Things That Make You Go Oooooo (November 2012)

2012 is almost over can you believe it? Christmas is in a few weeks and I feel like life is starting to get hectic there's a million and one things I want to get done before the new year starts but I also think it's important to just relax and appreciate what you have, so without further a do here are some great links to check out this month.

♥ How To Organise Your Stuff Without Spending Any Money - Some great tips on organisation here and something which I'm trying to get ahead of for the new year!

♥ Waking Up And Forgetting A Bad Day

♥ What Readers Want: How To Please Them And Stay True To You - I'm always looking for new ways to improve my blog and this is a really interesting article which I'm sure will help others to.

♥ Change - A great article from Goop about how meditation can help, I love all the tips and exercises in it, meditation is something that has definitely helped me clear my messy headspace!

♥ Good Ideas Take Time

♥ Am I A Hypocrite For Professing Radical Self Love While Wearing 5 Inch Heels? - This is something I've been wondering myself, it's a really interesting thing to look at your habits and behaviours to see if they really are an expression of who you are or something that's holding you back.

♥ How To Remove The Clutter And Get A Badass Simple Lifestyle - This is something I've definitely been trying to implement into my life lately and it's nice to know that even the littlest of changes can make a big difference.

♥ 11 More Life Lessons For Peace, Love And Happiness

♥ Rambling On - A really truthful and honest post from Elizabeth of Delightfully Tacky which I can definitely relate to and I'm sure many of us twentysomethings can to.

♥ Make You Own Play Teepee - When the weather is cold outside there's nothing quite like building yourself a little nest to hide away in!

♥ The Beatles Paper Toys

♥ Olive Box - I love this idea of a monthly gift box for stationary lovers and it would make an awesome Christmas gift for someone, unfortunately it's not available outside the US (boooo!) but hopefully everyone can join in on the fun soon.

♥ Take 100 NASA Photos, Stir, Make Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ - I have no words as to how amazing this is, it's literally made of pure awesome!

♥ 50 Best Websites of 2012

♥ Dog Shamming - This gave me a bit of a giggle, I love this idea and will definitely have to do one with my James!

♥ Blogging and Success - Do you need to blog in order to be successful? Some interesting thoughts here.

♥ Three Things Bloggers Don't Want To Do

♥ 10 Tips To Being The Best Writer You Can Be - Great tips especially the ones about reading and writing I feel you have to do both these things everyday in order to advance and improve.

♥ Classic Beauty Staples You Need To Own - Who new that pile cream would work wonders on those eye bags!

♥ Be Inspired

♥ Overcoming Shyness: How To Feel More Confident - I feel like my confidence is still a work in progress but I'm slowly coming out of my cave and these great tips really help.

Warm Hugs & Hot Toddies

Cate

xoxo

Handmade Geeky Gift Ideas: Pony Princess

Pinkie Pie Soap $7.50 // Fancy Carousel Ring $46 // Fluttershy Dress $90 // Twilight Sparkle Glitter Shoes $70 // Pegasusland Acrylic Necklace $12 // Swarovski Crystal Pony iPhone Case $169.99 // Princess Celestia Wig $160 // My Little Pony Dress $75

Friendship & Magic

Cate

xoxo

What's your #partypose?

When Boohoo.com got in touch telling me out their new #partypose challenge I just couldn't resist the chance to create myself another gorgeous party outfit, my last outfit was a more festive, vintage inspired look so for this one I thought I'd go back to my goth roots for something more edgy.

♥ Boutique Lexie Embroidered Stud Side Straps Tutu Dress (£35) - I am in love with this dress, I love me a bit of baroque and the gold embroidery and the cut-out sides just make this dress amazing, it's definitely a dress that will get heads turning and people,  perfect for the party season!

♥ Maya Pearl Mock Suspender Tights (£10) - You can't go wrong with a good pair of tights especially in these colder months, I love the mock suspender look and the little pearl studs just add to bring out the details of the dress.

♥ Sakia Studded Back Block Heel Platform Boots (£30) - I absolutely adore my studded boots they get so many compliments and would match this dress perfectly, also because of the platform they are really easy to walk in and a lot more comfier than regular heels which is very important for dancing those late nights away!

