prettypetitepoppy

What to Wear: St. Patrick's Day

2012-03-15T20:53:00.001Z

Ahhhh St. Patrick's Day, the day everybody wants to be Irish! Sometimes it can be hard to decide what to wear, so I've put together a day time and night time outfit that steers clear of any tacky 'Kiss Me I'm Irish" paraphernalia!

Jeans**Hat**Blazer**Clutch**Shoes**Top

This is my daytime look, suitable for chilling in town watching the parade or going for a spot of lunch. I know Saturday is promised cold and showery (What, in Ireland? Now that's a shock!) so I've thrown in a woolly hat for good measure! This is the perfect occasion to wear bright coloured skinnies that are in all the shops at the moment and I know that I'll be rocking my bright green pair from Vero Moda. I absolutely love this combination of mint green and blush pink! ♥♥♥

Necklace**Earrings**Clutch**Shoes**Dress

Now onto my night time look where I've gone for a classic dark green dress. I adore this colour and need to inject more of it into my wardrobe! You could easily team bright colour accessories with this look if you want to rock some colour blocking, but I've kept the accessories nude and muted for this look so as not to distract from the beautiful emerald colour. How cool is this necklace? Well it is a Holy Day after all!

I'm afraid I won't get to see any parades as I will be coming back up from a wedding on Saturday morning. I'm hoping to "drown the shamrock" with a few friends in the pub in the evening while we watch the rugby and hopefully see Ireland slaughter England! Will you be celebrating St. Patrick's Day wherever you are in the world? What are your plans?

All together now....With a shillelagh in me ear and some shamrock up me nose, I'll be off to Connemara in the morn-in'!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!

30 Day Shred: Days 3 & 4

2012-03-15T20:53:00.000Z

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DAY 3: LEVEL 1

My legs were definitely the sorest they've been today. Once again I struggled at work with the pain. I struggled again in the same spots during the workout. I still haven't managed the advanced push up and I'm not sure if I will. I've never been able to do them properly! Squats really got to me today and I even found the sit ups got to me. I was a sweaty mess when the 20 minutes were up! All my good intentions to go for a run went out the window. I'm mad at myself that I haven't ran since Sunday, but maybe it's best to build up strength in my legs first.

DAY 4: LEVEL 1:

When I woke up this morning, I barely had any aching in my legs. FINALLY!! I thought it was going to be there forever. I still haven't managed to get through the jumping jacks/skipping rope repetition without having to stop for a couple of seconds but I endured it for that bit longer today. I'm not sure if I found the workout a little bit easier today or if it's just that I know what's coming and I'm mentally prepared for it. Either way, I'm finding that the 20 minutes fly.

I'm not going to get to shred on Saturday and possibly Sunday, and combined with two days of drinking, I'm worried that it's going to put me back at square one the next day I do it....time will tell I guess! On a side note, I go through phases of eating breakfast and for the last year or so I had got into the habit of eating a cereal bar and a piece of fruit around 10am (after being up since 7:45) and I'd be starving within the hour, consequently snacking more throughout the day. So this week when I started the shred, I've been having a small bowl of porridge at 8am and I haven't felt hungry until nearly midday, therefore eating less as the day goes on. I also find I'm not hungry for hours after I do the shred.

I've created a Fitness Inspiration board on Pinterest to keep me motivated!

Kate Middleton: Style Icon or Queen's Protégé?

2012-03-14T22:23:00.001Z

Photos 1, 2.

This piece was originally posted by me on Studenty

Every little girl dreams of becoming a princess. Living in a castle, all the beautiful dresses you can dream of and of course, marrying a handsome prince. Little less than a year ago, Kate Middleton lived out this fairytale for all the prying eyes of the world to see when she wed Prince William in a lavish, breathtaking and televised ceremony. But is being a princess all that it’s cracked up to be, or is it really just a fairytale?

When it comes down to it, it seems to me that being the Duchess of Cambridge isn’t quite as glamorous as it sounds. Personally, I don’t think I’d like to be separated from my husband for long periods of time while he is deployed to various parts of the world, or having to spend so much time on my own hanging out with his Granny and Granddad. Although, as bad as all that is, the thing that would completely send me over the edge is the fact that said Granny is dictating what I wear! That’s a step too far in my book!

However, last week it appears that Kate Middleton chose to ignore The Queen’s stellar advice to “keep her hemlines low” when they stepped out together for a royal engagement in Leicester regarding the upcoming Queen’s Jubilee tour and Kate donned a dark teal skirt. Nonetheless there was outcry as, SHOCK HORROR, Kate flashed a bit of thigh not once, but twice as she exited the limo and as she bent down to accept flowers from a young boy. The skirt reached just above her knee and to me, looked classy and elegant, but apparently this flash of skin is not acceptable for a member of the royal family.

