It's Been A While...

Hey lovely people!

Oh how I've missed writing to you all. I'm so sorry I've not posted, but I have been ill... and I have quite literally not been able to lift my head off my pillow, never mind use a computer. But I am back to full health, ready and raring to go with some fresh new blog posts... as well as catching up on my Instagram Photo-A-Day Challenge! 

So to ease me back into it, I have decided to do the Lip Product Addict Tag. I watched Amelia Liana & Essie Button's collab video on youtube and just thought it was the perfect tag for me, seen as I am a self-confessed Lip Product Addict. 

Enough of the jibber jabber and onto the tag:

1. Favourite balm/ treatment?

I'm a girl with simple taste, and you don't get more simple and brilliant than Vaseline. I love the plain old original you get in those enormous tubs and I love the dainty little tins, with rose or aloe vera. They are brilliant little budget products that do a great job for me. 

2. Best eye-catching red?

This is my absolute fave red lipstick. I wore it on my Wedding Day and it cost £1. It was a random purchase when I was in Superdrug one day... and it is still my absolute favourite. It's an MUA lisptick in shade 13. I have gone through several (as you would imagine with a cheaper product) and it never disappoints. Is it cheap? Yes! Does it have good staying power? Well... certainly not as much as a luxury brand. How's the pigment? Amazeballs!!! Need I say more???

3. Best luxury & best drugstore?

Ok so aside from the above lippy I was talking about, my other favourite "Drugstore" product is from Bourjois. It is their new Shine Edition Lipsticks in the shade Beige Demographic. It's a super shimmery lipstick with lip balm qualities so your lips feel really plump and nourished when you're wearing it. I love it. 

As far as luxury goes I don't really know if this would qualify as luxury, although it certainly feels luxurious on my lips. It's Liz Earle's Sheer Lip Gloss in the shade Guava 02. It's really a beautiful product that glides on your lips and doesn't have that horrible tacky sensation. It's pretty and long lasting and feels just lovely when you're wearing it.

4. Best MAC lipstick?

Ok, so I don't actually own any MAC products whatsoever and this is due to the fact that they haven't confirmed that they don't test their products on animals. They are owned by Estée Lauder, who DO test on animals, therefore I do not, and I will not ever buy a MAC product. 

5. The most disappointing?

Mmmm... this is a hard one. I can't say I've been disappointed by many lip products, except maybe some tacky lip glosses I happen to have collected over the last few years. I love the look they give... but I hate the feeling they leave on my lips! :(

6. Liner, yes or no?

Yes! Not only does it make your lips look better when you apply your lipstick... but if you apply your liner all over your lips, it acts as a sort of primer and means your lip colour lasts longer! It's a win win!!! :)

7. Best gloss?

Has to be the Liz Earle one I mentioned above! 

8. Something extra?

I decided to use this last question to mention my most lusted after lip product. It is (of course) the beautiful Classic Cream Lipstick in the shade Red 620 from Dolce & Gabbana. I have been in love with this lipstick since seeing it for the 1st time in Vogue a few months ago. It is everything I would want in a lipstick and more. I can't describe how much I want it! I just hope my hubby keeps that in mind when my birthday comes round next week. :)

So that was fun lovelies. :) I hope you enjoyed reading my ramblings. Again I am super sorry for my disappearing act and I vow to try my hardest to keep up with my blogging.

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wishlist - Feeling All Nautical!

Hey lovely people!

Happy Monday to you all. I have had a busy morning cleaning up what can only be described as a nuclear blast that specifically hit my kitchen over the weekend. Why is it that when I cook dinners, the kitchen is left at least relatively clean and organised, but when my husband so much as makes a slice of toast, it's left looking like a bulldozer has just crashed through the walls!!! It's honestly unbelievable... and baffles me no end. 

Anyway, went off on a tangent there. Today's post is another of my wishlists. I've been trying to figure out what to wear to an up and coming family event, and this particular mood-board is my latest inspiration. 

1.  Navy Maxi Dress - Your's Clothing - £38
2. Espadrille Wedge Shoes - Simply Be - £35
3. White Structured Tote Bag - Your's Clothing - £16
4. Michael Kors Sunglasses - Simply Be - £87
5. Marc Jacobs Daisy - Simply Be - £74
6. Droplet Earrings - Your's Clothing - £5
7. Charm Stretch Bracelet - Simply Be - £11
8. Long Red Bubble Necklace - Simply Be - £15
9. Ciate Nail Polish - ASOS - £7

I'm really loving this combination of colours at the moment, and the dress in particular because it is a navy blue as opposed to a lighter shade, will still cover all the lumps and bumps and flatter my fuller figure.

