Find me on Google+ So says Lu...: April 2012

Sunday 29 April 2012

Terrible Nails, let's all have a laugh!

Good Evening!

Firstly I have to say that I attended the Festival of Vintage today and it was EPIC! Worth plodding through the rain for, I can't wait to share it with you, but there is a lot of editing to be done (be prepared for a photo heavy post). 

But what I actually wanted to share with you today was an atrocious attempt at nail art. I am actually unsure why I am sharing this with you, because it looks awful. But part of me thinks that my 2 hours of hard labour should be shared with the world, no matter how pants it is. 


So there it is, isn't it poop haha! These jewel-tastic design was created with:

-Tesco "All about Nails" in Lavender (3-4 coats)
- Top Shop Gold nail art pen (inc. jewels)
- La Femme Beauty Glitter polish
-Top and Base coat

After a failed marble nail attempt, (the polish wouldn't spread on the water), I just decided to get a little jewel happy. Because I am not good with fine detail, particularly nail art pens it would appear, they turned out horrible. The jewels hide the messy lines underneath, which is its only saving grace. I have already lost several jewels so they are starting to look even scruffier, but I refuse to take it off so soon, after working so long on it. 

But yeah, they are laughable really, so I thought we could all laugh together :)

Now I have rats to clean out and a movie to watch with the bf, so I will be back tomorrow, hopefully, with a Festival of Vintage post! (It depends how long the editing takes!)

See you tomorrow :)
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Saturday 28 April 2012

April GlossyBox First Impressions

Good afternoon,

So the blogs have gone crazy once again for this months offerings from GlossyBox. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an eco-box, full of organic products and 100% biodegradable packaging, although, like others have pointed out, why the packaging is not 100% biodegradable every month is beyond me. I do like to make use of my boxes so I will not be throwing it away, but many probably make it to landfill. I try to make sure I am eco-concious, so to test products that support this philosophy is great, and it gives me an idea which brands to look for in the future.

Anyway, I could go on about eco-ness all day, being a bit of a warrior for it myself, but I won't, and instead will show you what was in my box...






So the box looked quite exciting when I opened it, I was pleased to see some quite big products. At first I thought I had only got four products but one was hiding from me.

Here are my first impressions...


This smells lovely! It will be making it's way to the side of my bath as soon as I have used up the last of my Naked Ooh La La Shower Gel (which has lasted me forever, and smelt beautiful!). I am pleased to see this is quite a big bottle, I think it is full size. It is supposed to be £4.95, which is not bad, but, as someone who normally buys their shower gel in Poundland, it is unlikely I would buy this, but hey, that's why GlossyBoxes are such a treat!  I can't wait to try it as like I said it smells lovely, (I love coconut!), and it sounds like it has some great skin-loving ingredients in it. So I will let you know how I get on with that. 


After using up the last of my Blistex Roller Ball I have been testing all of my lip balms to find a suitable replacement as my night time lip treatment. I need something that stays hydrating for a long time. I find that some lip balms are great for a little while, and then actually make your lips drier, so you have to apply more, which isn't ideal for when trying to sleep. However, I think I have found the answer in this! Oh. My. Gosh is this moisturising! The rose scent is a little heavy, (the peppermint one that was in other people's boxes sounds lovely), but I can live with it, I like nice scents around me when I am going to sleep. At first I thought it was a little weird because it feels a bit grainy when first applied, but it sort of melts onto your lips and goes so buttery and smooth and lasts for ages. I think it's ideal for on a night because I wouldn't really want to eat or drink soon after applying this, because it doesn't really sink in. It can also be used as a face or hand balm which I like. I imagine if you had a cold and a flakey nose from all the tissues this would be a welcome relief. Anyway, I will stop rambling about this, it is a full size sample and is supposed to be £3.29, which I think I would pay for something organic and this moisturising.



I have never really considered that an eye pencil could be organic, but here we have the Inika Organic Eye Liner in 07 Graphite. I will do swatches in my follow up post, but from my initial try I can say that the texture is lovely! It's so soft and easy to apply and blend. I usually don't use eye pencils above my lashes but I tried this today and it went on beautifully, without that whole 'dragging your eyelid' experience you can have with other eye pencils that are too hard or dry. The only thing that puts me off is the £11.95 price tag. With eye liners I just think that they are something you can buy cheap and get away with it, so I couldn't justify this much on a pencil really.





So the above product was my only 'kind of' disappointment. I say kind of because all the other samples are quite large, so I can't be too disappointed with one mini mini product. I do think that if beauty boxes are doing perfumes though, they should be proper samples, and not just a vial of liquid that you can maybe use once or twice, the Fendi sample in the Harrods box was a perfect size. This is a perfume oil to be applied to the pulse points and I am not sure if it is supposed to be calming. The scent is pleasant but unusual, not something I would usually pick but I am happy to give it a try, but for £41 for a full size product, a try is all it will be getting!