So it got me wondering, does Kate Middleton have innate style, or is the way she dresses completely influenced by the protocol that comes with being the Duchess of Cambridge? There is no denying she has become a style icon when we see the pieces she wears, whether high street or designer, selling out in a matter of minutes. From the photos of her days in college with Prince William we can see that apart from a dodgy knee high boots with a glittery green halter neck combination and of course that now iconic see through dress she wore in a fashion show that made her Prince sit up and pay attention, Kate has always been elegant and respectable. She quickly transitioned from floaty tea dresses with structured blazers to floor length gowns and coat dresses and she has no problem pulling off items below the knee with her long and slender legs.

Critics may say some of her choices are too safe, but to me her style is not only age appropriate, but also classic and graceful. It can’t be easy to be constantly judged by the masses, try to please the in-laws and still stay true to her individual style. She is an exceptional role model when it comes to dressing like a lady and I think it would be no harm if girls in their teens and twenties paid heed to the Queens advice to “keep the hemlines” low.

What do you think of Kate Middleton's style? Do you feel she would dress differently if she wasn't a member of the Royal Family?

30 Day Shred: Day 2

2012-03-13T17:16:00.000Z

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DAY 2: LEVEL 1

My legs were in absolute agony all morning, especially my big 'ol thighs. I pretty much spent the day shuffling around work as it hurt to lift my legs off the ground! You should have seen me trying to walk down the stairs, I was literally gripping the hand rail and walking down sideways going "Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Also bending down to bottom shelves was a killer, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get back up!

Needless to say I was dreading doing Day 2 of the 30 Day Shred when I got home from work as I wasn't sure if my poor legs could manage it. I was actually surprised at how much they loosened up in the warm up! I found the transition from jumping jacks to skipping rope and back again the hardest part again today, if not harder than yesterday, and I was nearly crying with the agony in my thighs. Also, anything involving squatting burned like hell. My legs do feel a lot looser now than before I did today's session though. I used two bottles of water as my weights today but I doubt I'll feel anything in my arms from them tomorrow. I'm actually surprised at myself, as I thought the abs exercises would hurt me the most but I'm finding them quite manageable and although I can feel a little knot in my stomach muscles, it's not too bad!

God knows what my legs will feel like tomorrow but I'm ready to face Day 3! Also intending to go for another run tomorrow evening if I'm still anyways mobile.

I'm running with wolves and I'm on the prowl...

2012-03-12T21:36:00.003Z

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Well hello people!

So you may or may not have noticed that I took a two week break from the internet there! It was actually nice to come home from work and avoid my laptop completely! I think it's healthy to take a break from technology from time to time and boy was it nice not to see a gazillion similar posts about beauty boxes on my dashboard! Anyway, my friend Heather was visiting from Canada for a week so I had some great nights out with her and some other friends, and last week I just couldn't find the time to even think about blogging. I'm back now though!

Yesterday, Sunday, I did something completely out of character. I got up early and went for a run. I have never in my life done that before. Let me rewind a bit. When I was younger I did Irish Dancing so was quite fit from that, but gave it up towards the end of Primary school. In the early years of Secondary school I played some basketball stopped after second year for no particular reason (except I'm 5 foot 2 and at the time didn't have contacts, so it didn't really work!). I spent my PE classes in the latter years of school with my teacher roaring at me and my best friend Mandy to stop chatting at the end of the field and run after what ever ball we were meant to be playing with that day!! (Sorry Mr. Boland!) I did walk absolutely everywhere for pretty much all my life though, which kept me trim but not exactly fit.

I would say the fittest I've ever been was the year I spent travelling. Being on a backpackers budget meant that public transport wasn't really an option and if you have a big city to explore, you have no choice but to spend hours walking to get to certain destinations. Couple that with hiking to glorious views and a lot of swimming, when the year was up I was as fit as a fiddle!

I've always maintained in or around the same weight and measurements, but in the last six months and in particular the last month, I have put on a little over a stone and my measurements have gotten that bit bigger. I know that it has come from the zero exercise and the increase in takeaways I've consumed. Essentially I feel so sluggish and generally unhealthy and unfit and it's starting to make me unhappy. So I've made the decision to do something about it.

So yesterday morning, I pulled on my €15 Aldi runners (I couldn't justify spending a fortune on something so ugly and I reckon they'll serve me just fine), grabbed Aidan and we went out to the local beach in Salthill and hit the promenade. I did a combination of walking and running for 45 minutes, and to be fair, there was a lot more walking! For the short bursts I did run, I thought my chest and legs were going to seize up completely. Lads,if you saw me at the end of it, my face so red and puffy and covered in sweat, you would have fallen over laughing at me! I was so envious of all the of the runners overtaking me (more than once) without even breaking a sweat, but I'm not gonna lie, I felt kinda proud of myself after it, just for taking that first step. Jesus did my legs kill today though!

