone)

17 Eyes Trio - Smoky Quartz (on eyelids)

Rimmel Glam Eyes Liquid Liner

NYC 'Show Time' Volumizing Mascara

What do you think? I was pretty pleased with myself and it made me what to experiment a lot more :-)

Anyway, the lovely team at 17 sent me a Wild Curls mascara really quickly and I couldn't wait to try it out. Firstly, the all important packaging!

Let me just say that I categorically LOVE leopard print, so the shiny gold and leopard print packaging is right up my street! Also, when you do the lid up, it clicks gently into place as it closes. I know this is only a very little touch, but it just makes it seem a lot more expensive than it actually is, as I believe it's on sale for only £5.99.

Here's a couple of before and after pictures so you can see the difference it made (I don't have any other make up on here, so you can really see the effect it had clearly)...

These pictures are both with two coats, and as you can see it really gave my eye lashes a great curl. Also, the size and shape of the brush, which is straight and not too fat, meant I was able to get into the corners of my eyes really easily and it did not clump at all.

The packaging claims that Wild Curls 'holds for up to 10 hours'. If I'm honest I didn't have it on for 10 hours, but I must have had it on for about 5 or 6 and it didn't run at all - I was very impressed :-)

So overall, what do I make of it? Well, in three words, I love it! I recommend you give it a go, and if you get to boots quickly you might still be able to get an awesome freebie when you buy one - a Wild Curls Eye Kit, which contains tweezers, curlers and eyeliner. Can't ask for much more than that!

Have any of you tried 'Wild Curls' yet? If you have, what do you think of it?

(Oh, and they also sent me a nail varnish as a little extra which made me smile! It's called 'Amaretto' and is part of their Lasting Fix range. It's a gorgeous deep maroony kinda colour which I haven't had time to try out yet, but it looks lovely and will be particularly cute in the winter)

Thanks 17!

F+F Couture and My Competition Win :-)

2010-07-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update because I am a very happy girl right now!

I follow @ClothingatTesco on Twitter and today they ran a competition to win an item from their F+F Couture range and... you guessed... I WON!!

To enter you had to tweet your best summer fashion tip and the nice people at Tesco would choose their favourite. My tip was:

I guess that at the end of the day you can't please all the people all the time, so you might as well just make yourself happy. And in the summer you want to enjoy the nice weather (if we ever have any!) and do fun things without being too concerned about what you're wearing.

Now on to the fun bit - I get to pick an item of my choice from their couture range :-)

I have to admit I never even knew that Tesco had a couture range before today, and I am really pleasantly surprised - there are some gorgeous items. You can check them out at:http://www.clothingattesco.com/brands/F+F-Couture/icat/f-and-f-couture

These are a few of my favourite pieces...

So now I need to make my mind up and tell Tesco. Decisions decisions. What do you think I should go for?

Dress to Impress

2010-07-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took my little self off down to London for an interview for an internship at Channel 4.

I set an alarm for 5.30am (painful) and toddled off on the train. Luckily despite the train stopping for about 20 minutes because of a fire, I made it on time. It was a busy day full of interviews, group tasks and written exercises so I was a very tired girly on the way home. I find out next week whether I got the spot, so fingers crossed!

I was all ready to wear a suit for the day, but luckily I emailed beforehand and found out there is no dress code at Channel 4, and I was told to just wear what I was comfortable in. Here's what I went for (again I'm sorry for cutting off my face - I took this after a long, hot train journey home, because I forgot to take one before I went, and it's not a pretty sight!)...

Shoes - Marks and Spencer

Bag - Primark

Dress - Asda

Jacket - New Look

Belt - River Island

I got the dress in the Asda sale for £7 and think it is really pretty and I'll definitely wear it a lot. To make it a bit smarter I added grey heels and a grey smart handbag. The grey jacket is really lightweight and I thought it just made the outfit a bit cooler.

Here's a close up of my belt which is new and I love! I got it from River Island in the sale for £8 reduced from £20. It will be perfect for making an 'ok' outfit a bit more special :-)

Oh, and thought I'd show you this cute little purchase. I got this card holder from Accessorize, and it's perfect for my Young Persons Railcard and means I can travel in style!

If you haven't ever seen the Channel 4 head office (which is not far from Westminster) then take a look at how cool it is...

Yep, that's a big '4' made from umbrellas - awesome!

Even after just one day I can tell that it is just the kind of place I want to be. I had a really enjoyable day, but the other candidates were all really strong, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed and waiting for the fateful phone call!!

Animal Instincts

2010-07-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

Hola Chicas!

I was in town yesterday posting a few ebay items I've sold in the last few days and, as usual, I got distracted and did a spot of shopping myself :-/ There's so many sales on everywhere at the moment I find it hard to resist!

Then last night the boy and I headed out for a meal at good old Frankie and Benny's - I love it so much there. Here's what I wore... (I've cut my head off cos let's just say I wasn't looking at my most radiant!)...

Shorts - Dorothy Perkins

Navy vest - New Look

I bought the cream cropped tee I'm wearing here yesterday from New Look. It was reduced from £22 to £6 in the sale so I was a very happy girly! The detailing at the top is loads of little faux pearls sewn on which is so cute :-)

It's my gorgeous new shoesies that were my favourite part of my outfit though...

I got them from Tesco of all places! They were £12 and I am actually in love with them :-) The leopard print in kinda shiny, then there are black bows with big chunky silver jewels on...

They wouldn't normally be my style cos they're quite in your face, but they make me smile, so I figured what the hell :-)

Hasta Mañana

Hoola Hoop Your Heart Out

2010-07-07T18:45:00.000-07:00

So I'm addicted to nail varnish if you hadn't noticed and my latest fave is this little beauty by Collection 2000. It's number 34 and is called 'Hoola Hoop':

The picture on Collection 2000's website looks a lot more purpley that it really is, which is quite strange...

All I can say is that it is proper pink!! Unquestionably, unsubtly, most definitely pink! I have two coats on in this picture, but one would have probably done, and it dried really quickly.

On Saturday I'm off to a Hen Party and the dress code is pink and black. As my outfit is mostly black I think I'm gonna wear this on my nails to make sure I adhere to the rules!

I'm still loving my cute little birdie ring which I got in the TopShop sale for £2.50 (I spoke about it in my first ever YouTube video that you can see in the post below if you fancy a laugh at my expense!).

What are your favourite nail varnishes at the moment? I usually stick to Collection 2000 and 17, so I think I need to try some other brands...

Who's That Girl?! (And An Accessories Haul)

2010-07-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

Never did I think YouTube would teach me so much about myself!

After watching loads of lovely video blogs by some of my fellow bloggers I was inspired to try my hand at it myself :-) As I haven't shared many of my new purchases recently I thought it would be a good idea to do an accessories haul so I could show you my new bits and bobs closer up and talk about them in more detail. So I perched myself in front of my laptop and, feeling rather silly and self conscious, pressed 'record'!

