So much fun was had by my bestie and I on Saturday. I haven’t laughed so much in a long time and we got up to the most ridiculous things (don’t drink and tweet kids).

Highlights included S singing down the telephone to my husband and me eating chips and dip off her wooden floor (we is classy birds).

Good times but THANK GOD we only meet up every few months!!

This was my outfit, I wanted to keep it pretty casual as we were having lunch and then heading to a nearby pub for drinks.

• Lace Crop Top – Dunnes £3/ £5 (can’t recall) sale
• Pastel Pink Hanky Hem Button Vest – New Look £8
• Denim Shorts – New Look £10 sale
• Black ribbon threaded pumps – Faith (past season)

I was determined to incorporate a little of the underwear as outwear trend, so I paired an over-sized vest with a lace crop top and undid the first few buttons to expose some bra/ boobage. I have to admit I wasn’t sure about it but I think the dense lace pattern keep it from being too tarty…… maybe….. not

Make-up was a real rush job, basically LM Tinted Moisturiser, Nars Outlaw Blush and Urban Decay “Mushroom” e/s from the Alice Palette <3

Lips were a combination of two Rituals products that I’m totally in love with and will do a more in depth review of shortly.

What did you get up this weekend? Any high jinx? xox

So far this year I’ve had 2 Evening Filler Invites to weddings. Lets not kid ourselves here, as a night guest you’re there to make the dance floor look a bit busier and in turn the bride and groom popular. Basically you’re not that well known (or perhaps even liked) by the couple to warrant getting your dinner bought…

So can I really be arsed decking myself out from head to toe in Coast or Zara for such an occasion? Eh no…. but I certainly don’t mind paying £26!! in Dunnes and £4 for a matching bracelet.

I honestly thought the price was wrong because the shape and fit is so amazing! It basically shows off the good bits and conceals the bad! Now that’s my kinda frock!!

I must also sheepishly admit to buying this swimsuit purely so I can pretend I’m the Special K girl….

Have a good weekend folks, whatever you get up to. I’m getting a day pass from being Mum tomorrow and heading for a boozy lunch with my bestie. Hooray!!

xox

These Alice in Wonderland “Tea Time” earrings from Claire’s (£4) were just one of my many purchases.

I was delighted to find them as I’ve been lusting after many similar ones online. However I was reluctant to spend big money on what is unarguably a passing fad.

At 31!!!!! I’m not sure how wise it is to wear “novelty” jewellery but…. meh, they’re so small and dainty I think I get away with them just fine.

In fact I wore them out along with my New Look Lingerie dress for dinner last night and thought they looked really cute. Especially with my hair down, as you only get a little flash of them now and again! OOoooer Matron!

Isn’t it an awful name tho?….  I’m far from prudish but when someone asks me what gloss I’m wearing I literally shrivel at the thought of declaring that it is in fact “snog”.

Once you get past the shit name this really is a winner of a lip gloss, and quite unique in the current drugstore market. I’m all for a bit of glitter in my cosmetics but it’s really really overdone right now. This does have subtle shimmer but it is very finely milled.

On the lip you’ll notice the lovely rose hue and slick finish before any glitter.

It’s also very “snog” friendly in that it’s probably the least sticky lip gloss I’ve ever come across. The husband approves.

Of course the low level of stick means it really doesn’t last that long and re-application is frequent. Personally this hasn’t ever bothered me that much because it tastes so darn good too. Fruity but not sickly. Win

RRP £4.49 (but frequently on 3 for 2 offers or £1 off)

xox

Well….. there are obviously a few crazies still checking in because that’s a big part of the reason I’m back.

Thank you so much to all the lovely people who have been mailing me and messaging me asking me to restart the blog. I’m not sure why but the past week I’ve had 3 requests alone, so thank you, all of you.

I honestly didn’t think it would be missed amongst the absolute WEALTH of beauty blogs there now is, but I’m so pleased that it has been. When I stopped I honestly thought my beauty blogging had come to a natural end, but since New Year I’ve REALLY missed it too!

Let normal service resume, refreshed and resolute!

xo

I just couldn’t resist buying these two ridiculously glittery nail polishes from Sally’s.