Then today I decided to take it up a notch. I'm serious about this thing. . .I'm going to do Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. In the past I have seen bloggers mention it and how hard it is, but never really paid much heed. Until today. For those of you who haven't heard of Jillian Michaels, she's a trainer on the Biggest Loser and she takes no sh*t!! She's an absolute demon! Her DVD contains three intense levels that you're meant to work your way through in 30 days. The main areas I want to work on are my abs, bum and thighs so this DVD is perfect for me. So here goes. . .

DAY 1: LEVEL 1

Now there is a lot of weight training in this DVD and at the moment I don't have any weights so I know I'm not getting the workout to it's full potential but as my arms aren't really a problem area, I'm not overly worried. I still do the movements, just without the weights. My legs were killing me from the run yesterday so even before the end of the warm up I was in serious pain!! The hardest part for me was going from the jumping jacks to the skipping rope and back again, my calves felt like they were going to explode. It was a tough 20 minutes, and I felt like giving up a few times but I powered through and seriously worked up a sweat. There's no point pretending, IT IS HARD, and this was only day 1!! Right now my legs are like jelly and I'm dreading how they are going to feel in the morning, but all in all I'm feeling really positive and I'm kind of looking forward to doing it again tomorrow (I may not feel that way in the morning though when I can't walk!)

Briefly, in other news, I'm off to a wedding on Friday, I have a job interview next Wednesday that I'm kacking myself about because I really want to get out of where I am now, and I'm off to Edinburgh for a few days in April, which I'm beyond excited about! Oh and as I am currently reading The Hunger Games and absolutely loving it, I thought I'd stick this in for the lolz. . .

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Thanks to anyone who has actually read this far down the post, that was a bit of a ramble! If anyone has done or is doing the 30 Day Shred at the moment, I'd love to know how your finding it? Or if there's any runners out there with some words of encouragement let me know! Right, I've been typing this with my legs crossed and I think I may cry a little when I try to undo them =/ Wish me luck!

No light, No light....

2012-02-24T12:56:00.003Z

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This is what I would love to spend my weekend at but I don't think the weather will co-operate! Proper Spring days can't get here quick enough...feck off rain! I'm really looking forward to just chillaxing with the boy this weekend and pottering around lovely Galway. As I mentioned before, my friend Heather from Canada is coming for a visit as of Sunday, so I may be MIA next week, but I'm not sure what our plans are as of yet! Oh, I set up a pretty*petite*poppy facebook page this week, so if you want to have a nosy and hit like you can do so here. I'm not sure what I'll use it for exactly, but it'll be updated with recent posts from the blog and other random things I come across. Also you can follow me on Bloglovin here. Enjoy your weekend y'all! X

The BRIT Awards 2012. . .

2012-02-22T17:51:00.000Z

Last night saw the celebs hit the red carpet once again for the BRIT Awards. When I think about the BRIT awards, it always brings me back to the 'Oasis or Blur' debate of the mid 90's. Ah, them were the days, waiting to see who got the most pissed at the ceremony and what kind of new rift would be sparked between them. Nowadays I'm more interested in what the stars are wearing. Speaking of Blur, did anyone else notice last night they looked like they had just stepped out of 1996?

Here's a few of my favourite frocks. Although Jessie J's sheer red number didn't leave much to the imagination, I loved that she took a risk and I think she looked stunning. I loved her hair as well and that she moved away from her usual blunt bob. Holly Willoughbooby certainly got it right and lived up to her nickname with this plunging neckline. I love the peplum detail on her hips. Adele's red carpet dress wasn't very dissimilar to her Grammy's gown but I much preferred the dress she wore for her performance. I do wish she would wear something other than black for a change.

I loved the colour of Kylie's dress, on a night where a lot of singers chose red or black. I'm not a big fan of the style of the dress though. I liked Lana Del Ray's dress but it didn't blow me away and her acceptance speech cemented the fact that I can not stand her. Florence Welch stayed true to her usual ethereal style in a peach number but in certain light it was hard to distinguish the dress from her pale skin. It contrasted beautifully with her ruby locks.

Source of all photos

First time BRIT winners, One Direction looked very dapper in their suits in various shades of grey. Whoever is styling them is definitely getting a thumbs up from me! I loved the colour of will.i.am's shirt and his little white bow tie! He needs to lose the Madonna gloves though.

I was so so SO disappointed with the outfit choices for Little Mix. Leigh Ann is dressed like she's in her forties and they just looked so mismatched together. Bring back they're cute original style! When I first saw Rihanna's dress I loved it, but the more I see it in photographs, I hate it. Especially the long brown leather evening gloves. Gaaaaaaaaggg. As for Pixie Lott, this dress creates an odd silhouette and does her no favours. She's gone down in my style estimations of late.

Next up is the Oscars at the weekend, red carpet heaven! What were your favourite outfits from last night?

