24.6.12

Favourite photos of the week

I loved putting together my Favourite Photos of the Week last Sunday so I have decided to do it again. Here are this week's faves:


I'm half Greek, and going for Souvlaki when we're in Athens is a big treat, rather like you would go for fish n chips here in the UK. Earlier this week I decided to put myself on a strict diet, so the night before I indulged in some Souvlaki. Buying it a seat on the plane and flying it over from Athens wasn't an option ( although, I did do this with my wedding cake, but that's another story.....) So we headed over to As Greek as it gets in Earl's Court. Delicious!!



I closed the safety gate to the kitchen so that my sister and I could prepare the little ones' lunch whilst they remained safely in view. This is the reaction we got........ I just couldn't resist taking a photo!


After a break from the gels, I opted for this luscious summery red Gelish called Tiger Blossum. This is the shade that I am wearing in my blog logo :) If you need some tips to apply and remove your own gels then check out my posts HERE and HERE.


All I can say is, thank goodness for Baby TV........ and rice cakes!!!


I wrote a post a while back about my love for Coral Jeans but I had yet to find a pair that I loved enough to actually part with cash over. I spotted these on a friend's Instagram photo who advised me to head on over to Zara. These are super super comfy and come in an array of colours.


I haven't minxed my toes for an age, but when I found these, forgotten in the bottom of my make-up drawer, I just couldn't resist giving them ago. Those of you who aren't familiar with Minx, it's type of nail sticker that comes in a huge range of funky patterns, this particular style is holographic and is called Illusion. I believe that Minx is intended to be a salon treatment, but you guessed! I buy mine on eBay and do it myself, so easy!!


Finally, today we took little E for her first ever swim. I had been putting this off after a nightmare experience at the Baby Spa but I need not have worried, she absolutely loved it. A true water baby!!




23.6.12

Pretty.Little.Things. -Calming Comforters

I just had to link up to Pretty. Little. Things today, hosted on Hollybobb's lovely blog this week, because their theme is calming comforters. Those of you who follow me on Instagram and Twitter, may know that we recently decided to clone little E's comforter so the theme was quite appropriate.

About a month ago my darling daughter decided that a dummy was no longer for her. She threw it away one day and refused to take it back. Isn't this what all parents dream of, a child who just gives up her dummy, without protest or the need to resort to bribery or trickery? Absolutely! Except she then needed to learn to send herself to sleep sans dummy......

Which is where Doudou stepped in.

No I'm not talking those nasty little surprises left on the pavement by irresponsible dog owners

Doudou is actually a toy bunny, and a very comforting one apparently.



It was pretty much love at first sight and Doudou was the only toy E would respond to as a tiny baby.A friend bought Doudou as a gift for little E from France when she was teeny. Doudou is the French word for a comforter and this little bunny has a big tag on it's botty with this written on it, and so the name just stuck.


The love between Doudou and little E has grown over the months, right now she will not be without it and Doudou comes with us wherever we go. She even crawls around the floor with doudou in her mouth, mimicking our dogs. 


Unfortunately Doudou started to develop a certain Eau de Mould and whenever he went in the wash, all hell broke loose. So, I decided it was time to clone Doudou, to avoid distress and just in case he ever got lost.






Have any of you cloned your child's comforter?






p.s. For more pretty little things, check out Love From Mummy and Hollybobb's fantastic blogs 





22.6.12

Yet another Becca post..... this time it's Beach Tint

As some of you may have gathered from my post a few weeks back I absolutely adore Becca Cosmetics. In addition to their Stick Foundation and the Luminous Skin Colour, I am also addicted to their Beach Tint range. No I am not sponsored by them in any way, shape or form! I'm just a convert!



Beach tint is a super versatile product, it can be used as a lip or a cheek stain and it comes in a teeny weeny tube which can easily be thrown in to your handbag or nappy bag without taking up too much valuable space ( although you don't really need to cart them around because they stay on very very well!

Lately I have been using Beach Tint in Peach and also in Grapefruit. Peach is a really pretty coral colour which I love to wear on my lips alone or under my Becca sheer lip colour in Estella. I have some redness on my cheeks which I find is accentuated by this shade when used as a cheek stain. However, I recommended this to a friend who is also blonde with olive colouring and it looks amazing on her! Be warned, a little goes a long way with this colour, start with a smidge of product from the tube and build it up as desired, to avoid that 'I've just had a chemical peel' look!!!

