It's been a while hasn't it?

Hey lovely people!

So it's been a long time since I last posted on my blog... Since the 25th of June to be exact... And well I wish I had a really good excuse but I really don't. 

I have just been living life with my husband and my dogs and well... time just got away and before I knew it October arrived and it really hit home that I have been severely AWOL on my blog. 

So onto a fresh, new start and a new subject. 

My cousin Lorraine is getting married next year in Cyprus and she has asked me to help her with all of the planning. She is a very busy lady, with a very stressful job and weddings are kinda my thing so I jumped at the chance. As well as this I will be travelling over there (hubby-less) with the rest of my family to watch her get married and to take the photographs (being a photographer and all) so I have decided that I seriously want to get in shape for it. 

Now I know I have said it a million times before and even put a few posts on about starting a diet... But this time I actually have something to work toward. I don't want to be working an entire day in the Cyprus heat, sweating all over the place and feeling rubbish. I want to be able to do my work and enjoy the day and celebrate with my family. So I joined my local weight watchers yesterday (which is the 1st time I have ever joined a class on my own in my whole 29 years) and I am super determined to make it work this time. 

On that note, I thought it would spur me on and make it easier for me if I brought you all along on my journey. So I will be updating my blog regularly with progress reports... Meal ideas... and I'll do a weekly round up of "What I ate" over the course of the week... Pictures and all. 

I hope you all enjoy coming along with me on this weight loss journey and I would appreciate all and any words of encouragement from you all. 

Until next time...

Take care lovelies.

xxx

Snap Happy Tuesday - L.O.V.E

Hey there lovely people!

So it's Tuesday again and I thought I would share some more of my favourite images with you, this time incorporating the theme of L.O.V.E!

This can be interpreted in many ways, some more obvious than others, but regardless of how it is shown, I find that these are always the most touching images. Tell me if you agree with me.

Two sets of families sharing in a special day with a special little girl...

A big brother looking out for his new little brother...

A mum adoring her gorgeous little boy on his special day...

A man being passionate about his favourite football team...

An affectionate hug between cousins who don't see each other often enough...

A family coming together to create a memory that can be saved forever...

So there you are... L.O.V.E shown in several different ways through photographs. Whether it's for a special event or just to watch your favourite sports team, love can be demonstrated and shared in photographs in all different ways, shapes and forms... that's what makes my job all the more interesting. 

Take care lovelies. x

April Favourites

Hey lovely people!

So it's the end of the month, and what a month it has been. I have come very close to bankrupting my poor husband this month with all my purchases, and on that basis I thought I would share my favourite picks of the month with you all, giving a little more detail and a review on each of my favourite items. 

So here we go, with my top 10 favourite items this month:

1. My fave Lipstick!

So I couldn't give just one fave lippy for this month. I had to go with 2, both from Makeup Revolution and both amazeballs!!! :) The first choice is the shade Beloved, which is a pinky peachy sheer tone, which gives the lips a luscious, healthy glow, without being too pigmented. It really just enhances the natural look of your lips and I love it. My 2nd choice is Rebel With Cause, which is the most delicious berry coloured lippy. It's so gorgeous and looks fab with a minimal eye makeup look, as well as gorgeously vamp with a smokey eye. Get yourself a few of these lippy's here. 

2. My fave Nail Polish!

I don't have one particular favourite nail polish this month, but I do have lots of good things to say about the W7 range. Not only are they super cheap, starting at just 69p each, but the formula is amazing and the choice of colours are endless. You quite literally can't go wrong with these little beauties. They are fab!

3. My fave Eye-shadow!

So I have a lot of eyeshadows... and I generally stick with the same neutral tones every time. However, with all of the gorgeous palettes available at the minute, it's hard not to get caught up in amongst all the mattes and shimmers available. This palettte (Iconic 1) from Makeup Revolution is my current fave. It is a dupe of the original Naked palette from Urban Decay, and every one of the 12 shades are gorgeous - particularly the middle 3 shimmers. I have been wearing these a lot over the last couple of weeks. The pigment is just as rich and perfect as it shows above and the staying power is brilliant - with mines generally lasting a good 6 hours without any signs of fading. The palettes can be bought direct from Makeup Revolution or Superdrug and are only £4!!!