Check out my BRITS piece for Studenty here.

Lust List 008. . .Forever 21 Edition

2012-02-21T18:35:00.000Z

Birds Blouse ** Polka Dot Tee ** Owl Tee ** Geometric Top ** Chambray Shirt ** Guns N' Roses Top ** Blazer ** Shorts ** Hearts Skirt ** Floral Plaid Skirt ** Bag ** Necklace

I want all these pretty items from Forever 21. There is only one Forever 21 store in Ireland and it's in Dublin so I never really get to go there. In fact I've only been once! I could have spent hours in there, they have so much gorgeous stuff and all in my price range. Has anyone ever ordered from their website? I'm a bit scared to chance it as I'm unsure of their sizing. Hmmmm maybe I'll take the plunge someday soon as I really am lusting after the above pretties. I'll let ye know if I do! I hope everyone's week is going good so far, I'm off to make my first ever batch of pancakes with nutella filling! HAPPY PANCAKE DAY!!! Nom nom nom.....

Post Weekend Post. . .

2012-02-20T17:28:00.000Z

Blouse: Penney's

Jeans: Tesco

Shoes: Penneys

Ring: Penneys

Nails: Barry M Blueberry Ice-cream

(Apologies for the awful picture quality on the second shot, my camera isn't great without the flash dammit!)

Friday night dinner in Eddie Rockets

My gorgeous new blazer from Dunnes

I am so so sooooo bad at Temple Run :(

Lambs at home in Roscommon #FarmersDaughter

Another weekend over! Arrggghh I can't believe the second month of the year is nearly through! I had a lovely, albeit quick weekend! Myself and Aidan had a little date night on Friday and ate in Eddie Rockets. Do they have Eddie Rockets outside of Ireland? I'm not sure....well for those who've never heard of it, it's a cute little fifties style diner, with big red leather booths with individual jukeboxes and the yummiest burgers. I spent Saturday back in Roscommon, catching up with my family and I got to see my little niece Jazmin, she always puts a smile on my face!

A beautiful evening in Galway City

When I arrived back in Galway on Sunday the weather was pure Spring weather, sunny with a chill in the air. I love it. I took a walk out to NUIG as Aidan is working on the new Research building out there and he wanted me to have a look at it. God, the college has changed so much since I went there, it made me feel old! Then we took a stroll along the Long Walk and listened to a bit of Trad in the local pub. It probably doesn't make for very exciting reading but it was a very relaxing weekend!

Did you get up to anything exciting?

I left the keys under the mat to our front door. . .

2012-02-17T12:56:00.000Z

Shirt: Penney's (Primark)

Skirt: H & M

Tights: Penney's (Primark)

I bought this shirt in Penney's just before Christmas and I love it, especially the ribbon tie on the neck. I saw it in burgundy the other day and was tempted to buy it but I'm trying to brighten up my wardrobe for Spring so I walked away! Realistically I should put myself on a shopping ban as I'm stony broke, but there's just soooo many pretty things in the shops at the mo = (

So what's the plan for the weekend people? I'm not working, so I'm heading home to Roscommon to check in with le familie and to celebrate one of my friends birthdays. I'm so glad that it's finally Friday. I've spent all week thinking it's been a day later than it actually is, so the week has dragged!Every day that passes I get more excited though, as my friend Heather from Canada arrives for a visit on the 26th!

I shall be listening to mostly this and this song over the weekend.

If you get a chance, check out my latest post for Studenty here.

Well I hope you all have a lovely weekend, whatever you get up to!

Hair Envy. . .

2012-02-16T17:14:00.000Z

All photos from weheartit and pinterest

If you follow me on Pinterest, you will have seen my ever expanding board of Hair Envy. I decided to share a few pictures here on my blog because pretty hair makes me happy! As you can see, at the moment I am totally, madly, deeply in love with all sorts of curls, waves, messy buns and braids of all shapes and sizes, especially those with flowers woven through. When I'm running out the door for work, I normally just throw my hair up in a pony tail, but at weekends I like to try out few different styles. I used to always wear my hair straight (it's naturally straight) on night's out but lately I've been mixing it up a bit like here and here. I'm generally rubbish at doing fancy things with my hair, but these pics have inspired me to give some new styles a go.

Do you always wear your hair differently or stick to the one style?
You can follow me on Pinterest here.

The IFTA / BAFTA / Grammy goes to. . .

2012-02-14T20:49:00.000Z

This past weekend hosted three big award ceremonies in the showbiz world. The IFTA's, the BAFTA's and the Grammy Awards. I sat glued to the Red Carpet shows expecting luscious gowns galore, but to be honest I was left bitterly disappointed. There was just so many ill advised choices. But I won't dwell on the negative. Here's my pick of the best from the weekend.

