12/18/2013

The Christmas Tag 2013



(Tagged by Sarah from Saloca in Wonderland. Check out her answers here


1. What's your favourite holiday movie?
     
 It's definitely between Elf and the Home Alone films (original 90s ones, not the newer versions!) Watching any of those films just instantly switches on my festive switch.

2. What's your favourite Christmas colour?

The red/green combination. I don't think those two colours together would work any other timer of year but Christmas, would they? 

3. Do you like to stay in your PJ's or dress up for Christmas Day?

Aw! If I could stay in my pjs this Christmas Day I would be sooooo content! Even though I really like to dress up and feel all girly, I am a sucker for lounging around in my pyjamas, especially if there is no real need for me to get dressed!

4. Do you open your presents Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?

Definitely Christmas Day when Santa puts them under the tree. Although, if I am seeing friends in the run up to Christmas who did not have time to get their gifts to the elves in time, then I open those gifts there and then.

5. Have you ever built a gingerbread house?

No. But I would love to!

6. What do you like to do on your Christmas break?

It's going to sound really lame, but the first thing I'm going to do when I break up from work is hoover and mop the floors. Because I work random hours during the day, housework doesn't always happen when it should so I'm looking forward to my house being ship-shape before Boyfriend and I go away.

7. Any Christmas wishes?

I really hope all my friends and family have an awesome Christmas - they all 100% deserve it!

8. Favourite Christmas smell?

Spices - especially my Christmas Eve Yankee Candle. It smells delicious. My Body Shop Ginger Sparkle Reed Diffuser comes in a close second though.

9. Favourite Christmas meal or treat?

Mince pies, hot chocolate, mulled wine, roast potatoes, gravy, stuffing, turkey....I love ALL the Christmas foods (hehe.)

10. Which holiday do you celebrate?

Christmas.

11. What are you doing for the holidays this year?

I am going to stay with Boyfriend's family, and then we are both going to see my parents for a 2nd Christmas. 

12. What is your favourite holiday drink?

Alcoholic: Mulled wine/Cider Non-Alcoholic: Hot Orange/Orange/ Praline Hot Chocolate

13. Candy cane or gingerbread men?

Gingerbread men....Candy canes stay on the tree for me.

14. What is your favourite Christmas song?

A Spaceman Came Travelling....It's just beautiful, and I love to belt it out when I'm in the car by myself!

15. What is the weirdest gift you've ever received?

I don't think I've ever received a weird gift, but this week I received an unsigned card so I have no idea who sent it. 

16. Have you ever made a snowman?

Yes! But I never pretended he was a circus clown! (Name that tune.)

17. What is at the top of your list this Christmas?

Real Techniques brushes & make up

18. What is most important to you about the holidays?

Taking time out to appreciate all the amazing things in life, and spoiling the amazing people in it with love and gifts to show them how much I care. Without them, I wouldn't be half the Ginger I am. 

I tag all of you! Either post your answers in the comments, or create your own Christmas Tag blog post.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays. 



12/08/2013

Beauty by Ginger: Going Ombre

When I was at uni, I decided that after years of just being ginger, it was time to experiment with my hair. I started out with deep red streaks, just to see how I felt about it. 

And then in 2006, when I was going through a really hard time, I decided I wanted to distance myself from my red hair as much as possible. 

And dyed my hair this colour.... 



Looking back, I wish somebody had told me not to do it. It was such a big mistake because once I had decided to go back to being a redhead, I had to grow all the dark brown out of my hair. So for about 6 months, I had a huge orange stripe of roots and the rest of my head was darker....I look ridiculous. But I learnt my lesson and never went that dark again, instead, opting for (semi-permanent) deeper versions of red if I fancied a bit of a change. 

And then, a few moths ago, I decided to go for a completely new look. As much as I love my hair, I had got to the stage where I felt like it was just sitting on my head. It was really long, the layers had grown out, and it just looked like I had been continually dragged through a hedge backwards. 

I affectionately called it my "Woodland Creature" hair. 

I didn't want to go for something that would colour all my hair, so decided that  it might be a good chance to give ombre a go. It has been a style that I've always seen and thought how pretty it was, and thought that, if it turned out how I envisaged it, that I would look like a sizzling ginger lioness and banish the woodland creature hair forever!

