Bedroom Makeover

This weekend, I set about making my small bedroom space a little prettier and a little more organised.  Things had got a bit cluttered so I had a massive clearout, tore things apart and set about putting them back together again.

I didn't have any money to spend so had to use resources already available to me and in the words of Tim Gunn, 'Make it Work!'.

So here is what my room now looks like.  Using a palette of black, white, grey, turquoise and navy I tried to emulate a classic, simple, glamourous, relaxing space.  I went with lamps I already had ... the black shade and glass balls make for a 1940's vintage glamorous vibe.  I used turquoise cushions which were on my bed previously but used some gorgeous furry bo-concept cushions that previously lived on my couch to complement them.  A silver throw and grey woollen throw layered on top of one another added some depth to the bed.

The piece de la resistance (can someone tell me how to get accents on the macbook) is however my homemade African Juju hat!!  I couldn't afford the £200 to buy one or the flight to Africa to track one down so instead I recycled one of my favourite pieces of clothing.  Remember I wore this at new year?  Yup, its my navy feather cape tied around a nail in the wall.  Whadd'ya think?  Does it work?  It's not quite a juju hat but a little bit inspired?

Inspiration was taken from this image ...

For bedside tables I used my make up drawers.  The grey shade is a perfect combination with the bedding and other accessories and also saved space elsewhere.  They don't look as pretty as my mirrored tables that I had used previously but they are a great space saving and multi purpose solution.  By adding some black and white Chanel accessories and turquoise candle votives, it infused a little bit of decadence to otherwise plain drawers.

My perfume is normally stored away in a drawer to help keep it fresh but have since decided to display them on my chest of drawers as it is not in direct sunlight.  I also have my half naked framed pic of Kate Moss on display here which usually makes everyone gawp!  She looks amazing, I'm not sure why people find it so offensive.

Clothes, shoes and bags are safely hidden away behind my mirrored wardrobe and I have even made a good effort at making sure this is a little more in order this weekend.  Not quite ready to show you any space saving/organisation solutions yet but maybe I can save that for another post.

I love my new space I want to spend all my time in here.  Super comfy and on a such a tight budget I am really pleased with how it has turned out.

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Scottish Ballet Blogger Event

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Scottish Ballet: Alice

If any of you follow any Scottish bloggers you may have already read a wee bit about a lovely event that took place on Saturday where we all got to view Scottish Ballet's production of Alice.

Well before I post my ode to the day I really wanted to address the actual performance since it deserves it's pride of place in it's own post.

Alice is Scottish Ballet's choreographer Ashley Page' adaptation of Alice in Wonderland as seen through the camera lens (instead of a rabbit hole) which is a metaphorical projection inside the mind of Charles Dodgson (a.k.a Lewis Carroll).  In this production we see Charles a character in his own plotline guiding Alice through the bewilderment of Wonderland.

A veritable feast for the senses, Alice is both surreal and fantastic and a big bit trippy at times.  With a storyline that doesn't stick strictly to the traditional children's Alice, it was bizarre and hypnotic leaving me feeling slightly entranced and sometimes a little lost only to be awoken by each dreamlike scene.  I almost wanted to join Alice on her trip through Wonderland to make sense of the strange characters she met, sensing her confusion and journey of discovery simultaneously.

From the Dali-esque Caterpillar who tangoed his way around the set with Alice, the scarily evil Queen of Hearts, a sexy Cheshire Cat to the creepy but cute Humpty Dumpty who bore a raving resemblance to Leigh Bowery, the psychedelic efforts of the set design, characters, choreography and costumes captivated me from start to finish.   The duets between Alice and Charles were particularly moving with more than a touch of romanticism about them however when you remember the characters and their relationship, I won't lie, it was a little disconcerting but looked through an innocent eye, the duets were tender and moving and that I believe is what we are supposed to translate from this portrayal of a very special relationship.

Personally, I thought this production was just fabulous and really appealed to my quirky sense of humour and love of the alternative.

You can still see Alice at Edinburgh, Inverness, Cardiff and Aberdeen .... you can book here.

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Win a capsule wardrobe with ASOS/Nivea

Oooh, ladies ... here's something a l'il exciting and it's with fave online retailer ASOS.