My two favourites from the BAFTA's were Michelle Williams in a sleek and simple bespoke H&M gown. High Street on the red carpet?? Madness! The colour and cut of Fearne Cotton's Moschino dress is beautiful and the bow and bejellewed neckline add a nice touch. The style at our very own IFTA's disappointed me the most. I struggled to find two dresses that I liked. Dawn Porter gets it right with this black number and a sleek and shiny bob. Her arm candy ain't too bad either. I love this lime green Joanne Hynes dress on Ruth Negga. Not many people could pull off this colour but she wears it well.

For once it was the men who caught my eye for best dressed at this awards ceremony, with the gorgeous Michael Fassbender, Bressie and Chris O' Dowd coming out on top. I love how Chris opted for a three piece suit with a low waistcoat and a skinny tie, instead of a run of the mill tux.

L.A. hosted the Grammy Awards in a rather somber mood, due to the untimely death of Whitney Houston. A lot of stars chose to wear black as a mark of respect. Adele, who picked up SIX Grammy's looked absolutely stunning with her new shorter blonde bob and a red lip. I really like the simplicity of the black and gold combination that both Alicia Keys and Guiliana Rancic rocked on the red carpet. As for Rihanna, WOW!! That barely there Georgio Armani dress that she helped design certainly turned heads! It's not really my cup of tea but I can't deny she looks stunning and has a body to die for. Not too sure about the hair.

All photos from 1, 2.

Carrie Underwood looks elegant in a backless Gomez-Gracia gown, while Kate Beckinsale shows off her amazing legs in this draped Zuhair Murad dress. Adam Levine was my pick for best dressed man at this event. It's nice to see a bit of navy to break up the usual black parade. Taylor Swift also wore Zuhair Murad looking almost regal in gold. It was a fantastic choice and my pick of best dressed lady on the night.

Did you watch any of the award ceremonies? Were you disappointed overall like me? Who was your favourite?

Valentine's Nails and New Shoes

2012-02-13T20:08:00.000Z

Hello lads and ladies, how did the weekend treat you all? Mine was quiet enough as I was working Saturday.I had a few cheeky drinks on Sunday which was fun but always results in me being extra tired on a Monday morning. I used this new foundation yesterday and was so impressed with the coverage! Will definitely be doing an ELF review in the next week or two. Agh, I have to show you the gorgeous wedges I picked up in Penney's while I was waiting for Aidan to get his hair cut.

Aren't they so pretty? They were only €19 and they seem so comfy, I can't wait to wear them! Strangely, they're the first pair of wedges I'e purchased. I'm in love with this blush colour at the moment and I'm on the hunt for a reasonably inexpensive blush coloured blazer. I've seen a one or two that are €50 but that's a litle out of my budget. If anyone knows of any cheaper ones, please let me know!!

Here are my sad attempt at Valentine's nails, using Barry M Bright Pink. Right, I'm off to oogle the pretty dresses from all the awards ceremonies over the weekend. It's definitely an early night for me tonight!

Let me know what you got up to over the weekend!

Smile Inducing. . .

2012-02-09T16:24:00.000Z

customised shorts

aztec prints

red velvet

embellished collars

denim and floral print

2 Broke Girls

The Big Bang Theory (♥ Dr. SheldonCooper)

New Girl (♥ Schmidt)

David Beckham for H&M

planning Spring/Summer BBQ's

over-sized specs

grammar

truth

you said it, Peter

penguins mate for life

dreaming of a sunnier climate (read as: wondering will I get out to Australia this year)

coloured tips

Muppets invasion

mini Carl from Up!
All photos from weheartit.com

What sort of things are bringing a smile to your face these days?

Cupid's Chokehold. . .

2012-02-08T17:50:00.001Z

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll know that next Tuesday is Valentine's Day. Love it or hate it, there's no way of escaping it. I'm so sick of seeing all the typical cliche presents in the shops, that I decided to put together an alternative collection of presents that your significant other may appreciate that little bit more.

Firstly, this USB Mix Tape is the cutest idea to make a playlist of "your" songs for your beau. Another genius idea for the guy who's impossible to buy for, are these personalised Heineken bottles. Just go to the Heineken website, pick the bottle design you like and you can add a picture and a personal message. It costs €17.99 for a six pack, but the only down side is the cost of postage, which is a whopping €12. So this personalised football photo from giftsdirect.com isn't exactly romantic, but I know it would definitely put a smile on my man's face and hey, it shows I listen when he goes on (and ooooonnnn) about the football! I would actually love these Buzz Lightyear lounge pants for myself! River Island have a great selection of items with comic graphics on them if your fella is a comic geek.

Ok, I'm not sure if any guys read my blog, but ladies, you can always steer them in the right direction if anything here takes your fancy! Basically these are little bits that I would love to receive! Sometimes it's just as nice to get lots of little bits instead of one big pressie. I am ker-azy about these Love Heart items. How cute are the little egg cups with cosies?? Keeping on the food them, these breakfast items from Missguided are perfect for a Valentine's breakfast in bed. The weather lately totally calls for this adorable little hand warmer and wonderful flask (see what I did there?).

