Sunday Summary #73

It is less than a week now til me and my boy head off on our holiday! So excited! I've just been up to the loft to bring the suitcase down ready to pack. I currently have piles/bags/boxes through the house with items I've been buying the holiday as its self catering so the box downstairs has food bits like foil, squash, cereal and toilet roll. We're literally taking everything but the kitchen sink! I can't wait to get away.

My week has been relatively quiet with holiday preparations being my priority. I popped to Superdrug for some essentials and found myself eyeing up the Barry M stand as they released some LE Neon Nail Paints but I had to call my Mum as I couldn't remember what I had in my collection whether to get the pink or the green! I went for the green in the end and have since seen the yellow in Boots which I will go back for this week. I had planned to go on Saturday but when a huge storm hit and it was pelting down with rain I just wanted to get home.

There is finally some films at the cinema I want to see including Man Of Steel which we're seeing before holiday. Then Monsters Inc, Despicable Me 2 and The Lone Ranger are coming soon so I'm hoping to go more regularly as I have an Unlimited card I like to make the most of it.
I've spent today with my Mum out and about. We stopped by the library as I reserved some books to take on holiday. I often borrow books as my book shelf is full and I don't want to own every single book I read anyway. I also think its great you don't have to worry about taking your own book on holiday as library ones are in plastic covers so sea and pool splashes won't hurt.

 These are my holiday picks - I probably won't take all of them, perhaps three or four. I love reading autobiographies and I reckon Tulisa has a lot to talk about in hers! My boyfriend will probably enjoy the Danny Wallace one so it kind of saves on suitcase space ha.

 We then stopped at Matalan as my boyfriend bought a suit a few weeks ago and they left the tag on! We didn't beep when we left it was only when he happened to try it on at home I noticed it. I absolutely cannot stand the way they corner you as you walk in and start asking you questions about your Matalan card. I was being quite short with the woman and then she was questionning me why I had beeped and when I said why she soon shut up. Honestly 20 questions or what! Anyway we then went to garden and pet centre a few miles away that also has the sweetest little collection of shops. I got the little pink heart pegs for my new Union Jack memoboard rather than putting pins into it.

 I found lots of card making and scrapbook bits and yes it is the same nautical collection I got at the Range a few weeks back but it was so cheap I couldn't help but get more.

 I spotted this gorgeous little cross stitch kit and just had to get it. I love owls and any kind of lucky charm and this will look so sweet in a frame. I'm going to keep it til I move out.

 Barry M Gelly in Blue Grape, LE Pink neon and Gelly in Guava 

I can't resist new nail paints and these were so me colours. I'm been after a bright blue for years and this looks like just the one. The pink looks quite ordinary here but in real life its brighter and a cross between some of the Barry M pinks. I decided I didn't have a pink like this and its so versatile. I want some of the Confetti sprinkles collection but not sure which colours to get - I like Dolly Mixture and Sour Apple I just need to track them down.

 USA Pro Sports Bra £9.99 - Sports Direct 

With all my recent working out I was worrying about the impact on my boobs and after some research it seemed obvious a sports bra was necessary. I love this one - it fits really snug and will most definitely hold my boobs firmly in place.

 Cat tee £16 - Topshop

I spotted this from afar and liked it even more close up. I saw a handful of other clothes I liked too but feel Topshop can be overpriced sometimes. I stuck with this and the ring below.

 Midi ring £4 - Topshop

 Batman baseball top £6 - Primark 

I've been lusting after this for ages and my Primark finally got them in! My boyfriend spotted them first and as he calls me his Batgirl and I call him my Superman it was an apt purchase.

Coral and gold sandals £8 - Primark 

How cute are these!? They look lovely on too and I can't wait for the weather to stop randomly raining so I can wear them out.

So that's it for my week, I have been distracted through this post as I just received some terrible news about two my dearest friends have been in a car accident. I'm so worried and as they are in Southampton hospital they feel so far away. I won't be posting my Sunday Summarys for the next two weeks because of holiday so it'll be a bumper one :)
Hope you've all had good weeks

Review: Barry M Textured Nails

The textured nail polishes have been out for a while and as I really like them I thought I would do a review. I haven't been able to capture them on my nails (you'll see why later) but welcome the wheel! 