I have to say, I actually quite enjoyed doing it and easily filled up 10 minutes of video with my ramblings. But then I watched the video back and made a number of observations...

1) I officially have a 'YouTube Voice'! I checked with my boyfriend, and he confirmed I sound nothing like that in real life. I have no idea where the posh accent and over-pronounced words came from...

2) I play with my hair... A LOT... seriously, leave it alone!

3) When speaking on camera I decide to use words I would NEVER use in my 'normal' conversations - where in the world did 'malarky' come from and why on earth did I decide to use it?!

4) I have the most expressive eyes ever! At times it actually looks like they are going to pop out of my skull. But hey, I say it adds character!

5) I need to extend my vocabulary. I don't even want to count how many times I used the word 'cute' or how often I said 'I love this'. Maybe I should take it upon myself to learn a new word everyday so that I can give you more insightful descriptions in future videos!

Here's the video below if you want to take a peek...

I guess without these things I wouldn't be 'me'! I thought I might try to tone them down next time, but in the end I've decided I'll just do what comes naturally and go with it :-)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video, don't laugh too much (although I will forgive you a little chuckle) and I'd love to hear your comments, either about my new purchases or the video itself.

For any of you that are reading this and thinking about doing your own video blog, I say just go for it - you never know what you might discover about yourself!!

Getting My Car Booty On!

2010-07-04T21:16:00.000-07:00

Good evening girlies!

I had such a cheery morning this morning I have to tell you about! Myself and my boyfriend, along with his brother, nephew and sister-in-law-to-be did a car boot and it was so much fun!

After setting our alarm for the middle of the night (well, it certainly felt like it at 5.45am!) we headed off to the Suffolk Show Ground to sell our unwanted bits and bobs. After moving out of uni we had both collected quite the amount of random items that we no longer needed and were just happy to get rid of!

Here's what I wore... (please forgive the lack of make-up and hair scraped back into a messy bun - at that unearthly hour looking good wasn't high in my list of priorities!). It was a little chilly at that time in the morning, so I wore a short sleeve jumper until it got warm.

Jumper - Tesco

Shorts - Dorothy Pekings

Sandals - Can't remember - got them a few years ago and love them

Earrings - Topshop

Sunglasses - Primark (they'll be in my haul I plan on posting tomorrow)

We unpacked and the initial rush of buyers was scary! 'You got any phones?' 'You got any jewellery?' 'You got any fishing equipment?' Seriously, do I look like a fisherman?! Just go away and let me unpack!!

Once the initial rush of the hardcore dealers was over, it all calmed down and was a lot more relaxed. The sun came out, we chatted to loads of people and steadily our float filled up :-)

I have to say, we sold quite a lot of stuff over the few hours we were there. We did let things go really cheaply though, just because we didn't want to take them home, so some people got some real bargains! Anything that we didn't sell we put in bags to give to a local refuge centre - it got rid of our stuff AND made us feel good :-)

I think the novelty of selling did wear off for some people though...

Seems my boyfriend got slightly distracted by his nephew's table football game that we got him for £2 (don't say we aren't we generous!!). Well, boys will be boys!

I have to say I did get slightly distracted myself too and had a bit of a wander round the aisles and picked up a few things (my boyfriend did comment that we would be taking home more than we brought with us, but I chose to ignore him!).

Nothing that I bought was for me, but I got some clothes and shoes to sell on ebay - all the items ranged from 20p to £1 so I thought I'd try my luck at making a profit. Some of the items are really nice and from shops like Topshop, Warehouse and Next, so hopefully the pounds will come rolling in...

As I was looking around I was amazed at the bargains to be had. I was only looking at clothes, but there were so many bits of furniture, cds, dvds, cute roomy 'bits' to be had for such low prices- like I'm talkin 10p for cds, £2 for a pair of chairs, 5p for ornaments - those kinds of bargains!

I have to say I am sold on car boots, and I already want to go back next weekend just as a buyer!

Are any of you regulars to car boots? Any tips for me to get the best bargains? From today I can guess there's plenty to be had!

And The Results Are In...

2010-06-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon all, on this beautiful day!

I have some GREAT news that I just can't keep to myself so I'll share it with anyone who is reading if you don't mind! Well, I got my degree result today, and...

I PASSED WITH FIRST CLASS HONOURS!!!

I am so happy that all the hard work paid off, and now am really looking forward to graduation next month :-)

In a celebratory kind of mood the boyfriend and I headed off to the pub (as you do!) and had the best nachos ever!! I'm not exaggerating. Seriously, look at them...

And I can confirm they taste as good as they look! I did share them though - I thought the boyfriend deserved some as well, after getting a 2:1 himself :-)

Here's a quick pic of what I wore...

My dress was from Primark a couple of years ago and I tend to live in it in the summer, and my flip flops are also a whole £2-worth of Primark goodness! I'll show you close ups of my jewellery in a haul that I plan on doing soon.

I'm now off to settle down in the sun to watch Andy Murray for a while, before heading out again tonight for some more celebrating and a couple of cheeky drinkies!

De-Cluttering My Life With Ebay!

2010-06-26T21:35:00.000-07:00

Firstly, hasn't it been a gorgeous day today?! Loving the weather, and seeing as my hayfever seems to be a lot better due to new tablets, I hope it continues this way for a while yet :-)

As you'll know if you follow me on Twitter (wingstoflyblog) I've been sorting things all day to sell on ebay. With my ever increasing wardrobe I've been running out of space and so finally decided to have a clear out, and am going to sell everything on ebay to try to make a few extra pennies.

This is all the stuff I've decided to sell...quite a lot as you can see...!

As well as a lot of my own stuff, I'm also selling a few of my mum's and boyfriend's things (with their permission of course! - I'm not that cheeky!).

I thought I'd just show you a few of the items I'll be putting up for auction over the next few days/weeks..

This is a brand new River Island bag still with the tags. I love its pink fluffiness, but can't really see me using it...

Who doesn't need a good old sequin waistcoat?! (well, me apparently!) I do really like this but never seem to wear it, so I guess its no good just sitting in my wardrobe.

This is another brand new item, again from River Island. I actually really like this top and don't know why I never wore it, but now it is a bit too small for me :-(

I LOVE this shirt! It is a few years old, and even though I've worn it quite a lot, its still in great condition. Its from Fornarina at House of Fraser, and it's really fitted. Unfortunately, again its a bit too small for me now (hence why I have started a new fitness regime today, but hey, that's a whole other blog post!)...

I spent many a happy shopping trip with this River Island bag, but as I have recently bought a new black handbag, I don't think I really need this one anymore...

So that's just a sneak peek of what I'll be selling. I reckon I've got over 100 things to sell, so I'll be a very busy bee over the next few weeks :-)

If you fancy taking a look on ebay of what I've got for sale, then my seller name is 'caldweet' and I'll probably be adding a few things everyday, as I don't fancy going to the post office with 50 things for them to post at a time! I'll be putting a whole mixture of things up, some old some new, some mens some womens, jewellery lots, shoes, bags, fancy dress...everything...so you never know, something may just catch your eye!

