Easter Baskets

I have a few little ones in my life and being the great aunt that I am I wanted to get them a few Easter treats when we visited the homeland last weekend but I have to say the Easter aisle of Tesco (other supermarkets are available) didn't really call to me. 

A sneaky visit to Aldi and after finding a few supplies I was inspired to make these extra cute Easter baskets full of Easter goodies which in my opinion are far better than a really commercial Easter egg. 

These buckets were 99p each and I thought the kids would get to use these again for their egg hunts this weekend.

Next it was for the chocolate treats. I just love all of the bright colours. 

The center piece was the chocolate rabbit a total rip off of the more expensive version but only 75p!

 Look how cute...

I have a roll of cellophane that probably cost a couple of quid from eBay which I got before Christmas a couple of years ago. I think wrapping up gifts in this always makes them look so much more professional and like you have put a lot of effort into your wrapping when really it is so easy. 

I found these cute little tags after searching for 'free Easter printables'. 

Here is the finished product. Super easy, super cheap coming in at around £3.00 each and way more personal than any prepacked chocolate egg. I can assure you the little ones loved them as well.

Happy Easter and I hope that the Easter bunny has visited you.

My First Lush

I am afraid I have been one of those people that has shyed away from the strong smelling shop Lush. Having suffered with Eczema my whole life, I tend to stay clear of anything overly scented or soapy that might irritate my skin and whilst I was familiar with the ethos of the company, using natural products, the powerful smells had put me off.

However, I ventured in to buy my best friend a couple of luxurious bathing products for her birthday and I'm afraid that I was too tempted. Perhaps I was suckered in by the incredibly helpful staff member who talked me through some of the options and somewhat convinced me that despite the strong smells I shouldn't have any problem with some of the bath bombs / bubble bars and my eczema. 

I picked up...

The Butterball - Bath Bomb

This was the first thing recommended as it is designed with those of us with sensitive skin in mind. Gently fragranced with ylang ylang and coco butter, once broken down this leaves the water milky and with nothing more than a clean 'fresh' scent. 

One of the first things I noticed was that this really fizzed and totally broke down in the water. Great as I used to hate the 'cheaper' bath bombs and the hard sections you would find undissolved at the bottom upon plonking yourself in the steaming water. 

The butterball leaves a film of oil from the coco butter on the surface of the water which left my skin feeling really soft and moisturised after I dried off...even my husband noticed!

The Comforter Bubble Bar

There is simply nothing more relaxing than a warm bubble bath and I could not resist the AMAZING smelling Comforter bubble bar.   Without a doubt my favourite of the pack on smell alone and the cute pink bath water also helped!

Karma Bubble Bar

After spending a small fortune on presents and myself I was really pleased when I got home and found a min karma bubble bar in my bag which the shop assistant had given me as a free sample. She had mentioned that this 'scent' is the signature for Lush. It is lovely but in my opinion is far surpassed by the smell of the The Comforter. 

I crumbled half of this into a bath and was thrilled at the pale orange bath water and the lashings of foamy bubbles that really did last.  


My eczema has come up on my arms but I tried these whilst staying in a hotel which means it is not really a fair test.  I find that very often when staying away from home I will have a small reaction due to the detergents used to wash the bedding. 

As far as I am concerned these are now staple bath products and when I'm willing to treat myself to a bath it will be one of these that is joining me.

Lily Flame Candles

I was originally gifted a 'Blush' Lily Flame candle 5 or 6 years ago for Christmas and I have been one of their fans ever since and am rarely without a tin on the go. 

I really love the packaging of the tins, particularly the font design and the girly colours they use for all of their labelling. The range has been extended away from the original tins and they now do glass jar candles, room sprays and reed diffusers...hello wish list! 

You are able to find them in person in John Lewis and I regularly go and have a little sniff to see what is new but I keep on coming back to Blush. It is a heady scent, deep and musky but feminine at the same time.

Well on a little trip to John Lewis to purchase the Blush candle for a friends birthday box I noticed that they now do individual mini tins ... hello Lily Flame cuteness. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to choose a different scent and give something else a road test. 

This time I chose the Lavender and Lime. There is a strong scent of relaxing lavender but the twist of lime takes away that old lady edge and freshens it up slightly, making it perfect for either day or night time burning. I particularly like the idea of taking a mini with me when travelling to liven up the standard hotel scent. The mini tins also make such great little gifts I think.

These tins have very powerful scents and like some of their more expensive counterparts they can fill a room without even being lit. Unlike most of their expensive counterparts these candles come in at less than £10 each a significant saving if you were thinking of a Diptyque or Neom offering. 

Since moving to the South West it makes it even better these little tins of cuteness are made in Somerset.

These are sold on Amazon, in John Lewis and from Lily Flame themselves.

Monthly Review - March

Make Up

One of my favourite things this month has been my new mascara from Maybelline. Deep black, no flakes and great gravity defying length and volume all day long. At around £5 this is an absolute bargain.

 

Food

Has anyone else noticed that Oreo cookies have been on offer in Tesco this month...no just me then. I just have literally not stopped eating them.

Drink

We have booked our next trip to the States and the onslaught of sunshine has got me thinking of these great Corona-ritas!

 

Read

I finished Apple Tree Yard this month after a recommendation from the mothers book group.
 

Yvonne Carmichael is at the top of her, rather male dominated, profession respected by peers, friends and family. One day whilst giving evidence at a House of Commons Select Committee she meets a stranger. She dives into a passionate but rather anonymous affair. An affair that leads to a live changing catastrophic event. 