I first got the blue and yellow one from Barry M as the mint was sold out and the pink looked a bit plain for me. I quickly fell in love with these as they are super quick if you're in a hurry to do your nails. It takes two coats but they dry very quick for Barry M. I then found a mint to add to my collection which always gets me tons of compliments when I wear it. Its my favourite by a clear mile. 

 l-r Barry M in Sequin Nail Effects White, Textured Nail Effects in Atlantic Road, Station Road and Ridley Road all £3.99 each  

 There is one negative about these polishes that can't be helped - they attract dirt like a magnet! After a few days mine have collected dirt in the crevices and being pastels it really shows. I could correct this with a top coat but it would most likely remove the textured effect. This for me is the ultimate quick fix as I never have my nails bare so if I am short for time I will wear this for a few days until I have the time to do something more time consuming.

 Although this isn't part of the textured effect range the polish itself is the same textured sandy effect. I loved how pretty this polish was to wear but it is so rough! I was worried I'd scratch myself or my boyfriend pretty bad so I would not recommend this if you are a Mummy! Again this doesn't last very long before it wears down the nail and gets dirty although it wasn't so noticeable amongst the glitter. I think the textured effect acts almost like sand paper and starts to wear down from the tip of the nail as days pass.

Sequin Effects are great for a party or special event but not cut out for everyday or at least a working lifestyle. It was also a nightmare to remove but I had anticipated that!
What do you think of the new Barry M effects? Do I need Kingsland Road to complete my collection?

Sunday Summary #72

Despite not much happening this week I have been a busy bee with holiday preparation and constant list making of what we need to take, birthday planning madness and doing the 30 Day Shred. It is now less than two weeks til me and my boyfriend go away and while I am excited, primarily I am trying to get together everything we need. As its self catering we need to pack everything from washing up liquid to bubble bath. We are now driving up and the car is going to be pretty rammed! The weather has been beautiful this week and we bought all barbeque stuff anticipating a hot weekend and its been cloudy and chilly - boo! Eating inside was the answer and we occupied our evening with the Britains Got Talent final. It was a great show considering I am not much of fan usually and the egg moment was so utterly random. I'm pleased Attraction won as they have worked so hard although I though the majority of finalists were worthy. 

I've been obsessive about getting birthday gifts sorted this week as its my boyfriends Mum's 60th the Saturday before we go on holiday and then its his nephew's 1st and niece's 3rd birthdays at the start of July. One of our presents to his nephew is for when he starts nursery which is before he is 1 so we've ordered the present and will probably take it to his Mum's meal and then give him the rest of his presents on his birthday. Our friends little boy will also be 1 a few days before his nephew so we've had lots of cards and presents to find. WHSmith were running a 3 for 2 on virtually everything in store so we made the most of it, getting DVDS (Gangster Squad for me and Django for him) along with books for his niece and lots of baby toys for the 1 year olds. I also got my boyfriend to choose all birthday cards as they were included too. It seemed silly not to make the most of the deal. It was so hot we popped into Costa too and they were running their BOGOF cooler deal so it was a bargain filled shopping day! 

I am still on level one of the shred but seeing such a difference in a crazy short amount of time. I don't get time to do it everyday so when I do I push myself. I have always had toned legs but you can see a difference in them too which is surprising. I've never done level two as I haven't done it for a prolonged length of time but I must just do it this time and see how much more I can improve my body. 

My hayfever has been unbearable this week - the heat just makes it so much worse. We slept with the window open on Wednesday night and I woke with the worst pain in my nose and couldn't stop sneezing and my nose just kept running uncontrollably. In desperation I went to Boots on my lunch hour and bought nasal spray and throat syrup. They did work but on Friday my eyes were streaming (ruining my make up!) and my nose was still running although the pain had stopped. I'm on the hunt for local honey as its worked previous years as much as its made me hate honey I know it will help. 

 Disclosure Settle - Sainsburys 

I can't remember how much I paid but it was the cheapest pre-order and the deluxe edition. I've been waiting incredibly impatiently for it to be delivered as I adore Disclosure and its so nice to see them suddenly become popular. The album is amazing and so perfect. They've even hit Number 1 which is huge for a genre of music which has struggled to get noticed in recent years. My favourites include What's In Your Head, Help Me Lose My Mind, Confess To Me and When A Fire Starts To Burn. My favourite track they've released is probably You & Me.