I booked myself in for an appointment with my amazing hairdresser friend Helen at Glam Hair & Beauty. I couldn't have had anybody else help me with such a drastic change. I'm far too protective over my hair now, and with Helen, I knew that she wouldn't do anything that would make me look ridiculous! 


I think you can tell from the pictures what a difference getting the ombre has made. The fabulous curly blow dry aside, my hair feels like it's got so much more life. I had the layers cut back in, and my fringe re-styled, and now I feel completely revamped! 


Even when I've had sloppy days this week and not felt like doing much with my hair, the ombre has meant I still feel put-together and feminine. And because the colour is at the tips, it should last a good long while. I've just got to make sure I brush it regularly and use a really moisturising conditioner to take care of it. 

Have you ever/Would you ever ombre? 





11/27/2013

Simple One-Handed Hairstyles for Long Hair | Just Add Ginger




For me, growing up with something that made me just that little bit different was sometimes not the easiest thing. And in particular - especially as I grew older - was trying to find ways around doing girly things. Hair.... nails....fashion. I had to find my own way to work all the things that I really enjoyed. 

Hair was the biggest mountain to climb. Finding a technique to use that made it easier for me to become even more independent was hard. But a few years ago, I finally got the knack. 

And that's where this video comes in. 

I wanted to create a tutorial that showcases how I do my own hair on a day-to-day basis. Because I live by myself, my family and friends aren't always around and I am a very stubborn woman, I have found a few different simple styles that I can throw my hair into if I need it up off my face (which is 5/7 days a week for work.)

Hopefully, this tutorial will help inspire others who may find hair difficult and show that with a little time, patience, and dedication, creating basic everyday hairstyles can be done.

If you believe in yourself, anything is possible! 
What did you think of this video? Would you like to see more "how-to" style ones? 
Let me know in the comments below 

11/20/2013

Ginger's Jollies: Living Crafts for Christmas at Blenheim Palace


Collage Created Using PicMonkey

It is not that often that I take he train journey down South. My life up here is so jam-packed nowadays that I find it really hard to get away. And I am also now of an age where I am no longer eligible for a railcard, so train tickets can be a touch on the expensive side. So now, I save up going down for something really special. 

Two years ago, me, MG, and Saunders took a road trip to the Living Crafts for Christmas event. Held in the building and grounds of Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the event plays host to lots of lovely stalls selling arts, crafts, jewellery, clothing, food, drink, and lots of festive goodies. 

This year, we decided to return, and on Saturday morning we all jumped in to the car and away we went.

The event this year did not disappoint. The stalls were all beautiful, and the atmosphere was buzzing with cheer and festive electricity. There were Christmas songs being played, the palace had its trees up, and I had my first mulled wine of the season (Yes, I know it's NO-vember, but I allowed myself the day off because I LOVE mulled wine.)  

I picked up some gorgeous little Christmas gifts, and made the wonderful discovery of chocolate-cheese. I came back up home feeling incredibly jolly and in the Christmas spirit. I'm already marking the event in my diary for next year. If you love home-made goodies, pretty things, tasty things, Christmas, or even just being out in the countryside, you should definitely look this event up too. It's one not to miss out on. 

Did anybody else go to the event this year?

For more information about the Living Crafts for Christmas event, visit: 


And for more information about Blenheim Palace, visit: 



11/14/2013

Brit Floyd @ The Echo Arena


It was a few months ago when I discovered that Brit Floyd were touring this year. 

And as soon as I found out, I was on the phone to MG....

"Should I?" 

Boyfriend is a MEGA Pink Floyd fan. But, I know that some die-hard music fans can be a bit hesitant to see a tribute artist (some may not cut the mustard in doing their icon justice.) 

But, taking a huge leap of faith, I went ahead and booked the tickets. I couldn't wait 4 months to break the news about where we would be going on 9th November 2013, so after a few Happy Hour cocktails one sunny Summer afternoon, I handed over the confirmation email. 

Instagram: @Gingerjax

Thank GOODNESS it was smiles all round, otherwise....

 ...well, this blog post wouldn't exist, would it? 