Although it's probably too late for delivery at this stage, check out Storeyshop for amazing laser cut cards. You can always keep them in mind next year and they do Birthdays and all other occasions too.

Personally, myself and Aidan don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. I know people may disagree with me, but I don't need a specific day to express how I feel about him. I much prefer to buy him a little card and gift on a day he doesn't expect it. Will you be celebrating Valentine's? Are you a fan of big bouquets of roses or do you prefer a gift with a lot of thought behind it?

The drivers up in your face, like can I see your bus pass. . .

2012-02-06T17:36:00.000Z

Hello lovelies,

Just a quick post on what I got up to at the weekend. As I said on Friday, I was taking a trip across to Naas to for a late birthday celebration. There is only five days between my best friend Mandy and I, so we always have some kind of a joint party. It was so great catching up with all my friends. I really wish I got to see them more often, but sometimes life just gets in the way!

I wore my pink ASOS dress (although the colour blind boys kept calling it red!) and being the clumsy clown that I am, I kept spilling drink down the front, so it was the hair dryer to the rescue on a few occasions to avoid looking cider stained in photos! The lovely Aine made us cupcakes with D's and M's on them, such a sweetie!

We got a nice surprise when Mandy's boyfriend produced this cake out of the car for us, we were properly spoilt! So glad that I managed to get a group photo of all us girls (although poor Grace couldn't make it in the end), God knows when we'll all be together again. This photo of me and Mandy was taken in the nightclub, no idea what's going on there!!

I got my birthday present from my brother, Mum and Dad on Friday evening....they only went and bought me an iPad!! I can't believe it, I was literally shaking when I opened it!! I'm such a lucky girl. If you know any good apps I should download, do let me know!!

Oh and I also called into the re-vamped Vero Moda on Friday evening. It looks amazing and their new stock is beyond gorgeous. There was so much I wanted to buy, but restrained myself and just picked up two pairs of bright jeggings. Fellow Galway blogger, Lia did a great post on it that you can read here.

Sunday was spent in a slightly hungover state playing with my new toy and shouting at the rugby on the television. I was so annoyed at the result of the Ireland match :(

What did you all get up to at the weekend?

Now it chills me to the bone. . .

2012-02-02T16:31:00.000Z

Dress: Penney's (Primark)

Hat: Penney's (Primark)

Belt: Missguided

Earrings: Penney's (Primark)

Happy Thursday my pretties! What is the story with this cold weather?? It's absolutely baltic out there, I would haven given anything this morning to have a duvet day. I bought this dress in Penney's a couple of weeks ago and when I came home I realised I have no red clothes in my wardrobe! I think red looks quite nice with my skin tone (see-through !!!!?) and hair colour, so I must invest in more red pieces!

What's everybody's plans for the weekend? I'm away home to Roscommon tomorrow night for my belated birthday dinner with the folks and then on Saturday, I'm going out in Kildare with the girls from home. I'm so excited! We've all stayed friends since school and this is the first time in absolutely ages that we've all been free at the same time, so it'll be great to catch up on all the goss.

I wrote another article for Galway Studenty this week, so you can check that out here. My sneaky order from ELF cosmetics arrived this week so I'm dying to try out all my new products this weekend and I'll hopefully get to do a post on it next week!

Fill me in on what you're all up to, I'm nosy!

Walk in Wardrobe: Jess from New Girl

2012-02-01T20:51:00.000Z

Who's that girl...it's Jess!

I have fallen head over heels in love with the new programme on Channel 4 on a Friday night, New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel. Zooey stars as the 'adorkable' Jess, who's boyfriend cheats on her so she moves in to a loft apartment with 3 guys she's never met before. Not only has the show re-affirmed my love for Zooey Deschanel but the style in the show is beyond amazing. Here are some of Jess' looks I've re-created.

Jess Pic

I love the simplicity of this outfit. Jess doesn't shy away from bold patterns and I've added a pair of bright red brogues to bring some colour to this particular outfit in true Jess style. This 70's style blouse needs to be in my wardrobe!!

Jess pic

In one episode of the show, Jess ditches her usual quirky style to show her flatmates that she can be "normal" and picks this beautiful purple dress to wear to a wedding. She rocks her trademark fringe and wavy locks and keeps it casual with low heels. It is easy to emulate your personality in, any outfit through your jewellery so I've added this gorgeous moustache ring.

Jess pics

Here's a few style staples to add to your wardrobe a la Jess. Think bright, clashing colours, bold patterns, cute skater dresses, cartoon t-shirts (I would give anything to get my hands on this Jam-boree T-shirt she wears!) and of course don't forget the glasses and curling wand! Check out the promo video here if you haven't seen any of this amazing programme yet. The singing is the best!

