First Matalan Spend!

Matalan arrived in my town a few months ago but I hadn't been til yesterday. I was so excited to finally be going as friends had told me good things about it and I sometimes see their clothing pop up on blogs. I'd had a quick skim on their website so knew some bits I was after. Mum said I used to go in there when I was little but I have no recollection. We moved from Devon when I was twelve so I haven't been in one since then. I'm really pleased with what I picked up and can't wait to wear them. 

 Palm Tree empire boobtube £8, Floral empire boobtube £8, Fruit Bikini, top & bottom £3 each

 Palm Leaf kaftan £8

 Parka in a bag £18 

 Seahorse blouse with sequin collar £18

 Swallow print pink blouse £12

 Purple lace dress £25

I've wanted a parka for ages but never been able to find a print I liked. Primark have had some recently but always been in big sizes. Couldn't resist this star one. Still obsessed with Peter Pan collars and so the two tops were obvious. They also had a horse print one in lilac the same as the swallow one but it didn't look as nice on :( the kaftan was the only one left and my size! Had gold thread running through it, probably should have got the matching bikini too. So I finally found a lace dress and in one of my favourite colours! The camera hasn't picked up how truly beautiful this dress is. I love the empire boobtube prints and really wanted a parrot print one but they didn't have anywhere near my size. I love that shops now do bikini pieces separately as I need a 10 bottom but 16 top. Its a really skimpy one so upsized on both pieces to contain my blushes.
I also made a trip to the Range where I always find loads!

 Love frame £3.99, The Range 

Can't wait to put some photos of me and the boy in here.

 Beach Hut cool bag £5, Matalan

Can't say no to anything with beach huts on. I think this being a rucksack also sold it as my current cool bag just has a carry handle and drinks can be heavy. Hopefully this will make it easier.

 Eiffel Tower cushion £8, Matalan, Beach Hut cushion £4.99, The Range

 Buddha candle holder, £3.49, Rose bucket, £1.29, The Range

 Teal flowers, £2.99, The Range

 12 photo frame, £7.99, London print words, £5.99, Home floral print words, £3.99, The Range

Recipe book holder £4.99, The Range 

Some of the bits from the Range will be in the loft until I have my own home to put them in.
What do you think of my finds?

Sunday Summary #19

Had a great start to the week, sick as a dog and off from work. Feels like ages ago now, even if I did still have an horrendous cough a few days ago (those awful chesty coughs that make you feel sick they're so rough). Still sniffly and tired but over the worst at least. Ruined my pictures for today as I've already posted most of what I've bought this week here. Couldn't resist a quick trip to Primark on Saturday as the heat made me want to rush out and buy a million summer dresses. I did get one, but its too tight on the chest (booby problems). Either me or my boy's Mum infected him and he was poorly too, so another quiet week spent at home and going to work. He's away this weekend visiting friends so I've missed having him around. Started being bitten 10 million times again. Didn't sleep very well last night, the bites were itching so much. Losing my mind over what to do now. I burnt citronella on my windowsill last night in the hope it might keep the little monsters away but fresh ones had shown up this morning. May have to invest in a net over my window or bed. SO excited to be off work now, the weather looks like it will be absolutely beautiful. Can't wait to spend the week in summer dresses, maxis and skirts. I am hoping a beach visit will be in order too.

Primark top. Primark vest & skirt. Primark scarf.  Chinese. Bibby on my windowsill. Dib dab! Ronnie on the dining table. Models Own Hed Kandi Beach Party. Buttons pot. Tubby custard & fruit <3

Loved the Union Jack top, it has little pictures of British type things, got a size 12 as I think this will look better worn baggy. Loved the sunshine yellow top, and the skirt was so candy coloured I couldn't resist. I've  liked this scarf for a while, and saw it pop up on other blogs. I decided to just buy it (the influence of my nails!) otherwise I'd always regret it. My cats Ronnie and Dixie are loving the sunshine, got so many good pictures of them sunbathing. Tubby custard is actually Angel Delight but we discovered it during the height of  the Teletubbies and as it looked like their pink tubby custard we renamed it. Then we had to un-rename it as our younger cousins wouldn't eat it if we called it tubby custard haha. However have reverted to renaming it, even though me and my brothers are all teens/twenties. It is amazing with strawberries btw!
Hope you've all had good weeks. My next summary should contain some more exciting photos as no work = more play!