I didn't know much about Pink Floyd before I met Boyfriend. I could recognise a few songs and album titles, but that was about it, so going to the Brit Floyd gig on Saturday was a big eye-opener for me. 


I was completely blown away!!


I remembered from my friend going to see Brit Floyd a few years ago that the show was going to be audio-visual, but nothing could prepare me for actually being at the Echo Arena and watching the gig. It was definitely - as the description stated - an experience and not just a music show. 

The audience got really in to the songs too, which was great. There I was, humming along, and croaking out the few lines I knew, and there was everybody else, singing back to the band with full force. It was incredible. 

As a musical event, I can't fault Brit Floyd. I am a Ginger of eclectic musical taste, so this appealed to my ear drums (and eyeballs) immensely. I may not have known all the songs, but it didn't matter. The music is so evocative that even though I couldn't call myself a full-blown Floyd fan, it didn't matter. 

Whether a Floyd fan or not, if you love music, and Brit Floyd are coming to a town near YOU, go and see them. It's an experience you definitely won't regret! 

To see Brit Floyd's tour dates, visit: 




11/05/2013

The Ready Steady Cook Challenge | Just Add Ginger

Ready Steady Cook Date Idea

About a month ago, Boyfriend had an idea for date night.

"We should do Ready Steady Cook."

Growing up in the 90s, Ready Steady Cook was the show I really looked forward to when I came home from school (aside from the children's programmes of course.) Whenever she came over to dinner, Saunders and I would  pretend we were chefs on the show, and make up methods for how we created our bowls of half-melted ice cream and chocolate sauce. So when Boyfriend suggested we have a proper Ready Steady Cook Challenge, my excitement filter went in to overdrive.

We set the budget for £7.50 (the show's 'gourmet bag' budget) simply for the fact that £5.0 doesn't really get you anywhere any more in terms of ingredients.

The prize? A highly sought after selection of wooden utensils purchased from the budget line of my local supermarket!

Our  Ready Steady Cook Challenge only had only a few guidelines:
  • Herbs/Spices do not count in the £7.50 budget 
  • There is no time limit for cooking. 
  • Anything found in cupboards/the fridge may be used in addition to purchased goods. 
  • The other contender may be used as Sous Chef
Naturally, with it being his idea, Boyfriend (the Red Tomato) went first.

Picking the ingredients was definitely tricky. I wasn't sure whether to go for a random selection, or pick things that I could create a dish with myself. In the end, I went for items that I knew we both liked, and sounded like a good combination. These included: black pudding, potatoes and a pear

And this is what he created!!

Ready Steady Cook Date Idea

When the food was plated up, it sparked a really excitable conversation about the dish, and what each of us would have done a bit differently. As an avid recipe-following cook, I was so impressed with his creation, but at the same time, my heart sank....how was I going to beat this? I have the cooking creativity of beans on toast. This was going to be tough. 

We left a gap of a few weekends until it was my turn. And when the time came, I'm not afraid to admit that I was pooping myself about it. Especially when I saw what ingredients he had chosen for me; pork belly (which I had never cooked before,) smoked cheese, peppers, mushrooms.....

But I bit the bullet and opened up my imagination, and I was actually really proud of my invention.

Ready Steady Cook Date Idea

In order to judge who was the champion, we decided that the best way would be to write our scores out of 10 for each other on a piece of paper, hidden from the other contender, and then on the count of "three," display our scorecards. No scores were allowed to be changed. It all went on that one scoring decision.

There was .5 of a point in it for us....I WON!!!

Doing something a little bit different for date night was really special, especially when it combined something Boyfriend and I love. For any other Foodie couples - or even friends - out there, The Ready Steady Cook Challenge should definitely be tried. 

What are your date night ideas?

10/29/2013

The NO-vember Challenge 2013

Winter has always been my favourite time of year. 

The nights get colder, the skies get darker, and there is just a general sense of excitement and festivity in the air that you don't really get at any other time of the year. 

With Winter also comes scrummy comfort food. And scrummy comfort food is the kind of food that I find it really hard to say "No" to.

So, I decided that for the month of November, I'm going to have a bit of a detox and create a challenge for myself...