Do you love this show and Jess' style? Let me know what do you think of the styles I have re-created!

No Bake Toblerone Cheesecake. . .

2012-01-31T21:50:00.000Z

I had a go at making my first cheesecake last week and I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was, so I thought I would share the recipe with everyone here!

You will need:

22cm spring-form cake tin

3 large bowls

Rolling pin

Zip lock bag

Hand mixer or whisk

Wooden spoon

Ingredients:

150g digestive biscuits

50g butter

300g Philadelphia (or any brand of cream cheese. You can use the lighter option either)

200ml whipping cream

200g Toblerone

Method:

To form your biscuit base, place the digestives in a zip lock bag and smash with a rolling pin until you are left with a bag of crumbs. (Be careful not to smash too hard and burst the bag!) Place the butter in a large bowl resting over a saucepan of boiling water to melt. (Watch out for steam burns!) Thoroughly combine the melted butter and biscuit crumbs and with a wooden spoon, press firmly into the base of a lightly greased spring-form cake tin. Put in the fridge to chill.

Using the same method that you used to melt your butter, melt 175g of the Toblerone. Lightly whip the cream, then beat the cream cheese until smooth. Next, fold the whipped cream and melted chocolate into the cream cheese until the three are well combined.

Pour this mixture onto the prepared crumb base and refrigerate for two to three hours, or ideally if you have the time, leave overnight. Grate the remaining 25g of Toblerone onto the cheesecake to serve.

Enjoy and don't think about the calories, we all deserve a treat now and again! Let me know if you try it and how it turns out :)

Popping Bottles. . .

2012-01-30T19:23:00.000Z

Hello lovelies,

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Monday morning always seems to come around so quick doesn't it? I spent a great birthday weekend with amazing friends. There was a lot of drinking and dancing. I was full sure I'd wake up on Sunday morning with a chronic hangover but thank God it wasn't too bad! I spent yesterday vegging out on the couch watching movies with the boy. Here's a few photo's from Saturday night.

Dress: ASOS

Shoes: ALDO Australia

Eyelashes: Eyelure 101

Gifts and the lovely Jen, Kate and Laura

I was very spoiled with champagne and now I smell amazing thank to Aidan ♥

I curled my hair with the Babyliss conical wand and I was so happy with the way it turned out and held for the entire night. I really wanted to get a new dress but there was nothing out there I loved enough to part with my cents. I bought this dress at the end of the Summer and I love the floral print.

It's hard to believe the first month of 2012 is practically over already!

Do you come from a land Down Under. . .

2012-01-26T15:14:00.001Z

Source

Happy Australia Day!!

For those who don't know, today is Australia Day, my favourite day of the year. (Not just because it also happens to be my Birthday, I swear!)

I love Australia. I lived there for two years with my family until I was four and I was lucky enough to travel around a good chunk of it when I was backpacking in 2009. It is such a beautiful, expansive country that never failed to take my breath away every day we visited somewhere new. The weather isn't always fantastic as people like to believe, but let me tell you, it has it's very good days!! My brother has been living over there with his new family for the last three and a half years, so I have a great excuse to visit as much as my bank balance allows! Here's a collage of a few of my favourite photos that I took while travelling.

This is only a very,very,very small amount of the pics I took and I get so nostalgic looking through them! I might do some travel posts in the future with my photos and places I visited and stayed.

This is a scheduled post, as i should currently be getting ready to go into town. A few of the pubs here in Galway throw Australia Day parties. I'm looking forward to a sausage sizzle and a bottle of Hahns Super Dry while dancing to Triple J's Hot 100 in my thongs!

I'll leave you with, what I like to call, my Birthday song!

Strawberry Fields Forever. . .

2012-01-25T15:00:00.001Z

Dress: Penneys (Primark)

Hightops: Penneys (Primark)

Rings: Topshop

Watch: Argos

Just a quick post. This is what I wore on Sunday for my trip into town. These are all the items I bought on my shopping spree last Friday. You can see them in this post. The dress photographs better when it's on. I love the shape of it, but it's one of those, as I like to call them, 'armpity' dresses. It digs like hell into my armpits and makes me feel like a Sweaty Betty!! It's very comfortable apart from that. I took these pics in a hurry so I forgot to take a photo of the back but it was quite a low back-line. (I really need to start wearing fake tan again, these pics show what a pasty I am!) Like this lace dress, I like the way it's not see through. It might be a bit short on people with longer legs but it's the perfect length for tiny peeps like me!

I'm not up to too much this week apart from work. It's Australia Day tomorrow, my favourite day of the year. Oh, and it's my birthday too, that might have something to do with it! 26. Oh dear Lord, that's scary! Another year older and none the wiser. Hoping to go into town for some Australia Day celebrations, I miss my second home :(

Sorbet and Ice-Cream. . .

