29.7.12

Bargain Hunter

There's one thing I like more than buying clothes for little E, and that's finding bargain baby clothes for her!!

I'm feeling a little pleased with myself because I bought both the bodysuit and the swimming costume for just over £8 from Baby Gap!!


I'm not big on Logo T's but I just love the ditsy cherry print on this bodysuit. I'd seen the swimming costume a while ago, but Gap always has fantastic sales so I try to hang on a few weeks and often find things considerably reduced, which was the case with this cossie which was originally on sale for £9.95.


It's so easy to get carried away buying cute clothes in the sale for her but I have to remember that she really isn't going to get much wear out of summer clothes now we're almost in August and have barely seen the sunshine this year! At least the body suit can be worn under a cardi when it cool outside.

26.7.12

Make up rehab: how to fix cracked or dried up make-up

I hate wasting things so I was really annoyed with myself when I accidentally left the top off my Benefit Cream eyeshadow the other week, causing it to dry up!! I've read quite a few blog posts about repairing cream shadows and cracked powder pallets with surgical spirit ( or rubbing alcohol as I believe it's called in the US) and  so I gave it a go myself.

To 'repair' my blusher and eye shadow ( below) I used:
  • Surgical Spirit
  • Atomiser refill kit from Muji ( I shall explain....)
  • Kitchen Roll
  • Something with a flat, circular bottom ( I used a nail polish bottle but you could use a 2p coin for example)
I used the flat tool from the Muji kit to crush up both products. Then I filled the pipette (from the Muji kit) with surgical spirit and added some drops to the blusher/eyeshadow. The amount you need varies as to how much product is left and also in the case of the cream eyeshadow, it depends on how dried out it is. Start with a few drops and build up accordingly until you get a thick paste.
I then wrapped the kitchen roll around the bottom on the nail polish bottle and pressed the bottom in to the pan/ container to compress the paste.
I left both containers open over night for the surgical spirit to evaporate as much as possible. Obviously, you need to be very careful how long you leave the cream shadows open, otherwise you end up back at square one!


I have since used both the blusher and the eye shadow and they are as good as new!! 


Now I'm sure you all know about nail polish thinner, but I must confess that I have only discovered recently. Instead, I used to attempt to rescue dried up varnish with nail polish remover which definitely doesn't work!!!
Instead I now revive old polish using a few drops of Orly Nail lacquer thinner, like this gorgeous and sadly discontinued shade by Mavala.


24.7.12

Loving my faux glow- St Moriz Dark

Now I have always been a bit on the fence about fake tan, mainly because on me, it always looks just that, fake! I have tried loads of different brands, some look awful, others fade dreadfully, then there are some that look amazing with a base tan, which kinda defeats the object.
Recently though, I have been using a brand that is slowly changing my opinion on fake tans and that brand is St Moriz ( No, I haven't been on the Pimms already and getting confused with another similarly named brand).



One of the best things about it is the price, £4.95!!! I bought mine from amazon Here. In my humble opinion it is equally as good, if not better, than most of the expensive fake tans and salon spray tans that I have tried.

Initially, I tried the medium tan mist, whilst the colour was very natural the mist was more like a pathetic little dribble. So this time I opted for the mousse and feeling brave, I went for the darkest shade.

I love it! I feel like I've spent a week on holiday in the sun! On my skin I find that the colour is very natural, it lasts about 6-7 days and fades quite evenly, except for around my wrists (but nothing that a good exfoliation wouldn't sort out). I do find it's a bit drying so I make sure to apply lashings of moisturiser to prevent dryness. The darker shade means that I don't have to apply a second coat the next day in order to achieve the colour I'm looking for. As a mama of a nocturnal baby, the last thing I feel like doing most nights is applying fake tan, so cutting out one coat is definitely a plus!!

Ooohhh and what about the all important fake tan smell? Well, there is the faintest eau de biscuit but I really have to sniff to notice it.






I'm by no means an expert in  fake tanning, but here are my top tips for a natural looking tan and avoiding looking like an oompa loompa:



  • As with most cosmetics, there isn't a one size fits all product. Hunt around for one that suits your colouring and is closest to the shade that you would naturally turn in the sun. 




  • Exfoliate!!  The morning before you apply fake tan, three days after application and then every other day.




  •  Moisturise!! paying attention to your knees, elbows, ankles and wrists, these are always my problem areas anyway.




  • Right after you've applied your tan, gently sweep a baby wipe over dry areas such as knees and elbows to prevent tell tale dark stains.




  •  Use a Mit for streak free application,  I use this one from Boots  Here  and it really does make a difference. 




  •  If your fake tan becomes patchy after a few days, use a gradual tanner to help even out your colour.

So I've found my go- to fake tan but I'm still looking for a good one for the face. Which brand do you use?









21.7.12

Tres tres Bow!

