The Feather Den | Life & Personal Style Blog

le bunny bleu

2012-05-27T14:33:00.001+01:00

Okay, um, I really have to stop going MIA for 3/4 of the month. Only 21 days until vacation starts!

Today I've a pretty rad pair of shoes to share with you all. Earlier on in the year, I was contacted by US-based label Le Bunny Bleu and fell in love with pretty much all of their adorable flats after I had a look through the website right here. I was actually acquainted with the label before after spying a few of their things on the lovely Carrie every now and then.
Anyway, they awesomely let me pick a pair to review but alas, they're too big on me! I fail at reading size charts, obviously. But I won't let that spoil the fun. I picked the Glazell Ballet Flats in wine (yep, I've been pretty obsessed with that colour for a while now) and after having them sent to England and redirected to me down under, I can finally post about them!

Before I even continue, seriously, how nicely were these packaged?!

Ahhh, I'm so gutted they don't fit me. I would definitely say their sizes run a little bigger as I'm a UK6/EU39 in every other shoe I own, though these seem to me like they're more of a UK7/EU40. Or maybe my feet are just weird... my friend currently has her eye on them so I'm passing the Le Bunny Bleu love on to her. If any of you want some of the love, be sure to check out the website, or their London Westfield store if that's near any of you!

wine

2012-05-06T11:18:00.000+01:00

Well, I know I haven't been on for a while because the entire Blogger layout has changed... as I'm writing this, I'm finding it so weird how the text box is so huge! Ahh! This will take some getting used to.
Anyway, I know I've whined about this already, but I really can not wait for Richard to be around to take my outfit photos again. Seriously, how awkward is this shot (because I couldn't think of a way to show my shoes until I realised that I could put the camera on the ground... duh...)?

Hahaha. Deary me, I am silly.

So this is what I wore to do... not much in particular. It was last Friday, I stayed at home a bit and tried to get some uni work done (failing in the process because I'm one to get distracted very easily), and then I popped on the heels and went to work.

Wine-coloured tee: Primark
Checkered shirt: Topshop
Beige jeans: Chic-A-Booti
Wine-coloured shoes: Sportsgirl
Necklace: Ebay

I. Love. My. New. Heels. Seriously, I've only just started to wear heels so I'm still a little wobbly and achey but I'm hoping I'll get over it eventually. I decided I need more heels in my life so expect to see them on my feet a lot more from now on! Anyway, on to these shoes in particular, they were on sale at Sportsgirl and I fell for the colour immediately. Not bad for $29.95, I think! Oh, the jeans are also new and I also fell for them immediately - $29.99 and I'm waiting on a burgundy pair that they're putting aside from me when they get new stock. Can't wait, they're super comfortable and don't look too bad, I think!

Right now, I'm waiting for Richard to come online so we can have a chat on Skype and maybe play some WoW... haha. I should really be catching up on lectures but I'm extremely tired today, ugh. Hope you're all had an enjoyable weekend!

PS - I do NOT like this new Blogger layout at all. AT ALL!!!

metal tips

2012-04-20T11:15:00.000+01:00

Ahh! Hi, everyone! I have butterflies in my stomach right now because I'm feeling super nervous about an essay that's due in a little under two weeks. I've been majorly procrastinating about it partly because I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. I decided that, if I'm going to procrastinate, I might as well put up this 'ere outfit post (as something somewhat productive) rather than continue watching cat videos on YouTube like I've been doing for the past hour or so.

So, here's what I wore on Wednesday to meet the lovely Lori for breakfast. I've never really met up with someone for breakfast before and I've sorta been wanting to do it for ages! Pretty sure Lori and I are going to make it a "thing", we ate at a great café on Glebe Point Road about 10 minutes away from USYD so that may turn into our regular spot - the food was amazing. I stupidly forgot to bring my camera but I promise I will next time to show you all. Also, a little side note about my increasingly neglected food blog, Feast Fancies, I might just make it a feature on this blog and close that one down. We'll see.

Anywho:

Green check collared tunic dress (worn as top): Just Feathers (a boutique in Newtown) (I think that's what it's called)
Tan leather woven belt: Vintage via C's Flashback, Surry Hills
Black skinny jeans: Sportsgirl
Shoes (not pictured): Black patent Dr Martens

Lips: MAC Matte Lipstick in Viva Glam (number's rubbed off, I got this years ago)

This is the first outfit post I've put together since leaving England (and therefore Richard, who was my trusty photographer!) I had to very awkwardly set up a makeshift tripod out of a dining table and various gift boxes. I should probably buy a tripod soon, eh.

In other news: I called Vodafone today to enquire about a bill (they overcharged me for some reason) and found out that I'm eligible for an upgrade! HELL YEAH! I promptly ordered a Samsung Galaxy SII which I'm extremely excited about receiving. I've ordered it in black but I think I've changed my mind and want it in white now, I'm going to wait for Richard to come online tonight and ask for his opinion since he already has a white one. I thought it'd be cute if I got the opposite colour, hahaha. But yeah, I'll show you that sexy new addition to my gadget pile when it arrives some time next week.

I'm going to try and get some work done now. Toodles!

what's in my bag?

