Vintage Ombre Knit Jumper

Vintage Ombre Knit Jumper c/o Il Palloncino Rosso

A really kind subscriber of mine from Denmark sent me this gorgeous vintage ombre knit jumper. I love the jumper's detailing and the fact that she's brought it up to date with a splash of blue ombre. She actually runs a little Etsy shop called Il Palloncino Rosso. I decided to style the jumper on my YouTube, with some skinny jeans and Timberland boots. 

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Review. Mac Cherry Lip Pencil

Mac Cherry Lip Pencil, £11.50

I'm not one to wear bright bold lips, but when I saw swatches of this lip pencil I just had to have it. Like the name says it's a cherry red, which appeals to me more than just an "in your face" red. I do tend to apply a small amount of lip balm beforehand, just because I suffer from dry lips. Plus it makes the lip pencil go on better. The product itself is quite creamy & the pigmentation is spot on. I found it to last a long time on the lips and when it does fade, it still looks good. I like to wear this on its own because the colour is just that nice!

Swatch

If your after a red festive lip for Christmas I'd definitely recommend this little beauty :).

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Review. Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge

Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge

I use to use sponges to apply my foundation all the time since I found that this method was the best for dry skin. Somehow I got out of that habit and started using my fingers instead. But a couple of months ago I picked up this Cosmopolitan Sponge after hearing that it was a dupe for the Beauty Blender. 

To begin with I wet the sponge and then squeeze out all the excess water. I first put concealer on my red cheeks (damn those red cheeks), and then pat the sponge over the top to blend the concealer in. I then pump my foundation onto the back of my hand and then dab the sponge in it, and then proceed to apply small amounts to my face. Once again using light patting motions, I blend the foundation in.

Pro's.

• I love the shape of this thing, it's perfect for getting into the smaller areas of the face, (nose and eyes) 

• Blends foundation seamlessly, leaving a natural finish

• When the sponge is wet it expands and works a lot better with products

• Easy to wash and clean

• Great value for money

• Beauty Blender Dupe

• Great makeup tool if you have dry skin.

Con's.

• Some parts of foam break off after several washes

• Needs to be cleaned after every use so that in itself is quite time consuming.

• Takes a long time to dry out

Overall its a fantastic little tool, which works little wonders.

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a day to remember

Graduation is the last thing on a student's mind as they're enrolling at university, I know it was for me. It seemed like such a long way away that I didn't even need to think about it. I had to get my head down and actually get my degree first. Fast forwarded 3 years and suddenly you're leaving university. For me I had a huge gap, I finished my last exam early June but had to wait until early November for graduation. Within that time I felt like I was in limbo, neither coming or going, & a little lost to say the least.

At the cross in Chester

But finally the day came and I've never been so nervous. I went with my parents to collect my cap and gown and had our professional pictures taken. We then walked into Chester and took lots of photographs. The ceremony itself was incredible, all the students were in the cathedral. I was lucky enough that my seat was just across from my family so I could see them and they could see me.

My friends and me

When they call your name, it's quite terrifying, as there are about a thousand eyes on you. I've never liked being in the spotlight but that day was an exception. I've worked my butt off to get my degree and I'm so proud of myself.

Me & Dad

The only sad thing about the day was that my Grandfather wasn't there. He died before I went to university, so he never knew. He was a Doctor of Music, and a senior lecturer at Chester University. He use to compose the musical anthems especially for graduation. He then played these anthems on the cathedral's organ during the ceremony. He was unbelievably talented and would have been over the moon to play for me on my special day. But I still had my parents, my grandma and my boyfriend to support me!

At night me and my friends all went out to celebrate and to be a student one last time.

A little drunk

All in all it was definitely a day to remember and cherish.

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Review. Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Nude

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Nude

Finally, we have an affordable nude eyeliner on the market. I pretty much ran to the shop when this was released because I knew they would be quickly snapped up. The liner itself is creamy and pigmented. It glides smoothly onto the waterline, no need for any "tuggage". I do tend to apply it a few times just to build the colour up a bit more. The staying power is pretty impressive and the overall quality is really nice. The only thing I would say about this is that I wish the shade itself was just that little bit lighter to make the eyes really stand out. 

Swatch

If you haven't yet tried this liner, you must! It's only a few quid and is a great little product.

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London Haul 2012

Hi Everyone, I've been doing lots of shopping whilst I was away down south, *slaps wrist*... buuut I thought you guys would like to see what treasures I stumbled across. I'm going to apologise now, since this is going to be a mahoosive blogpost with lots of pictures. My trip first took me down to Surrey, and in that time I went to Gunwharf Quays where I bought this little key ring from Cath Kidston.

Then I went to a little town called Arundel. They had lovely little "boutiquey" shops which I fell in love with...

I bought this gorgeous blue scarf with autumnal leaves, its just perfect :).

I'm a sucker for anything slightly quirky. I love this turquoise stone ring on a navy leather strap.

This little bunny holds rings on his ears, how cool!

Then I went to London town...

Topshop leather leggings

Monki cord shirt.

Forever 21 jumper.

Forever 21 scarf.

Primark lace maxi skirt.

Primark burgundy maxi skirt.

Annnnd breathe! I can't wait to start wearing all of this stuff. Everything I bought I absolutely love and will feature them in OOTDs and whatnot. Hope you liked this post, I had a great time in London, it really is such a cool cucumber of a city :).