Reflecting on themes of adultery, love, trust and the values by which we choose to live our life this book is totally gripping. You know that a book is good when you can't quite face starting the next book because you are too engrossed in the one you have just finished.

 

Listened to

Hello Frozen soundtrack at the top of my lungs in the car!

Watched

About 40 billion years behind everyone else I have finally started watching Homeland and oh my god it is AMAZING!!! I have just started watching Season 2 so no spoilers please.

Blog Post

My favourite blog post of the month has to be this one from Paula at PinkBow. Her blog is grown up and I love it. The post in question inspired this one and has helped me get a little bit of my blogging mojo back.

YouTube

This video of my new home city got me all excited and I have loved watching and sharing it all this month. 

Although a special mention has to go to the musings of Anna and Lily on their 90's Kid Tag which threw me a little bit of nostalgia last weekend.

Instagram

Tweet

Excited to show you all my journey so far! x vb http://t.co/DOoXqE8b1t pic.twitter.com/jSOxsC1o5L
— Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) March 3, 2014

This month I have not been good at..

Blogging! I haven't been hugely inspired to put fingers to keys over the last month to be honest but I have a few things that I would like to write about in April. So here's to a few extra posts.

This month I have been successful at...

Netball coaching. That's right this month I successfully qualified as a level 1 Coach. I'll now be looking to test lots of new things out on the girls at the club. I love that already in 2014 I have learnt a new skill.

Looking forward to

I am looking forward to our trip away to Cornwall at the beginning of April. This is the first time I will have been down there except for Newquay when I was a teenager. We are looking for something slightly different from the Cornish coast this time around specifically a little bit of R&R.

Winter Favourites

 

What better time to write this post than when the first hints of spring are starting to show; the plants are starting to grow, days are getting longer and the promise of the Easter Bunny is looming. 

 

This collection of favourites has a definite neutral theme to it that is for sure. In my opinion there is nothing better than 'no make up' make up look that pulls you together when the dark days are getting to you. Classic and timeless. All of these items have seen sufficient use over the last few months in a bid to banish me of my winter blues!

From left to right

This perfect nude nail polish has been gracing my tips almost constantly since Christmas and my desire to wear all things red and/or glittery had run its course. Aptly named shade 372 in 'Nude'. Ever since I discovered KIKO I have loved their nail varnishes. Easy application, a great range of colours, long lasting and a bargain too boot!

I am lucky enough to have a International Santa and one of the things top of my cross-Atlantic wish list was the L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in the US only shade of 'Amber Rush'. Many a UK beauty blogger has raved about this and I can tell why. This is without a doubt the perfect rose gold eye shadow and I know that is a bold statement. I cannot tell you how many people have commented on it when I am wearing it and I have to admit a little bit of me delights in telling them it can only be found in the US.

The swatch below is literally a small press into the pigment and a swipe which shows you just how intense it is. Use a primer underneath and it lasts and lasts and lasts!

Onto some skincare and a desperate need to pep up the moisture levels in my severely winter dehydrated skin! Hydraluron is a sticky gel that you put on your face before your full moisturiser and eye cream. There is lots of science behind it - I'll leave that for you to find out for yourself - but it definitely keeps things the right side of moisturised on those cold and windy days. 

Continuing on the KIKO theme this was more of an impulse purchase whilst standing in their packed Westfield Stratford store on the 27th December. The Crystal Sheer Glossy Lipstick in 'Coral Pink' won me over with the packaging. A push down top and iridescent finish *swoons*.

Luckily the product itself is just as awesome. It looks like a bullet of highly pigmented colour but what you are left with is exactly what it says on the tin - a sheer glossy coverage - that leaves enough moisturing colour to perk up that dull winter skin. Its' lasting power is in the same realm as a lip gloss but it is certainly easy to re-apply and even easier to wear.

More eyes and another drug store winner in my opinion. The Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet also gives a great intense shimmer to the lids. Can anyone tell that I love a good shimmer finish! This stuff is a great neutral bronze colour that stays and stays and stays. Blended with a fluffy brush and a slick of mascara your eyes are good to go!

Last but by no means least is the piece de resistance in this group of seasonal favourites, the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I literally squealed like a child when I opened this on Christmas Day and it has had a special place in my heart ever since. 

Any type of look needed is easy with this beauty. Paired down neutral, sparkly date night or full on smoky this does not disappoint. I definitely now want the Naked 2. 

Enough said...this is all over the blogosphere with rave review after rave review and much better swatch photos than I would ever achieve so instead I will just leave you with some photos so that you can salivate to yourselves. 

My Winter Skin Savers

All the will power in the world...

If there is one thing that is seriously testing my will power during this 100 day spending ban it is the Uber Pink Collection from Bobbi Brown!

Everything about this makes me happy. To start with it is pink and from Bobbi Brown *swoon*. Those colours are just so vibrant and pretty and you know that as it is Bobbi the quality will be just as amazing.

The perfect Valentine gift for that someone special (hint hint) or special treat to yourself of course.

The stand out items for me are definitely the lip gloss in Baby Pink, the nail polish in Pink Peony, the lip colour in Pink Kiss and the piece de resistance the illuminating bronzer in Pink Peony.

It is going to take every last ounce of self-control to not purchase these on my first jaunt around the shops this Saturday with Mum in tow.