The NO-vember Challenge

For a whole month (or longer if I think I can manage it,) I will be challenging myself to eradicate all my little vices from my diet. I will be taking out all: 

Chocolate 
Takeaway 
Alcohol
Cake/Biscuits
Sweets 

No doubt that this ill be a particularly challenging challenge (haha) for me, but I know that having a month off in the build up to the festivities of Christmas will do me the world of good. 

For the month of November I'll be posting more recipe ideas and updates on my NO-vember progress

Boyfriend is going to help me through this challenge, and if you would like to take part too, leave a comment below and we can help support each other. 

Feel free to save the NO-vember Challenge image above and add it to a challenge post relating to what you are giving up (but don't forget to link back to me.) 

Good Luck! 



Current Favourites (Autumn 2013)


Last week I had a week off from work, so decided to sit down and film a Current Favourites video.



When it comes to beauty products, I can be a bit of a creature of habit. If I find a product that I really like, I will generally tend to stick to it for ages. So doing a favourites video or blog post every month would be a bit counter-productive. 

Instead, this video is a selection of products I have been loving over the past few months or so; Beauty & Miscellaneous bits and pieces that have brought me joy. 

Now that the weather is starting to get colder, I'll probably be switching up a few products in my beauty/skincare regime, so make like an onion and keep your eyes peeled for another video coming up before Christmas. 

What products have you been loving lately?






10/16/2013

Soot Ball by Lush | Just Add Ginger


Just Add Ginger

I couldn't tell you how excited I was to see the launch of Soot Ball by Lush a few weeks ago. 

It's by far the cutest bath bomb I've ever seen, and as soon as I saw the little guy, I was immediately drawn in by those adorable big eyes. 

So when Boyfriend and I were in Chester a few weekends ago, and we popped in to Lush, Soot Ball was on the list of goodies I needed to buy.

I don't think we really need to say much about the bath bomb design. Soot Ball speaks for itself. The bomb is whimsical and incredibly cute. The gold shimmering through the darkness of the bath bomb creates an immediate sense of excitement and anticipation about what amazing goodies may wait inside. 

Just Add Ginger

The price is fantastic too. For a bomb like Soot Ball, normally I'd expect it to me more than the price tag it carries. So you can imagine how impressed I was when I discovered that it retails for only £2.50.

100% WIN!

Like with my Luxury Lush Pud, I really wanted to hold out as long as possible until I tried Soot Ball, but one cold and dark evening, feeling in the need of a little pick-me-up, there he was, waiting for me. So into the bath Soot Ball went. 

If you were to just look at the colour the bath water is turning, it might out you off slightly, but give Soot Ball time to work its magic. Unlike Luxury Lush Pud, I did have to help Soot Ball on its way a bit, but look at the end results after it ad finished fizzing away. 

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So much glitter!!! 

Soot Ball gives you such opulent, luxurious bath water. The charcoal-y nature of the bath bomb itself highlights just how shimmery the water becomes and I felt so glamorous bathing in gold. 
The scent of the bath bomb was similar. Very comforting for a cold Autumnal night. Not as memorable as Luxury Lush Pud, but it complemented the consistency and finish of Soot Ball well and added a great fragrance to such a glamorous bath. And like with all the Lush bombs I've tried, the formula made my skin feel really nourished and soft, and I didn't feel the need to moisturise afterwards (a step I sometimes just cannot be bothered with.) 

There is just one small thing about this bath bomb that may put some people off.....

Just Add Ginger

It did leave some residue in my tub after I'd let the water out. 

Now, this didn't phase me. I'm used to some of bath bombs leaving shimmery residue behind, and the charcoal-coloured marks wiped off quite easily (with only one spot needing a bit of elbow grease, but that part of my bath is tricky to clean anyway.) So if you don't mind giving your bath a bit of a rinse and a wipe after you've had a soak, then there should be no problem. But in the grand scheme of an honest review, I need to include al good and not so good points. 

For a novel, shimmery, and comforting bath, I'd definitely give Soot Ball a go. The concept is so cute, and you really do feel so decadent bathing in a bath full of beautiful shimmer. 