Poor little E still isn't all that blessed in the hair department. Despite being dressed head to toe in girlie colours most days, she still gets confused for a boy and to avoid confusion, I often clip some little bows into the little tufts that she does have. So when I was contacted by Napmit to try out their their baby bows, I jumped at the chance.
Napmit creates luxury baby bows that are classically beautiful yet modern and stylish at the same time. Each bow is handmade using only the the finest grosgrain ribbon. The bows come in very chic packaging that would make lovely gifts, I'm even thinking of giving some as party favours for E's first birthday!



Below: The bow on the left is the Tuxedo Toddler Bow in sapphire. The two bows on the right are Boutique Baby Bows in Latte and Rose and are sold in pairs.



I just adore these bows and E has had many compliments whilst wearing them. The baby bows are perfect for her now whilst the toddler bows which are slightly larger will be great when she finally gets a bit more hair. I'm sure we'll be buying more in future, especially as there are sooooo many gorgeous colours to choose from.

Check out Napmit bows HERE

16.7.12

My new low maintenance hair colour!

I've just re-discovered the perfect hair colour for me now I'm a mama!

Yep I've gone Ombre again!  For those who have no idea what I'm on about, Ombre means shadow in French and if you went and asked your hairdresser for an Ombre hair colour then you would step out of the salon with dark roots and blonde tips, rather like this ( 'scuse the posing)  .....




Yeah I know that look is a bit done. I first had my hair 'Ombre' back in about 2009! But I still love the look and it is just sooooo easy to maintain. I like having blonde hair but it means that once a month I usually spend an afternoon in the salon getting my roots done. And with my 'back to work' date looming closer, I am very conscious of the fact that free time with my daughter will soon become even more precious than it already is. 


So, Ombre seems like a good compromise, still a little bit blonde but sans maintenance.


I took my new 'do' out for a spin on our first ever Date Night, last weekend, I loved having a chance to get dressed up and wore a Missoni dress that I bought last year whilst pregnant and haven't had much chance to wear since. I wasn't yet ready to leave little E with a random babysitter so my darling sister stayed home with her while we popped around the corner for dinner and some drinks. We'd both had quite a stressful week so it was lovely to have some time on our own to relax, and I hope it's something we'll be able to repeat every now and again. 








10.7.12

Nails of the week- 24 Carat Polish

Since I feel head over heals in love with Essie's Turquoise and Caicos a few weeks ago, I have been looking for a slightly longer lasting alternative.

Que Gelish Seafoam!! It's slightly greener and lighter than Turquoise and Caicos for it to be an exact dupe, but I can cope with that for the additional days wear that I get from a gel polish. 


Whilst I love not having to worry about chips with gel, it can get a bit boring wearing the same colour for so long. So I have added an accent nail just to brighten things up. For this I used the rather decadent Rococo Nail Apparel Gold Leaf Nail Polish which contains flakes of 24 carat gold!!! This has been sitting in my drawer waiting for a special occasion but it's gonna dry up at this rate so I'm giving it an internet outing instead!!


As always I bought my gel polish from eBay and the Rococo Nail Apparel was bought from Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge.

5.7.12

The Hair Tie that Doubles as a Bracelet

I don't know about you, but regardless of what jewelry I'm wearing, I almost always have an ugly hair tie on my wrist, 'Just in case'. Just in case it rains, just in case my daughter thinks I'm Rapunzel and decides to climb my hair, just in case the weather in the UK dares to go over 20 degrees and I get the teeniest bit hot.

I read an article a while back about these very chic looking hair ties that double as bracelets made by a brand called Goody but I haven't been able to find them, anywhere! Pretty aren't they?

Then I stumbled upon these beauties over at Anthropologie. I tried to convince myself that I would be one stop closer to yummy mummyness with these on my wrist instead of a scabby hair elastic, but I just couldn't part with £12 for a few hairbands! That's almost a week's worth of Starbucks after all!!!


Thank goodness for H&M! I found these almost identical hair ties for just £1.99! Hurrah!!


Then whilst having another browse in the Anthropologie sale ( I can't keep out of that place!!!) I found a packet hidden away in the corner, on sale for £3! Yes, the quality is superior to the H&M ones which have already frayed a bit at the edges, but would I pay £12 for a packet armed with this additional information? Erm, no!



Having done a little bit of research online, I discovered quite a few similar hair ties from Etsy seller Mane Message HERE!

What do you think? Will you be trading in your trusty hair elastics for these?





4.7.12

What's on your bedside table?


It was such a coincidence that Honey's Mummy sent me the link to her latest post, 'What's on your bedside table' because I was just thinking up a post of a similar theme. Except my post title would have been called 'What used to be on my bedside table'!!!

Since this morning, I am no longer able to keep anything next to my bed. A certain little someone has realised that not only do bedside tables make great climbing frames, but they also contain hours of fun and entertainment.

Everything that used to reside on my bedside table has now been relegated to a shelf far out of little E's reach but I put it all back for a few seconds to take the following photos:






What Used to be on my bedside table:

What to Expect in the First Year- The follow up to What to expect when you're expecting.