Do any of you lovely ladies go on ebay a lot? Are you more buyers or sellers? I love a good old bit of ebay action!

Style Crush: AnnaLynne McCord

2010-06-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

So I'm not afraid to admit it, I have a crush of huuuuge proportions at the moment!

But, as it's a style crush as opposed to a can't stop thinking about them, talking about them or stalking them kinda crush (or is that just me...) then I guess it's ok to share it with you!

The subject of my style obsession is Miss AnnaLynne McCord. I have to admit that I didn't know much about her before she started cropping up in a few of the magazines I read and I loved her style. So I found out a bit more about her; basically she is best known for her appearance in 90210, but has also been in Nip/Tuck and a number of other tv programmes and films. She's also said to be dating the model and actor Kellan Lutz, who is hot hot hot!

But it's not the career or the boyfriend I want, but her wardrobe. I've put a few of my favourite outfits of hers below. What do you think?

In this first outfit, the white jeans and grey vest combo is pretty simple, but the bright shoes, cuff and nails add real interest. I plan on doing this kind of look myself in the future- relying more on basics and adding individuality with accessories.

AnnaLynne's wearing the very same cuff in the outfit below. I think this look is gorgeous too. Although they go in and out of fashion I'm a big fan of slogan tees, and this one is cute. Not sure I could rock those trousers in quite the same way as her though!

She's gone for a far more casual look below, but still looks amazing. It's a really chilled out look, yet still shows off her stunning figure and oozes style. I also see a theme occurring with another chunky cuff - going to have to look out for something similar when I'm out shopping next. If only we all looked this good in the local supermarket!

The picture below proves she looks good day and night. I can't say I would wear this dress myself, but she looks stunning. The hair and make up too are gorgeous.

This has got to be my fave outfit out of all of them though. The neon yellow vest and white jeans (again) are a winning combo, but it's the scarf I love the most - the bright colours and pattern are gorgeous. Teamed with hat and big sunnies she looks quite the star!

So what do you think - do you love AnnaLynne's style as much as I do?

I really think I need to watch 90210 now. It seems like just the kind of programme I love and I don't know why I didn't get into it earlier. Have any of you seen it? I'm off to find the box set!

My Little Piece of Heaven!

2010-06-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

As I settled down in my bed to write this post tonight, I thought what better to blog about than the very room I am sitting in...

So this isn't strictly about fashion, but I love looking at pictures of where other people blog from, so I thought I would do the same myself, just in case anyone is a little bit nosey like me!

The room I am in at the moment is my bedroom in my parents house which has recently been decorated - and I was in charge! I could design it how I wanted and it would always be my room, but it couldn't be too personal as I would hardly be spending any time there due to university and moving away, and so it would mostly be a guest room. Overall, I decided to go for a kind of girly, chintzy kinda look, although I was on quite a tight budget.

So, here are some pics of the overall look and some of my favourite bits:

My absolute favourite thing in my room is my lampshade - I think it's amazing! I stumbled across it in the Next Home sale for about £7... absolute bargain! It's basically made up of loads of strips of white plastic flower shapes that you clip on to a frame. It's about 3ft long (!) and really stands out. I love it!

On one of my walls I have black metal words that read 'Live Love Laugh' that I placed diagonally alongside my bed. I wasn't sure how the black would look in the mostly pale room, but I think it really works. The words were from Dunelm Mill and I think they were £10 for the set. Another bargain! I know they're really common now (I've even seen them on someone's wall on Coronation Street) but I don't care cos they look good!

On the other wall I have three simple canvases of flowers that are also from Dunelm and are quite rustic-y looking...

Here's my set of drawers, which is the only real furniture I have apart from my bed, as I have a built-in wardrobe for all my clothes. They're from Ikea and were £80 which I think is good value. On the top I've got two really cute tea light holders which were only £2.50 each from Dunelm Mill again, as are the photo frames. They've got a vintagey look and the photos are my little personal touch in the room. I think the mirror may be intended for a bathroom, but I reckon the chintzy look goes well.

Finally on my bed I have a really cute, girly duvet cover and four cushions, but I'm on the lookout for loads more. I want all different designs so that it doesn't look too put together. I really want a faded Union Jack design, but am just looking for the right one at the moment.

What do you think? Did I do a good job? I certainly love it!

I can't wait til I have my own flat that I can decorate exactly how I want it! I am collecting little bits and pieces here and there already!

It's the Final Final Fling

2010-06-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Last night was a monumental occasion - officially my last night out as a student of Aston University :-(

All this week has been what we at Aston call our 'Final Fling' - the last week of term where we have different events every night before heading our different ways for the summer. Only this time we weren't heading different ways for the summer... but forever... (well this may be slightly dramatic but you know what I mean!).

So last night we headed to our Students' Guild, where Tim Westwood(!) was the guest DJ for the night. Here's a close up of me before I went out. Sorry it's black and white and so not that great to see my make up, but I was playing around with PhotoBooth at the time! I used curlers on my hair but went for a more tousled look than tight ringlets.

And here's my outfit. I wore a dress from New Look, that is navy blue at the top with frills, and then the bottom half is a floral print. Some people think it is a skirt and top. I like wearing its cos it's supper comfy, lovely colours and cute and girly. I wore my gladiator type sandals as I wanted to have a good old dance to celebrate my last night at uni, and didn't want any heels to ruin my time with the dancefloor!

I had a great night dancing, drinking and chatting with loads of the amazing people I've met during my time at Aston. When I got home it was time to cut off my Final Fling wristband and, as silly as it sounds, I really didn't want to do it. I've had the most amazing time and can't believe it's finally come to an end.

Thanks Aston. It's been awesome.

Yay! I Won Something!

2010-06-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post this evening to share some great news that I got today!

A few weeks ago I entered a competition being run by the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association called 'Project Guide Dogs'. The aim of the competition, aimed at students, was to develop an online marketing campaign for the charity to encourage at least 10,000 18-25 year olds to say they would support current or future Guide Dogs campaigns.

I spent a while on my entry and, to cut a long story short... I WON!!

I just received the news today and I am so happy! There are three other winners as well as myself and I am really pleased to have won as apparently there were lots of applicants.

So, to the good stuff - what have I won?!

Firstly, I will be attending a 2-day residential in August along with the other winners, where we will develop a campaign that will actually be implemented. I think this will be great fun and a brilliant experience. I am looking to work in Marketing now I have graduated, so this is a great opportunity.

Secondly, later in the year I will have 2-weeks work experience with the charity. This is really exciting as I will be able to see how such a charity operates, and hopefully be able to get involved in some exciting projects.

I am really looking forward to all of this, as it will be a great experience and really boost my CV. On top of this, hopefully whatever campaign we implement should really help the charity, which is great as it is a brilliant cause.

The third part of the prize is what I know will appeal to some of you the most though... I also won £250 shopping vouchers!! There were a list of shops to choose from, and I think I am going to go for a mix of Topshop and Next, as this way I can treat my boyfriend to some nice things too :-)

Pretty excited about spending the money already!!