For more information about Soot Ball, or for a look and lots of Lush goodies in general, visit: 

10/15/2013

ZipSlide Adventure | Just Add Ginger

(Thank you to Boyfriend for filming this for me)

I don't know how many of my followers/subscribers know this, but I suffered difficulties at birth which resulted in left side hemi-paresis. It has never got in the way of anything in my life, and I never really see myself as anything different. In short, I have been very fortunate. Fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing people who love me, fortunate that having had this happen has never really stopped me from doing the same things as everybody else. 

Earlier this year, I knew it was my time to give back to those who may need a bit more support in achieving their own goals. Whereas I am very lucky. I know that there are others out there who need a little bit more help on their own journeys. 

On Sunday I took a trip to the Imperial War Museum in Manchester to participate in a ZipSlide across the Salford Quays to raise money for The Stroke Association. It was an amazing experience (even though I was terrified,) and a great way to show my support for a charity that is close to my heart. 

I am so grateful to everybody who sponsored me for this event, sent me a good luck message, and who came to watch me. I was really overwhelmed by all the support I received, and this made jumping out of a very tall building that little bit easier. 

Just Add Ginger
Me mid-ZipSlide
We are all different in some way. It's what makes us special. I didn't always see myself as a unique person, but as I've gotten older I've come to really appreciate and love me for me. No matter what you go through in life, it's always so important to be thankful for the good times, and respect the tough times. Without them, we cannot grow and learn those important life lessons that make us stronger people. 

Sunday was my chance to celebrate how unique we all are, and help show my appreciation and respect for a charity that does so much for those less fortunate than me. 

For more information about The Stroke Association, visit: 


10/08/2013

Luxury Lush Pud | Just Add Ginger


Just Add Ginger

For years, I have been an absolute Lush fan. A great. Big. LUSHIE

So when I knew that the Lush Christmas Collection would be coming out last Friday, my insides did a little excited dance of joy. 

Last Saturday, Boyfriend and I were in Chester, and he - very kindly - let me pop in to Lush to have a look and see if they had any of the Christmas Collection in (as well as a Soot Ball.) 

I hadn't tried the previous version of the Luxury Lush Pud, so picked up this bath bomb with no previous expectations. 

Just Add Ginger

The first thing I was drawn to was the colour. The mixture of pastels is just so pretty, girlie and luxurious-looking that I just couldn't resist picking one up without really smelling it to make sure I like the scent. I was also really happy with the price. At only £3.40 for this bath bomb I seriously wish I had picked up two - especially because they are quite large. 

Initially, I wanted to hold out as long as possible before using my Luxury Lush Pud, but it had been sitting in my Lush bag all weekend, and by the time I got in on Sunday night, my living room smelt so delicious that I couldn't help but tear open the bag, turn on the taps and give the bomb a whirl. 

Now, I do admit that when it comes to describing scents, I'm rubbish! I know nothing about notes or tones, so the only way I can related how Luxury Lush Pud smells to me is like a toasted marshmallow: sweet (but not sickly,) and delicious. It's a very girlie smell, very more-ish (but not overpowering.) I've got the bag sitting next to me now, and I just can't get enough of this scent! If you are a fan of sweeter scents, then this is definitely for you!


As soon as I popped the bath bomb in to the water I knew that I was not going to be disappointed! The water turned the most gorgeous colours, and the bomb kept fizzing away for a good 2.5 minutes. I couldn't wait to hop in the bath and have a lovely relaxing soak in my beautiful bath water. 

Just Add Ginger

Luxury Lush Pud also felt really nourishing on the skin, and gave a tremendous amount of scent pay-off. It was an absolute delight to have a bath with this bath bomb in it and my skin felt gorgeous and soft and smooth after I used it. In fact, my skin felt so soft that I didn't even need to moisturise after the bath. And in the morning, when I woke up, my skin still felt as supple, and smelt lovely too!

I can see the Luxury Lush Pud being a definite staple for me throughout the Winter months, and the next time I pop into Lush (which is quite regularly,) I will be stocking up on these little bombs of beauty. For £3.40, you get your moneys worth and more. This is definitely one of my favourite Lush bath bombs of all time, and I cannot wait to try out the rest of the Christmas collection! 

