The 100 Day Spending Ban..

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So it's happening. I am NOT going to buy myself ANYTHING for 100 days. At first I had a mild panic about what the hell am I going to blog about but I soon realised how silly that was and maybe that was a challenge in itself too. I just need to be more creative with my posts rather than churn out reviews. I still have tons of products to talk about sitting in the cupboard anyway and outfits to be shown and recipes to be cooked so I think I can manage it...just ;)

As odd as it may sound I am looking forward to it now, not spending money and actually having a bank balance not to cringe at! I think I got a little out of control and was seduced by the millions of offers that are continually floating around. I just hope I can manage it! As I have already started I aim to last till the 31st March. I may treat myself to something small and then reinstate the ban till May which is my birthday and go wild! I joke of course. I aim to buy a DSLR so that is my goal and purchase in May. I know Sandra from Beauty Balm and Jo From Beauty and the Books are starting mid way through January so I will be relying on them for support ;)

Wish me luck, Eeek!

Oh and of course..

Happy New Year!

Do you bother with New Years Resolutions?

UPDATE!

Just found out there was a Twitter chat with other bloggers who were up for the challenge of the 100 day spending ban! Lots of support and a motivational weekly Twitter chat that starts on Thursday at 8pm UK time using the hashtag #spendingban. So if anyone else wants to join in then do pop along! 

These are some of the lovely bloggers that have taken the big step. If you are joining in please let me know and I'll add you to my list :)
Alice - Bright Town Girl
Sandra - The Black Pearl
Shona - Fresh Beauty XoX
Jo - Beauty & The Books
Sandra - Beauty Balm
Natalie - Natalie Roseanne
Marvelle - Blog of Shadows
Jayne - Jayne’s Kitschen
Jenny - Beauty & The Biryani
Grace - All That Slap
Katie - Fashion and Beauty
Anne - Fashiony Nails
Sarah - Writing & Rambling 
Laura - Laura's Haven
Linsay - Pandora's Beauty Basket
Jayne - What J Loves
Annie - EpiphannieA
Hannah - Midnight Violets 
Ame - Thrifty Girl Loves
Sara - Pretty in Pink
Rachel - Sweetpea London

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Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Sauce Recipe

I love this recipe as an easy pasta sauce which can also be blitzed up to use as a pizza sauce and store portions in the freezer for future easy meals. 

Ingredients 

1 x Tin chopped Tomatoes

1 x Onion

Mace - half a teaspoon

Cayenne 1/4 teaspoon

2 x Cloves Garlic

Half a Pepper

Sun dried tomatoes x 4

Vegetable Stock 250ml

1 x Table Spoon Tomato Purée

Bunch of Basil - ripped (better for flavour to rip rather than chop)

Splash of Balsamic Vinegar 

Saute onion, garlic, pepper and the sundried tomatoes

Pour in the rest of the ingredients except the basil and bring to the boil

Simmer for 20 minutes then add the basil and simmer for another 5 minutes 

Should look something like above. I use this stirred in cooked pasta with a ton of grated cheese! 

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NOTD No7 Temptress

Temptress is a gorgeous deep red wine colour. I picked this up on a whim as I wanted an almost black red for winter and thought this would satisfy my need. Again with this new No7 polish I found I needed three coats. Thin coats mind you but three coats all the same. You can see my review on my last No7 polish here. I'm not too sure I would purchase another colour in the range unless I had a voucher.

Have you tried the new No7 polishes?

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Yves Rocher Lipstick in Framboise Review & Swatch

Who else sported a festive red lip yesterday? This Yves Rocher lipstick was the perfect colour and in a recent Glossy Box which even more surprisingly to me is a colour right up my street! The gorgeous pinky red applies well and is creamy and moisturising. The creamy formula is a bit of a hindrance if you apply too much as it turns slippery and tends to transfer easily, especially when eating and drinking - at least I knew which wine glass was mine ;)

Once the colour disappears it leaves a beautiful stain. I really love the colour and the formula but I don't think I would pay the £14.50 price tag.

You can find it here

How was your day yesterday? Do you celebrate Christmas?

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It's Christmas!

Merry Christmas my lovelies! xx

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A Sprinkle of Glitter

Nothing like a bit of festive glitter on the ol' fingertips for Christmas. This years effort is two coats of Accessorize polish in Blackberry and a thick coating of Deborah Lippmann's Razzle Dazzle. Dark and sparkly, what's not to love? 