2012-01-24T14:36:00.001Z

#1. Bunting Bracelet, €11.18 ASOS
#2. Topshop Nails in Peaches and Cream, Forget Me Not, Bees Knees £5 Topshop
#3. Lavender Skinny Jeans, €44.72 ASOS
#4. Watch, €46.12 Accessorize @ ASOS
#5. Satchel, €27.95 ASOS
#6. Knitted Top, £32 Topshop
#7. Blazer, £55 River Island
#8. Peter Pan Skater Dress, €32.99 Missguided
#9. Lace Up Brogues, £32 River Island

One of the main things I'm looking forward to this Spring, is the introduction of pastels and florals into the shops. They're so sweet and just looking at these soft colours puts me in a good mood! If you're not brave enough to wear a stand out piece like these jeans, an easy way to inject pastel into your outfit is with a sorbet shade of nail polish, or simple accessories. I'm on the hunt for a pastel blazer and although this River Island one is sweet, it's a bit on the expensive side. I am very tempted to buy this satchel though! It comes in a mint green aswell so it'll be a tough decision! Somebody please stop me looking at clothes websites!!

Have you spotted any pretty pastels that you want to buy? Send me your links, I'd love to see them!

Weekend Purchases. . .

2012-01-23T17:30:00.000Z

Hello lovelies! I hope the weekend was good to everyone? Mine was a quiet affair, as I was working on Saturday but I did go into town on Sunday to watch the football with the fella. I was very bold and picked up a few bits and pieces while I was in town on Friday evening! I really shouldn't be spending at the moment, but it's my birthday week this week, so I reckon I'm allowed!! We won't mention the items that are in my online shopping baskets on various sites...ssshhhh!!)

#1. Hightops €11 Penneys

#2. Essence nail polishes €1.29 each, Essence compact powder €4.39 Penneys

#3. Canvas Hightops €7 Penneys

#4. Ring €1.50 (on sale) Topshop

#5. Ring €1.50 (on sale) Topshop

#6. Polka dot tights €3.50 Penneys

#7. Lace dress €17 Penneys

#8. Skull burn out T-shirt €5 Penneys

I love this lace dress that I picked up in Penneys. You would not believe how soft it is!! It didn't photograph very well here, but it's really nice on. I wore it on Sunday so will stick proper photos up of it this week. I couldn't resist this skull print T-shirt and I'm sick of my plain black tights so bought these spotty ones to brighten things up! As we're coming into Spring, I will hopefully be putting my boots to the back of the wardrobe and reaching for lighter footwear like these hightops. Although the brown ones are lined with a lovely soft fleece and will keep my feet snug at the mo!

I'm obsessed with these knuckle duster style rings lately. The bigger the better! These were a steal at €1.50 each and the kind girl in Topshop gave me a 20% student discount on top of that. Nice. I have seen the Essence brand of make up in a couple of shops over the last few months but this is my first purchase from it. The nail polish is super cheap at €1.29 for 5ml. I bought Blue Addicted, a glittery dark blue with big flecks of green, Dress for a Moment, a pale lilac colour and Modern Romance, a peachy, blush shade. So far I've tried out the blue which is gorgeous and has lasted two days without chipping. I still haven't tried the powder as I need to purchase new make up brushes, but may do a review of it at some stage!

In other exciting news, I have now been added to the Galway studenty website and will be contributing to their fashion and beauty section. Check it out here. I will be tweeting when my articles are published so make sure you follow me here. I'm so honoured to be included :)

Have you bought anything interesting lately, or are you saving your pennies unlike me??

Katy Perry's on replay, she's on replay. . .

2012-01-19T14:00:00.000Z

Dress (with belt): Missguided

Boots: Penney's (Primark)

Hairband & Ring: Boots: Penney's (Primark)

I bought this dress from Missguided before Christmas and I just love it! I had my eyes peeled for the perfect lace dress, and when I spotted this I knew it was the one. I'm not a massive fan of lace when you can see a lot of skin through it, as I think it looks a bit tacky, but with this dress, I love that the sleeves are the only see through section. It's of good quality and is actually quite a heavy dress. I love the little belt that came with it, I've worn it with loads of other dresses aswell.

I bought these boots in Penney's before Christmas and have got so much wear out of them. They're super warm aswell! You can't really see from the photo's but they're lined with shearling wool. I actually bought this hairband to go with my Little Red Riding costume for last Halloween but I think it looks cute teamed with this dress.

It was my day off at work today, so I drove home to Roscommon to check in with the family. I was listening to One Direction's album in the car, and it's my new guilty pleasure. (I'm nearly 26, this is worrying!!) I do love the styling in their new video though. I'm working Saturday (Boooo) so Sunday will be spent chillaxing fo' sho! Has anyone anything exciting planned for the weekend?