Fluorescent Adolescent

After trying to resist owning/buying the entire Hed Kandi collection from Models Own I've pretty much caved and just have one left to get, Disco Heaven. This has to be the brightest, most neon shade I have ever worn. Its pretty much a fluorescent orange. I applied it at night, and although my laptop was making it glow I didn't realise until daylight this morning how extremely bright it is. It is certainly attention grabbing: I received so many comments today about my nails. I always seem to get men commenting on my nails too not just women. This is very much a statement colour, perfect for a night out or the beach.

 with flash 

 without flash 

beach party 

Oddly I think this makes me looked tanned. I'm pretty pale and some colours like this look awful on my nails but this suits me I think. Its quite a cool toned orange which is probably why. I can't wait to try Hedonist as it always looks so nice on other people, so fingers crossed!
What do you think of Beach Party?

Hello Sunshine

I was very excited to have today off work. The weather has been absolutely beautiful. Its so very hot in the sun but there was a little breeze to help. I met my boy from work as he has done a half day to go back to his uni to see his friends and go to Twickenham on Sunday for the England v Barbarians game. I took his work stuff and filled his belly with lunch. He made my day telling me I looked beautiful, I felt hot and windswept haha. Loved wearing a summer dress finally. Like the mushy romantic I am, I left him a little lovenote in his bag saying I hoped he had a great time and I was cooking for him Monday night. I loved his text once he'd read it on the train. There's a bridge near our train station and after I'd left him I was walking back across it. The wind was blowing my dress up and a bus driver beeped me. A bus driver! I posted an outraged status on facebook at how inappropriate it was. Imagine all the passengers looking to see what he was beeping at! Had to be me! I popped into a few shops on my way home. The Birthdays in my town is closing and they are the only place to get party bits. I also treated myself to some Me To You bits I've had my eye on.

I can't resist anything with a union jack on, and I love having photos around me. The photo album is so cute but doesn't hold many photos.

I got some trash to keep me occupied on Sunday and my beloved Company. I LOVE their makeover and I was thinking today I've been buying the magazine for eight years now! They are the perfect mix of what I love to read: fashion, beauty, music, issues that affect me and a little celebrity. For £2 a month too its a bargain!

 I had a 20% off voucher for New Look and I love using them. I tried in vain to find a dress; summer, evening or maxi but couldn't. I found a beautiful lemon print maxi but it had frills...
I've been looking for an owl pendant like this forever. I loved the colours on him and had to get the earrings too although I won't wear them at the same time, too matchy matchy for my liking. I haven't found any shoes in New Look for ages either :(

I then popped through Boots to get a drink and found myself with these in my hand. I love the Soap & Glory Supercat liner and mine has started to dry out so I needed to get a new one. Theres an offer on Models Own if you buy two cosmetics you get a nail art pen free. The sunny weather saw me finally give in and purchase Hedonist and Beach Party. I almost left the free pen but I don't have blue. I don't know how I'll use it yet, I wouldn't think it could work with many other polishes unlike black and white. I then got a Collection 2000 clear mascara to keep my brows tidy.
I've also got a New Look order on its way which I'm excited for. I got a blue shoe string hoody from Primark but the boy loved it and has "borrowed" it permanently. I looked on New Look and found one with ears! They had 20% off online on Wednesday only so it was rude not to ;)

Models Own Top Turquoise

This weeks nails were a quick change so I just opted for a Models Own colour. I chose Top Turquoise as I love the colour, makes me think of mermaids. I can't rave about Models Own enough, easy to apply, quick drying, doesn't chip easy. I really hope they do another 50% sale this summer as I'd love to expand my collection much more, but I'm trying to be good with money and wear the colours I already have haha.

Models Own Top Turquoise 

After saying I will resist buying more Models Own, I'm about to post some bits I bought today and there are three Models Own nail products...fail.

Recent Online Orders

With my being tired and feeling ill I've been spending a lot of time online, and this often leads to the internet equivalent of window shopping.
My first few orders were with ASOS and New Look and everything got returned due to me buying the wrong sizes. I'm always over cautious and tend to go for a size up, I got a pretty purple dress from New Look in a medium that absolutely drowned me. I was tempted to run it through the sewing machine to bring it in but the fabric was so fine, I knew it would probably pucker under the needle and go wrong. I bought a River Island black lace dress from ASOS and again sized up thinking their sizes are on the small side. I have wanted a lace dress forever, like literally years but they are so hard to get to fit me. I got a gorgeous one from H&M last Autumn but it zipped up the side and although I exchanged it for the next size up to get my bust into it meant the dress itself would have been like a tent on my body. H&M I have found however do not allow for boobs. The ASOS dress arrived and again was far too big, plus it didn't look as nice as it did online.
As I work for Avon they often send out vouchers for other companies. Of late they have done some Dorothy Perkins one. The first I made use of was 20% off here, but the next one was 25%. A quarter off is pretty generous, as usually you get between 10%-20%. I just had to make use of it! I looked online and found a navy biker jacket. I have a cheap black one from Primark that is quite creased but navy is one of my favourite colours. I even showed the boyfriend the jacket and we popped through my local store on the first day of the voucher and they didn't stock it. I just had to have it! I ordered online that night and got two sizes to compare. I also found a block colour clutch that is being returned as its too big for me to hold and has no handle or chain. I got a pretty bunting necklace too and wish I got this one too.

