Nail Talk

Hello all, I've decided to do a post all about nails as I've taken on the challenge of growing my own! I think it's been a long time coming but something I've wanted to avoid addressing. All the women in my family have long lovely nails and recently, my sister went in to have shellac nail treatment. Naturally, I was curious to see the results. It costs just £15 pounds and is like a hard nail varnish. Much like mine, her nails are prone to breaking as she uses them 24/7 throughout her working day. Since having the treatment, her nails have grown considerably and have only broken once in the 2 months she's had them done.

I'm not one to jump on a fad without doing a wee bit of research first. So, after a few google searches, I found that Shellac is a less abrasive version of gel nails, but misses out the damaging removal process. It provides the finish of perfectly painted nails for up to a month. After a month period has ended, you'll need to get them either removed or re-done. This isn't because it will have chipped (although there is a chance they may) but usually because the growth becomes obvious so a new coat will cover it.

To cut an already long rant short, after seeing my sisters lovely claws, i'm pretty much convinced I want to go ahead and get it done. My problem is that I have been an avid wearer of false nails for the past three years and a nail biter before that so my nails are weak to say the least. But, I am sick of feeling like I have to have falsies on all the time, I want to feel more natural. There's nothing worse than being in work and having a false nail fall off mid shift and having to go looking scruffy with one nail down. I hate it and I hate running in the back to glue it back on even more. And that's another thing, nail glue. I can't stand the stuff. It gets everywhere and it's just horrible.

So, I think that settles it. False nails are out and natural nails are in. Now begins the painful process of bearing my own nails and getting them to a state where I don't want to hide them under gloves. I will be taking a photograph week by week and monitoring my process and when it's all finished, I'll post my results on what works. Until then my loves, enjoy your nails! 

Laura. 

Winter Wardrobe Wants

Evening lovely readers, I am currently patiently awaiting payday so I can inject some well needed lace and glitter into my wardrobe. And what do I do better than salivate over yet more things I don't really need, no one does it better. These little beauties are the latest bunch, the green dress and heels are going to be joining first, they're yummy! On to the rest!...

Cameo Rose Lace Trim Crop Top £12.99 Here
I love crop tops like this and have included many in lists like this before. They can be worn with high waisted trousers or midi skirts for a really awesome outfit. I would personally wear this with a leather look midi skirt to clash textures and tick both trends in one outfit. Again, I think lace is just beautiful and perfect for winter.

Navy Strappy Metalic Mini Dress £19.99 Here
Glitter is a no brainer for winter, it is the perfect excuse to go OTT. My mom and I are similar in that we go both can be quilty of going overboard on the glitter sometimes, but hey it's fun! I can picture mixing this cute little number with the cut out boot heels and the clutch, love it.

Lace Bodycon Tunic £36.00 Here
As I mentioned earlier, this dress is my ultimate fave, I don't even care about the cost because it's so delicious. I'm at the verge of buying this now and making myself broke between now and payday. I wont because that is very irresponsible, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it... a lot.

Black Laser Cut Shoe Boots £26.00 Here 
For me, I've found that no one does nice affordable heels quite like New Look. Every year, a new black pair of booties enter my wardrobe until I wear them to death. This year, I've fell in love with these laser cut boots. I always like to wear boot heels as they go with everything and they provide much more support for the feet.

Gem Leather Box Clutch £48.00 Here
Clutch bags are like chocolate bars, you can never get enough (heh hehee).  Again, I tend to have a dozen in black and none in other colours (doh) but nonetheless, they go with absolutely everything and this little cutie is no exception. Box clutches are great for having everything all in one place but not having to lug around a massive bag. That being said, the price is a little excessive, but a girl can dream!

Black Scuba Bardot Neck Bodycon Dress £22.99 Here
Floral prints are more springtime, but have been spotted on the runways this year and creeping into winter. For me, I need no more excuse than that and this little number ticks all the boxes. It's bardot, floral and in shades perfect for winter. What is more, it will go with those lovely heels, hoorah!

Well well well, I've managed to talk my way through another post about clothes. It's getting to be quite the problem. I've practically re-vamped my whole wardrobe this month alone. Not good! I've also got some changes occuring personally, but when the details are ironed out i'll tell you all about those in a monthly diary post so keep your eyes peeled. Until next time my loves! 

Laura.

Rimmel Moisture Renew In Vintage Pink

Hello all, review time again, this time round it's for (another) lipstick. I had previously owned this lipstick in my 'non-adventurous' lip days where anything other than a nice nude sent me running for the hills. Now i'm older, and a little braver, I  decided to re-start my relationship with this little beaut.

Autumn Winter is all about dark lips. None more so than the classic plum lip. This plum, like the name suggests, is still a pink shade, but comes out quite dark on the lips. As with all Moisture Renew lipsticks they're very moisturising, which in the colder months is essential to avoid those horrid flaky lips. Overall, I really like this shade and I think it will go with all skin shades, especially paler skin tones. Pair it with winged eyeliner  and you have a classic Autumn-Winter make-up look.