Anyway just thought I would share my good news, and I'll keep you updated with my residential, placement and shopping, as and when it happens! And I expect all of you to join the campaign when it is launched later this summer - I'll keep you posted :-)

Yay, sooooo excited!

Product Review: The Pink Cow

2010-06-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

I've got a review for you here on some gorgeous products I've recently bought from Boots. Ladies, let me introduce you to... The Pink Cow!

(Can I just say that this review, as well as all the others I do on here, are all about products I have been out and bought myself, just because I like the look of them and want to give them a whirl! If I ever review anything I have been sent by a company I will point that out to you all, just to make it clear. Now the official stuff's done, on to the real business...)

Soooo, I'd never heard of The Pink Cow until I was perusing the shelves in Boots the other day and their colourful tubes and bottles took my fancy. There are 6 'flavours' in the range, and each of them is described on the packaging as 'A Very *something* Bath & Shower Gel / Body Scrub'. There's...

Lemon Cheesecake: A very morningy...

Strawberry Sundae: A very wild...

Coconut Creme: A very quiet...

Ginger Bread: A very warm...

Vanilla Biscuit: A very happy...

Mint Candy: A very soothing...

The packaging is simple but still pretty funky, with big, bold writing and really brightly coloured contents.

As I say, I'd never heard of the company, and have tried to find other blog reviews about their products, but can't find too much. I can't even seem to find a company website or email address which is a bit strange...

After giving them all a quick smell in Boots I decided to go for the Lemon Cheesecake Bath and Shower Gel and the Strawberry Sundae Body Scrub...

These two caught my eye because I love to eat strawberry sundaes and lemon cheesecake (hey, you've got to make a decision somehow!).

So, the scrub. Firstly, the strawberry smell is heavenly! I know smell shouldn't really be a deciding factor when it comes to beauty products (unless it smells horrible of course!) but it makes such a difference to me. And its pink, and who doesn't love a bit of pink beauty action?!

The ratio of creme to scrubby bits (I really don't think these are the right terms, but hey ho, you know what I mean) is just right. I hate scrubs that have such few 'bits' that they hardly feel like a scrub, and I equally dislike scrubs that have too many 'bits' (particularly if they are big) which just makes it feel like you are rubbing rocks on yourself (no, I don't know why you would ever do this either...). The Pink Cow have got it just right, though, as after using it I felt like it had done its job but was not too harsh on my skin.

'What's the price?' I hear you ask. Well, it was a mere £2.99. For 225ml I don't think that's bad at all. I've used it quite a few times and still have quite a lot left.

So, the scrub was a winner, so how about the bath and shower gel?

I have to say this didn't let me down either. Again the smell is amazing. The packaging refers to it as 'A very morningy' bath and shower gel, and that's such a good description of it! The smell is really strong and zingy (is this a real word?) and has really woken me up in my morning showers over the last few days.

It didn't lather up quite as much as some other shower gels I have tried and there weren't as many bubbles, but it still left my skin feeling really soft.

Again, this was only £2.99 for 500ml. It's a really big, chunky bottle and should last me a while. Much better than buying cheaper ones for half the price that wont last as long.

Overall I've got to say I'm a Pink Cow convert! Both products were much better than I expected from a company I'd never heard of and I'll definitely continue to use them. I really want to try out the rest of the range and will let you know if I do.

Have you ever heard of The Pink Cow or tried any of their products? If you have, what did you think?

Strictly so excited!

2010-06-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

I know its the middle of summer (well, supposedly anyway!) but I am already excited about the return of Strictly Come Dancing this autumn!

I love nothing more than settling down on a Saturday night, when its dark outside, to watch Strictly. Brucie, Len and the judges, the music, the singers, the dancing...I just love it all! An official announcement this week of which professionals will be on the show this week has got my mouth watering...

Apparently on the girls' side Lilia is out, and there will be no new girls to replace her (there will be fewer couples this year). I'm not particularly heartbroken about this as I never really warmed to her, although she was great with Darren Gough. In terms of the men Ian, Matthew, Brian and Darren are also out, although they have all been offered places in the 'professional dance troupe'. I am a bit gutted about this, particularly Ian and Matthew as I really liked the two of them. I always thought I would have to dance with Ian if I were on the show as he is tall like me (although the likelihood of me being on the show is minimal at best!).

There will be three new male dancers taking to our screens though, and they all look pretty tasty! Artem looks set to be a sure fire favourite based on this picture...

I look forward to seeing more of all three of them!

As well as the dancing I always look forward to the outfits in strictly. I've picked out just a few of my favourites in the pictures below, from Katya, Flavia, Laila and Natalie. Looking at these its probably a bit strange that with all the brightly coloured outfits in each show I actually picked 4 monochrome looks, but I think they're all gorgeous. Laila's fringed catsuit was stunning, although I seem to remember her outfit that week was actually a lot better than her dancing and she didn't get very good marks.

I think the dancer that tops them all outfit-wise is definitely Ola though. I always look forward to seeing what she is wearing (and I know the male's in my life do too!). She pushes the boundaries in the 'skimpy' department, but hey, she has an amazing figure and it hasn't done her much harm with the viewers so far. The catsuit she wore with Andrew Castle in a previous series caused a real stir and it's just got better from there. It must be great fun for the costume department to work with her!

Gorgeous dresses and fit men! What more could you ask for?!

Talking about fit Strictly men, I was in Birmingham city centre the other day shopping for last minute bits for my Graduation Ball and there was a dance competition going on on an outdoor stage, being judged by none other than Mr Brendan Cole! I stood and watched the competition for a while and took some pictures from over the top of the crowd, but once the competition had finished I managed to actually get a picture with the man himself!

(I hate this picture of me - I had gone into town with literally no make up on and my hair scraped back just to get a few bits and bobs - little did I know I was going to meet one of my Strictly favourites!)

I have to say Brendan was so lovely. There were lots of people asking for autographs and pictures and he stopped for every single one. I was a bit wary of asking for a picture just in case he was as mean as he is sometimes portrayed on the programme, but he couldn't have been more different. Its been officially announced that Brendan will be back for the next series, and I'll definitely be supporting him - I just hopes he gets a good celebrity. I hear his dream partner for the show would be Victoria Beckham - how good would that be?!

Who's your favourite Strictly dancer? And which celebrities would you love to see on the show this year?

Expect more Strictly updates from me in the Autumn - I can't wait!

End of an Era

2010-06-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have a rather special OOTD to share with you all today so I really hope you like it!

Last night was my Graduation Ball held at the beautiful Botanical Gardens in Birmingham and it was (I know I use this word a lot) amazing!

For those of you that have been following my blog you will know that I have been panicking so much about finding a dress over the last few weeks but, lo and behold, I managed to find one eventually! So please forgive my self-indulgence, as this post contains a lot of photos, but I had such a great night and as I don't get dressed up like this very often I figure I might as well make the most of it.

Here's the dress I finally went for...