 Rimmel items - Fragrancedirect.com

I finally took the plunge and ordered from here as I'd been a little skeptical but seeing so many positive blog posts appear and they had items I wanted swayed me. The items were pretty cheap for Rimmel but they came packaged very cheaply considering one item was a glass bottle I would have thought they'd put more care into it. The Scandal Eyes mascara was half in a shrink wrap package that had been ripped off and it just looked slung in. The invoice looked unprofessional and dodgy but these are only little nitpicks. I think they could work on some areas to improve customer service.

 Long necklace £3 - Primark 

I simply got this for the opal looking beads. I love opals and couldn't leave this. I love long necklaces and have such a collection I hardly know what I have but this will be a nice addition.

 Multi ring pack £2 - Primark 

I love dainty rings and this was an instant must have purchase the second I spotted them. There are two rings with dangling charms of a cross and hamsa hand, while the others are a star, evil eye, buddha face and triangle.

 Multi ring pack £2 - Primark 

I only bought this pack for the rings at the top that have dangling charms of a boat wheel, anchor and swallow. I think the bottoms ones look chea especially the blue band, the flat hear and single stone. They might look ok stacked so I'm undecided but they were so inexpensive it doesn't matter.

 Sheer butterfly sweater £10 - Primark 

There was only a handful of these left and no wonder they're so pretty! I sized up as I like this kind of thing loose plus being sheer it'll be floaty. I haven't tried it on yet but I'm hoping it looks cute with denim.

 Paisley denim ankle grazers £13 - Primark 

I'm not sure what I liked about these in Primark as I'm not sure now they're home. They look really big but I grabbed them so hopefully it's just the way they are meant to be.

 Butterfly sandals £10 - Primark 

These are my favourite because not only do they have butterflies on but they strap up round the slimmest part of your ankle which means they don't cut you off and make your legs look chunky ( I steer clear of this like the plague!) They look so cute on and will be so flattering because of the colour. Bring on the sun!

Food containers and water bottle - Sainsburys 

Part of healthy eating demands you have plenty of food containers and cute ones at that! I first spotted the pink ones as I've noticed a new brand called Sistema in several supermarkets now. This was the first water bottle I'd seen that I liked, would hold a lot of water and not leak. I've never found a bottle that doesn't leak! This one twists up and down so I should be leak free. My boyfriend also pointed out how big it was it'll make it easier to drink more as I'm usually good but at work I measure my drinking by how many bottles I get through a day, so with this I can aim to finish this everyday and it'll be enough. The two part container is for my salad as I've noticed certain items go soggy quickly (iceberg lettuce) and some leave a lot of water in the bottom (cucumber, tuna). By separating them it should help as I'm not fussy about items getting mixed together. I got the cute little ladybird and frog container because I couldn't resist and they'll work for fruit.  

I've had such a chilled Sunday with my boyfriend and we got the Wii out as he bought a new game a few weeks back and then we had our usual Mario Kart tournament. I think every home should have a Wii as they are such fun! I haven't got a May Favourites post as I have only one new product to rave about! I'm going to do a double one with June, we're nearly halfway through June which is quite frightening really, this year is just speeding by. 

Hope you've all had good weeks 

Sunday Summary #71

Another week gone, another week closer to an amazing summer of plans. The weather has finally decided to sort itself out this week and we've had sunshine and blue skies, some mornings have still been chilly and some days I've worn a mac to work. It's so hard to predict what the weather will be doing on my way home 10 hours later in the day. My boyfriend has been so ill this week with a virus so I didn't see him until Friday for a coffee and little shop and then the cinema last night. It feels so weird, like we are dating but its nice in a way, its been an exciting weekend haha. I've got a sore throat today and felt so sick this morning but I'm hoping its just an off day. My boyfriend took me to see The Great Gatsby last night which I was so excited for even though I saw it last week. Its so perfect, I can't wait to watch it again when its released on DVD. I spent today with my Mum and we made an early morning trip to the tip which was pretty exciting haha, its so cool the council has made it so easy to recycle everything imaginable. I hate waste and am a hard core recycler with everything from a cash receipt to a toilet roll going into my blue bin. I had a Matalan return and my Mum found so many clothes to buy but I only got two tops and some clothes for my boyfriend. We went to the Range where we spent a fortune and then to Tescos as I wanted to start on my self catering holiday bits.