So what do you think? Are you enjoying this particular trend at the moment like me? Do you think I would be better trying something a bit different... i.e. pastels or more neutral tones? Let me know your opinions. 

Take care lovelies. x

April Photo Challenge - Day 4 - "...Vamp..."

Hi there lovely people!

Ok so today will consist of this one post. I have my niece and nephew coming to stay and trust me, the energy I will have at the end of the night will only be enough to pour a glass of wine.

So onto today's post then... 

Today's theme is "Vamp" and when I saw that my first thought was "Yeahhhh... A good excuse to wear some red lippy", my second thought was "Mmmm... what about a VAMPire crossover theme"! So I know what you're thinking... I'm getting way too into this challenge! And yes you are probably right, but It's fun and a great way to exchange photos and ideas among a fairly large group of people. It's so interesting to see how other people translate their ideas through their images. That might just be the photographer in me coming out... but I seriously find it fascinating. 

You know it's not too late for you to get involved - just catch up with the last 4 days of pics and get to the same stage as everybody else and start sharing your photos. Get involved on Instagram or Twitter - but just remember to use the hashtag #supergorgeousapril. That way everybody else who is participating can keep tabs on the other challengers and can share the likes and faves among each other. 

Here is the April challenge again, just in case you fancy it.

Hope to see some more of you getting your cameras/ smartphones out and getting involved. 

Take care lovelies. x

A little Décor Inspiration - My Livingroom

Hey lovely people!

Happy Thursday to you all. The weekend is so close it's within touching distance, and there is no better feeling that Friday arriving. 

But since it's Thursday, I thought I would continue on with my Décor inspired posts and this week I'm focussing on ideas for my Livingroom.

So I'm a bit undecided when it comes to a colour scheme, changing my mind more often than not, but this week I found my colour inspiration in my flowers. Now I must warn you... as I said before I often change my mind, and it was only a few weeks ago that I posted a New York themed Livingroom Décor mood-board. I have since decided I would prefer this theme in my bedroom... hence this post today. This may all change again in a few weeks... but I decided to just go with it today! :)

My absolute favourite of all time - the unappreciated Carnation.

How beautiful are the colours in those carnations??? The deep almost pinkish red and that burnt peachy corally orange. Oooft I just love them! 

Now please don't panic - I don't intend on decorating my entire livingroom with these colours - there will be quite neutral, earthy undertones with my brown leather sofa, white walls and oak flooring. The colours of the flowers will be represented by sporadic pops of colour from my accessories, soft furnishings and perhaps a feature wall.

So anyway, here are my ideas in my favourite form... mood-boards! :D

Ok, so the above looks pretty boring and shockingly grown up for my taste. However, as explained previously this is just the base or the undertone for my inspiration. I already have the brown leather couch and I kind of loved these little coffee and end tables because they would be super easy to spruce up if I got fed up with the natural earthy tones. The TV unit and shelving is a bit of a must have in terms of storage space (we have a lot of DVDs), but I'm not entirely sure if I would have my TV on the actual unit or floating on the wall between the two. As discussed in previous posts, the flooring is not only an aesthetic decision, but also a practical one as we have 2 very mucky pooches and a less than impressive carpet covered in muddy stains.

Now for the fun and colourful part.

The idea of the throw is that it would hang loosely at a diagonal along the back of the couches. Just to add a bit of colour without being an absolute hassle to sit on top of. The cushions are just gorgeous and sumptuous looking. They will add the pop of colour I'm looking for, and despite not being able to find the perfect rug to show you, I would love one with these bright colours included. The lamp, all be it quite small and relatively cheap and tacky looking is just super fun. I'm very aware of the 1st board looking pretty sophisticated and grown up and that is just not my husband and I at all, so this is why I felt it was important to include something fun and silly, that goes with the colour scheme and just adds a little something to the overall look. Finally I found this curtain panel - now these wouldn't be suitable at all for our livingroom window, but this is the kind of idea I'm going for with the curtains. Something predominately white, crisp and clean with that funky pop of colour. 

So there you have it, another set of mood-boards to oooh and ahhh over. I don't know about all of you, but I never tire of dreaming up ways of redecorating and generally improving my living space. I don't always follow through on them but I am always thinking up new ways to add a bit of pizazz to my home. I will no doubt change my mind entirely about all of this, and come up with a whole new concept in a few weeks, but for now I am going to enjoy the idea of living in amongst all of this bright and vibrant colour and will be back with another post for you all tomorrow. 

Take care lovelies. x