I love it so much. I got it from a Karen Millen outlet where it was reduced from £200 to £55, which I don't think is too bad at all. I have tried so many on over the last few weeks, and I know that in most of them I would have had to have breathed in all night or kept pulling them up, and I really didn't want that. This one was great because it was floaty it I didn't have to worry about any of that. I also love the dress because of the colour. The orange is really eye catching and the gold detailing (sequins, beads and chains) around the top adds a bit of interest. I think I was one of only a couple of people out of 800 wearing orange, so I felt different which is what I really wanted. I thought maybe the dress wouldn't be 'ball-y' enough, but as it was, dresses ranged from simple summer dresses to full on ball gowns, so I fitted in just fine!

I planned on selling the dress on ebay after I'd worn it, but I enjoyed wearing it so much that I think I'm going to hang on to it for a while!

I had my make up done for free at the Clinique counter in Boots. I only really went in for them to try out foundation on me, but the lady ended up doing the whole thing! I really loved the foundation she used. The 'Superbalanced Make Up' covered up all my blemishes and gave a really even finish, but still felt really light and my skin could breathe. I loved the look at a whole, because it was really fresh and pretty, and still subtle (I'm not really a fan of garish make up).

Here's a close up of my eyes. The lady filled in my eyebrows, which I have never done before but it made such a big difference, I will definitely do it again. She used mainly bronze colours, but a hint of 'Indigo Quickliner' on my bottom eyelid. When she first suggested indigo I was horrified, but I actually think it looked really good, and brought out the blue of my eyes.

Here you can see my eyelids better. Look at my eyelashes - they've never been so long!

I wasn't sure what colour nails to go for so I asked my boyfriend who suggested grey, and I have to say it was an inspired choice! (Not that there was any real thought behind his suggestion - I know he just guesses and hopes for the best). I used Collection 2000 Hot Looks nail varnish in 'Wham!' It gave quite a matt finish and I think it went really well with the orange of my dress, although I would probably have never thought of it myself (Erin 0, Boyfriend 1).

Because my dress was pretty bright, I kept things simple jewellery-wise. I just wore a bracelet I got in the Miss Selfridge sale for £2 which has a pearl, gold heart and black bow, and my mum's old engagement ring which she gave to me which I think is gorgeous and only wear on really special occasions.

So that's pretty much my whole outfit! What do you guys think? What are you planning on wearing for any balls / proms / parties you've got coming up this summer?

I have to say I loved my whole outfit sooooooo much! It was one of those rare occasions that I really felt good in what I was wearing and wanted lots of photos taken! I've put a few more pics below just in case you fancy taking a look at what my friends were wearing and what the place was like. As I've already said the Botanical Gardens were really beautiful, with so much to explore and great backgrounds for photos!

Here's me and my boyfriend. I think he looks rather dapper!

This is me with 3 of my best girl friends who I think all looked really pretty. How well does my friend Dani on the right's bag match her dress?! (And it was from Primark - bargain! - but sssshhh, don't tell anyone!)

The boys found a play area! They may have nearly graduated but they are still little boys at heart!

I have loads of photos from last night and know that in years to come they'll bring back such great memories. I'm starting to get a little bit emotional just thinking about it! The night finished off with a beautiful fireworks display as the class of 2010 made their way home.

All in all a crazy, emotional, funny night out (with a nice outfit) - what more could you ask for?!

My Uni Life In Fancy Dress

2010-06-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

I'll try and say this without shedding a tear - I now have only a few weeks until I leave university for good (sob!).

Although I'm ready to leave, I've had the time of my life and will always look back with such great memories. So I thought it would be a nice idea to do a couple of blog posts over the next few weeks to take a peek back over my time at Aston.

As the first post, I can't think of a better way to start than with... (drumroll please)... FANCY DRESS!

Anyone who goes to or has been to uni will know that fancy dress is one thing you can't escape... And I LOVE IT!!! It's an excuse to be someone you're not, get creative and in the case of some of my outfits, wear something skimpy you wouldn't dare to wear under normal circumstances!

So, I'll talk you through some of the outfits I have worn over the last four years, finishing off with my favourite three. (I apologise now for dodgy camera work - many of these were taken before starting a blog even entered my thinking, so most are a result of a drunk friend on an awesome night out!).

Well, we have a 'Skool Daze' party every term, so I've been to nearly 10. School uniform is pretty standard and I always wear the same kinds of thing, but maybe mix it up a little with shorts or skirt, vests, accessories etc. I can tell these pics are from different nights cos of the changing hairstyles!

There are a few different ones below...

- First I went for a kind of bat, spider person kinda look for halloween in second year! Don't really know what I was aiming for, but I reckon if you mix a lot of black and purple you can't really go wrong for halloween!

- Then there's me as Pocahontas (sp?) for the 'Fairytale Ball'. I remember this being a real last minute outfit, which involved me running to Birmingham indoor market about 5 minutes before it closed, buying £2 of material and hoping for the best! I think it worked out pretty well in the end!

- The third one was more of a 'challenge' than an event! On cricket tour in Torquay, we each had to find the worst (or should that be best?!) outfit for £5 in a charity shop for 'Bad Shirt Night'! I found this awesome skirt and jacket combo. I felt like Carol Vorderman on Countdown back in the day! And all for just a fiver - bargain!

Here's a two more...

- The first one was for 'Heaven and Hell' night and I went as an angel, although all you can see of my outfit is the fluffy halo! But hey, that was the best bit - I would definitely add it to my everyday wardrobe if I could!

- Every year we have 'Freakers', the sexual fantasy ball - not as kinky as it may sound, I promise! It's one of the biggest nights in Aston's calendar and everyone makes a real effort. This year I went as a sexy policewoman, in a VERY skimpy outfit - much smaller than it looked on ebay... ah well, you're only young once! (And yes, that's my boyfriend in the morphsuit, but the less said about his outfit the better!)

And finally the last two before the big countdown:

- On the left I am dressed as an air hostess for a friend's 'Mile High Club' birthday. In hindsight I now think I looked more like a cleaner...

- On the right is my second year Freakers outfit (see above) which I went to as a footballer / girl in their boyfriend's football shirt! I loved it at the time, but I won't be getting my abs out like that anytime soon - need a few more stomach crunches til that happens again!

So, here goes, now we get to the big three...

My third favourite fancy dress outfit... ARMY!

In first year we wore the army theme for a friend's birthday. I love the army theme for a fancy dress and its perfect for when there's lots of boys and girls, as it suits both sexes. I went for a brown bikini, under a netted top, with combats on the bottom. I think I may have got the facepaints a bit wrong though as I ended up with more tribal stripes than army war paint! Ah well. Another good thing about this outfit was that I got to wear combats and trainers, so it was much easier to bust a few moves on the dancefloor!

My second favourite fancy dress outfit... CAVEGIRLS!

For a friend's birthday we all dressed as Cavegirls. We bought loads of material from the markets in Birmingham city centre and had great fun ripping, cutting and tying our little hearts out! I think cavegirl is such a good outfit cos it is really cheap, and you can go a bit crazy not only with the outfit, but with the hair and make up too.