My real love however is Grapefruit, which is an absolutely gorgeous light, but very bright, coral. It's one of those colours that just makes my skin look really healthy when worn on my cheeks. As with Peach, Grapefruit is lightly scented, I don't particularly like the smell of grapefruits but this smells lovely. I find that Grapefruit is much more subtle than Peach and for a more intense look, I sometimes apply a powder blusher on top. The Beach tint works wonderfully as a primer and helps keep the blush in place. It is advertised as being waterproof, I haven't actually tried this out myself, but *whispers very softly* I have worn it in the gym and it still looked perfect post work-out.Yes, I know you aren't supposed to wear make-up to work-out but lets call it research, ok? :)


Above and below L-R; Grapefruit, Peach.


Below I'm wearing Beach tint in Peach on my lips and Grapefruit on my cheeks with a tiny bit of Mac Blusher- Foolish Me buffed on top. Please excuse the pose, I'm not all that photogenic and usually end up pulling silly faces in an attempt to look vaguely normal.




I usually buy my Becca cosmetics from their store in Chelsea but if you aren't based in London then either check out the Becca Website or Zuneta.com.

17.6.12

My Favourite Photos of the Week

This week I have been snapping away on my iphone having rediscovered Instagram, I downloaded the app ages ago but have mainly been using it for the filters, until now.....
You can follow me on Instagram by clicking on the camera icon on the right hand side bar.

Here are my favourite photos from the past week:

My in-laws were visiting from Singapore this week. My step Mother-in-law was sporting the most sparkletastic talons which I just had to post here on the blog:


I love this photo taken on my sister's birthday last year, she was just two weeks away from becoming a mama and although I look ready to burst, I still I had two months to go believe it or not! This year we recreated the photo with our new additions, little E and little M.

I'm still drooling over my sister's birthday present below. Love how the sales assistant sold  these Louboutins to her hubby by explaining that ' They do for the feet what botox does for the face':

Pretty table decorations at My Hotel in Chelsea:


As we're still in the middle of our home improvements project so I am still on the look out for ideas. I loved this wall art and shabby chic mirror combination again at My Hotel.




Cute as she is, Miss Phoebe wasn't much of a good luck charm for the Swedish football team on Friday night.


We had a great view of the Red Arrows flyover on Saturday morning for the trooping the colour:


 Our kitchen is almost finished as our home renovations finally start to take shape.


Little E and I are huge fans of Frae frozen yogurt on, this baby below is called Mochi Zen apparently. I am still quite convinced that I could survive on this, alone!




15.6.12

Lipstick that lasts! Collection 2000 Cream Puff

I think my last encounter with Collection 2000 make up came in the form of free lip gloss on the cover of Just Seventeen magazine circa 1993! Not that I have had anything against the brand I have just never been particularly drawn to it since. No doubt, I would probably have missed out on these fantastic lip creams if they hadn't been mentioned in a make up tutorial by the amazing make up guru, Lisa Eldridge.
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I think the Cream Puff lip creams are incredibly unique, I can't think of anything else like them on the market at the moment. The packaging may look like a lip gloss and they are in fact applied like one too, but the finished effect is very different and appears more like a velvety matt lipstick.

They have incredible staying power, I usually have to remove mine at the end of the day. This longevity does come at a cost however, they are on the dry side so I would advise applying plenty of lip balm before and after, crusty lips are sooooo not yummy!

                               L-R: Cotton Candy, Fairy Cake, Angel Delight, Powder Puff

For me, the stand out colour is Fairy Cake, a gorgeously strong coral shade, which I am wearing in the photograph below. Cotton Candy is a bright pink cream which is a little too blue for my olivey colouring. I actually gave this shade to my mother who is much fairer skinned than I am, it looks lovely on her but she no longer wears it because she finds the consistency too drying.....but refuses to use lip balm *eye roll*
Angel Delight is a great neutral brown, personally I find it a bit wintry for this time of year but maybe that's just on me, I have yet to see it on someone else. Powder Puff is one of those colours which is bordering on that concealer lips look, I think it needs a touch of clear gloss to avoid that effect ( unless of course that's what you're after!)