I have made lots of online purchases this week that should turn up in the next few days. I finally became a Fragrance Direct customer - excited for it to arrive! I got my new Nintendo 3DS XL and adore it. There is something about Nintendo that is so perfect for me and I am loving my new purchase even though I've barely had any time to play on it yet! I love playing games on my iPhone but when you lose signal it can cut you off and I have debated an iPad purchase for years, years I tell you! There is still a part of me that would like one but for now my DS will do. I'm hoping my boyfriend gets one as Mario Kart is hilarious when you are competing against someone. Me and my brothers had many a battle when we were younger.

 Ted Baker LE Seahorse wash bag £12.50 - Boots

I adore Ted Baker designs and I knew my Mum would love this so I originally bought it for her but they have different sizes so she went in to look herself and came back with the make up bag and a bigger wash bag with handles. They're all lovely and not very expensive. My Mum used a manned till to pay and the cashier said they'd been flying out so get down there quick. I can't decide whether to keep this or get the bow design I've been lusting after for months?

 Nintendo 3DS XL White LE £194 - Amazon 

I bought this with my trade-in gift card but I wanted the LE Pikachu but it has sold out everywhere. I do love this one though as its a matte white and will show finger marks much less and the screens are huge! Mario Kart 7 came already installed and the creators have added so many extra things I never thought would be missing but make the game so much more fun. My friend is a huge Professor Layton fan and has been telling me for years to get on it so that'll be an adventure soon.

 Aviator £3.99, Willy Wonka (original) £4.99 - WHSmith, Silver Linings Playbook £7 - Sainsburys 

I am in a "must-see every Leonardo DiCaprio film" mood so hoping this one is good. I have been searching for ages to find the original Willy Wonka film and finally found it cheap in WHSmiths! I have been itching to add Silver Linings to my DVD collection since it was released and I found it for just £7 on Sainsburys, their prices are really competitive and they're becoming my go-to entertainment website.

 Heart and Spots boyfriend tees £4 - Primark 

I quite liked these for something different but the sizing is so weird as they're boyfriend tees they are straight cut which makes it a nightmare for boobs! I got a size 12 which should be enough room but they'll look cute with skinny jeans and Converse so slightly baggy might work.

 Pokemon HeartGold, Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7, Super Smash Bros Brawl, Sims 3 Barnacle Bay - Game and HMV 

My boyfriend has been searching for the Wii game for a while so he was chuffed to find it relatively cheaply and I had a brave moment and went for a Pokemon game...I don't know if I can play it! I did as a child ha. I am the biggest Sims fan and couldn't resist the pirate theme of this pack so had to get it. One of my New Years resolutions was to make more me time and play games and chill.

 Candy striped beach bag £6 - Matalan 

I have been looking for a beach bag for months and haven't found a single one I remotely like. I thought this was so cute and summery I just went for it. Its quite roomy and will do the job nicely.

 Orange bird print vest £10 - Matalan 

I love bird prints and loved this as soon as my Mum pointed it out to me. I can't wait to wear it with blue jeans.

 Matalan jewellery 

The jewellery was buy one get one free so I got these bits. I love the flower ring its so unique and eye catching. I am always in stud earrings these days and a new set can never hurt the collection. I thought the gold ring was unusual and would be a nice accessory to a maxi dress to keep things simple.

 Union Jack notice board - The Range 

I've got a really old cork board from my childhood so thought an updated board would be nice. I'm not sure if I want to use pins on here incase it leaves big holes, otherwise all my bits should sit under the ribbons.

 The Beach rope letters, Beach Hut photo frame - The Range 

I noticed the letters over an archway in the aisle and had to have them, hopefully I can recreate the look on a wall in the future. The Beach Hut photo frame was too cute to leave, I need a holiday picture to put in it now :)

 Paris trunk - The Range 

Ah how sweet is this trunk? I saw a girly pink floral one in TK Maxx a few weeks back but resisted as it was so pink but this should fit into my own home one day and is so vintage and kitsch. I don't know what I'm going to keep in here yet though!