And finally, my favourite fancy dress outfit.... CHAVS!

In second year we had 'Chav Night' and it was amazing! I wore a velour tracksuit, huge hooped earrings and even had my 'ASBO' round my neck! (I'm third from left). It's my friend Sarah on the left who I think looks amazing though - the gelled-down hair, thick lipliner and teddy for a baby was perfect! You'd be surprised how much people's behaviour changes when you are dressed like this - it all got a bit lairy!

I know my favourite three are quite standard fancy dress outfits, but I had such great fun wearing them that they just had to top the list.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at these pictures - reminiscing has definitely bought a HUGE smile to my face! When I meet up with my friends from university after we leave I am going to ensure it is fancy dress, cos I think I will miss it too much in the 'real world'!

Which of my outfits from the photos is your favourite? Do any of you have any cool fancy dress ideas, or have you worn any in the past?

Sun, Shopping and the Suffolk Show

2010-06-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a gorgeous day it's been today!

I've been outside at the Suffolk Show and am now soooooo tired from all the sun and walking, but its been brilliant!

My favourite part was definitely the animal area, even though apart from cats I'm not normally much of animal lover (is this something it is is socially acceptable to admit? I feel like I'm saying I have no heart...I do, I promise!). I bypassed the cows and pigs for slightly cuter animals and absolutely fell in love with these pygmy goats...look how adorable...

Before today I was desperate for a kitten but now I want one of these! They are soooooo cute. I NEED one!

And as there's not much about fashion in this blog post, look at this guy for style! He certainly knows how to rock a cool hairdo... Such a dude! Although he was a little bit big and scary for a pet methinks!

We also made our way round all the fashion and craft stands and although I didn't buy anything I loved a stand I found there by a company called Little Folks. (Sorry about the picture, but there were A LOT of people around!).

I'd never heard of them before but they do the most gorgeous personalised gifts for children - bags, babygrows, even deckchairs! To be honest I even considered getting a personalised flask for myself! As soon as I got back I googled them and they have a website which is www.littlefolk.co.uk that I'll definitely be keeping in mind when I next buy something for my cousin's little children. You guys should definitely check it out, cos in the flesh their stuff is absolutely beautiful.

After walking around all morning we settled down with an ice cream by the Grand Ring to watch show jumping and a military demonstration.

My outfit wasn't particularly inspired, but I'll share it with you anyway. I went in jeans and a coat, but as the sun came out I changed into my shorts which luckily I had in my bag.

My shirt and vest top are New Look, plimsoles by good old Primark (for £2 you can't beat them) and my shorts are from Dorothy Perkins and I feel like I've had them forever. As I say, not a particularly exciting outfit, but practical for walking around all day and importantly covering my shoulders from the sun (I burn ridiculously easily!)

We've just got back from dinner in a country pub where I just changed my top for a slightly more dressy one with a lightweight jacket.

What a great end to a great day :-)

Sex and the (Birmingham) City

2010-06-01T13:29:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I fulfilled my duty as a member of womankind and went to see Sex and the City 2... and I loved it!

Personally I thought it was much better than the first film, although a lot of the reviews say otherwise. I went with the girlies for my friend Connie's birthday and we all had a right giggle. There are sooooo many good looking men in it that I recommend you go to see it asap if you haven't yet just for the fitties! I thought on the whole it was really funny and a good 2 hours and a half of escapism.

The outfits in it were also amazing! I might do a blog on here in the near future about how you can get some of their looks for less on the high street, as although they were stunning I hear the wardrobe budget for the film was $10,000,000!!

I went to see the film at the cutest cinema ever! Its called the 'Electric Cinema' in Birmingham city centre. Apparently its the oldest working cinema in the UK (in the 80s it went through a phase of only showing horror and porn!). Although I should clarify that its not like this any more, and is a lot more mainstream, although it does still show a lot of arty, independent films too. Our tickets were little old fashioned ticket stubs, and in the actual cinema there are comfy sofas you can sit on behind the normal cinema seats. It even has a bar, and if you want a drink mid-film you can text a waiter who will bring you one - its amazing! And after all this, it wasn't even particularly expensive - our student tickets were £4.50, which if anything is cheap.

I would definitely recommend a visit if you are around the area - it made going to see SATC 2 that little bit more special!

About 10 minutes before I was about to leave I got a text from my friend saying everyone was wearing dresses so I quickly had to change! As we were going to see the film at midday I didn't want to be too dressy, but I wanted it to be kind of special because we were going for a meal afterwards. My dress is from New Look with ruffly black and white stripes. I love it because it isn't fitted so if I go out for a meal and stuff myself it doesn't show - always something I consider! My boyfriend does say I look like a giant humbug though! My blazer is also from New Look and its so useful that I wear it all the time. My scarf is H&M which I used just to add a bit of colour to the outfit.

My shoes are black t-bar heels from George at Asda of all places! They were only about £15 and they are soooo comfy. I wore them to work all the time last year when I was on my placement from uni, and I wouldn't normally wear them out, but hey, I was in a rush and I actually think they looked ok.

My bag is one of my favourite things I own, which I got in the River Island sale. I love all the zips and studs, and its pretty big which I need for all the stuff I carry around with me on a daily basis. I know I need a new handbag that is a bit more 'summery' than this one, but I can't tear myself away from it!!

What do you think of my outfit? Not perfect, but not too bad for 10 minutes notice!

I'm in Ipswich for a couple of days now and am off to the Suffolk Show tomorrow, so I'll definitely keep you updated on my time in East Anglia!

Red Carpet Inspiration

2010-05-30T12:19:00.000-07:00

With only a week to go until my Graduation Ball, I still don't have a dress and am beginning to panic!

In order to get some inspiration I have been looking at LOADS of pictures over the last few days of celebrities' red carpet looks, to see just what makes a great outfit for such a special occasion. From my extensive research I've identified what I believe are the three most important elements of the perfect look, and the celebrities who embody them the most.

Kate Beckinsale's elegance...

So I have never seen Kate Beckinsale in a film (and don't actually know what films she has been in), but I do know one thing about her - she always looks amazing on the red carpet. After any awards ceremony she is the first person whose outfit I look for on the internet the next day. I love how she keeps things so simple yet doesn't fade into the background. Her up-do's and strapless/one-shoulder dresses show-off her elegant neck and shoulders, and she holds herself beautifully. Other stars who I think always look elegant are Dita Von Teese and Anne Hathaway. I definitely want an elegant dress for the ball, as I don't want to feel that I am wearing something I could wear on just any other night out.

Kelly Brook's sex appeal...

Kelly Brook has the most amazing womanly figure and she really knows how to show it off. And why not?! If you've got it, flaunt it! She does sexy without flaunting too much flesh, and really accentuates her hourglass figure. Two other celebrities who I think also exude sex appeal on the red carpet are Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce. I think even if you don't have the show stopping curves of Kelly (and let's face it, most of us don't!) you can still take a leaf out of her book by showing off your best assets, whatever they may be.