I was very excited to see a Caudalie product in my box, after reading all the hype over other Caudalie products. This is a S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum, that uses plant-based ingredients. I read on someone else's blog (I can't remember who's) that they use this as an under eye cream, so I have decided that's how I am going to try it. On a night I take my make-up off with a wipe, then moisturise my face, currently with the SKII moisturiser sample that came in the Harrods GlossyBox, I will therefore just add the eye serum into the routine and see how we go. If it performs miracles then the £29 price tag might be justified, I'll keep an open mind for now...

So all in all I am very impressed with this months box. I like the fact that GlossyBox is drawing attention to eco and organic brands in a positive way, (unlike a certain soap brand that recently went about proving it's point in a very controversial fashion...), and have delivered them in beautiful packaging once again. 

Not everyone can be pleased by the contents of beauty boxes, and some say that the 'hype' about them is over. However, as relative new-comer to the party and the concept of beauty boxes. I am still excited by the idea and will probably continue to be so. I mean, how can you not be excited about getting little presents through the post?! If I encounter anything I particularly don't like but I know someone who will I will just pass it on to them, I don't feel like I am losing out just because I don't fall in love with everything, I just like trying new things without having to pay ridiculous price tags. £12.95 a month for a little me time with some high end products I would never buy myself is definitely worth it for me... but what do you think?

(sorry for the essay, a short sharp post tomorrow I promise! And I am going to the Festival of Vintage tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled for the post on that!)

See you soon :)
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Friday 27 April 2012

(OOTE) Avengers Assemble 3D

Good afternoon!

So I am at work again today so I thought you could have another day time post. I don't want people to think I am slacking off by blogging at work, it is very quiet and I am very bored, baring in mind I have hardly seen a soul all day! 

Last night I went to see Avengers Assemble 3D. I thought it was great! My only minor criticism is that the 3D made some of the action scenes lose their crispness, you missed some of the fighting choreography due to the blur caused by the 3D. I would be interested to watch it in Blue Ray and see if it makes a difference, I am pretty sure it would. And although I enjoyed the 3D, I am not actually sure how much it added to the film. I have only seen two 3D movies, this and Harry Potter, (I missed out on Tron and Avatar, which apparently were the ones to see), and so far it's not entirely blown me away. Also, I now have to wear my glasses in the cinema... picture me and the boyfriend, sat at the back, simultaneously cleaning our glasses and our 3D glasses... we looked such the dorky couple! But yeah, wearing your 3D glasses over your vision glasses is not ideal,

1. It starts to hurt your ears and nose.
2. The double glare can be annoying.
3. You look like an idiot, but there are other people doing the same, and it's dark, but you still know!

I don't want to tell you anything about the plot and such because I don't want to spoil the film, but I will say I was pleasantly surprised with how balanced the film was; there was some actual laugh out loud moments, some love, lots of action, the odd 'jump' (believe me, you will jump!), and some 'on the edge of your seat' moments. So even if you're not a comic book geek, it's worth a watch! I, personally, am in love with Robert Downy Jr. so I was just happy to see him too!

Anyway, enough about the film, I am sure you all want to know what I wore, (probably not, but you're going to know!). I was intending to dress a bit nicely, ya'know, with it being date night with the boyf and all. But, after walking home from work and resembling a drowned rat (after bathing the rats, I full understand this expression!), I decided to go for warm and comfy...


Snood- Tesco, £2 in sale
Hoodie- Soul Cal, birthday present
Grey Jeggings- Primark, ages ago




I had to show you my t-shirt because it is awesome. I was an xmas present 2 years ago from my mum. She bought it for 2 reasons, 1. Because it's made by a company called Juicy Lucy and 2. Because it's damn awesomely funnily cute!

And for my 'braving the rain' ensemble...


Coat- New Look, about 3 winters ago
Wellies- Baby Cham, around £25
Umbrella- Primark, around £2
Bag- Primark, £6 
(I also have big hiking socks on that you can't really see, but they were £2 from Primark Mens)

And finally, a vain Instagram of me waiting to go to the cinema, sporting my Karen Millen glasses. I don't normally treat myself to designer frames, but I love these and will just have them re-glazed in the future, instead of buying new frames. And, I have to wear them a whole lot more now than I have had to in the past, so I was making sure I got ones I liked a lot!


(Also for those who are interested, I am wearing Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle (001) on my lips)

So there we have it for today. I am no serious film critic, so don't take my opinion on Avengers Assemble as gospel, I am merely stating what I think, you may think it's crap, that's ok too, but I just thought I would let you know my take on it. 