2012-04-13T11:45:00.000+01:00

Well! Sorry it's been so long (again). After two years with a broken screen on my camera, it decided it had had enough and finally gave up on me. Well, actually, the camera itself didn't die... but my memory card did and I couldn't format it to my camera because I couldn't see what I was doing with a broken screen. So... I decided it was high time I just went ahead and bought a new one.

A new camera, that is. Not a new memory card. I'm not the proud owner of a Canon 600D and it is awesome. I've aptly dubbed it "Archie II", after my faithful Archie I. Only (sorry, Archie I) Archie II is so much better. Like, I can not even begin. It can record VIDEOS! I'm so excited about this, since I've always wanted to join the Youtube community, and now I actually can! Yay! It's going to take a while for me to properly learn how to use all its schnazzy features, though, but I'll keep you all updated!

Anywho, I can start doing outfit posts on this 'ere blog again, now that I have a screen that works, I can actually set up the self-timer. I don't have one today for you, though. No. Today, I have a What's In My Bag? post. I'm sure you're all acquainted with this tag... meme... thing, so I won't bother explaining. But I've always wanted to do one, and since I got a new backpack last week, I thought I might as well!

The bag: Vintage leather backpack. I adore it. Arrived from an ebay auction last week for $35 (I can't remember exactly). It's the perfect size to carry around all my textbooks! Plus, it's leather. Leather!!! Which means it smells a little but I'm going to get some scented beads or something to put in it.

The contents: My uni folder, Living Dolls by Natasha Walter (reading this for Sociology, it's a really good book for anyone interested in feminism/sexism. Even if you're not, it's a pretty interesting book and an easy read!), a pear, Birmingham tote bag (for when I borrow books from the library), empty bottle of water (which I fill up at the water stations at uni), Typo candy-print zip case (for my make up), black purse, two sets of keys: one with my work key and USB stick on it and the other for my house key (yes... I have two keys and 10,000 keyrings), rainbow pencil case, Union Jack card holder, leather wallet, my phone (a very dated Blackberry 9700), my iPod (a 120gb classic).

Make up details: I don't actually carry around a lot of make up with me, as you can see. In there I have my Colossal mascara, eyelash curler, Benefit lipstick in Good To Go, Mac lipstick in one of the Viva Glam ones from years ago, Nivea strawberry lip balm and The Body Shop concealer stick.

And that's it! That's pretty much what I carry around with me on a daily basis. At least, when I have uni. Otherwise it's just my phone, iPod, keys, wallet and card holder. Which go in that little black bag up there.

Happy Friday the 13th, everyone! Looking forward to actually taking photos again with a camera that works (and works well)!!!

sparkle

2012-03-28T09:44:00.004+01:00

Early last month, before I headed off for my little trip to France, I was contacted by Marla from Anjolee Jewellery. Okay, I'm sure you're all well-informed of the fact that I love things that glitter, and diamond hoop earrings are no exception - so you can pretty much understand how thrilled I was with the idea of reviewing a piece from the company.

I received these gorgeous additions to my sparkle-box a couple of weeks ago and have been transfixed by them ever since. The style is classic - white gold hoop earrings emblazoned by cubic zirconia (ones bought from the site are genuine diamond, though) and amethyst stones. I've been toying with the idea of adding a lilac and violet section to my hair so when customising the stones in the earrings, I took that plan into account - the purple in the earrings from the amethyst, I'm hoping, will look great when I've got those purple-y bits in my hair!

So, if any of you are interested in treating yourself to a schnazzy new pair of diamond earrings (or a whole lot of other types of jewellery - their bracelets are stun-ning), head on over to the Anjolee online store. Or, y'know, you could just leave the store's page open on your computer screen for a significant other to stumble upon. I'm sure they'll get the message ;D

The items in this post were sent to me for review. This in no way changes my opinion of the product.

back to the blogosphere! & some purchases

2012-03-25T11:38:00.003+01:00

I'm so exited to be able to say this: I'M BACK! I'm actually settled, or as settled as I'm going to feel without Richard here. Sorry it took so long - I never expected uni to be as demanding as it is for me (though my friends have been telling me USYD does have a reputation for being heavy on workload), but I'm starting to develop a routine for fitting everything in. I calculated that I'm on a train 8 hours of the week, travelling back and forth to the city for work an uni, and I've started using the time effectively to get through the copious amounts of readings I have for tutorial discussion.
I'm hoping to maybe go to the careers office this week to see if they have any fashion-related internships going, though I sort of doubt it as USYD's more law/medical/business-oriented. So, yes! I'm being a LOT more productive these days. It's pretty crazy how I never have free time anymore - these days, 9:30am is a "sleep-in" to me!

Anyway, I'm still lacking a tripod and remote for my camera, so without Richard, I haven't a photographer for outfit posts :( Boo! But hopefully I can get that sorted some time this week. I've loads of things to show you all, too. This morning before heading off to work, I took a couple of snaps a few of my favourite recent purchases.

How cute is that dress?! The metal tips on the collar make me swooooooon. I've desperately been trying to find a plain white and plain black button down with metal tips on the collar. Anyway, the dress is from a shop called Just Feathers (or something?) in Newtown. They had it at work but one of my workmates got this and then didn't want it anymore, so sold it to me. Yay! I loved this for ages so I'm glad I have it now.