Rihanna's individuality...

Rihanna is one lady who certainly isn't afraid to make an impact on the red carpet, and I love that. I'm not saying I would pick any of these three particular outfits to wear myself, but I like how she doesn't always play it safe. Sure it means she has a few faux pas now and then, but hey, life's too short to blend in. Other stars who also show some real personality and stand out from the crowd are Lady GaGa (of course!) and Katy Perry. One thing I'm dreading about the ball is wearing the same as someone else, so even if I do end up with a dress from the high street, I want to at least add my own accessories and hair/make-up look to make it a little bit different from everyone else, just in case!

So now I know what I want, I just need to figure out how I am going to achieve it without the celebrity bank balance and personal stylist... I'll keep you updated on my hunt (and stress levels!)...

Celebrate good times

2010-05-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

So, after a 4-year slog... or to be more honest 3 years of averagely difficult work and 1 year of work so hard at times I wanted to kill myself... (ok, that was a little bit dramatic)... last night it was finally time to celebrate!

The university had hired out a bar in the Arcadian in Birmingham for all the final years to party. I wanted a new outfit for the occasion, but because I didn't know what other people would be wearing, having never gone there before, I wasn't really sure what to go for.

I traipsed round the shops for ages and eventually settled for an outfit that was mostly from New Look. I thought it would be fine as if people were dressed quite casually I wouldn't look too OTT, but it would be dressy enough if people had glammed-up for the occasion. As it were, there was a whole range of outfits from the rest of the final years so I fitted in just fine.

(I apologise for the state of me in this picture - I forgot to take one before I went out, so this was taken at 4.30am after a rather heavy night!)

I loved the outfit, and had quite a few comments from people who thought it was 'cute'.

The shorts were my favourite item, new from New Look for £20. They are lilac and look kind of like a skirt but are actually the loose fitting shorts that seem to be everywhere at the moment. They have a bow at the front which is stitched in place so you don't have to think about tying it nicely. I have to say though that they did crease very easily, but they were so comfy and will be very versatile, so I think it's a small price to pay.

The top is just a simple white strappy top with some embroidery and silver stitching, again from New Look for £8. It is really useful and I think I will wear it a lot this summer.

The cardigan is also from New Look and they have it in loads of colours. Wearing this over the top and shorts gave the outfit the casual, summery look I was going for.

Finally the shoes are my old personal favourites, tan heels from Dorothy Perkins. Perfect as they are quite high but really comfy.

I kept my nails 'Sherbet Lemon' and wore my new ring from Miss Selfridge, as well as an older blue heart ring also from Miss Selfridge. I think that adding chunky, clashing rings to this outfit helped make it look a lot more eclectic and less 'put together', which was good as it avoided me looking too matchy matchy, which I could easily have done with the lilac shorts and cardigan.

All in all, a brilliant time was had by all! Drinks were flowing, sun was shining and music was pumping - what more could you want?!

Next stop is to find an outfit for my Graduation Ball which is in less than 2 weeks. I don't just want to go to somewhere on the high street as I will probably end up in the same dress as someone else, but on the other hand I don't have too much money floating around at the moment! Any ideas?!

Blingin' While Ringin'!

2010-05-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

I am so in love with these iPhone cases it is ridiculous!

I have been browsing on Lux Addiction's website recently (www.luxaddiction.com) and they have the most amazing range of phone cases (not just for iPhones, but other models too including Blackberries). Each case is hand crafted and so every one is unique.

Each design is so cute and you can tell real thought has been put into them. Each case contains a mix of authentic Swarovski crystals, 'bling' Australian crystals and special made accessories/decorations. From cases featuring cute little cakes and biscuits, to others with zebra print and feathers, there's something for everyone.

My absolute favourite though has to be this Little Mermaid one - it's adorable! I know its childish and pretty tacky, but I really don't care! I really wanted to be Ariel when I was younger and with this case I could pay homage to my favourite Disney princess.

Priced at $79.95, which is about £55, they don't come particularly cheap, but the attention to detail is amazing and they would provide a real talking point.

Although I'm not sure if I would want to use it all the time (I wouldn't particularly want to crack out such an 'in your face' crystal case at a sophisticated event or job interview) I am definitely putting the Little Mermaid one on my birthday wishlist!

Maybe I need to think about getting an actual iPhone first though...

Festival Fever

2010-05-26T19:44:00.000-07:00

So, I well and truly have festival fever... although I'm not actually going to one this year!

Despite my lack of planned festival action I've been browsing online and have put together 3 festival looks I think are really cool. They are each really different and would suit different people and different festivals.

The first look is cool and edgy. The fringed shorts are amazing - they are from River Island and I think £29.99 is a really reasonable price as not only would they be great for a festival, but they would be useful all through summer and could be worn day or night. The bright red wellies are a real statement and give the whole outfit some real impact. I think it's really worth investing in a good pair of wellies if hitting a festival this year, and the funkier the better! The scarf, trilby and earrings accessorise the outfit well without being too fussy - fussiness is definitely to be avoided if getting ready in a tent and spending all day outside!

Silk Bird Print Bobble Trim Scarf - Warehouse - £25

Red Wellington Boots - Evercreatures - £29.99

Ok Print Crop Tee - River Island - £14.99

Fringed Hotpants - River Island - £29.99

Diamond Weave Purple Trilby - Accessorize - £17

Khaki Feather Drop Earrings - Dorothy Perkins - £12

This second look is more cutesy and girly, and I can see it being worn to more of a T4 on the Beach style festival than a Glastonbury kind of occasion. It is not too big a statement to say I am actually in love with the sunglasses - the colour of the frames and shape of the arms are really retro, and I will definitely be buying them as soon as funds allow! The loose fitting shorts would be comfy to wear all day and as the sandals do up with buckles they're not going to come off in the sand. Beware though, if the festival's muddy these are far too nice to get ruined!

Paris Barbie Vest - Miss Selfridge - £20

Peach Plastic Sunglasses - Dorothy Perkins - £15

Ditsy Corsage Trilby - Accessorize - £17

Sherbet Heart Print Shorts - Topshop - £35

White Tribal Cuff Sandals - Miss Selfridge - £35

Pink Satin Corsage - New Look - £3

The final outfit I put together is more toned down and natural. Playsuits are everywhere at the moment and the strong red in the print of this one stops the whole outfit looking too neutral, beige and boring. The floppy hat is not only really in-keeping with the outfit, but practical too to stop the rays (if indeed we get any sun this year!). The statement bangle with its stones and mirrors adds a bit of glamour to the outfit without being unnecessarily fussy.

Mocha Zig Zag Scarf Trim Floppy - Accessorize - £20

Geri Nature Woven Sandals - Accessorize - £35

Hibiscus Printed Playsuit - Topshop - £45

Stone Set Mirror Bangle - Miss Selfridge - £12

Weave Box Cross Body Bag - Topshop - £30

Overall I think the key to any festival look is to wear something you are comfortable in. Obviously everyone wants to look nice, but fiddling with too much jewellery, attempting to keep heels on in the mud and generally trying to be someone you're not is really not a good look. Relaxed and natural is definitely the way to go.