 Live, Laugh, Love letter tray - The Range 

I have also been looking for a letter tray as I put things in safe places that are so safe I then can't find them! I'm hoping having this will mean all important letters, to-dos and deadlines go in here to be dealt with and not having a stressful hunt for it or forgetting it entirely!

 Card making and scrap book bits - The Range 

I love making scrapbooks and cards for my family and friends so I love any opportunity to get my hands on new bits and the Range has such a selection it takes me absolutely ages to look at everything and decide what I need.

 When I spotted this beach hut seaside selection I must have looked mad grabbing every item I could. These will be perfect for holiday sections of my scrapbooks.

 Alice In Wonderland pjs £11 - Tescos 

I have a thing for pjs, especially Disney themed ones, I just have to buy it even if I already have too many pjs!

Bronze ring, Daisy earrings F&F - Tescos 

I love daisies so the earrings were a find as I only have gold and silver daisy earrings and a pair with white petals. I loved the bow ring and although they had silver it looked nicer in the bronze.

So that's my week, a rather quiet one as I've been tired again this week and busy with errands and chores. I've been attempting five a day fruit and veg and when I have more I feel less tired. I am still composing my eat clean blog post and will have it up before my holiday.
Hope you've all had good weeks

Sunday Summary #70

Aside from the awful weather I've had a lovely week and some very dumb moments. I forgot to mention that last Saturday when I was feeling very close to the border of drunk we were discussing weird food combinations and we got onto the Love/Hate of Marmite. I was raving about Marmite with cheese and our friend said she once had Supernoodles on toast with Marmite, when I asked how she ate it cue about an hour of laughter. It was a stupid question but in my head I was thinking you pick up toast and noodles would go everywhere. On Thursday I asked work colleagues if the world was flat. Someone had been whistling the British Gas advert tune and I said the world looks weird as the car is so big driving over it. I also came to the conclusion that cookies are very clever indeed - I can be innocently browsing a news website and it will have adverts rolling for make-up and clothes - all the items I was looking at yesterday. So that's how the week has gone. I mentioned last week I was after a Pikachu 3DS XL but they have suddenly become completely unavailable everywhere sob sob.

My boyfriend met me from work on Tuesday and we went for a pub tea before meeting friends at the cinema. I've been eating clean for a good few weeks now and I decided I'd treat myself so picked a chicken new yorker. I really couldn't finish it and left most of the cheese, bacon and chicken so no idea why I bothered in the first place. We went to see Star Trek and having not seen the first film I had no idea what to expect. I enjoyed it however as it wasn't too hard to work out what was happening and I loved seeing two of my favourite actors Simon Pegg and Noel Clarke.

On Wednesday while watching the Apprentice I decided it was high time me and my boyfriend tried the new Cadburys Marvellous Creations and we started with the Cookie Nut Crunch which was ok but nothing I'd buy again. It reminded me of the shortcake one they did years ago that I adored but it wasn't around for long. We then tried the Jelly Popping Candy one and my gosh it is yummy!!! I am dying to get the big bars of it! I'd heard mixed reactions about them as it does seem my friends like one or the other. I love the Apprentice being back but it really gets me how they attack each other especially in the board room. Next week in Dubai looks amazing.

On Friday I met a friend from work as she is part time and my boyfriend works early mornings so we went for a late lunch. After a long chat over jacket potatoes and baguettes my boyfriend left us girls in the pouring rain to shop and then we went to see The Great Gatsby. There aren't words for how much I have been looking forward to seeing the film and it was heart stoppingly amazing. Leonardo DiCaprio is such a dreamboat and the costumes were stunning. Carey Mulligan was so good as Daisy and the story is told by Tobey Maguire. I already have the soundtrack and it was amazing to see how the songs were used and in what scenes as it ties it all together nicely. I thought throughout the film how much Jay-Z and Beyoncé songs featured and then I spotted Jay-Z as the executive producer on the credits - how cool is that?! I didn't know he had been working on movies but The Great Gatsby is one to be proud of, they did such a good job of it. My boyfriend has said he'll accompany me to the cinema to see it again before it goes off and I cannot wait! And to add more Leonardo Dicaprio to my weekend Titanic was on last night, I can't bear the bit where Jack dies and my boyfriend had suggested Monsters Inc so we watched that and then tuned back into Titanic right at the end where the old Rose drops her necklace into the ocean and I STILL cried! That damn music!