4. My fave blusher!

Another Makeup Revolution gem... this beautiful Baked Blush in the shade "Make Love Instead". It's a pot of coral, shimmery goodness, that leaves your cheeks looking naturally flushed and glowing. It's 1 of 6 available shades that cost just £3. 

5. My fave Skincare product!

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is the ultimate necessity in any ladies skincare collection. I didn't think that there was such an effective way to remove makeup until I tried this bad boy. It not only removes every ounce of makeup on my skin (waterproof mascara included), but it leaves it feeling squeaky clean and as fresh as a daisy. It is sheer brilliance in a bottle!

6. My fave scent!

This shouldn't be of any surprise to all of you, but I really can't say enough about this scent. I have it in all of the available sizes and it is my one true favourite scent of all time. Its fruity, and fresh and floral, and lasts a good 3-4 hours before a re-spritz is required. It costs just £12 for the 75ml bottle and can be bought in any Next store or online here. 

7. My fave brush!

This brush has always been a favourite of mine. Its from Sheer Cover and it's a great  brush, that I use primarily for my blusher. The bristles are so soft and velvety on my skin, and it is super easy to clean. As well as that it is just a super pretty brush with its transparent acrylic handle. I just love it so I do!

8. My fave food!

This month I have been obsessed with pizza, to the point where I have been lying in my bed at night and craving it! No I am not pregnant. Lol! But not only has it been pizza I've been craving, but it's been spicy pizza... chorizo, chillies the works!!! I just can't get enough of it... and yes, I had it for dinner again last night!

9. My fave drink!

Now ordinarily, I am a Rosé wine girl. I could drink it until I'm blue in the face... especially on a beautiful warm and sunny day. However, this month, for a change I've been drinking lager shandys (half lager or beer and half lemonade)... And I have found my new love in this drink. It is a dinky little bottle, available in packs of 10 at Asda for the ridiculously low price of £3.50 (ish). Now I would like to point out that I am in fact a sensible drinker and that this is absolutely not intended to encourage irresponsible drinking of any kind. I just love that this is not only a delicious little drink, but is also really affordable.

10. My fave random pick!

Finally, this is my random pick of the month. It is in fact the box set of "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip". Now, I have mentioned this in a previous post somewhere I'm sure, but I'll say a few more words about it now. This show was made by the same people behind the award winning show, The West Wing. It is just as fantastic (if not slightly better in my opinion) than The West Wing. It stars Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet among others, and is basically takes place behind the scenes of a live sketch comedy show (similar to that of SNL). Matthew Perry plays Matt Albie, the head writer of the show, while Bradley Whitford plays Danny Tripp, the producer of the show. It is sheer brilliance that I cannot properly convey to you in words. Do yourself a favour and buy the box set here. You won't be sorry that you did!!!

So that's that lovely people. One whole month has passed and I have had the best time ever trying out all of these fab products. I'm looking forward to any potential new finds for next month, and will be happy to share these with you all too. Stay tuned to my blog for my collage of images from this months Instagram photo challenge!

Take care lovelies. x

Friday Faves!

Hey lovely people! 

How's everybody's Friday been so far. The hubby and I have been busy doing a bit of DIY in the house... and getting rid of some furniture so not exactly a relaxing evening so far. However, we're calling it quits for the night and settling down to watch some "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip", with a couple of bottles of beer and a bar of chocolate. Before I do that though, I will share this weeks favourite things with you all. 

1. You guessed it... My hubby!

I got to spend an extra day this week with my favourite guy, with it being a bank holiday Monday, and it made my week that little bit better. I love this picture of him... It was taken as part of my photography coursework and reluctant as he was to let me take it, it's ended up being one of my favourite images of him. 

2. Concert Tickets!

Excited is an understatement! My boys are playing Bellahouston Park in Glasgow on the 19th of August... And being a member of The Victims (The Killers Fan Club) I managed to get myself some pre-sale tickets!!! So me, the hubby, my big cousin and his wife will all be dancing our asses off in Bellahouston Park on the 19th of August... and yes I already have a countdown on my iPhone! 