Sound good? Wait until you hear the price.....

£2.99, each!!!!!!!!!!

Sneak them in your shopping basket whist you're doing a Saturday morning nurofen shop, should you be lucky enough to still have Friday nights nights out!! Or if you're like me, smuggle them home with the Pampers & Aptamil!!

Here's the link from Boots

Have you tried these Lip Creams or do you know of anything similar?


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11.6.12

Nails of the Week- Neon Ombre Nails

WARNING: Before you read any further........ this manicure is neither time saving nor is it particularly suitable for anyone of the age of 16. But it sure is fun!

I found this gorgeous image whist browsing Pinterest a while back, with this miserable weather we're having here in London, it inspired me to brighten up my nails and attempt my own version.


Whilst the nails were relatively easy to recreate, unfortunately the background wasn't readily available here in dreary old London, so I had to make do with my garden pond :)



The colours I used to create the ombre effect this were L-R:

Essie Perky Purple ( Color Club Mrs Robinson)
Essie Flirty Fuchsia ( Nails Inc Notting Hill Gate)
Orly Passion Fruit
China Glaze Flip flop fantasy
Essie Funky Limelight ( Orly Glowstick)

Once I started writing this post, I realised that Essie shades I used were part of a limited edition collection which is no longer available, so I have added similar shades in brackets  for anyone who would like to recreate this look themselves.


As ever, neon polishes tend to dry to a matt finish so I always use my trusty Seche Vite top coat to achieve a glossy finish and to help my nails dry in record time. In my humble opinion it's a must have product for any nail polish devotee.



So there you have it, a psychedelic, crazy, neon manicure which is totally inappropriate for a mother of one but I love it anyway. Whilst I can't fix the weather, I certainly need sunglasses right now....... just to look at my nails!!!!


UPDATE: Check out the original blog where the top photo was taken from www.goldfishkiss.com/

9.6.12

We heart Mocci's!

At only nine months my daughter is not a keen crawler! Instead she likes to cruise around the house hanging off whatever she can find which includes dog gates ( yes I did say dog gates not baby gates!) walls, tables, anything goes....... Sounds great? Far less knee worn clothes you say! Well yes true, but this also means one of two slips and a few tears whilst someone gains confidence on their feet. That is, until Auntie A came along with her Mocci's!!


Now we have lots of love for Auntie A, she is the keen photographer behind my blog logo and always comes up with Fantastic Pressies for her little niece! These Swedish Moccasins are no exception! Auntie A's hubby is Swedish and for a while now she has been returning home from Sweden with armfuls of niftily designed baby gear for her little one, yes people they don't just sit around listening to Abba and eating meatballs! 
Apparently most children in Sweden will have a pair of Mocci's to wear around the house. Shoes are always left at the front door to help keep the floor clean. Whilst these would be ideal over socks and tights in winter to keep little tootsies warm, they have a towelling lining which is currently keeping little E's feet cool whilst our British Summer reaches the scorching temperature of er 12 degrees!


I love how their suede sole grips the wooden floor and helps prevent little E from slipping over. Of course we also adore the purple star design which may have been the deciding factor behind Auntie A's purchase ( little E's name means purple star).
Oh and you can wash them too which is of course very very important if you have a baby with a penchant for spitting food everywhere for fun, as I currently do!!!

The link to these Mocci's from the website is Here! But they have heaps more designs if purple stars aren't your thing!

7.6.12

Yummy Mummy Meme

I have been tagged by one of my favourite bloggers, the lovely lovely Honey's Mummy for this meme started by BusyBeeMummyBex

Here are the rules:
When answering the questions, give as much detail as possible. It’s all about the finer details, people!
Leave a comment on HERE (BusyBeeMummyBex BlogSpot.)
Tag three or more people and link to them on your blog.
Tweet #yummymummy when sharing on twitter

What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Stumble towards the kitchen and warm up a bottle of formula for little E.

Do you Shower Daily? Are you a Early Morning Shower or  evening Bath type?
I'm definitely an early morning shower type, mainly because I am not a morning person and this helps to wake me up. Also I don't particularly like Baths, I hate the thought of lying in dirty water!