Today was spent with my boyfriend's sister in law and nephew while my boyfriend, his brother and dad went to see Star Trek together as they are all massive fans. Me and Sarah had a leisurely drink at Costa followed by an amble round shops as her maternity leave is about to end and she was looking for some new clothes. It was a gorgeous day and sunny the entire time. Its got so warm so quick too I was caught out with my jacket but kept it under the buggy which was handy. I'm so sleepy after sunshine and walking, I love the smell my skin gets after its been warm, it reminds me of summer.

I'm hoping this weather continues as I'm fed up of cold and rain and wind. Summer please!
I have finally entered the world of disco pants...I have coveted a pair for ages now, well over a year but had never been near an American Apparel at the right time to try a pair and ordering online seemed a no-go as it wasn't possible to return. I happened to find a pair in Primark this week and it was love. They look amazing on but I hadn't the right size and in a moment of madness I found a Boohoo discount code and ordered four pairs because they do Collect+ which would mean free and easy returns. I am yet to decide which ones to keep but I will show you next week - exciting!

 Bits for making bracelets - all eBay 

I'm not sure if I've mentioned on here before making bracelets but I love doing it and it goes down a storm when I give them as presents to friends. I'd recently made some and noticed I had a few gaps appearing in my box.

 Organza gift bags - eBay 

These are so sweet for popping bracelets into as it looks so much nicer than just in tissue paper or wrapping paper.

 Disco Pants £16 - Primark 

These are the beauties I found! The ankles could be tighter as they're too loose on me but as I'm short I can sort that out. They are really thick material and if you can find a pair I recommend them!

 Brighton beach pj shorts £4 - Primark 

I had to have these the second I laid eyes on them they're so ME! Just a word of warning if you do buy them the label in mine said £4 but the till comes up £6 - the girl changed it but they had to remove the tags and the receipt says sold without tag.

 Trousers £9 - Primark 

I'm not sure what type of trousers these are as they're loose on the leg and cuffed at the ankle. The pattern is pretty crazy but I got them for holiday if there's an evening that's a bit chilly or even a day I would wear these. They have pockets too which will come in handy.

 Flower tea dress £5 (sale) - Primark 

This dress may look plain but it looks so sweet on and with a shot of colour and accessories will look fab.

 Oblong doileys £2.99 - QD 

I stumbled in here look for something and found these. I have a thing for doileys and they're so hard to find nowadays as they're quite old fashioned and vintage so I only find the paper ones. I was so pleased to find fabric ones!

 Wooden box with shelves £2.49 - QD 

I went in looking for these as my Mum got some years ago and I then wanted one as I got a Swarovski duck  that needs protecting until I move out and get my own cabinet. I don't have anywhere yet to sit this unit so its staying in the loft until I can make space.

 Blue crystal door frame hooks £7.99 - TK Maxx 

I fell in love with this and even though I already have a door frame hook I got this as I'm hoping my boyfriend will have it on his door (he is currently resisting) as we don't have anywhere to hang anything in his room. He thinks its too girlie!

 Peter Rabbit mug £3 - TK Maxx 

It is rare to see anything like this so I picked it up instantly. I don't know where he'll go as I'm not using him as a mug but I do need a pen pot so could be for that.

 Bows £2.49, die-cuts £2.69 - Rymans

I was killing time and popped in here for a quick browse. I actually found loads and couldn't resist these pastel scrapbook bits.

 Card toppers £1.59 - Rymans 

I can't wait to make my best friend this New York card as she has been and loved it. I'll probably use the other two in my scrapbook but Paris will have to wait until I visit again!

Card toppers £1.59 - Rymans 

I am making an Acceptance card for the wedding in September so think I'll use these silver hearts and of course I need a wedding congratulations card so will use the other set for that.

So that's my week and the odd bits I've bought. Hope you've all had good weeks