I love all three of these outfits and could see myself wearing all of them depending on where I was going.

In hindsight maybe it is a good idea that I'm not going to any festivals, as based on this wishlist I seem to have developed it could prove very expensive indeed!

Two is better than one

2010-05-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

With all the lovely things in the shops, I don't know why I do this so often...

Because I am loving my new Miss Selfridge ring I bought a few days ago so much, I decided I just had to get it in the other colour too!

This one is silver as opposed to gold, and the disk has a purple background with blue flower. Again it was in the sale, reduced from £6 to £2, in the Bullring in Birmingham.

If I really like something I often end up buying it in more than one colour. It seems a bit silly, but I figure if its not broke don't fix it, and if you get your wear out of the first item, you'll probably find the same with the second one.

(My nail varnish is 'Sherbet Lemon' by 17 which is in the same 'Candy Collection' as the 'Mint Choc Chip' I reviewed in March.)

I'm loving Miss Selfridge's jewellery at the moment. These are a couple of my favourite pieces...

These 'Filigree Fan Earrings' are £9. The subtle colours mean they would go with everything, and as they'e not too plain nor too 'in your face', I think they'd take you from day to night perfectly.

I think this 'Pink Flamingo Brooch' is absolutely amazing, priced at £5. The bright colours would add a 'pop' to any outfit and I think with this on your blazer, scarf or even hat, you'd feel instantly ready for summer! They do the same flamingo design as stud earrings if you're not a brooch wearer.

So if you're shopping this week I suggest you take a look in Miss Selfridge as you might just find a little treat for yourself!

One man's trash is another man's treasure

2010-05-22T16:39:00.000-07:00

I recently got hold of some vintage dresses and they are awesome! However they're not really my style, so as cool as I think they are I've decided to sell them on ebay, as I figure someone else will be able to get better use out of them than me.

I go through real phases of selling things on ebay. I can have a couple of weeks where I am OBSESSED with selling things, but then I can easily forget about it for a few months before starting again.

Here are two of the dresses I've put up for sale:

I think the blue one is stunning. I think because of how well cut it is it could be worn in the evening, perhaps even to a summer ball or prom if it were dressed up with the right accessories for something a little different.

The pink/peach coloured dress is perfect for the summer as it is quite lightweight, but I can see it also been worn in the winter with boots, tights and a chunky cardigan.

My seller name is 'caldweet' if you fancy taking a look at what I've got for sale, and the auctions end on Monday evening.

While I'm on there I'll definitely be looking for a few bargains myself, and if I find any good ones I'll put them on here. I always hear of friends getting awesome buys on there, but I never seem to get anything really special myself. Have any of you ever got any good bargains on ebay?

Time for a change

2010-05-21T21:58:00.000-07:00

With exams over at uni I have been able to address all the pressing issues in my life that have somewhat fallen by the wayside recently, namely wardrobe, nails and hair! I dealt with nails and wardrobe myself but felt the hair needed more professional input, so I headed to the salon.

I really felt like a change in the hair department. My natural colour is light brown, but after Christmas I decided to go blonde. Although it was done really well, I just wasn't very keen on it. I just didn't think it did anything for me. So this time round I asked to go dark. However, as in the past when I've had dark hair it has looked a bit dull, I wanted a hint of red to make it a bit more interesting.

Here are before and after pictures:

I am soooo pleased with it! I love it so much! It is just the change I was after and I think it suits my skin tone much better and is far more flattering! I think changing your hair to whatever colour just makes you feel so different it gives you a new lease of life.

I'm still at the stage where I have to keep looking in the mirror because I love it so much! Does anyone else do this or is it just me?!

I had it done at Big Apple in Birmingham. I've been there for my last three appointments and think its great. It has a nice atmosphere, friendly staff and each time they have actually given me what I wanted (which based on many other hairdressers I have been to, this is quite rare!). If anyone is looking for a good hairdressers in Birmingham I can highly recommend it.

Degree Over...Life Back

2010-05-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

My finals are over, and not only does this mean freedom, but it also means I can get back to shopping!

I hit the shops straight after my final exam and it was a beautiful day so I was after some summer clothes to put me in the mood.

As is always the way though, when I wanted to spend some money to treat myself after a hard month or two of revision, nothing seemed to fit and I couldn't find anything that caught my eye (in my price range anyway!).

However, I did pick up this gorgeous ring in the Miss Selfridge sale, reduced from £6 to £2. It's really chunky with a gold finish, and the disk on top is peach with a pink flower. I think it should finish off any summer outfit pretty nicely...

The nail varnish I'm wearing is 'Mint Choc Chip' by 17 which I am still loving since I reviewed it below back in March.

Please also notice MASSIVE lump on finger from all the writing I have been doing in my exams - proof that a degree doesn't come easy!

By the way, this picture was taken with the 'Hipstamatic' app on the iPhone. The app costs £1.19 and allows you to try out all different kinds of cool tints, styles and lenses. I'll be playing around with it for a while so expect lots of my future photos to be somewhat arty!

Note to self: Get to the gym...

2010-04-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

So, could I BE any more jealous right now?!

There are new pictures going around of Abbey Clancy on holiday in Dubai, and she looks absolutely amazing! What I wouldn't give to have that figure right now - the stomach, the legs, the tan...arghhh, so jealous!

I've got to say I love the bikini she's (just about!) wearing too- the bejewelled top is cute in the sunshine and the nude colours mean it's not too 'bling' for the beach,

I've been a huge fan of Abbey's since she appeared on Britain's Next Top Model, as not only is she stunningly beautiful, but it seems like she has a great personality too. Add on to that the fact she is going out with the legend that is Peter Crouch (no, really, some of his one-liners are awesome, and if you actually look at him he's pretty good looking too) and you have the girl that you want to hate, but can't help but like.

Hopefully she'll get some more TV work because she was great on Hell's Kitchen and Beauty and the Best, and hopefully we'll see more pictures of her in South Africa for the World Cup in June so we can check out her style when out there supporting the boys.

Well, I'm off to stick this picture on my fridge in the hope it will put me off eating the last few remaining easter eggs...

Feeling Minty!

2010-03-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, another new week, another new nail varnish!

I picked up a new varnish in town yesterday and I LOVE it!

I went for 'Mint Choc Chip' by 17 at Boots. It's part of their new 'Candy Collection' range, which also includes Orange Soda, Fairy cake, Parma Violet and Sherbet Lemon.

It's a good consistency and went on really well. Two coats were definitely required, but it's lasting really well and has yet to chip at all. the colour is fresh and gorgeous.

The bottle cost just £2.99 and, even better, all the 'Lasting fix' varnishes are currently on offer for 2 for £5, both in store and online.

So I say get down to Boots and check out the Candy Collection. The pastel shades and long lasting formula is a winning combination, just in time for spring!