♥ Victoria Velvet Touch Metallic Trim Clutch (£18) - This is such a great staple bag and the gold trim on it will help bring out those gold details in the dress and there's plenty of room inside for your phone, money and favourite lipstick.

♥ Roxy Spiked Stud Headband (£4) - With a dress as beautiful as this one you don't want to over accessorise so a simple studded headband like this would add a nice finishing touch without taking too much attention away from the dress.

Be sure to check out the #partypose challenge and let me know what your dream party outfit would be.

Christmas & Cocktails

Cate

xoxo

D.I.Y. Fashion Tutorial: Make Your Own Pom Pom Scarf

If you liked the scarf I posted in my last outfit post well here's a little tutorial on how to make your own as it's super easy to do, also be sure to check out this post I did a while back for extra information on how to make poms poms.

Good Luck!

Cate

xoxo

Handmade Geeky Gift Ideas: Cosmic Girl

Full Moon Necklace $14.45 // Red Starlight Bangle $25 // Orion Constellation Soap $18 // E.T. Brooch $14.50 // Galaxy Print Dr Martens £190 // Magellanic Cloud Nebula Dress $175 // Cleopatra Pyramid Leggings $40

Stars & Galaxies

Cate

xoxo

Beauty Blitz: 5 November Faves

Winter is here and my skin has been feeling the effects, I've been trying all sorts of different products this month to try and ease my skin woes and I'm even considering investing in a humidifier so my skin can get that extra moisture boost it needs, winter is not the best time for my skin but luckily I have found some great products which have been helping me keep that healthy glow.

Skinfood Fresh Apple Sparkling Pore Cream

This is the perfect cream for anyone who suffers with enlarged pores and greasy skin, although it feels quite light on your skin it really does reduce that oiliness and it smells so sweet to. After just a week of using it every night my skin felt so much healthier, my pores were reduced and it give me a nice healthy glow to despite not getting much sleep.  Great products like this is definitely why Skinfood is my favourite skincare brand!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Sounds kinda weird I know but trust me on this one. A while ago when my excema was at it's worst I was recommended to take apple cider vinegar tablets which for the time I was taking them did seem to help but those tablets can kinda be expensive so I stopped taking them. I recently picked this up on one of my shopping trips after reading about it on Gala's blog and I've been putting it in my food everyday and dabbing a little on blemishes and yes it has worked wonders on my skin and for a fraction of the cost of the tablets, I will admit it does taste kinda funky but it's totally worth so everyone give it a try!

Lip Ice Lip Balm

I found this one hiding at the bottom of my satchel, yet another random Watson's purchase I forgot I made but I'm glad it finally made it's way back to me as my lips have been super dry recently and this has been keeping them pretty well moisturised. I have the orange flavoured one which smells divine although it tastes kinda minty which is odd but I really do love that cool tingle it has on my lips.

The Body Show Coconut Shower Cream

I love just walking into my bathroom after a shower and still being able to smell that delicious coconut smell. The Body Shop makes such great shower creams, not only do they all smell great but they keep your skin moisturised and soft to, I just adore the smell of coconut so this one is definitely one of my faves.

Skinfood Peach Sake Pore Essence Mask Sheet

Surprisingly this is the first time I've tried out this mask and I'm not sure why that is because not only is the Peach Sake range my absolute favourite but it had such a great effect on my skin. These Skinfood sheet masks have a slightly spongy texture to them which retains more of the product and lets it absorb into the skin much better and after just a few minutes I could almost feel more pores shrinking and my skin feeling tighter. This mask is definitely a treat for this skin and something I will have to try again soon!

What products have you been loving this month? Be sure to share in the comments

Apples & Peaches

Cate

xoxo

Xmas Party Outfit Challenge: WIN £100 in Fashion Vouchers!

The Christmas Party Season is fast approaching so it's time to start browsing for that perfect party outfit and Fashionvouchers.com has you covered with this amazing competition to win £100 in vouchers all you have to do is put together the perfect party outfit for £100 or less and the one above is mine.