3. New Purchases!

Who doesn't love new nail polish? I've already spoke at length about these glorious little pots in my previous post so I won't go into any further detail about them. I just love some new beauty goodies to play with.

4. Cuteness Personified!

I had a shoot with these 2 cutie pie twins last week and spent the best part of this week editing their photos. Seriously, is there any better job than this??? It is quite literally... like I've already said a million times, the best job in the world.

5. Blog Of The Week!

http://www.supergorgeous.co.uk/

I've really been loving this gorgeous ladies beauty filled blog. The writer behind the blog Super Gorgeous is the delightful Alice. She is a makeup artist and freelance photographer, sharing her views on the latest beauty and fashion trends, not only through her interesting and descriptive words, but her technically astute use of a camera. Her images are engaging and her reviews are an absolute pleasure to read. As well as this, her Instagram is equally enthralling, and you should definitely give her a follow. 

So that's my favourites for this week. I hope you have a great Friday night and I will be back tomorrow to annoy you with another Saturday post. 

Take care lovelies. x

A Nail Polish Overload!

Hey lovely people!

Today I thought I would share my recent nail polish purchases with you all. If you're anything like me, then you will understand the serious problem I have, with not being able to walk past a beauty counter without picking up at least 1 new polish. I am also not one for being fussed with named brands and prices etc... if I have tried it before or heard good things then I will be happy to buy it, regardless of whether its £1 or £10, so you should expect this from all the products I purchase. 

Anyway, here are a few snaps from each of the collections I've bought, with a little bit about how I've found them.

These lovely little pots of gorgeousness were bought from Watt Brothers and they were £0.69 each. Despite this ridiculously low price tag, they produce beautiful colours, with an exceptionally impressive formula, that goes on super smooth and leaves a lovely glossy finish. I have so far tried the grey (middle) and the pastel yellow. Both are just gorgeous, fresh spring colours. They made my nails look so strong and healthy and the W7 range are by far, my favourite polishes at the moment.

These are also available at Watt Brothers, and come in a pack of 3 with a nail art pen at a cost of £2.99 for the pack. They are sooo cute and dainty... just a third the size of the standard bottles above. Obviously with them pot being so small, the brush is also decreased in size which makes applying to the entire nail quite difficult. However, given that this little package comes with a nail pen, the purpose of them is that they are used primarily for that function, and not for painting the entire nail, therefore they do that job quite well indeed.

These little beauties were purchased as part of the recent 6 for £20 Models Own promotion. Due to having always had longish nails and never really wanting to part with the cash at the salon, I was curious if these bad boys would at least produce the lovely shine and durability of the "Gel" nail. They didn't disappoint. I've tried the Red, Nude & Turquoise shade so far and I love them. They last for days and days without even a sign of a crack or chip. However, much like the real "Gel" nail polish at the salon, they are horrendously difficult to get off... even after using an immense amount of O.P.I Polish Remover. I don't suppose that's a bad thing though, and only goes to prove how durable this formula actually is. 

Finally, I was drawn to these colours in my local pharmacy. It cost £2.99 for the entire pack of 6 which in itself is a great little bargain. However, it was actually the range of colours and vibrancy of them that made me pick them up. As expected, you do have to put at least 2... even 3 coats on before you see the same results as those in the pots. However, they are gorgeous, summery colours and just looking at them brings a smile to my face. So far, I have tried the mustard yellow (far left) and the lime green (2nd in from the right). They are both gorgeous on and will be ideal for all the summer BBQ's coming up in the next few months.

So there you have it lovely people. Sorry If I went on a bit about them, but I'm just really loving my nail polishes at the minute. My shelves are filled with all different brands and colours, ranging from the more expensive like O.P.I and Nails Inc. to fantastic little bargains like my W7 polishes. I just wanted to prove that you don't have to spend a fortune to find a great nail polish. The proof is shown above.

Take care lovelies. x

Pinspiration... For The Sake Of A Laugh!!!