Above: All thrifted. The patterned top is so lovely on the skin. 100% silk and I found it at Vinnies for $4. Score! The red checkered top is from a vintage store in Bordeaux, €10. That last velvet-y jumper is also from Vinnies, and that was $5. I love the contrast knit hem, it looks awesomely oldschool!

And, alas! That's all I have to share with you for today. Can't wait to go trawling through all my favourite blogs. Expect hi's and hello's! I've missed you all so much!

preshmems (une aventure bordelaise)

2012-03-05T03:57:00.003Z

One more week until I have the internet back at home and continue posting regularly! You've all missed me like mad, I'm sure ;D ~

Anyway, continuing with the catch-up posts, I went to Bordeaux to see two of my greatest, most awesome friends ever: Naomi (who lives there, but is English) and Kasey (who's on exchange there, who's American). Needless to say, we had a blast together - I hadn't seen these girls since my exchange trip to France in 2009! It's hard having best friends so far away from home but totally worth it.

And as you all know, I let the photos to the talking most of the time. The black & white photos are mine, the others were taken by Kasey who brought her kick-ass DSLR with her.

Where we first met at Gare St. Jean - see the happiness in our faces!

Getting ready for a day of adventures. Wearing: H&M beanie, Urban Outfitters check shirts, Supre jeans, black patent Docs from eBay.

Naomi's building. I'll never get sick of the buildings in Bordeaux.

A random print in front of a store. Haha. IT'S US! No.

Couscous, ratatouille(!!!), roast chicken and spicy sausages. We used to eat this at our school in France, it sure brought back precious memories! PRESHMEMS!

Je Veux Mon Chapeau by Jon Klassen - *the* greatest children's book of all time. I think the English equivalent is called I Want My Hat Back. Wearing: H&M beanie, New Look acid wash sweater, Supre jeans, black patent Docs from eBay.

Other things I loved: Numb faces while walking through the streets of Bordeaux, cheap (but amazingly good) pate, learning how to actually enjoy wine (even 1 Euro bottles of it!), camembert and baguette after a meal, the ice on the floor that had been there since it snowed the previous week, walking to a club on a boat in the snow, crazy-awesome German electrojazz bands, how everything was as it was even after two years of not seeing each other.

And now, I'm off. But not off just anywhere, oh, no. I'm off to my first ever university lecture! How exciting! I feel like a bit of a losery first year student (probably because I am. I know no-one) but I'm hoping people in my classes are nice!

Have a good week, all x

where i've been, and a bit of a catch up!

2012-02-29T04:56:00.004Z

Helllllllllooooooooooo, everyone and anyone who hasn't abandoned this blog like I have these past couple of weeks!
Where have I BEEN, you ask?! Well, if you follow me on Twitter, you may already know that I moved back to Australia on the 19th of February, and it's been hectic ever since. It's taken me a little while to get settled back into the country but that isn't the reason why I haven't blogged in so long. You see... I DON'T HAVE THE INTERNET. I know. It sucks beyond belief. Long story short, a technician's coming on the 14th of March to install the internet back at home properly so until then, posting will be a little sporadic. I'm using the internet at USYD right now (I know, right?! I'm a student! How exciting!) and that's pretty much the only access I'll have to the interwebz until that technician comes.

Anyway, a lot has happened since my last blog post and I'll be back tracking my "life events" until I catch up to what's going on in Michellesville right now.
Valentine's Day is a good place to start, non?

On Valentine's Day, Richard and I went to the Sea Life Centre in Birmingham. We don't really celebrate V-Day with the whole getting each other gifts thing, but we do make sure we spend the day together doing some kind of fun activity!
I love the Sea Life Centre. I'm fascinated by sea creatures, so it's no wonder why, really. The colours and just generally weird animals that you can find in the deep blue never ceases to amaze me!

Some photos to show the sheer awesomeness of aquatic life (with a couple of us for good measure!):

Oh, yeah, we ended the day with a - hemhem - romantic dinner at Burger King, one of out favourite places to eat of all time.

I also made a minifilm with all the videos I took of the sea creatures at the centre:

And that's it for the 14th of Feb! I know it may be late to ask, but what did all of you get up to on Valentine's? Anything? Nothing? Don't believe in it? Let me know!

Can't wait to start catching up with everyone again!

snowy melbicks

2012-02-08T21:14:00.003Z

Hi, everyone!

This is going to be a really supa-quick post as I should really be in bed now since I'm waking up at 4:30am tomorrow morning. Why, you ask? Because I'm catching a MegaBus coach at 6:10am to London to make it in time for a 12:00pm flight to BORDEAUX! I'm so excited. I'm off to see two of my very dearest friends, Kasey and Naomi, before I head back to Australia next Wednesday. Oh, yes, this will be a hectic week. But, oh, so very worth it!