♥ Club L Skater Dress With Open Back (£20) - You can't go wrong with a beautiful dress and red is a great festive colour to, I just love the back detail on this which I think gives it that extra party pow!

♥ Johnny Loves Rose Vintage Inspired Sequin And Cut Out Detail Collar (£20) - Accessorising is the best way to jazz up a plain dress and collars are really popular this season. Gold matches red so well giving it an extra special festive kick and adds a great bit of sparkle to that party outfit.

♥  ASOS Oui Non Back Seam Tights (£8) - I love quirky tights and these will not only add to that extra back detail but give it a nice vintage twist to.

♥ Oasis Fox Ear Studs (£4) - There was a few quid left over in the budget so I thought these fox studs would make an extra cute vintage addition to the outfit and keep with the festive gold and red theme.

♥ ASOS PIXIE Platforns with Peep Toe (£17.50) - Sparkly shoes are are must for any party, I'm loving these rich gold heels and for £17.50 they're a complete bargain!

♥ Nali Star Clutch Bag (£30) - This really is the star on top of the Christmas tree and the perfect addition to that festive frock, I absolutely adore it and if I could only pick one accessory for Christmas this would definitely be it!

So go check out the competition over at Fashionvouchers.com and share your perfect Christmas outfit to!

Christmas & Cocktails

Cate

xoxo

Handmade Geeky Gift Ideas: Star Wars

Wookie in my Pocket $17 // Star Wars Ponies $60 // Death Star Pendant $14.90 // R2D2 Hat $25 // Lego Lightsaber Earings £7.49 // Stormtrooper Dress $90 // Star Wars Notebook £6.50

Millennium Falcons & Lightsabers

Cate

xoxo

Inspirational Quotes #32

“I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to even live the life."
- Gabourey Sidible

10 Top Tips For Penny Pinchers & Super Savers

Believe me I wasn't always great at saving money I was a self-confessed shop-a-holic but with the economic change and the loss of a job things had to change and I've now become super responsible with my money learning to save up for the things I really want in life, my excellent saving skills have helped me have some wonderful travel experiences so I'm going to share a few of my tips so you to can save up for that great adventure.

Set Goals!

One of the things which pushes me to save is to set myself an ultimate goal and to keep repeating this goal to myself saying this is going to happen. Write your goal all over your mirrors, keep it as a daily reminder on your phone, if you want to for example save up to buy a house decorate a pin board with pictures of houses and furniture with your goal in big letters in the middle. Remember to keep telling yourself that this is something that will happen and never lose sight of it!

Organise your finances

It's always best to know how much money you have so you know how you can spend, make a list of all the essentials you have to pay such as your phone bill, rent, electricity etc. and set yourself a food and transport budget but be realistic, the best way to do this is to keep all your receipts for a month or two and tally then up at the end as this will give you an idea of how much you spend vs how much you actually need.

Cut up your credit cards

You'll never be able to save up for anything if you're already in debt so the first thing to do is cut up your credit cards and try to pay off as much of that debt as possible because with escalating interest rates it's only going to get bigger. I'm happy to say I don't have any credit cards and I don't want any either I like to know how much money I have exactly and never spend more than I can afford, yes it may be tempting to have one for "emergencies" but are those 50% off Louboutins really an emergency?  It's much better to not have the temptation there so get rid of it!

Avoid shopping!

It sounds simple but temptation is everywhere, even if you're just popping down to your local supermarket for your lunch you can end up coming back with several things you didn't actually want or need. The first thing you need to do is unsubscribe yourself from all those online shopping mailing lists and make lists of the things you actually need. Aim to only go shopping once a week for food and every month or few months for everything else, sometimes waiting to buy things will make you realise that you didn't actually need them at all. 

Use what you have

In relation to the one above make sure you use what you have before you buy anything else, don't waste what you've already spent money on. If you've got lots of food in your cupboards you don't know what to do with make yourself a big hearty casserole and if it's too much for you to eat put it in boxes and freeze it for the next time you want to eat it. Make sure you use every last bit of your cosmetics, I often hack into tubes as there's always enough product left over to last me for a week or more. Don't waste anything and wait till everything is used up before you have to make that shopping trip again.