Has anybody else tried any of the Lush Christmas products yet?

9/30/2013

20 Random Questions Tag | Just Add Ginger



I have only just really entered the realm of YouTube after having just my blog-baby for over a year. And after a little bit of a break, at the weekend I decided it was time to sit down and show my channel some love! 

This is the "20 Random Questions" tag. And now, I TAG YOU! 

You can join in this tag by answering the questions in the Comments section below, or posting a response to my video. 

Thank you again to Sarah for creating the questions for me! 


The Questions:


1. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

2. What Disney princess would you be?
3. If you could have any super power what would you pick?
4. Hit shuffle on your playlist - what's the song?
5. Favourite friends episode?
6. Your house is on fire and you can only save one thing - what is it?
7. Invisible for a day - what do you do?
8. If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now - where would you go?
9. Most loved movie?
10. Most hated movie?
11. What did you have for breakfast today?
12. Pjs - long pants or shorts?
13. What's the one book you would take to a desert island?
14. You can only have one item of make up forever more - what is it?
15. What's your go-to meal to cook to impress someone?
16. Bath or shower?
17. What do you want to be when you grow up?
18. What's the weather like right now?
19. Tea or coffee?
20. What was the last thing that made you smile?

9/27/2013

On the Nice List...Ultimate Christmas/Birthday Wishlist


It is official....

There are now only 12 Fridays until Christmas!! EEEEeeeeeeee!!! 

I'm not going to lie. I'm a HUGE fan of the festive season/. I love everything about it; the food, the music, the wrapping up warm and snuggling by the fire.....snow. It all just makes me want to dance around like a big ol' looney!! 

And. Because today I was feeling very excited about Christmas, I decided to do an Ultimate Christmas/Birthday Wishlist. These are the top 10 products/things that are on my personal wishlist and that I hope to get myself by Christmas or my birthday on 9th January (not what I expect to see underneath the tree!) 

(These wishlist items are in no particular order....!)

1) Mac Eyeshadow Palette: I am a new MAC fan as of this year. I think it's a fantastic brand, and I am the proud owner of 3 of their lipsticks. But. I would love to own a neutral eyeshadow palette too. Every time I go in to a MAC shop I am blown away by their selection of neutral shadows, and I would be so happy to add some to my make up collection

2) Subscription to GlossyBox: At regular intervals, I find myself going on to the GlossyBox website to look at their subscription options. I have held off so hard, but I really think this may have to be a Birthday present to myself. I love receiving post, and getting a box each month full of beauty goodies might just make me "eek" in delight!

3) Benefit Rockateur Blusher: I am a big fan of Benefit as a make up brand. All the products I have from there have never let me down. A blush is, naturally, next on my list, and I think Rockateur would be the best match for my skin....hence why it is on my list. Plus, I really like the packaging...something quite "rock and roll" about it (hehe.)

4) Real Techniques Make Up Brushes: I have a confession to make.....I don't really own very good make up brushes. The ones I do have shed like crazy and I'm constantly finding random hairs on my face! I've heard soooo many good things about the Real Techniques brushes (they have a sponge out now too,) that I really want to give them a try. 

5) MAC Pigment: This goes hand-in-hand with the eyeshadows. A MAC pigment has been on my list since I started getting more and more into YouTube and blogging. So many of my favourite beauty gurus have amazing things to say about the pigments, and if I got one in a neutral-ish shade, I can double it up as a base and an eyeshadow!

6) Yankee Candles: Come Winter, you will always find me with a candle burning, or incense on the go. I have never owned a Yankee Candle, but have been in to the shop in town lots, and sniffed everything in there. I can only imagine what their Winter/Christmas fragrances are like! 

7) Champagne Bucket: For the past few weeks, I have been gradually overhauling my house and having a massive spring clean and re-desigm. One night over dinner, Boyfriend and I were talking about the plans I had, and somehow champagne buckets popped up in conversation. Well. Since then I have been obsessed with the idea, and really, really, really, want one. Especially one on a stand that can go by my dining table!

8) LUSH Spa Validation Facial: If you haven't been to a LUSH spa yet, you need to. I have been two times now and it has been an amazing experience. (You can read my review of my first visit here) Next on my list is their facial. I have never had a facial before, and I know getting one done there would just be a beautiful experience! 