Beanie: H&M
Check shirt: Topshop
Black long-sleeved top: Primark
Black velvet leggings: George (Asda)
Doc Martens: eBay
Coat: H&M
Rings: Topshop, Pandora

This is what I wore on Sunday. Richard's family and I went off for a little day trip to Melbicks Garden Centre (one of my favourite places!). We looked at all the awesome plants and pets before coming back home, eating stew, and carrying on with a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Anyway, must be off now! Can't wait to tell you all about France when I get back on Sunday. Have a great end-of-the-week and weekend, all!

nude & black nails

2012-02-06T22:35:00.002Z

Nail colours used: Sportsgirl - Soft Coral, BYS - Black Satin, Sally Hanson Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat

Rings: Topshop, Pandora

MOAR green & black

2012-02-02T17:25:00.003Z

Sorry I keep wearing the same two colours, like, every outfit post. I have a slight obsession with the colour green this season and I just really like how black clothes look against my black hair. I should get over it soon*, after all, it's been over a month since I dyed it!

Hah! I love how I look like I'm giving a very evil look to the pole in one of those photos. Also, excuse the less than flawless skin D: I'm working on it.

Black "patent" finish jumper: H&M
Green & black check shirt: Urban Outfitters (like, years ago)
8-ball necklace: Pop-Up vintage & crafts market, Birmingham
Black velvet leggings: George (at Asda)
Doc Martens: eBayyyy

Today, Richard went off to take his driving theory test (and PASSED, woohoo!), so I met up with him in town so we could go for a little "date". I'd actually been invited to go to the Missguided.co.uk press day which was in London today and was set on going, but was disappointed to find there weren't any affordable train tickets that would get me home at a decent hour! Oh well, I love being able to go out with Richard every now and then for a clichéd romantic dinner and movie, which is exactly what we did! If, y'know, you count Burger King as romantic. I can not get over how awesome their burgers are.

We watched Chronicle, have any of you seen it yet? It's pretty cool; has a great story and all but I don't really properly enjoy films that aren't romcoms or good comedies. I'm probably not the best person to give my opinion on Chronicle as I'd be a bit biased in that sense, but I will say it's worth a watch. It sure does get you thinking about the important things in life!

Hope you've all had a good Thursday!

* This may or may not actually happen.

review: MISSHA Perfect Cover BB cream (in no. 23)

2012-01-29T18:47:00.011Z

This review is in no way "pro"! It's been so dark lately so I've had to take my pictures with flash on - I'm hoping my words make up for the awful visuals.

A couple of months ago, after having read about it everywhere, I finally decided to find out what all the BB Cream hype was about. While quite a few brands do their own version now, I decided to go with what seemed like a "legit" Korean brand and, with my trusty eBay tab opened up, I bought one by Korean label, MISSHA (from this seller).

Included in my package were two free samples of other B.B. cream products.

What is B.B. cream?

Blemish Balm, also call B.B. Cream, is known to have been formulated as an after-treatment cream to help patients who have gone through laser skin surgery to soothe and regenerate the skin. It:
- Helps to soften skin texture
- Prolonged used of product may help to improve overall texture of skin & fade acne scars
- Act as a makeup base & foundation
- Helps to cover the irregularities on the skin, even out skin tone, camouflage under eye circles, scars & add radiance to face.

So, according to the box: MISSHA M Perfect Cover B.B. Cream offers a novel skincare concept with B.B. Cream, which lightens skin tone by healing visible wrinkles and blemishes with excellent skin-cover ability, and prevents skin ageing through effective whitening and anti-wrinkle properties.
A mouthful, right? In short, B.B. (Blemish Balm) cream is a moisturiser, light-coverage foundation, anti-ageing cream and blemish treatment all in one.

My thoughts? After using it daily as part of my make-up routine (right after I wash and tone my face, almost like a tinted moisturiser, I suppose), I can honestly say I haven't seen a dramatic difference in terms of blemish-healing on my skin. You see, whenever I get spots, I don't get a spot, I get a monstrous and quite painful bump on my skin that, more often than not, leaves a red mark/scar that takes a while to fade. I was kind of hoping the B.B. cream would speed up the process but - if it has - it hasn't really done it dramatically enough to leave me thinking of it as some sort of magical formula!
I think, perhaps, I got my hopes up a little too high after reading all of its claims. Or maybe I have to be a little more patient with it, and re-review in a year or so?

Anyway, as a tinted moisturiser, I really like it. It does leave my skin feeling quite smooth and the coverage it gives has meant I don't need to use as much concealer or foundation which is a bonus. I've found my make-up glides on much more smoothly when I have it on as a base, too. It definitely does leave your skin looking brighter (and perhaps a little lighter), so I'm not going to discontinue using it and will most probably buy it again just for those benefits.

In short: Did MISSHA's B.B. cream make my actual skin wondrously amazing? Not really - but it's great as a tinted moisturiser and I would buy it again to use it as just that!

Overall ratings...
Coverage: 2.5/5 -- It is light coverage, what you'd expect from a tinted moisturiser. Would be great for those who don't need a lot of coverage or who want to even their skin tone without having to wear foundation.
Texture: Creamy and eeeeever-so-slightly sticky once you've blended it into your skin.
Longevity: 3/5 - I've tried using it on its own (without make-up) and it lasted all day but will rub off if you lean your face on something.