To celebrate the launch of Nivea Invisible for Black And White Deodorant, they have teamed up with ASOS to create a delightful monochrome capsule wardrobe that can be won on the ASOS site between 18th April - 31 May.

Each week 50 lucky winners will win the 4 piece capsule range consisting of retro-esque tailoring in a classic monochromatic palette.  I have been on having a look a the range and have already spotted my firm favourite from the collection.

Usually an LBD girl ... I have gone outside my comfort zone and fallen for the LWD (Little White Dress, if you are trying to work it out ;p)  ... this gorgeous white skater style dress.  Isn't it lush?  It can be styled in so many ways and I always find the skater style flattering on my curves.  

I've used ASOS online styling tool to team this dress with killer cobalt blue heels, perfect for a summer wedding or a night on the razz :)  I have the perfect blue clutch to match too ... This is even a potential birthday outfit!

Make sure you enter the competition by going to www.asos.com/Nivea and style up your favourite from the collection to be in with a chance of winning.  With 50 winners each week, I have high hopes and my fingers crossed that one of us, if not a few, will be a winner :)

In anticipation for tonight's competition launch I decided to try out Nivea Invisible for Black and White Deodorant seeing as most days my work wardrobe consists of black and only black - a perfect road test.   It left me feeling fresh, smelling sweet and no talcy white residue left on my clothes.  WIN!  Thumbs up to a deodorant that won't stain and ruin my clothes :)

I am now off to crack open a bottle of wine, eat cake and do a bit of an ASOS splurge ... and that's even before the bestie gets here!  Ah well, she will just need to catch up ... I'll try and remember to leave some cake for her ... and some ASOS stock ... if she's lucky! ;)

x

Living ...

I'm in the process of changing up my living space and thought I'd share what has been inspiring me ...

Love EVERYTHING -  the framed Mephis poster and the fur throw is to die for! 

such a cute small kitchen space, traditional chair juxtaposed with  modern table 

my home is full of magazines, what better way than to decorate and accessorise with them?!

Adore the Barcelona chairs and plant life, so chic with a modern retro feel

Modern, clean, streamlined :)

A new york style bathroom fit for a modern day Carrie.  Love the scales :)

x

Nivea Soft

In my last Nivea post I mentioned that my favourite day moisturiser is Nivea Soft.  I wear it everyday without fail using it as a replacement for a primer.  It is rich enough to re-hydrate my skin and light and easily absorbed enough to be worn under make up without it slipping off or causing oiliness.  It contains Jojoba oil and Vitamin E leaving skin feeling supple, smooth and refreshed.

Even though I love this moisturiser, even I was unaware of it's popularity - it's Nivea's best selling worldwide product with 13 sold every minute in the UK alone!

So, it was pretty exciting when 3 tubs of Nivea Soft arrived on my doorstep one morning.  I go through tubs of these like there is no tomorrow (it's also a body moisturiser so I end up using a LOT of this product).

My new arrivals weren't just any old Nivea Soft, these were limited edition packaged as designed by fashion designer Josep Font.  Known for his avant-garde pieces,  Josep's Nivea designs were inspired by his haute couture collections and were designed with the objective ...'the beauty creation'.

There are 3 limited edition designs:

• Estella - inspired by expressionist sculptor Frank Stella depicting the eyes of a fantastical female figure flash through a kaleidoscope of shapes and colours
• Sea - motif of a mermaid wearing a turban of starfish
• Dreams - evokes a mysterious night time world

If like me, you are a sucker for chic packaging, you can get these lovely limited edition tubs from April to July at an RRP £6.59

x

Britain's Brush

Taking care of your teeth is a big deal and making sure your teeth look and feel clean as well as maintaining the health of your gums should be top of your priority list.  

Your smile can brighten up a room so why not take care of it?

Oral-B have set a challenge to the nation with their 'cool Britannia' campaign, hoping to get us all on board using power brushes as opposed to a traditional manual brush. 

A Patriotic toilet bag for all my power brush bits and bobs :)

Power brushes are proven to remove twice as much plaque compared to a manual and 9 out of 10 people who have used a power brush would not want to go back to traditional methods.