Hey lovely people!

So it's Wednesday and the long weekend is well and truly behind us, and if you're anything like me then that is a very depressing thought. So, in a bid to not only cheer myself up, but you lovely people too... I thought I would post some funny things I found on Pinterest recently. 

So I hope you managed to squeeze out a laugh or 2 reading those... I certainly did... And I feel miles better for it...

Take care lovelies. x

Liebster Award

Hey lovely people!

So yes I know I said that I wouldn't be back until tomorrow, but then I noticed that the truly lovely Vicki from Not The Pretty Girl had nominated me for the following award. 

To say I'm cheesied is an absolute understatement. It has quite literally made my day so much lovelier... so thank you so much lovely lady. 

So here are the technical details: (and the bit to copy onto your own post)

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A Liebster Award is an online award for those bloggers who have less than 200 followers (I used Bloglovin). It's passed on from blogger to blogger to show their appreciation and interest in your blog. 

The rules for the award are:

1. Acknowledge the blogger who nominated you and display the award logo.
2. Answer the 11 questions that the blogger gives you.
3. Give 11 random facts about yourself. 
4. Nominate 5-11 blogs that you think deserve the award and have less than 200 followers. 
5. Let the blogger know you are nominating them.
6. Give them 11 questions to answers.

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So here are the 11 questions that the lovely Vicki asked me:

1. What made you start your blog?

I initially started my blog as a Photography blog, where I could share the technical details and stories surrounding my photographs - but after reading so many other Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle blogs, as well as getting really into Youtube, I decided that I would incorporate my whole life into it, as opposed to just my work... and I love it!!!

2. If you could choose a part of the world to live in, where would it be?

This is an easy one - NEW YORK!!! I've never been, but it has always been a dream of mine.

3. Do you still own any of your childhood toys? If yes, what is it?

I don't still own any of my childhood toys, but I do still have a lot of my childhood books. I just can't seem to let them go, and being a bit OCD with stuff like books, CD's and DVD's I don't really like ever throwing them out. 

4. What would your dream job be?

I'd love to be a majorly successful photographer, like Annie Leibovitz or Patrick Demarchelier - working in the fashion industry, and in major fashion magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair!

5. What's your worst nightmare?

This is going to sound sick and morbid, but my biggest nightmare is that my husband dies before me. Selfish... probably... but I just know that If I ever lost him, my life wouldn't be worth living and I wouldn't be able to cope... So I hope I never have to. 

6. Favourite animal and why?

Dogs. And specifically my dogs. I have 2 Labrador's, Oscar and Bonnie and they are quite literally my babies. 

7. Favourite musical?

This is also easy... Hello Dolly!!! :) Who doesn't love Barbara Streisand and it's directed by Gene Kelly... I mean what isn't there to love about that movie?!?!

8. Do you believe in love at first sight?

Yes. I am a big believer in love itself... and I genuinely believe that you can know instantly if a person is worthy of your love from the instant you meet them. That's exactly how I met my husband... and 13 years later, I love him even more than I could ever imagine was possible. 

9. Famous person you would love to meet?

This is going to sound really sad to a lot of people... but I would love to meet and pick the brain of Aaron Sorkin. He is the brains behind the TV programme "The West Wing", and "Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip". These are my 2 favourite TV shows of alllllllllll time... and I have watched them over and over again to the point where I could quite literally play a part in them. He is a genius and I would love to be able to sit down with him. 

10. Favourite song right now?

I love "Imagine Dragons" new song "Demons" right now. I could listen to it all day. It's one of those songs that makes the hairs on your arm stand tall. 

11. What's your summer must have?

A good pair of sunnies (ray bans aviators are my current choice) along with some pastel and neon (yes I love both) nail colours. 