Any of you have any thoughts on B.B. cream? Perhaps you've tried another brand and think it was awesome! Let me know in the comments!

treasures XVII - life in mono

2012-01-24T21:13:00.002Z

Some of you may have wondered where this feature went. Had I simply forgotten about it? Had I given up on it? Were my days of online browsing over?
The answer to those, me lovelies, is of course not! You sillies! I've actually just had a chronic lack of time; what with Christmas hours, pondering over whether or not I'm going back to Australia (I am, by the way), and when on Earth I was going to hear back from the University of Sydney as to whether or not I got in (I did, by the way). But, now that I've finally gotten myself organised (I've even started packing!), it was time I paid my favourite online fashion hubs a visit and shared with you all what I wish I could have in my life right now.

Without much further ado,

Can you tell I'm in the "back to school" mood? Also, damn I love monochrome these days!

january purchase favourites

2012-01-21T17:27:00.003Z

I went crazy when Topshop went on its January sale. As a 12-hours/week working girl, most of their stuff is unattainable for my less-than-glamorous budget, so when I saw things that I'd been lusting over for weeks for half price, I was typing in my debit card details online before I even realised what I was doing!
I spent around £85 or something, but ended up bringing a couple of things back as I didn't love them in person as much as I did on my screen.

Pencil skirts (folded), yin and yang print jumper and accessories are from Topshop. "Patent" knitted black jumper is from H&M. Galaxy-print cardigan is from River Island

Most of it is jewellery, but I hadn't bought silver bling in a year or so (I go in and out of gold phases), so I thought it appropriate to stock up. The eye ring from Topman wasn't bought on sale, I treated myself to that whilst out shopping with Richard (only £5, anyways).

Also: I totally approve of wearing galaxies. I need more space-print stuff.

polka dots & green skirts

2012-01-12T19:19:00.003Z

Eveninggggggggg!

Richard and I went on a little trip into town for no particular reason today. We went into Topshop where he got himself a pretty cool wrap-around watch from Topman, and I scored the eye ring and black lips brooch that I've been lusting over for a little while! I've yet to organise a "What I've Bought This Year, In The Sales" post but you'll see all that jibba-jabba then.

In the meantime, here's an outfit post! It's been a while since I've posted about what I'm wearing, but then again, it's been a while since I wore anything worth posting about. Haha.

Black long-sleeved top: Primark
Polkadot jumper: Topshop
Green high-waisted pencil skirt: Topshop
Necklaces: Topshop cross, Craft Market 8 Ball
Ring: Pandora
Bracelets: H&M
Watch: Swatch

My new green skirt is one of those sale purchases I mentioned above, and can I just say, I LOOOOOOVEEEEE IIITTTTTT. Seriously. I've never been so incredibly in love with a skirt. It's basic enough to go with everything, but the pop of my (current) favourite colour just makes it all the more interesting, n'est-ce pas?

Anyway, I have a pretty big announcement but can't actually say anything until everything's finalised and whatnot, but apart from that, there isn't anything new on my end! How've you all been?

birthday sparkle

2012-01-07T17:13:00.004Z

My birthday was last Thursday (not the Thursday just gone, but the one before that!), and I got some lovely things. Thought I'd share the three sparkliest of the lot with you all, as I know a lot of you like things that glitter (hah!).
As it was my 21st, when Richard asked me what I wanted for my birthday, jewellery sprang to mind. I wanted something I could treasure forever, something classic so I could wear it every day if I wanted to (and I have been!). He ended up buying me a sterling silver and melanite ring from Pandora, one that I chose, and a white gold chain (I'm still on the search for a pendant that I can purchase to go with it).

The YSL Arty ring, however, was an utter surprise - a gift from my good (and very generous) friend, Lori, who thought of me all the way over in Australia. Thanks, my lovely! She knows how much I love it already!

I got loads of wonderful things over the last week of December - a lot of people assume I hate having my birthday so close to Christmas, but I love it! Some perfume, a vintage-looking photo holder, an ornamental cat, costume jewellery, monies (or 'coin', if I'm speaking Skyrim, hahahaha), and a sewing kit were a few of the delights I received that accompanied the ones I've shown you!

I'm a lucky girl, I know.

goodbye, 2011 - hello, 2012!

2012-01-01T16:26:00.002Z

Hello, all, and welcome to my New Year post - the kind of post you've probably seen on a million other blogs showcasing what I've worn over 2011, hahahaha. I really enjoy reading those types of year-summaries! It's pretty fascinating to see how so many people's styles have actually changed over the course of a year, let alone my own. I've never done a post like this before so seeing the ~evolution~ of my personal style on one, scrollable page was interesting, to say the least!

To be fair, I don't post every outfit I ever wear on this blog. I mean, sometimes it's for obvious reasons (do you really want to see what trackie-bottoms-and-tshirt combination I wore a few days ago?) and sometimes I just don't have the time/correct lighting to bother Richard to take photos for me (this is my excuse as of late).

So, without much further ado (and, if you're particularly interested, you can click on a photo to see the full post!):

...and you've seen the last one!

Haha! Wow, look at all the photos of me. So, I've noticed my style's been a little more consistent lately... since getting my hair cut? I'm hoping this'll continue, so I stop making impulse purchases.

I haven't really thought of any goals for the new year yet, though I can't believe it's already 2012! This will sound so cliché, but I swear it feels like last August was only a couple of weeks ago. I wouldn't say the entire year has gone by fast, but since July, the months have rushed by like a blur.