As with all Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipsticks, you can pick them up for just £6.49 Here. Unfortunately, this lip shade seems to be a little too popular as since writing this post it has completely gone out of stock on the Boots website. Alternatively, you can try it from Amazon here. Thankyou as always for reading, until next time!

Laura.

Winter Wonderland Wish List

Hello all, are any of you surprised that I have yet another wish list? No, me neither. I think all of us can be guilty of wanting little things to perk ourselves up (I know I do) and this wish list is no exception. Winter is all about getting cosy in front of the TV watching X-Factor or the like. So, what better way to get in the spirit by wasting money on things I don't need! Without further adieu...

Nutcracker Advent Calendar £16.00 Here 
Okay i'm a sucker for anything Christmas themed and this little beauty is a nice spin off the usual advent calendar. With my birthday also in December, I'm counting the days like crazy waiting for my big day. So it's no wonder I want to splash the cash for something to make day watching a little more enjoyable.

Cable Knit Hand warmer £6.00 Here
I think I'm the same as any girl (or boy too) that I always have cold hands. Always. That being said, I love the idea of having a little hand warmer to get the old pinkies nice and cosy. Lets be honest here, do I really need this in my life? No not really, I'll survive. Will I be buying it anyway? Well, I think we all know the answer to that.

Light Brown Fluffy Ears Onesie £19.99 Here 
Okay so again, I have no excuse. My drawers have too many onesies stuffed into them already, but I just can't resist throwing on a onesie and putting on a good Disney movie on my days off from work. It's literally the best feeling ever. That being said, I also end up sleeping in these badboys on the really cold nights. Lush.

Rudolf Mug £9.99 Here
Again, do I need another mug overflowing my mug cupboard. Absolutely not, but I still will be welcoming this little cutie into my mug family sometime soon. I've recently discovered the delicious taste sensation that is Disaronno hot chocolate. WARNING Once you try it you will fall in love with it. Drink responsibly kids.

Pink Printed Boot Slippers £15.99 Here
How am I supposed to live out my onesie-movie fantasy if I have cold tootsies? You just can't. So these cute slippers will be on hand to make sure the feet are cosy at all times. The only thing with slippers is that I live in them a little too much because I end up walking outside in them and ruining them. That means I'll be buying a pair of slippers every year, but what can a girl do?

Black pom pom beanie £13.00 Here 
My style has recently had a complete overhaul, siding more towards the smart/trendy side (I hope). Much needed wardrobe injection aside, I always loved beanie hats but never felt I could pull it off. Now, I say who gives a sh**t (sorry for dropping the S bomb) wear what you want, especially when it's this cute!

Black Herringbone Chain Train Gloves £22.00 Here
I think that £22.00 for a pair of gloves is slightly ridiculous. That being said, these gloves look like pure class and the good quality will mean they (should) last for many winters to come. As they're black and white, they'll also go with pretty much everything too.

So what do you think of my Winter Wish List? I know that 99% of these are pointless and things I could live without (okay so 100%) but it's little things like these that make braving the horrible weather all the more bearable. After all, staying in is the new going out this time of year! I hope you're all having a lovely autumn-winter and braving yourself for the weather ahead. Until next time my loves!

Laura. 

Book of the Month: I am Number Four

Good afternoon all, I'm finally getting around to doing something I've been itching to do for ages. If you don't already know this about me, I love books. From a young age, my mom would read books like the faraway tree to make my sisters and I fall asleep and since then, I've started a full blown love affair with books. I have a library local to me and since a young age, I would pop in there and leave with my arms absolutely full of heavy books. Because of this, I've churned through many books in my life and I love to discuss them and suggest them to people I think would enjoy them. So with this in mind, I decided that I would do a 'Book of the Month' post every month (obviously) and tell you a little about the book itself (spoilers alert) and what I think of it.

So to kick of my series, I thought I'd start with a book I've just finished reading and that is I am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (how cool is his name?) The story begins detailing the night that number three is killed, and from there it explains that the world Lorien was attacked by a race called the Mogadorians. Just nine people from Lorien survived and escaped to earth where they remained hidden. A spell was cast on them before they left that they could only be killed in the correct order, meaning the Mogadorians would have to track them down one by one and in the correct order, to be able to kill them. Thus begins the story of number four, the main character, and his 'protector' Henry, and their story on how they avoid detection by moving from town to town. The story really kicks off when they move to Paradise and it's where you really get to know the main character, who is both sincere and likable .

I will say that at first, I was convinced that this book was aimed at teenage boys, but later on in the book there is a little romance with a character named Sarah which means there is something for the girls too. I wont discuss any more of the storyline from now on, as I don't want to give anything else away. As for the writing style, Pittacus Lore writes in a way that is straightforward in the sense that it gets straight to the point, no waffle, but still engages the reader and builds a good picture. Overall, I really liked his writing style and the way the story plays out.