Do you wear Make Up Daily?
Absolutely, I would scare small children and animals if I didn't!

Whats in your make up bag?
A lot, too much to store in a bag! Instead I use clear perspex drawers that allow me to see where everything is when I'm in a hurry.
On a daily basis I love, Becca Luminous Skin Colour and Stick Foundation, Mac Blot Powder, Benefit Erase Paste, Make Up For Ever Aqua Liner, YSL Effet Faux Cils Mascara, Mac blusher in Foolish Me which annoyingly has been discontinued here so I bulk buy this whenever I travel Singapore where it's still available.


When your having a slummy Mummy day what do you normally wear?
Probably leggings ( love American Apparel for these) and an over sized T-shirt.

Nails - how often do you get them done?
I treat myself to a salon manicure about once a month. The rest of the time I usually do my own gel manicures or I use Incoco Nail Appliques, both last much longer than a regular manicure so I don't have to worry about chips.

Your top tip for Tired Eyes?
I'm still working on this one, baggage has always been a problem for me ( and not the nice kind you buy in Louis Vuitton either!) Here I am on my wedding day with cold spoons over my eyes in an attempt to reduce puffiness. Yes I am wearing something behind that laptop :)


At night time I use a good eye cream such as Creme de la Mer of La Roche Posay Hydraphase. In the daytime, I use Benefit Erase Paste which is a wonder product for concealing dark circles.
Recently I have been introduced to a slightly unorthodox remedy for under eye bags, so unorthodox in fact that I am going to have to whisper it to you...haemorrhoid cream applied under the eyes......there I said it! This isn't something I would use on a daily basis but it does actually work, by shrinking the veins and therefore de-puffing eye bags!

Are you a Starbucks or Costa Coffee kind of girl?
Starbucks all the way! In the winter I drink Skinny Vanilla Latte's with sugar free syrup and in the Summer I'm a Mocha light Frappuccino girl.

How many Children do you have/want & why?
Three! When I first met Mr Jones I warned him that I wasn't really interested in having children. Basically I was so terrified of child birth that I had convinced myself that I didn't want babies. Fortunately, Mr J managed to change my mind, although I made an educated decision and opted for a c-section for the birth. I realise that some people view cesarean as a dirty word but you know what? I don't give a stuff! My daughter's birth was one of the happiest days of my life, I enjoyed it so much that I would like to go through it again, twice!

Where is your favourite place to shop for Babies/Children's clothes?
For special occasions I love Ralph Lauren, Marie Chantal and Chloe ( check out TK Maxx for bargains, shhhhhh!)
For every day little E wears Petit Bateau and H&M. I'm a huge fan of H&M baby clothes, they are fantastic quality (far superior to the adult clothes), thoughtfully designed and always a bargain.

Flats or Heels Everyday shoes are?
Both! I am a self confessed shoe addict. Louboutin is my drug of choice for heels and Lanvin make the most amazing flats with a tiny concealed heel.
My favourite EVER are my wedding shoes, I would wear them every day if I could get away with running errands in 5inch crystal encrusted heels!!


Now I am going to tag three very yummy mummy bloggers

Karen 365 Pearls of Wisdom
Avril School Gate Style
Gemma Yes! We do have a TV!!

2.6.12

Nails of the Week- Jubilee Inspired Union Jack Nails

My mother is staying with us this weekend and has been plastering every inch of our house with British Flags in honour of the Queen's diamond Jubilee. I even caught her pinning a few on to little E's stroller!!!! I decided to go for a slightly more subtle approach with Union Jack themed nails. 


This was super easy to do: I painted my nails with OPI's Alpine Snow, a matt white polish. I then applied the Union Jack heart decals which i bought from eBay, Here.

I have never used water decals before but I was surprised as to how easy they were to apply. I simply cut roughly around my selected heart, soaked it in water for 30 seconds to remove the backing and then pressed it on to my nail. Once I had done this for each nail, I finished the manicure off with a top coat to secure the decals in place


Whilst on the subject of Union Jacks, how cute is this Romper Suit that I picked up in JojoMamanBebe ? Whilst strictly speaking this outfit has probably been designed with the Olympics in mind, I think a certain little someone may be sporting it later this weekend......




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