9) A Kitten: For the past ,five, nearly six years, I have been harbouring a desire to have a pet cat. As a teenager, my family had pet cats, and every time I go to see my parents, I am wrapped up in a big furry ball of love for their cats (even though one attacks me.) I'm naturally both a dog and cat person because I grew up around both, but my house is not big enough for a dog really, so a kitten is on my wishlist first, just because of the limitations of space! 

10) Make Up Brush Holder: To go with my make up brushes. It all ties in with my house ideas and re-design. I'm in desperate need of a new storage system for my make up, and a utensils pot, or pencil pot, would be the perfect place to store brushes. Slightly quirky, and there are such a great variety of designs out there!

What's on your Ultimate Wishlist?





Blogtember 2013: Musings over Chai

 Go to a coffee shop. Order a favorite drink. Write about what makes you happy and what makes you sad. Or write about anything you'd like! Bonus points for including a photo from the coffee shop. (I recommend downloading Ommwriter and bringing headphones along!) *if you can't make it to a coffee shop, at least leave your usual space and write someplace new.


Okay....I'll admit it. It is not in fact Thursday and I am not in fact sitting in a coffee shop. 

I'm posting my Blogtember  post for yesterday, today. 

Yesterday I was in too much of a fluster to post anything. I was so tired on Wednesday night that I had a really broken nights sleep (does anybody else get this?) On Thursday I was running on Empty, my Warning light flashing, and it was of course, the busiest day of the week at work! It was such a crazy day. 

In the evening. I popped into town though for a The Body Shop VIP event to celebrate the launch of the Honeymania collection. 

Afterwards, I went and sat in Caffe Nero and sat admiring my lovely new products over a steaming hot mug of Chai Latte. 


I'd never had a Chai Latte before, and to be honest, I don't really think it was my cup of tea *groan*! It tasted a little bit like I was drinking gingerbread dough..... And once I had that image in my head drinking the rest of the mug was difficult. 

I tried so hard to take a picture of my goodies in Caffe Nero, but the woman on the table next to me kept giving me odd looks, and I got shy. 

After I try out all of my shiny new beauty products I think I'm going to smell like a tropical, chocolatey, sweet milkshake. 

Yay for yummy-smelling products! 




9/25/2013

Blogtember 2013: I Never Meant to Hurt You

Write about a time you screwed up - a mistake you made

Firstly - I can't believe I missed two days of Blogtember. I had every intention of blogging everyday. but sometimes life takes over, and I have been getting really tired. Yesterday, I was in bed, asleep, at 9.15pm! I think that's the earliest I've gone to bed in a long, long time! 

In my life, I don't usually dwell on the mistakes I make. I accept them, learn from them, and try to become a better person because of them. But sometimes, there are mistakes that I make that I do regret, because I end up hurting people in the process. And whether intentional or not, this is not a good feeling! 

For today's post, I'm going to go back 6 years to my penultimate year at uni. 

Burlesque Birthday Party

I was just coming out of a really tricky time in my life, and trying to re-discover who I was. Something had happened - a recent argument - between a uni friend and me, and it was really niggling away at me. 

I had arranged to meet up with another friend at uni for a night out at the SU, but deep down I knew this probably wasn't the best idea. I was still a bit down in the dumps, wasn't feeling myself, and didn't want there to be any tension for what was meant to be a good night out. 

I ended up cancelling on my friend.....But then went to the SU anyway! 

It is probably the dumbest mistake I could make. I really ended up hurting somebody's feelings, to the point where we couldn't be friends any more, and all because I let something get to me, tried to change circumstances to make things better, then went and betrayed a trust. It wasn't done intentionally - to be honest, I can't even remember how I ended up going out - but to this day I still wish I could go back and change the way I handled things. 

I could've just arranged a girly night in instead! 

So. 

Moral of the story. 

If you're going through a mind scramble and you are in a bit of a funk, don't mess your friends around. 

And if you are reading this and are the person that I hurt, I really am very sorry. It wasn't my intention, and believe me, it's something I wish that I could rectify.