The O.P.I Holiday Collection is just gorgeous, especially “Dear Santa” which is a tomato red sparkly number. However it was “Smitten with Mittens” that won me over. It has a deeper red hue laced with gold glitter, a tad more sophisticated (well as much as a glitter bomb varnish can be…) and wearable.

I also couldn’t leave China Glaze Emerald Sparkle sitting on its a lonesome. It seems this little bottle didn’t manage to find a home in Winter 2008. I’m going to try and show it some love, perhaps in the form of some Christmas themed tacky nail art incorporating Smitten with Mittens….

xox

First up, jewellery. I LOVE when Topshop have a jewellery sale as the reductions are nearly always 50% – 75%
That said, just because its a bargain doesn’t mean I should buy all the shit of the day. So initially I do tend to go a bit crazy grabbing everything in sight.

Then I take my haul to a mirror and try everything on (necklaces/ bangles/ rings) and hold earrings up to get an idea. Just by doing this I normally manage to whittle it down from about 12 pieces to 4 or 5…… ish

First up are two pair of heart earrings. Hearts are very “me”. I am very in touch with my feelings and a massive romantic. I’ve had my heart broken many times but I’d rather that than never having known what it’s like to fall in love…. So hearts make me smile

The stud silver pair were £5 down to £2, and the woven gold danglies were £7 down to £2

Then I got a bunch of silver bangles. I’ve been wearing a lot of gold over the summer, but my preference from young has always been silver. I thought these would come in useful over the festive season. £12 down to £2. Bargaintastic!!

And finally a sweet little owl, star and moon necklace. This wasn’t reduced but inexpensive anyway at £6. I bought this to wear with my Winter Coat from New Look as the owl has lovely emerald coloured eyes. Too cute!

Clothes wise the ultimate bargain was unearthed in my local British Heart Foundation Charity Shop. It may not be to everyone’s taste, but I practically squealed when I found this dress nestling in the rails. It is a velvet & lace vintage “Kays Catalogue” Bodycon dress. I’m too embarrassed to say what they were asking for it, but needless to say I rounded it up to a more acceptable amount to donate to charity.

To be fair, lying flat/ on the hanger it doesn’t “really” look anything special but…

when it’s on, I feel super sexy. I adore any kind of open or low back. This dips down in a very deep lace covered V. LOVE IT!!!

Last but not least I caved in and bought a pair of super tight sequin leggings.

I’ve hmmed and haaed over these a couple of times. Do I really need them? Am I not a bit old to be wearing sequins on my legs at 30? But at the end of the day, I just thought fuck it. Life’s too short.

Now… when I’ll actually get to wear them is another matter. When I do though I’m thinking I’ll pair them under a nice long jumper dress/ tee. Keep it all quite simple and let the sequins do the talking? Any suggestions would be great!

So thats it from me for now, I’m off to stick a white wash on….. oh the glamourous life I lead

xox

Recently I’ve really wised up and put the foot down. I dread to think of the hundreds (maybe thousands eeek) I’ve wasted on make-up that I thought looked gorgeous on a computer monitor/ in a bottle/ on a sticker!?!  but of course is actually completely different IRL.

I’ve no one to blame but myself. Testers are everywhere. Granted some of the high end counters can be “funny” (and no, not in the haha way) about giving them out. However I’ve come to the conclusion that if a sales assistant truly believes the product is as good as she is claiming, then she won’t blink twice at giving you a sample. After all, logically you’ll be back to purchase the full size bottle/ shadow/ cream etc.

This has worked really well for me recently. Estee Lauder in particular displayed excellent customer service by refusing to foundation match me on a dull day under artificial lights in Debenhams, Belfast. Instead she gave me generous samples of both the shades she felt I would fall into and told me to “try them, and see how they wear for you in the next few days”I did exactly that, and went back just under a week later and bought the full size from her. Now that’s smart business.

The other place where you can perhaps “try before you buy” a little more freely is of course your local Boots/ Superdrug. Not all of them provide wipes to remove said testers from the back of your hands tho, so my advice is to carry a travel size pack in your handbag.