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and Santa has been good to you ;)

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Christmas: a time for family bonding or family fighting?

Between stuffing stockings, decorating the home, coming up with magical Christmas ideas and shopping for gifts, Christmas offers a great opportunity to spoil loved ones rotten and clock up some quality family time together. Unfortunately, between the first Bucks Fizz of the day and the last round of charades at night, the stressful experience of planning - and pulling off - a hitch-free Christmas can quickly cause tempers to fray. The season of goodwill should be a time for family bonding, but the annual festivities are not always filled with Christmas cheer.

It takes a great deal of menu planning, creative decorating and thoughtful gift-buying to organise the picture-perfect family Christmas, and the stresses and strains of meeting expectations can take their toll. ‘People either ride the rollercoaster of stress and excitement, or find themselves accused of being a Scrooge,’ explains mental health charity Mind.

As the fairy lights start to appear in shop windows, we're deluged with images depicting a set of Christmas ideals for us to strive towards: smiling children unwrapping the latest gadgets, dining tables groaning under the weight of Christmas fare, and gingerbread-style houses glimmering with elaborate decorations. It's no surprise to learn that the pressures of creating the perfect Christmas can quickly become the source of tension between even the most easy-going of couples.

Relationship counsellor Jules McClean explains the difficult dynamic: ‘You have two people, often from two different family backgrounds, each with very different expectations of the day. Add to this any conflicting family commitments and it’s easy to see how resentment can set in.’

It's important to take each family member's individual expectations into account and deal with them accordingly. Instead of striving to create an unattainable ideal, focus on meeting the more immediate, achievable needs and wants of each person: enjoying a delicious family dinner, spending a relaxed hour playing board games or setting aside an evening to get stuck into the Christmas specials might be all it takes to bond as a family over Christmas. Ultimately, it's important to ensure there's enough time to relax and be yourselves - even if that means taking a 30-minute breather on your own, or letting the kids watch a movie or disappear behind their computer screens for a few hours.

As the Mind guidelines point out: ‘even the closest families can be annoying. [Christmas] should be a time to pick battles wisely, and let minor irritations go. Try to avoid arguments, and don’t let criticism provoke anger. It’s a hard thing to do, but accepting people’s imperfections can set the tone for a much calmer experience.’

The key to a bicker-free Christmas, then, seems to be: to be realistic (and forgiving) about our families' shortcomings and idiosyncrasies, rather than obsessing over what everyone needs to be - or do - to fit into an abstract idea of perfection that, for most families, simply does not exist.

Sponsored Post 

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Twenty Four

AS London Candle 

Not my kinda smelling candle so might be a extra stocking gift for someone...

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My Little Pony

Top & Trousers: Primark  |  Boots: Peacocks (old)  

Tis the season for the inner child to come out and what better way than a My Little Pony Tee! Who didn't love MLP as a child?! I love the contrast between smart trousers and a fun top. What do you think? Ad what was your favourite toy as kid?

All presents have been bought and wrapped so now all that's left to do is wait. I am excited to see my little boy's face on the day as he is just starting to understand the whole thing! I persuaded my Dad to get a Goose instead of a Turkey this year, really looking forward to chomping on that as I have not tasted Goose before and of course using the fat for yummy roast potatoes!

Last few days for the giveaways if you want to enter - linky on the side bar. 

What's everyone's plans for the big day? 

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Twenty Three

Balm Balm Rose Geranium Lip Balm

Smells faintly of rose but more of the geranium. Can always do with a lip balm and this is 100% organic so happy to give this a whirl!

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Firmoo Glasses Review

So who are Firmoo? Well they are the worlds most popular online eyeglasses store! With years of expertise in the optical industry they are able to offer varieties of high quality prescription eyewear at affordable prices. They also offer non-prescription glasses, sunglasses and designer sunglasses.  Vision & Fashion the Frugal way is their aim and they certainly do that. 

I needed a new pair of glasses as the ones I picked out last year are too heavy and tight. Plus the frame is teeny and just simply annoying to wear. I hunted out the biggest frames I could find and came out with this square geeky style*. You fill out a quick form with your prescription details and they get whisked to you in no time. You receive a hard and soft case, cleaning cloth and a keyring with a screwdriver and spare screws which is very handy indeed! The frames are sturdy enough and the lenses were perfect. 