Here are the 11 random facts about me:

1. I am married to my high-school sweetheart!
2. I love... and collect fashion magazines!
3. I always have to have the volume on the TV or Radio at an even number!
4. I overuse exclamation marks in my texts and blog posts!!!
5. My favourite flower is a carnation!
6. I believe that the only way to listen to music is very LOUDLY!
7. I cannot watch horror movies... Or I will never sleep again for the rest of my life!
8. I am an insomniac. 
9. I cry... maybe... 5 or 6 times every day!
10. I have a very addictive personality - i.e shopping, gambling & internet is all done in excess!!!
11. I chose to be a photographer for the joy of taking photographs... NOT the earning potential!

So here are my Liebster award nominations: (which I have based on Bloglovin followers)

Deanna over at Tesori Belle

Harriet over at Makeup and Meringues

Scarlet over at Anxiously Bold

Clare over at Bee Happy & Healthy

Karen over at A Stitch To Wear

All of these ladies, have the most beautiful and inspirational blogs, with gorgeous photographs and loads of helpful hints and tips about makeup, fashion and life! 

Here are the questions I put to you, the award nominees:

1. What is your favourite part of blogging?
2. Who inspires you? 
3. What is the most exciting thing you have ever experienced?
4. What was the last book you read?
5. Are you an optimist or a pessimist... or somewhere in between?
6. What is the best life lesson you have ever learned/ been taught?
7. What piece of advice would you give to a newbie blogger?
8. Do you have any regrets?
9. Which 5 people would you invite to your celebrity dinner party and why? (Dead or alive)
10. What's your ultimate summer anthem?
11. Name each of your fave Hair, skin, makeup, nails & fashion items?

There you have it then lovely people. Thank you, thank you, thank you lovely Vicki for my nomination... you are a sweetheart and I love this award. :)

Take care lovelies. x

OMG... I haven't posted in 4 days!!!

Hey lovely people!

I have missed you... you may not have missed me so much, but I have seriously missed you.

The reason for my hiatus is because it was the Easter bank holiday weekend and I was enjoying some much needed time with friends and family. I hope you all had as good a weekend as I did.

But it's Tuesday, and everything is all back to normal and back to the grind. I have loads of work to catch up on, so this will just be a short little post to say HEY LOVELY PEOPLE and I will be back to my regularly scheduled programming tomorrow... with a little "Pinspiration" post.

Can't wait to catch up on all my fave bloggers and YouTubers posts from over the weekend.

Take care lovelies. x

Another Friday Faves!

Hey lovely people!

It's FRIDAY!!! And its the beginning of the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend! I am so excited!!! Can you tell from the overuse of the exclamation marks??? Eeeeek!!! 

Anyway, it's just a quick little post today because the sun is shining and I am just home from a lovely walk with my dogs and I intend on heading back out with hubby... perhaps to a beer garden somewhere! So here goes:

1. My hubby!

I love this guy soooooo much and I get to spend the whole weekend and Monday with him. You have no idea how happy that makes me. He is quite simply the best person I have ever met in my whole life and he makes my life so much better. :)

2. This weather!

Blue skies and the smell of fresh cut grass, it is the ultimate spring weather and there is no better way to spend the day, than with my gorgeous doggies and my handsome hubby! :)

3. New makeup!

It's always a good week when I get to play with new makeup! :) And not only that, but the price I paid for the makeup was outrageously cheap that it made it all the more fun. As well as that, i've been trying out my new Models Own nail polish, and it is fab! 6 for £20... how can you go wrong! 

4. Instagram!

I have been taking part in a photo-a-day challenge throughout April and it has really made me appreciate how great Instagram is all over again. It's been super fun, and I think I will make it a regular thing every month. Not only do you get the chance to see everybody's fab pics, but it encourages me to get my camera out everyday... even if I'm not working! :)

5. Blog of the Week!

http://www.onestopsavvy.co.uk

This fab lady is a mummy and a brilliant little beauty guru, delivering posts ranging from makeup reviews to parenting advice. She is a super sweet lady, with an obvious passion for blogging, and after only having recently met her via twitter, it has become a part of my daily routine to check her tweets and admire her instagram images. You should definitely follow her and keep up to date with her fun and interesting blog posts. 

So that's my Friday Faves this week lovely people. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I will hopefully be back tomorrow with another post... but please forgive me if I don't... I may get carried away with this weather. 

Take care lovelies. x