Chanel- The Legend and The Life by Justine Picardie. Until we move, little E is still sharing a room with us which makes night time reading impossible unless it's on an iPad. This book has been sitting there for a while and I can't wait to read it.

Ipad- I am a bit of an insomniac and reading has always helped me to switch off at night, I don't know where I'd be without my Kindle App!

Little Miss Lucky- E's bedtime reading.


Aveda Hand Relief - Seriously, who thinks up these names!! A friend bought this for me while I was pregnant as I had really dry skin. It's great because it keeps a barrier on your skin even after you've washed your hands

Sudocrem- this is actually mine not my daughters and it's brilliant for getting rid of blemishes.

Aveda Blue Oil- I suffer from headaches and migraines and this works wonders if I apply it to my temples and the back of my neck. Brilliant for pregnant ladies who aren't able to use pain relief.

Dentinox- For little E's nighttime teething emergencies.

The Bodyshop Lavender Oil- a few drops of this on my pillow not only smells gorgeous but helps me nod off.

Korres Guava Lip Butter- I love Korres products because they are totally natural and of course they are Greek!! ( Gotta do my bit for the Economy there!)

Water Bobble- I loved my Water Bobble until Mr Jones decided it needed sterilising. Unfortunately it kinda melted and has never been the same since :(

So..... ...
What's on your bedside table?
 Honey's Mummy and I are dying to know!!! Please link up your posts using the Linky Tool below and don't forget to mention us in your post


xxxx

Pretty.Little.Things- Funky Footwear

Last Friday, two little tweets came my way from Vikki @ Love From Mummy and Lisa Hollybobbs which absolutely made my day. Those little tweets told me that my photo of little E and her comforter actually won last week's Pretty.Little.Things. So here we are displaying our 'I am a pretty little thing' badge with pride.




This week's Theme is Funky Footwear and being the shoeholic that I am I couldn't wait to put this post together. Everyone warned me not to bother buying shoes for my daughter until she was ready to walk and miraculously, I somehow resisted! Little E is just about able to stand up without holding on, for a few seconds. So, before we know it we're going to be shopping for shoes, Baby Bloch and Vivienne Westwood Mini Melissa's here we come........

She just about fits in to these cute Small Paul shoes bought by her Godfather, but they didn't stay on long before she tore them off.



And here's little E checking out her inheritance :)


2.7.12

Belated Fathers Day Casetagram

I came across Casetagram iphone covers a few weeks ago and it just seemed like the perfect gift for Fathers Day. Unfortunately Fathers Day had long gone by the time this case arrived ( it took aaaaages, due to a mix up) but I still managed to score major brownie points with Mr Jones, he absolutely LOVES it.



The brilliant thing about Casetagrams is that they are all totally unique, no one else will have the same cover as you. All you have to do is log in to the website using your Instagram name and you then select the photos for the cover from your feed.

I also had another one made for my sister who is very  in to photography. And here comes the one thing I dislike about Casetagrams.... the fact that unless you set your Instagram account to private everyone can see the photos your uploading which a) almost spoiled the surprise and b) made me feel like I was invading my sisters privacy by uploading her pics on Instagram, so I wish there was another, more private way to upload photos.


You can now get Casetagrams for the iPad, I would SO get one but I'm not sure that it would fit my now vintage, iPad 1. I have been having a look at other ways to print your instagrams and stumbled across Instacanv.as I will definitely be getting some of these printed if and when we ever move in to our new home....

P.S. If you need your Casetagram for a special occasion, order it in plenty of time. They are made overseas and take a while to deliver.

1.7.12

Apps Baby!!

Quite a while back, I wrote a post about my Baby Travel Essentials which included a section on our favourite apps to keep little ones entertained during a long flight. Since then, loads of my mama friends have been asking me for more and more app recommendations so I thought it was high time I wrote another post on them.

Aside from the Peekaboo Trilogy ( Peekaboo BarnPeekaboo Wild and Peekaboo Forest) which are still firm favourites. Here are our top three baby apps which can be used on both the iphone and the ipad:


1. Peekaboo Baby Touch by Ladybird

This one maybe just maybe just might topple Peekaboo barn in the popularity stakes right now!  It has four different games, Peekaboo vehicles, sea, animals and farm.With plenty of bright and engaging animations, this fab app kept my little one entertained during a long and stuffy taxi journey last week.




2. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Shapes and Colours.


The best thing about this app is that it's totally free!!! And, as with most fisher price toys, it manages to keep babies entertained whilst introducing them to basic shapes and colours.
One small tip for parents, keep the volume on low for level 1, the noise this app makes is simply migraine inducing!!! You have been warned.....





3. Mog the Forgetful Cat

This app, based on the classic children's book, is Mr Jones' current favourite. Whilst at 10 months, little E is still far to young to understand what is being read to her, this is a great way to introduce her to the concept bedtime stories, especially if we're travelling should we forget to pack any books.
By far my favourite feature of this app is option to film or record yourself reading the story, Mr J will still be able to read little E her bedtime story even though he may be the other side of the world on a business trip.







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