I was chosen along with a handful of bloggers to take part in the Oral-B Power Challenge, trialling the PC 500 Power Brush for a month, brushing twice a day for 2 minutes at a time.  For your convenience, this high tech toothbrush even had a timer on it to let you know when you are done with each quarter of your mouth (30 seconds each) so you can't go wrong.

I am particularly excited about this as I have never used a power brush before.  A few years ago I had my teeth professionally bleached so it's really important I keep my teeth and gums healthy so they always look their sparkling best.   Your teeth and smile are a big part of your overall appearance and just as we dress nicely, like to do our hair and lust after that life changing lippie, we should pay the same level of attention to our bobby dazzlers ... makes sense. 

My new super duper power brush 

Oral-B's dental ambassador, Dr James Russell offers some tips for those taking up the challenge but also for general dental awareness:

FLOSS: You must floss once a day to achieve optimum oral health

BRUSH: Twice a day for 2 minutes

CURB SNACKING: Oucha! this is a hard one but by snacking on things like cheese, raw veg and breadsticks rather than sugary sweets this will be better for our teeth. 

AVOID: Fizzy drinks - high in sugar and very acidic which can lead to errosion of tooth enamel (bye bye diet coke :( )

If you too fancy joining in this power brush challenge, between March and May you can buy the Oral-B Professional Care 500 for a special half price offer of £22.50 at all major retailers. 

I will keep you posted how I get on with the power brush in a month's time.  

Anyone else use a power brush? Do you have any tips for use?

x

Diet Chic

This is not going to help my diet coke addiction whatsoever ...

Karl Lagerfeld for Diet Coke.

These pretty, stylish limited edition bottle designs will be available from June.

Who else is a sucker for these?

x

A haul post ... yes, really!

I haven't done one of these in a long long time.

After tiring of haul posts and feeling a little embarrassed by past haul posts (I mean really, the amount of money I used to waste on pointless products only to be thrown to the back of my make up drawer was ridiculous) -  I tend to stick to posting about products I know and love now or have been sent for review purpose giving honest opinion rather than a declaration of 'I bought this!'

Last week I was in need of some serious cheering up so I popped by my local Chanel counter where I was greeted by fellow blogger Sian.  I had been eager to try the new Vitalumiere Aqua foundation so I let Sian loose on me allowing her to make me over.  It's a well known fact now that I hate having my make up done and I am never happy with it so Sian had a lot to live up to.

Well, our girl pulled through ... not only did she make me feel and look lovely, she had me sold on most of the products although I only walked away with 2.

I had mentioned a while ago that as my skin ages it seems to require a lighter foundation rather than the heavy full coverage I had been used to.  Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua is described as an Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Foundation with an SPF15.  It literally feels as light as a feather on the skin and creates a dewy, radiant finish.  Only a pea sized amount is required but it builds easily if you feel you need a little bit extra (for a night out for instance).  The finished effect is a radiant, fresh, glowing skin ... I don't feel the need to powder so I apply my blush and bronzer directly over it.  I haven't gone without powder in years so this is quite a personal achievement for me.

Sian matched me to B40 Beige which is perfect when I am wearing fake tan but will probably need to invest in a lighter shade for when i'm without.  When I say invest I mean it - £31 for 30ml is a lot of cash to part with but the flawless, light finish is worth it.  A word of warning for oily skin types however, I am not sure the dewy finish will work with oily skin so you may want to steer clear or pick up a sample first.

Sian also tried Chanel Bronze Universal on my skin ... a product I have always toyed with the idea of purchasing but convinced myself i'd hate it.  Well, it was just lovely on, it looked so naturally sunkissed and applied seamlessly over my new foundation.  Instead of opting to buy this, I decided to go for the lip colour Sian used on me.

It was Chanel's Coco Rouge in Camelia - a gorgeous medium warm pink with a slight sheen to it.  My usual lip shades go from nude to peach to orange to bright pink to red to berry.  I had nothing in my collection like Camelia ... a justified purchase don't you think? ;)

I have to say these are probably the best products I have bought in quite a while in terms of getting my money's worth.  I have worn both products nearly every day and I am sure this foundation will become a staple in my make up collection if not my holy grail!

Who else has fallen in love with this foundation?

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