This book is part of a series and after reading this first book, I will be seeking out the second one to read. You may have also heard that there is a film of this book, starring Alex Pettyfer (yum) and Glee's Dianna Agron. It's a pretty good version of the book, missing few details although I will always vouch for the book over any film. If you feel like giving it a read, you can pick it up from Amazon Here. Well that concludes my first ever book review, I hope it was a good review and you'll think of picking this up. Also apologies that I don't have a picture of the actual book, I read a library copy that I had to take back and couldn't find a good picture of the book online anywhere. Anyway, that's all from me, let me know what you think in the comments below! 

Laura.

Happy Halloween/ Chat & Catch up

Happy Halloween All!

I know, Halloween was so 5 days ago (what the hell, 5 days already?) anyway, I've been a little MIA lately so thought I'd explain why. I literally love Halloween and as I was working this year (sob) I decided to indulge in the Halloween spirit before and after the big day. As a result, I was absent from my blog for quite a while. I did intend to do a 'How To' post all about cutting the perfect pumpkin but I feel i've missed the boat a little. I may still do it, watch this space.

So what did I do for my Halloween you ask? I started by buying two pumpkins, some cake mix, some icing and the Little Red Riding hood movie. I knew that being in work wouldn't be the same as celebrating it myself so I'd planned my Halloween day to a T. I started by carving pumpkins to the soundtrack of Thriller, then baked some cute cupcakes and finished by watching the little red riding hood movie, If you're wondering the cakes above are not the ones I created (mine where better, he he) but if you do want to check them out, look on my Instagram which is linked in the button over there>

So overall, I had a pretty good Halloween day and found myself actually really enjoying dressing up at work. I went as little red riding hood because I just loved the costume so much last year (again, check out Instagram!). That being said, I have been feeling a little out of sorts lately, so I went out on a bit of a shopping spree and bought a new coat, jeggings, shirt and top. I'm also still waiting on some boots which have yet to arrive (grr) but it definitely made me feel better. Doesn't shopping always? I feel like a new person walking around in my snazzy new coat. But overall, I think everyone seems to be feeling a little out of sink too, maybe there's something in the air?

Anywho, this was meant to just be a general chat and catch up but it's turning into a ramble so I'll stop there. Let me know if there's anything you want me to review/talk about in the comments below, thanks for reading!

Laura.

More Confessions from Me

Evening all, I'm currently wrapped up in my PJ's with a cup of tea and decided to sit down and write this post. I saw a similar post by Chloe over on the Little Plum (You can give it a gander here) and it got me thinking about doing a similar one myself. More than the little bit on my About Me section, lets really get personal! We all know I need little or no excuse to have a good old ramble Well, without further adeu, here's another one... all about me.

Favourite TV
I am in love with so many TV programmes, it's a little bit sad. Even sadder (not sure if that's a word, going to roll with it anyway) is that majority are not currently airing on TV. First of all Big Bang Theory is my life (I know that is currently on TV but it's my fave so we'll start here). I watch it all the time even though I've seen all the episodes multiple times already. Secondly, Gossip Girl is literally my all time love. I will be 90 years old and still watching Blake Lively walk about in gorgeous clothes. Breaking Bad is another guilty pleasure, mostly because it's wayyy darker than what I usually watch. Other's include Peaky Blinders (OMG Cillian Murphy is going to be my BF soon), Made in Chelsea (I was like yaaarrr) and Friends, I mean obviously right.

Movies
Okay so here's the thing, I live in the movies. They are something I always indulge in whenever and where ever I can. Majority of the time, I'll be spending my days off in my onesie watching a Disney film with a ridiculous hot chocolate... and I mean ridiculous. Mean Girls is one particular film that I could probably quote word for word (Stop trying to make FETCH happen, it's not going to happen, you can't sit with us... etc).

Food.
I think the fact I've added in a whole section on Food says a lot and generally anything with sugar in is okay with me. I used to have what I would say was a very unhealthy attitude to food. Now I'm all better (thank goodness) I don't deprive myself of anything, I just make sure everything is in moderation. Chocolate, yes. Sweets, yes. Fruit, yes. Milkshakes, Tea, Hot Chocolate, Pancakes... yes yes yes. It's actually funny that when the boyfriend and I are relaxing round his house and one of us suggests having a snack, he'll go for savoury things every time and I always go for sweet. Opposites attract eh?

Pet Peeves
I really don't like negativity and I rarely moan online. That being said, the things we find irritating are part of who we are and I felt I should include it. My pet peeve has to be the people who are rude over insignificant things. It really does grind my gears. Another point. Littering. Oh my god! Why do people complain that Birmingham is a crap place to live whilst chucking a crisp packet over their shoulder? Seriously, have some pride in where you live! Grrrrrrrrr.... and relax.

Animals
I love love love animals. Goats freak me out but other than that, anything furry or with feathers and I'm all over it. If you walk past me with a cute puppy, I'm going to ask you to stop so I can pet it. On holiday there was this man who bought animals with him to the hotel and he had a pet Skunk that was tame and it was the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. Just mind the butt and everything is okay.

So now I've finished my rambles I think it's safe to say you know exactly what I'm all about now. What do you think of this post? Have you learnt anything new about me (maybe you wish you didn't) let me know in the comments below! Thanks again!

Laura.