I can spend over an hour in my local Superdrug and I don’t have any pushy MA looking over my shoulder, trying to force a sale. I swatch and wipe, swatch and wipe. If I try something I like, I leave the store, go do something else (….shopping!!) and then re-evaluate an hour or so later. Does the colour still look good? Has it worn off? Is it creasing? A lot of the times it will look rubbish and I’ll have saved myself £5 – £12 ish. Not to be sniffed at in the current economic climate!

The most recent example of victory for the “try before you buy” thinking was yesterday. GOSH cosmetics have a whole new smokey collection in Superdrug. Part of which is the stunning “Night Passion” Nail Polish you see below. Look how sumptiously gothic and rich it is in the bottle…..

Now look at my thumb nail…. not so beautifully black and beautiful looking is it? Granted the glitter shavings are lovely, and they really do catch the light. However the polish formulation is like dish water. I applied a second coat and it was little better. Needless to say I walked out without purchasing and £6 better off.

How utterly crap it actually is was confirmed again later that evening when I glanced down to see it all but chipped off! How disgusting is that colour? Yuck! Narrow escape.

So the moral of the story is “try before you buy” and if they refuse to let you try, chances are it’s probably a bit rubbish anyway! xox

We stayed in one of the Deluxe King Rooms and it really was a treat. Huge room, (decorated more modern than my own personal taste), but really very appealing all round. I wish I’d taken a picture of the large bathroom. Separate bath and a 2 person shower ooooeerrrr!

The wedding ceremony itself was held in The Phantom House which is a quaint stone outbuilding within the estate. Claire & Stuart (the happy couple) had made sure the Halloween atmosphere was felt throughout by clever use of candles, apples, lanterns and pumpkins. It was truly something very different and special

Claire herself made a stunning bride in a silver wedding dress, and converse with Bride printed on the back of them. Too cute and very unique.

For the ceremony and reception I wore a Maggy London frock that I had picked up in TK Maxx (Size 12 Eeeeeeeee), Mini Top Hat Fascinator from New Look and Blingtastic Office Shoes (pic doesn’t do them justice at all).

Matthew looked dapper in a M&S Limited Edition suit, M&S Shirt and Florence+Fred Tie

After the reception meal was the evening entertainment (fancy dress was optional but hey you don’t need to ask us twice!) It was sooo funny, even the Mother of the Bride dressed up. The craic was truly mighty!!

Hope you had an enjoyable Halloween/ weekend in your part of the universe xox

Not just cute, beyond practical too! I have very thick hair, a comb is about as useful to me as a chocolate teapot. This ickle Denman is a miniature version of its big sister which I already <3 and has zero issues attacking my windswept barnet.

I purchased mine in Gordon’s Chemist for £1.95

xox

xox

However I’ve learned a lot about my skin, hair and make-up over the past few years. One of those things being that I need to pay high end prices for the kind of flawless finish I’ve come to love from a foundation. On the flipside though I also now know that drugstore brands offer comparable if not superior lipsticks and eyeshadows for a lot less ker-ching.

Recently I came across a fine example of this. Boots Natural Collection “Pink Mallow Moisture Shine Lippy at £1.95 and their “Turkish Delight” Juicy Lips Gloss £1.95.

Cheap as chips.

I’ve looked at these many times but never purchased, convinced that the product quality would be in line with the price. However while out in Belfast on Sunday I had a lip emergency. I had left the house wearing YSL Rouge Volupte in Lingerie Pink, but neglected to put it in my handbag for touch ups. After around half an hour in town it was all but worn off. I adore YSL lippys but their staying power is monumentally rubbish.

So I hot footed my naked little lip smackers to the nearest Boots for a cheap rescue remedy. Pink Mallow looked pretty, Turkish Delight smelt yummy, and they weren’t about to break the bank… Sold!

As I holed up in a corner of Castlecourt to apply I was immediately struck by how moisturising the lipstick felt, I was able to apply a few generous swipes without caking or creasing (a problem I face with many MAC & Illamasqua lipsticks). I applied Turkish Delight over the top and felt it had just the right amount of stickiness, without being overly wet or sloppy. There is a fruity taste/ scent but its certainly not over-powering or sickening.