Later is serious pamper time for me and I can't wait. Having a ridiculously long bath, using so many lotions and potions I will probably end up smelling like a tarts boudoir, and am going to chill with my ratties (and boyfriend of course), and paint my nails, aaahhh bliss :) So cya tomorrow :D
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Thursday 26 April 2012

Primark Facial Wipes Review

Good morning!

I know this seems very early in the day for me to be posting, but I am at work and am planning to get some college stuff done this afternoon. Also, I am going to see Avengers Assemble 3D tonight and am super excited and wouldn't have the chance to write a post, so you're getting it now instead :)

So just a little review from me today...




These were a little impulse buy when I was last at Primark with my lovely best friend Sam. I was running out of face wipes, (I know some people don't like them, but I am lazy on a night, so nerr!), and at £1 for 2 packs I thought I would try these out. I also quite like the bright packaging, some may say a little too garish but they are face wipes at the end of the day so you can't expect something too posh.


I have finished one pack and am now on my second and I have to say I am impressed. I picked up the ones for oily skin, as by the end of the day I do tend to have a very oily face, whether I have been wearing make up or not, it's very annoying. I have to say that they do make my skin feel refreshed and less oily for bed time. I also love the scent, at first I thought it was quite strong, but I love tea tree and quickly got used to it. The scent put me off using them near my eyes at first, as I thought it might sting, but they are actually really gentle and I can use them to remove my eye make-up as well. They are not so great to remove water-proof mascara, but they give it a good go, (that could also be because I get a bit lazy and impatient), but for £1 for 50 wipes you can't expect miracles.


So, as I don't live that close to a Primark, once these are finished I will probably go back to my Simple wipes, but if I saw them again I would probably pick some up. Also, if you are an occasional face wipe user, (such as after one too many on a night out!), or if you travel and want something cheap and cheerful to clean your face and refresh your skin, I would recommend these. Like I said, don't expect miracles, but for something that works and doesn't burn a hole in your pocket, you really can't go wrong.


(just to let you know, this is my own opinion, some people may hate them, and that's ok too, but I just thought I would throw my opinion out there for those who have seen these at the till and thought 'hmmm...wonder if they are any good')


So, back to the essay writing for me! See you soon :)



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Wednesday 25 April 2012

Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair York

So here we have it, the post that let's you know how incredibly awesome Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair in the beautiful Museum Gardens was, and that next time, you should be there too!

One thing I have noticed about Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair is that there is a lot more on offer for men at this fair than there are at others. I thinks that this is great because it keeps the men more occupied, well, if there into vintage that is, (I find tea and cake works well for men not so interested, i.e. my boyfriend).

This fair was great, but as I mentioned in my previous post I do think the venue is a little small for how popular it is, sometimes it's hard to move! 

But, enough of me giving my two pence! On to the lovely stall holders...

(to view each stall holders page, click on the name underneath the business card, clicking the photos will not work)





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Sunday 22 April 2012

(OOTD) A Vintage-tastic day!

Good Evening!

So today has been an awesome but tiring day at Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair, I must have been there around 3 hours! I love the location of this vintage fair, the beautiful Hospitium in York Museum Gardens. However, part of me thinks this venue is a little small! Sometimes it can be very difficult to navigate through the crowd of people rummaging through the vintage goodies! It's great that it's so busy, don't get me wrong, I just wish there was a little more space, especially downstairs. 

So anyway, the fair was packed with vintage goodies, furniture, garments, accessories and more! An added bonus is a beautiful vintage tea room and a Crabbie's Ginger Beer Bar, which was offering out free samples. The tea and beer was enough to convince the boyfriend to accompany me for once!

Today's post will be a quick OOTD, and tomorrow (all being well!) will showcase everything the fair had to offer. I have already started working on the post, but as always it is a mammoth task, and is hopefully worth the wait!


So this is what I wore (starring my balloon from YDV last Sunday)...


Jumper- TopShop, £18 in sale
Dress- Browns York, £5 in sale (but I got it free on my Browns Advantage Card!)
Leggings- Irregular Choice, gift
Scarf- Primark, around £2
Wellies- Vivienne Westwood

And for accessories...


 Bead Lady Necklace- Matalan, £2.50 in sale
Pocket Watch Necklace- Primark, £4

And now it's time for bed for me, I am so tired. College time tomorrow, then after I will hopefully get the post live for you all to see. 


So until then :)
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Saturday 21 April 2012

A crafty project, and another award!

Good Evening!

And it is pretty good for me! I got one of my assignments finished to day and my beautiful best friend Sam has bought me a months subscription to She Said Beauty, a beauty box company. I have not heard of this company before but I am excited to see what comes in the box. This one is £9 a month, £1 cheaper than most others, and is still £2.95 postage, so yes, I am intrigued.