 Excuse the creases but it actually arrived like this! I thought a biker jacket meant it would be a bit tougher than this fabric. Maybe I should have read the description but if you look at this link, I feel it looks like navy leather/pleather. To me it does anyway, but lesson learned. Its actually a really nice jacket, but I don't really need it and I want a proper biker jacket.

With the Olympics and the Jubilee this year the country has gone mad for all things British and Union Jack. As a massive lover of this kind of thing I am loving it. My friend Kelly got a bunting necklace from Forever21 but neither of us have been to London since, its not on the website and its too hard to ask others for what I'm after. Hers is beautiful, made up of red, white, blue and union jack flags and I lust after it so very much. This is an attempt to satisfy that lust. Not as striking and not obvious (to me at first) its bunting but beggars can't be choosers.

Superdrug ever so kindly emailed me to tell me they had 3 for 2 on cosmetics. To me, that's more than enough bait to go and look. And if I look I always find. I had a little big massive list of bits I'm after. Now believe me when I say I had to be very restrained. Also I was buying bits for my lovely boyfriend, my littlest brothers favourite man scent for my Mum (I already have him a bottle for his birthday in October and Mum wanted one to give him for Christmas) and a few toiletries for me.

MUA palettes in Glitter Ball and Starry Night. The names are pretty apt for these palettes as they are what they say on the tin. Glitter Ball is a selection of intense glittery colours. I can't wait to wear these as I love glitter and they look pretty pigmented. Starry Night is your usual smokey eye palette, perfect for creating a dark smoulder with a lilac and pink shade too. 

Maybelline Colour 24hr Tattoo shadows in Immortal Charcoal and On and On Bronze

 I just had to get my hands on the Maybelline Color 24 Hour Tattoo shadows. I chose two colours I thought I'd wear the most. These have been compared to MAC paint pots which I find very exciting as I am pretty obsessed with them. I'm hoping these could also act as a decent primer to hold eyeshadow to my lid. I want to get the purple and blue colours in these as they look amazing. 

 I ended up getting a Maybelline Pop Stick over a Revlon Lip Butter as I want to see the colours in person. Bit disappointed with this Pop Stick, in shade Pink Sugar, I swatched it on my hand and it came back clear. I'm hoping as I break into the bullet the glitter will come out more. I also just had to add an Essie to my basket. So excited how easily available Essie is in the UK now! OPI next please. I got Lapiz of Luxury, bit obsessed with blue/lilac/bluey purple nail polishes. I tried this over Models Owns Beths Blue and its a few shades darker.

Maybelline Pop Stick in Pink Sugar

Next I stupidly went onto Topshop's website. Obviously going to spend! However the nail tattoos I have wanted for ever and regretted not getting when I had them in my hand in Topshop Oxford St! I bought two Fashion Targets Breast Cancer bracelets. At £2 each they are amazing value while helping a worthwhile cause. The hair clips were so adorable, I love carousels and I've never seen anything like them before. I finally caved and bought a Topshop lipstick. I've bided my time as there hasn't been colours that I just had to own. Add to that my local Topshop don't stock the range and I've never been too taken with ones in stores I've visited I never got one. Brighton Rock had always appealed to me but I had never found it anywhere or online so just assumed it was limited edition. I couldn't believe it when I saw it on their website and immediately added it to my basket. So really I needed all items, and two are helping others...

Topshop Brighton Rock - a bright pink, that looks very similar to Nicki Minaj Viva Glam. 

Then I managed to find what looked like the perfect biker jacket on Miss Selfridge online. I literally couldn't order it fast enough, and it arrived today. It is so very perfect. I am so excited to own this. Its slightly creased from being folded in the bag but I've left it on my dress mannequin. Plus it adds to the look. 

 This necklace I've been eyeing up in Topshop for weeks but can't bring myself to part with the £14 for it. When I needed a little something extra to give me free postage I found this and added it.

I love it so much! Long + peace sign = perfect combination for me.
Such a long post but I think I need my password book taken away from me and my card details erased from my head.
I have a basket on ASOS as I write this...but I am going to save it for later.