Don't need it? Sell it!

One of the great ways to generate extra income is to sell all the things you don't need. The internet is a great place to sell your stuff, I have an Amazon Shop where I sell all my old books and DVDs and I often sell things on eBay. De-clutter your life by sorting though all your belongings and deciding what things you want and what you can live without not only is it very therapeutic but it's a great way to earn some extra cash and get you ever closer to that ultimate goal, just make sure you put that money straight into the bank and don't spend it on more stuff!

Get yourself some loyalty cards.

Most shops and restaurants have loyalty cards or reward schemes so be sure to pick yourself up one. I've saved so much money through having these cards whether it be at Tescos, Nandos or the cinema, and there's also online sites such as Maximiles which will give you the opportunity to earn points when you shop or do surveys so have a look round and ask in-store as they're really useful especially if it's a store you regularly shop at.

Bargain hunt!

Of course you can't avoid shopping forever, I mean a girl has got to eat! So when you do go shopping always be on the look out for great bargains and offers, do a quick search for vouchers online or check your local newspapers for coupons. One thing I like to do when food shopping is to go late at night before it closes so I can take advantage of the daily items they want to sell, I'm a big vegetable fan so there's nearly always some yummy salads or fruit on sale.

Enter competitions & giveaways

"But I never win anything" I hear you whine and yes I'm right there with you, but the fact is you have just as much chance as everyone else and if you don't try then you'll never know! You've got nothing to lose by entering a competition and who knows you could win yourself a great prize I mean look at these fabulous shoes I won from Solestruck.

Get crafty!

A bit of D.I.Y. and crafting knowledge can go a long way and will not only prevent you spending money on new things but stop you being wasteful to. If you get a hole in a jumper don't throw it out fix it or turn it into something else, just be creative not only will you have great fun doing it but you'll feel more rewarded to.

Happy Saving

Cate

xoxo

Handmade Geeky Gift Ideas: Love in 8 Bits

Kapow Headband £15 // X Box 360 Controller Ring $6 // 8bit Frame Glasses $7 // Tetris Dress $90 // Gamer iPhone Case $28 // 8 Bit Heart Earrings $15 // Gameboy Dress $75

Pokeballs & 1-Ups

Cate

xoxo

Daily Outfit: Autumn Falls

There's just something about the colder months that makes me want to dress up more, although I will admit that this outfit wasn't the warmest and I should probably pack all my floaty, silky clothes away for the winter my new pom pom scarf did keep me nice and warm.

When you craft as much as I do you're bound to be left with an unmanageable stash off yarn, so during my bi-monthly craft box clearout I gathered up all my scraps and leftovers and decided to do something useful with them and this pom pom scarf is the result.

As most of my wardrobe is quite dark one of the things I like to do is dress is up with some bright accessories and although I'm not normally a big fan of orange and browns, even though they are perfect for the autumn, I must admit they do complement this outfit really nicely.

I did my hair in pom poms (or Mickey Mouse style as my nephew calls it) to make my outfit look more fun and accentuate the scarf. This is actually one of my favourite hairstyles to do when I'm having a bad hair day as it only takes a few minutes to do and is super cute.

♥ Jacket - D.I.Y.
♥ Tunic - All Saints
♥ Skirt - Gok Wan for TU
♥ Scarf - D.I.Y.
♥ Ring - Primark
♥ Boots - Vivienne Westwood

This scarf has to be one of my new favourite accessories and it's really easy to make your own to so keep following my blog for a tutorial on how to make your own later this month!

Pom Poms & Fallen Leaves

Cate

xoxo

Handmade Geeky Gift Ideas: A Game of Gifts

Mother of Dragons T-Shirt $35 // Hand of The King Pen $30 // House Sigils Bracelet £12 // Dragon Hatchling $225 // Direwolf Scarves £35 // Game of Thrones Map Locket $22 // House Tyrell Patch $9 // Hipster Wolf T-Shirt $22

Ice & Fire

Cate

xoxo