So I have a little crafty project to share with you, I mentioned it a while back but I couldn't share it until I had given it to the person it was for, and now I have I can show you :)



One of my colleagues has just got married, and I was unsure what to get him, but as we work in a knitwear business I though this would be quite apt. 

This took me a couple of weeks working in bits and bats on it. I am really proud of it. The fact you can see all the stitching is on purpose, for some reason I really wanted it to hit home that it was home made.

But let me know what you think :)

And I am also proud to say that Beauty and the Mist nominated me for another award. This one is the One Lovely Blog Award and I am flattered. I would just like to say thank you so much. It means a lot, and I really appreciate being nominated, it's so great to know people like what you're doing. Personally, I think that these awards are an inspiration to keep going, so thanks again!



So there are a couple of rules:

1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers.  
2. Share 7 random facts about yourself. 
 

So my random facts:

1. I love peppermint tea!
2. If I don't post an OOTD, it's likely I am in my trackies, I don't dress nice if I am not leaving the house.
3.(Relates to point 2) If I don't think I am leaving the house, then have to, I will go out in my trackies, with no make up on, I don't really care :)
4. I am obsessed with fish and chips!
5. I treat my pet rats like my children!
6. I have to have something over my ears to be able to sleep.
7. I get more excited for other people's birthdays than my own, but I adore Xmas more than anything!

So, because I love EVERYONE I nominated for the last award, it's going to be the same again from me :

3. Izowo

Enjoy the award guys, spread the love :)

So I will see you tomorrow with the Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair in York post! Don't forget that there is a voucher on here that entitles you to take a friend for free! Don't miss out! See you tomorrow :)
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Friday 20 April 2012

(OOTD) A treat for you!

Good evening everyone!

So had a much better and more productive day at work today, but I still feel mega tired! Looking forward to a chilled out day tomorrow. Well I say chilled out, I have to finish my essay so my bestie friend Sam will buy me a present! That's the deal.

So a quick OOTD and then a treat for you guys!...


Cadigan- Internacionale, ages ago
Flower Vest- Peacocks, ages ago
Purple Long-Sleeved T-shirt- New Look, around £4 I think
Tube Skirt- H&M, £4
Leggings- Select, £4
Scarf- Primark, around £2 I think
Socks- Primark, £2

I also wore my Vivienne Westwood Wellies whilst I was at work. 

So that's that really. But here's some exciting news. The lovely people at Judy's Affordable Vintage Fair sent me this to share with you lovely people...


So this Sunday from 10:30 to 16:30 The Affordable Vintage Fair will be in the Hospitium in the Museum Gardens in York. Along with the very exciting vintage treats that will be on offer, there will be a Crabbies Ginger Beer Bar (you can maybe tempt the boyfriend with this!), Tea Shop, DJs and awards for the best outfits, and much much more! So if you're looking for something fun to do this weekend get yourself over to York with a copy of this voucher and you and a friend can get in for just £1.50 (or £1 with a student card). 

So that's my exciting news. I would like to thank the people at Judy's for allowing me to share this offer with my readers, and I hope to see some of you there!

And now I better crack on with that essay!

*on a side note, this is my 100th post, yeyyy!*
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Thursday 19 April 2012

(OOTD) I could sleep for a week!

Evening All!

Very short post from me today, I didn't post last night to leave the York Does Vintage post at the top for all the world to see, but I didn't want you to think I had disappeared so I am back. 

It's going to be quite a short post from me today, I am incredibly tired and want to get in my bed as soon as possible. I was at work today, and have managed not to fall asleep all day, but now I am shattered and barely keeping my eyes open!

So just a little OOTD, it's always cold at work so I wanted to wear a jacket, but as I am not allowed to wear competing brands knitwear a chunky cardi is not an option, so I opted for this instead.


Hoodie- Ark, £15 in sale
Shirt- Select, ages ago
Coral Long Sleeved T-Shirt- New Look, 2 for £8 (I think)
Tube Skirt- H&M (it's a tad big so I am going to try and take it in!)
Leggings- Select, £4

Maybe not the smartest attire but I am no good to anyone if I am cold!

As for accessories, they were pretty minimal...


'Lucy' on a grain of rice necklace- bought for me by my brother in Australia.




And the little gem above is my new bottle cap necklace from Claire's Vintique, one of the fabulous stalls that was at York Does Vintage on Sunday. I love the flamingo, and the fact that the bottle cap is also pink! And I think £4 was very reasonable for this little beauty! Have a look at their online shop here.

So that's it from me tonight, I just can't wait to get in bed! I may have something quite exciting to tell you tomorrow, I am just waiting on a little piece of news then I can hopefully share it with you all!

So until tomorrow, nighty night!
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