The best thing is that they offer your first pair free! Just shipping cost is needed and voila a new pair of glasses for you. Follow the promotional link here and pick a pair. Job done.  

I think I'll be picking up a spare pair!

*PR Sample

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Twenty Two

Mont-Bleu Nail File

I have a few of these and they are fab. One more won't hurt...

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Black Magic

Now the colder weather is here I am more drawn (ahem) to dramatic black liner or a flick over the eyes rather than the soft brown smudgy look I have been sporting during summer. I realised I have quite a few to choose from so I thought I would give you the low down.

In the pile up I have three gel liners - Avon in a pencil form and two in a pot from Topshop and Maybelline. A liquid liner from elf and two kohl's from Inika* and Essential Care.

The two kohl's are the weakest when it come's to pigmentation. Great if you want a softer line or they can be built up for a stronger definition. I find the Inika more creamier and easier to apply. Neither drag on the skin.  The Avon is a great glossy deep black. Very easy to apply but you do find it transfer's to the top of your lid towards the end of the day. Maybelline and Topshop look the same when applied but the Topshop liner is softer and just a touch easier to apply. I love the elf liquid liner, it has a lovely glossy finish and lasts well through the day.

I decided to scrub off the swatches on my hand with a dry tissue to which one survived!

As you can see Avon was the clear winner with Topshop second and elf coming in third. Essential Care and Maybelline did not do well at all! Overall Maybelline was my most used liner but since buying Topshop's version recently it hasn't had a look in. I tend to pick up the Avon or Inika when I am short for time as they don't take too much effort to apply and the elf when I want a finer line. 

What's your favourite black eyeliner?

I would like to credit Sophie of Punky Pugs for the title of this post. I was struggling and put a shout out on Twitter and  she came up trumps! 

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Twenty One

Trilogy Rosehip Oil

I knew this brand was in the calender but was hoping for a different product, one that I have tried before and loved. I do love Rosehip oil and have a couple of variations but still a leetle disappointed. Will of course get used and most probably loved but booooo

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Winter SOS: Lip Salvation

See what I did with the title? ;)
The worst thing about winter is dry lips. I can't bear it. I always have a million lip balms floating around, I don't want to get caught out and I have been known to rush to shop to buy one had I left the house without any. So for me a multiple supply is a must! Lip balm companies must make a mint out of me in winter ;) 

A lip scrub is also pretty essential (in my opinion). You can make them super easily but I have been drawn to is this Lemon Cupcake flavour from For Goodness Grape - it really does taste of Lemon Cupcakes! I steer clear of mineral oil based and the Natural/organic ones I have been loving recently are Jason Aloe & Beeswax - a lovely mint flavour and Estelle & Third which has a yummy raspberry flavour. Both super moisturising with long lasting results. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel is a gorgeous balm. Lovely and thick with a orange flavour that reminds me of the chocolate orange cream's from Roses - good enough to eat! This is too thick for the daytime so I use this over night as a treatment and leave it to work it's magic. 

Links to my other Winter SOS posts: Hair // Skincare // more to come! 

Are you a lip balm fiend? 

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Twenty

Eve Lom Rescue Mask

I won't be using this because it contains mineral oil sadly 

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November's Box of Rubbish

Err I mean empties of course...

Very late posting this! Many products used up again last month, I do wonder how I get the time! Hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching!

Products Used

Sally Hansen Strengthening Polish Remover - Review // Seche Vite // L'Occitane Hand Cream Cherry Blossom // Natio Pink Lotus Soap // umi Mango & Coconut Soap // elemental herbology Eye Elixir // LP Skin Therapy Re-affirm Eye Serum // Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer // Collection 2000 Skyscraper Masacra // REN F10 Smooth & Renew Mask // Etat Pur B23 Moisturising Cream // Davines Cleansing Nectar // Naked Ooh La La Body Wash // Morrisons Shaving Gel // Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant // Lee Stafford  Hot Shots // Batiste Dry Shampoo // Mark Hill Dry Shampoo // Bristows Dry Shampoo // Elie Saab Perfume

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Latest in Beauty You Advent Calendar Day Nineteen

Yardley Royal Diamond Body Spray

Not an exciting product but out of all the Yardley scents this is my favourite.

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