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Mac Coppering Eyeshadow

Mac Coppering Eyeshadow

I love copper/rusty colours on the eyes, since mine are blue it makes them really stand out. I saw Coppering at my local CCO at a discounted price so I decided to grab it. It's a veluxe pearl, meaning it is has a lovely creamy texture and is highly pigmented. I tend to put this as a wash all over the eyes, because I'm a lazy ninny.

Mac "Firecracker" & "Coppering" Swatches

At the time I thought that Coppering and Firecracker were virtually the same but when I swatched them against each other they are actually quite different and could be used in combination with one another.

Do you guys recommend any other rusty eyeshadows?

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rest in peace my little furry friend

Today is a sad day... my little guinea pig, Ted, passed away. He was always a sickly pig but a fighter nonetheless. Just over a year ago he had a stroke where he was paralysed down one side but recovered in a matter of hours. At the time I thought he was going to die but he didn't and pulled through. But yesterday he took a turn for the worst. We believe he had yet another stroke but this time it affected his swallowing reflex and so couldn't eat or drink. So we left him quiet in his cage, I sat beside him stroking his little face.

It's been quite a shock. Before I went down South he was doing so well. Happier and healthier than usual, really active, with nice shiny bright eyes, always up at the bars wanting attention. And now he's gone. My little furry friend. We, as a family, couldn't do anything more for him. He had a loving home, with all the food/water/treats that he could ever want. 

I can still remember the day we got him, he was the tiniest little thing I had ever seen. My Mum and Dad bought him as a surprise for me. I burst out crying when I first met him, because I had lost my previous guinea pig, Squirrel, beforehand who I loved so dearly. Ahhh I'm in tears as I write this. Guinea pigs are amazing little creatures with huge personalities despite their size. They bring so much love to a person's life.

  

I still have Basil bunny, he's been cheering me up with his naughty ways.

A very sad...

my ikea wishlist

(images from ikea.com)

I think it's safe to say I'm absolutely obsessed with Ikea. So it was about time that I made another wishlist. I'm still not 100% happy with my room, I need to change my desk and wardrobe out because they are old, dated and pretty much falling apart.

My bed, chest of drawers and my huge Abersoch picture are made out of wood and have a warm rich colour to them, that I like. But I want to have white furniture at the other end of the room to keep it classy and simplistic. My room is about the size of a matchbox so I need to be clever with the space that I have. (Seriously cannot wait to get my own place!). 

I have chosen BORGSJÖ (3) for my desk and ASPELUND (6) for my wardrobe. 

I also thought that the rug FLOKATI (1) would look nice along side my bed. 
Next are decorative items, SKURAR (4), which would be placed on my vanity holding my makeup brushes.
The mirror MYKEN (5) could sit on my new desk, making it easier to apply my makeup in the mornings.
DOFTA (2) and SMYCKA (7) are just pretty and I would put these on the windowsill. 
Now all I got to do is save up some pennies and take a trip! Eep, this is getting me all excited, ^_^.

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London 2012

I'm back off my jollys down South! I went down to Haslemere (Surrey) first, then to Hastings (East Sussex) and finally to London. But now I am back home up North. We fit so much into a week and I'm absolutely exhausted, it'll take me a week to recover :P. I thought I'd put in a few photies that I took...

1. London Shopping 2. London Underground

I did do some shopping whilst I was in Surrey but I did the most damage in London. We don't have Muji, Monki or Forever 21 where I live which is so annoying because I love the things they sell! I'll show you guys what I got in another post/video :). 

I love the tube, its such a cool and quick way to travel. I always think of that movie 'Creep' when I'm in the underground. haha. Don't want to come across any scary monsters!

3. China Town 4. Liberty

We had a Chinese in China Town which was very yummy. 

Liberty is such a pretty building, pretty much the same as the ones we have up in Chester.

5. Tower of London 6. Killer Axe

We went to the Tower of London because we'd heard that it was suppose to be really good. Don't get me wrong some things are interesting but it doesn't live up to the hype what so ever :P. The axe on show was the one that beheaded Henry the 8th's wives!

 We also saw a show called 'Jersey Boys' which was really good! We had the best seats and view. We also saw James Bond, Skyfall at the IMAX and went to The Comedy Store in Piccadilly Circus.

I love London and can't wait for my next trip down there!

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Graduation!!

It's my graduation tomorrow, 2/11/2012, eep! I'm so excited and nervous. I have to get up super early to collect my cap, gown and hood for 7:30, then take pictures and then go to the cathedral to take part in the ceremony. I have an upper second-class honours degree in Forensic Biology :D.

My 3 years in uni have gone by so fast it's scary, and going out into this big bad world is just terrifying. But lets leave all that doom and gloom behind! After the ceremony, me and my family are going out for a nice meal somewhere in Chester. Then in the evening, I'm off out with my uni friends for some cheeky cocktails. 

Thought I'd whack in some photo's of the lovely bunch ^_^.

All in all it should be a day to remember.

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Primark

Hi! Thought I'd show you guys a couple of things I picked up from Primark the other day. The first being this awesome faux leather studded envelope clutch. This caught my eye straight away and I knew I had to have it, especially at £6. 

It also comes with a shoulder strap which I like.

I then saw this purple and teal scarf. I love the texture, it reminds me of a patchwork quilt. The colours are perfect for A/W and it is quite thick so will definitely keep you warm. I just thought it was slightly unusual and not very "Primarky"! 

Plus it was only 4 smackeroonies. :)

I did pick up some other things but they're such a nuisance to photograph, so those shall be in my video.

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