And how are you all? Any new year resolutions? Have any year-summary posts I haven't seen? Do share! And hope you all had a great New Year's Eve!!! x

leopard & lipstick (introducing my new watch, aeva)

2011-12-26T22:10:00.004Z

After a good couple of days of not even touching the internet (~~Skyrim~~ festive season, and all!), here I am... and with an outfit post, too! Woot!

So, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU! How was it?! Did you get everything you wanted? Did you get more than everything you wanted? I sure got some awesome presents from Richard and his family and our friends! Actually, that reminds me, I've forgotten to open one of my presents that my dearest friend, Lori, sent me. Richard's mum still has it stashed away somewhere. Best get on that straight after this post. ANYWAY...

I'm really interested in seeing what people did and got for Christmas, so I thought I'd put together a Christmas/present post for y'all. That's still underway, and although I'm sure I didn't get as glamorous things as some of you have (looking at you, Kate!) I did get some truly awesome things, ~~like Skyrim~~ like my Swatch watch from Richard (that I've been lusting over for ages!), which I've named Aeva. If you're a bit of a nerd like me, you name everything that means something to you, haha. If you're especially geeky in terms of naming a watch, like me, you'll search up Latin words for time and pick a name that fits. For instance, "aevus" means "passage of time", hence Aeva, if any of you are wondering!

The watch is the Brownscape watch, designed by the British fashion photographer, Rankin. I'M IN LOVE. I haven't owned a watch in what feels like ten years, so I desperately did need this beauty!

As for the rest of the outfit,

Leopard print jumper: Impulse (a cheap shop in Parramatta, Sydney)
Black coat: H&M
Black skinnies: Supré
Black patent Doc Martens: eBay
Stud bracelet: Sportsgirl
Black plaited bracelet: H&M
8 ball necklace: Vintage & Craft Market Pop-Up store in Birmingham

So, what did I do today? I went off "Boxing Day Shopping" - though I got fed up after two hours and went home. I didn't think the sales were all that great, anyway, to be honest, and I'd already bought what I wanted from Topshop online last night! I will definitely show you all the bargainous things I purchased when everything arrives, haha!
When I got home, ~~after playing some Skyrim~~ we had another roast dinner together with Nan Rose around - I'm definitely one for roasted sweet potatoes. And that, I think, was the end of the Christmas festivities!

Anyway, hope to hear about your Christmases/Boxing Days!

green check

2011-12-22T22:54:00.003Z

Today: lots of wind (obviously!) I do normally try to look up in photos but my hair kept blowing in my face and getting stuck to my lips, hahaha, so this one's the only one that turned out today.

Green check top: Urban Outfitters
Grey high-waisted skinnies: Silence & Noice (via eBay)
Black hooded duffle coat: H&M
Shoes: Doc Martens (eBay!)

The day itself was pretty mild, though. Is it just me or does it NOT feel like winter at all at the moment?! And it's supposed to be winter solstice today! Huh. I actually felt heat from the sun and took my coat off at one point!

I went with Richard into town as he was going to work and I needed to return a couple of things - a black H&M work dress that was too small in the chest (exchanged it for a black wiggle dress instead! I felt like a vixen when I tried it on. Awesome!) and a scarf from Primark that Richard decided he doesn't want. While at H&M, I browsed through their sale stuff and made some purchases, too! Everything is black. I seem to love black this season. Maybe it's the hair? I'll show y'all tomorrow, hopefully!

Then, I went home (alone as Richard finished work at 9pm - boo!) and got ready to pay Richard's grandparents a surprise visit with the rest of the family. It was really nice to see everyone, and I always love how Nanny Dot and Grandad Tom decorate the house for Christmas! Proper traditional, haha.
I also got to eat pork pie which was another bonus.

And now? I'm super tired and not really wanting to go to work tomorrow, but then again, I'm pretty sure everyone* would rather just sit at home all day watching trash tv without a care in the world, than ever have to actually earn money to live!

* Maybe not everyone.

re-dyeing my hair! a review on Schwarzkopf Shake It Up Colour Foam

2011-12-18T14:31:00.003Z

Well hello there!

A little review for you all today. Has anyone tried the (deep breath) Schwarzkopf LIVE Colour XXL Shake It Up Colour Foam? As of last night, I have! I really needed to re-dye my hair as the black was fading out (despite the dye I used last time being "permanent" - that was just regular Schwarzkopf black dye which you can read more about in this post) and after seeing this product on the shelves at Bodycare, I decided to give it a go. Anything to try and speed up the process!

You can see my hair isn't the blackest black it's supposed to be in that first picture. I used the colour "Blueberry Crush" for this dyeing experience!

Usually, it takes me about 3 hours to dye my hair, including the application and washing out stage afterwards. It might just be because I'm slow and don't like to make a huge mess, but that's a long time, am I right?! Especially because my hair isn't even that long!
I'm pleased to say that this time, the application of the actual dye took about 10 minutes. So, with the half an hour developing time (which I usually drag out to about 45 minutes because I like to make sure my hair gets properly dyed, haha) and then washing out, it only took about an hour and 15 minutes last night! Success!