Fast forward THREE HOURS of heavy weight shopping later and this little lip combo was holding fast. I actually only needed to reapply after four hours, and that was because I had eaten. I’ve been wearing this combo daily since, and I am beyond impressed. If you like MAC Angel but find it just that little bit too cool toned against your skin, then I urge you to give Pink Mallow a go.

It’s a winner!

xox

Probably the most hated woman in the UK right now, but what can I say except……. I’ve always quite liked her *shrug*

So I was very chuffed that (under the cover of darkness) Matt bought me her latest “style” book.

Now…. I’m not for one minute saying that I want to dress like or emmulate Katie… FAR from it. However she does hold a certain fascination for me, I like looking at her dramatic over-the-top make-up and dragesque sequinned outfits. She entertains me

Anyone else secretly harbouring a copy? xox

What am I “tee-hee” ing at? It was actually the realisation that I was standing in a sea of books and cables, thats what you sign up to when you marry a geek

• Angora Mix Oversized 80’s Jumper (Heart & Soul) – New Look
• Black Ski Pants – George @ Asda
• 3/4 Bikeresque Boots – Peacocks

Such a find, these boots are really inexpensive, especially with Peacocks generous 20% discount! They fill the gap that I had in the 3/4 length boot department, and are reasonably comfortable too.

My Make-up today…. all about the pink

Face

Revlon Colormatch in Light
Benefit Boi-ing in 2
MAC Tippy Blush

Eyes

MAC’s Girlie, Expensive Pink & Cranberry e/s
MAC Mulch e/s to blend out the crease

Lips

Stila Lip Glaze

Hope everyone’s having a good weekend!

xox

I come over all lily-livered when me glass eye fell upon this Jolly Roger booty! Arrrrrr!

They be just 3 Great Gold British Dubloons!

xox

She said “Arlene is a breath of fresh air and I absolutely love her blog posts and her lovely accent ”

Now I’m not one for displaying award tags normally, I think it’s a bit silly to celebrate “best lay-out” etc, however if my blog causes someone to break a smile that’s definitely worth boasting about!

So I accept my award with pride Dottie, and it definitely made me when I read it xx

Rules
- You have to put a song that makes you happy.
- You can tag as many people as you like, there is no limit.
- Say at least one thing about each blog you tag, that will make them smile, something nice about their blog that makes you smile when you read it!

So below is a song that always makes me smile….. I sing along and I never fail to get my groove on

I’d like to award Marie of http://marie-loves.blogspot.com/ because she’s a really down to earth girl with a varied blog, who’s not afraid to send herself up for a bit of a laugh, and even though I’ve never met her in real life I can hear her thick Scottish brogue in my head as I read her hilarious posts.

xoxo

This week I’ve been asked to choose one of the people from Edward Hoppers Nighthawks Painting and write about them. Anyone and anything I like, just a little fictional story about their life and how they happened to be in Phillie’s that night.

I like this kind of work, writing without constraint is just plain ole good fun

I think I know who I’m going to go with, but my question is who would you pick, and what would be the rough outline of your story?

xox

Alas they are just too expensive in my opinion.

It’s a good thing I didn’t bite the bullet and buy one, because today I remembered, from some depth in my 30 year old brain that I was bought something distinctly “keyish” for my 18th birthday. I thought perhaps I was imagining it, after all we are talking 12 years ago…… but the more I thought about it the more sure I became.

Now I have a shed-load of costume jewellery, and a very small but much loved “fine jewellery” collection. I knew I hadn’t seen it in there and so the now frantic search expanded into the attic.

I searched through all my boxes and books (I’ve kept a diary from around age 10 and I still have them all), penpal correspondence, and it was then I saw it. A little tin, and inside was all my dreams come true.

I don’t know how I forgot (well likely cos it wasn’t all that trendy back in 1997) but my mum had had a necklace made for my 18th birthday. A solid silver chain and solid silver heart keyring, which a Belfast Jeweller soldered a loop onto so that it might become a pendant!

Voilá

Tiffany Keys?! Pah! You can keep ‘em!

I have a one off

xox