The packet (which all comes in that shake-cup thing) comes with:
- The Shake cup and lid
- Powdered colour (POWDERED! That amazed me!)
- A sachet of conditioner (which, let me tell you, is amazing)
- Bottle of colour developer
and
- Plastic disposable gloves and instruction leaflet

So, you pour in the bottle of developer into the cup first before adding the colour powder. Then, the fun bit - putting the lid back onto the cup and shaking it! For some reason, the instructions said to shake it 40 times -- in bold and everything. Well, I shook it about 50 times. I'm not sure how much this matters but it seemed to work for me!
When you open the lid up again, you have glorious foam to use that looks and smells good enough to eat! Seriously, before the colour started getting deeper, it looked a chocolate milkshake-y brown and instead of smelling like a salon (if you know what i mean), it smelled of tropical fruits.

Now, who wants to see some ridiculous photos of me with dye in my hair? I'm sure you do! These were taken after the colour had developed a little, say after about 15 minutes with the foam in my hair. The foam died down a bit so you can't see it, but when you originally start applying it to your hair (just like shampoo!) it looks a lot "soapier".

I then washed it out - and is it just me, or does the water never actually end up running "clear"? After washing (without shampoo), my hair felt a bit... I don't know how to explain it, but "straw"-like or "dry" (even though it was obviously wet)? However, after putting the conditioner on and leaving it in for about 10 minutes before washing it out, my hair felt super soft and still does. So, I guess the conditioner's important, haha.
And now - voila! Raven black hair as it should be.

Summary:

Product: Schwarzkopf LIVE Colour XXL Shake It Up Colour Foam
Colour: Blueberry Crush
Smell: From afar, a pleasant, fruity scent. Stick your nose in it, though, and it smells like regular hair dye.
Application: Incredibly easy compared to regular hair dye. Took about 10 minutes for my full head of hair which is longer than chin-length.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Give it a go and see if it's for you. I know I don't think I'll go back to regular hair dye ever again.
Overall rating: 8/10 - I noticed it doesn't look as black as it does when I dye it with regular hair dye, but it is definitely much darker. I can't say how "permanent" it is as I only used it last night, but so far, so good!

What hair dye, if any, do you use? Do you have any tips for dyeing?

sunday trip to planters

2011-12-11T19:43:00.004Z

Well, hello therrrreeeeee! It's about time I cleaned up a few cobwebs on this 'ere blog and paid a visit to the interworld, right?

This was originally going to be a usual Sunday Sum-Up post but since I've worked a 40-hour week this week (hence the lack of posting again, everyone, my black-work-dress-and-cardigan hardly makes for an "inspirational" outfit post), I haven't really done enough to fill up my eight circles!

Aren't Christmas displays so beautiful?! I swear I'm going to be a crazy Christmas-zilla when I have my own house to decorate...

Today, though, Richard's family and I went to Planters, the garden centre in Staffordshire while Richard worked his usual Sunday shift. I don't know about anyone else, but I love garden centres and DIY shops! Especially ones with Christmassy things and pet/animal sections. Richard and I collect Christmas decorations for our future tree, so I bought a couple of those while I was there.

The highlight of the trip for me, though, were the turtles. The two of us decided long ago that we'd definitely get a tortoise as a pet when we have our own place, but I think there'll be room enough for a turtle tank, too! How cute are they?!

I even recorded a little video of one so I could show Richard when he got home tonight:

Anyway, hope you've all been well! I've been planning a Christmas gift-guide type Treasures on a Tuesday post but haven't had the chance to put one together yet (it's been a while since the last one, am I right?) - I'm hoping I'll be able to get one ready tomorrow after work!

Have a good night! TEAM LITTLE MIX! Hahahaha.

brum blogger meet II - german christmas market styles!

2011-11-27T14:09:00.003Z

I haven't blogged in two weeks! I think it's safe to say that I really have been in a blogging/internet-surfing rut for about a month now or, at least, since I started playing Gears of War 3 again.

Yesterday, however, was the second Birmingham Blogger Meet (#brumbloggermeet) - the first one having taken place in July. I was so excited for yesterday's one since I missed out on so much of the first one due to not being able to get off work!
We met (I'd like to say promptly, but I was 20 minutes late... damn traffic) at 2pm at Starbucks in the Pallasades and when I got there, the girls were already chatting away. I went and got myself a Coffee Frappucino without the whipped cream as they had none left (boo!), but that's okay, because the lovely Sian made us all delicious cookies! When I came back with my drink in hand, we all continued talking for a little under an hour before heading off to the German Christmas Market stalls.

I'm just going to say it - I'm never going to the Christmas Market again on a Saturday in November. It was packed, like, you really could not move (especially around the alcohol-restricted parts!). It was pretty funny, though, seeing all of us trying to stick together and not get lost as we maneuvered around the market stalls. Everything was oh-so-pretty, too - as it got darker, the street lights got brighter and I could really sense the Christmas cheer!

We also hit the vintage pop-up store and indie craft market, where I purchased this 8-ball necklace! I really need more non-gold jewellery since these days I'm tending to wear clothes that suit silver more than gold. Oh, and Richard's getting me a silver Pandora ring for my 21st birthday so I'm starting to buy it some friends ;D

After walking around the ornament stalls, we all headed to the food- and drink-stalls for some German hotdogs! Not sure how good of an idea this was for me since I started to get full and it was almost time for our dinner booking, haha.

We had dinner at Bar Room Bar at the Mailbox which I think might become a tradition (we ate at the Mailbox last time, at Red Peppers). Not complaining - the Mailbox is such a stunning place in Birmingham, in my opinion. We waited for Gem to arrive before we ordered our food and cocktails - I got a chicken, avocado and pancetta wrap to eat and had my Oreo "Courtney Love" cocktail for dessert, though I almost got the "Little Richard" cocktail because... well, you know why!

I didn't get to go out for the night (lack of funds are to blame, again!), but I can't even begin to describe how great it was to be able to see some familiar faces again and this time, actually be able to have conversations with them! I didn't really get to speak to anyone in July as I was only there for a couple of hours over dinner, and no one really speaks while they're eating, am I right?

Make sure you check out the lovelies' blogs - I'm extremely excited to be able to see everyone again at the next meet up (or whenever!). I'll take the time now to thank Emma for organising it all, I had a wicked time! ♡

You can find the (really very lovely!) bloggers I've mentioned in today's post and their awesome blogs here... Emma (Oh Really?), Sian (Tea an Toast), Rebecca (It's Cohen), Char (T*Rexes and Tiaras), Hayley (Strangeness & Charm), Eloise (I Need More Clothes), Annabel (Yoyo and Bel) and Gem (From Gem With Love).

christmas wishes

2011-11-12T22:00:00.004Z

Right now, I'm sitting comfortably on the couch with the Xtra Factor on (Amelia's back! As I predicted, haha... also... I LOVED Misha's performance!) which is quite a different position to the one I was in most of the day - running around town clutching bags and bags of gifts for the females I planned on getting gifts for this Christmas. But, thankfully, I managed to get it all done and can proudly say that's one whole gender I can tick off the list! Considering Richard said he wanted to be involved with the boys' presents, I'm ~*WELL*~ chuffed!

Sadly, that was pretty much the only time I got out this week. I'm going to have another relaxing day in tomorrow before my really full five days of work next week (I'll be at the Bullring which is pretty exciting!) - I'm hoping for some time to even slot in a bubble bath complete with my new La Senza refreshing eye mask.

Anyway, here's what I wore:

Black cardigan: Attik
Dark green long-sleeved top: Primark
Leather high-waisted shorts: Vintage via Cream on Crown St
Belt: H&M
Gem necklace: Topshop
Red skull scarf: c/o Missguided.co.uk (from one of the Brum Blogger Meet goodie bags a few months back!)

Right! Before I leave you, I have to mention that I got an amazing surprise in my email this morning. Jenny, aka the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online very generously granted my comment-wish which I left on Beth's post. I've been blessed with a £30 Amazon voucher which is going to go towards Richard's Christmas present and a little something-something for me!
Here's the cool part: leave a comment on this post with what you're wanting/needing and she could grant you with a voucher, too!

Happy wishing!

remember, remember the 5th of november

2011-11-06T13:20:00.003Z

Sooooo, did everyone celebrate Bonfire Night last night? It was my first one! Hah, along with carving a pumpkin, I seem to be getting through a lot of firsts this year, aren't I?

For any non-Brits reading, Bonfire Night is a night of bonfires (obviously), fireworks, good food and friends and family gathering together. I don't know the story in detail (but feel free to Wikipedia it!), but the story behind it all is to do with a guy called Guy Fawkes who plotted to ruin the English Protestant parliament by assassinating the King and replacing him with a Catholic one, hundreds of years ago. He failed and was captured, which is why there's this celebratory day/night!

Richard's sister made a totally yum Chilli Con Carne and there were plenty of sausages and burgers to go around, too. We didn't actually have any fireworks but that was fine, considering our next door neighbours did, so we had a pretty fantastic view of theirs from the backyard!
Excuse the quality of some of the photos from the night, I took to using the Powershot for most of the night as I couldn't be bothered with my SLR's broken screen, hahaha.

Wine cardigan: Primark
Peter Pan collared top: Topshop via Ebay
Octopus necklace: Ebay
Grey jersey skirt: H&M
Black Patent Doc Martens: Ebay

Oh, yeah, if you follow me on Twitter you probably already know that I finally got my hands on a pair of black patent Dr. Martens - a pair of shoes I just so happen to have been lusting over for years! Needless to say, I'm incredibly happy with them. I decided to finally buy them as it's getting colder and wetter (and so have my feet in my usual flats), so I wanted some new boots to get me through the winter.

And that's all from me for now! Did anyone else do anything for Bonfire Night last night? Or did you all just catch up with X Factor (which I have to go watch soon, haha)?

miss. penelope peril (happy halloween!)

2011-10-31T13:45:00.004Z

BOO!

Meet Penelope Peril, the pumpkin Richard and I carved together on Saturday night to acknowledge this year's Halloween! It's the first pumpkin Richard and I have ever carved together, and is also the first pumpkin carving I've ever done.

Happy Halloween, everyone! What are your plans for tonight?