A Week Until Mother's Day


With less than a week to go now, I have entered into a slight sense of panic. Mother's day is always around the same time as my Mum's birthday (last year it landed on the exact same day) and every year she says the same thing: "don't worry about getting me anything". This must just be habit because she knows that she will always receive something - I mean of course she will, she's my mum and she deserves more than I'd ever be able to afford. 


The past few years I have made my mum breakfast, all ready for when she comes downstairs. I say made - you're probably picturing me kneading dough, but not quite! I would sneak out to the bakery, picking up a variety of fresh croissants, bread, fruit and juices. Even still, my mum would walk into the kitchen with a smile on her face and act surprised (every year...). I'm sure it made a welcomed change from the burnt toast, stale muesli, and cold coffee that she used to get in bed, when my brother and I were children. 



So, as I've spent the weekend scanning pages of online sites and scouring a number of different shops, I thought I would share some of the things that I have come across. Just in case anyone else leaves it to the last minute and could use some ideas...



In my opinion chocolates are a staple part of any present. What girl (or woman) doesn't love a chocolate, and when it's a present, there's no need to feel an ounce of guilt when tucking in.

I'm a Cadbury's kind of girl - give me a bar of dairy milk or a twirl, and I'm happy! My mum, on the other hand, has slightly pricier taste. I suppose what with working and living in Brussels for a few years, with a number of chocolatiers on her doorstep, you can't blame her. 

One of her favourites is Pierre Marcolini.



A couple of the 'best sellers' from the brand include the Malline Voyage (a box of 33 of the chocolatiers most iconic chocolates) for £32.90 and Macaron "L'Audacieuse" (a beautifully presented box of twelve macaroons) for £26.71. Though quite pricey, there are a number of beautiful choices on the website to take a look at.




Currently, there are only three stores within the UK: London Selfridges, London Harrods and Marylebone. However there is also a delivery option, price dependent on location, and there is still enough time to get your hands on these gifts before Sunday!


Lush has got to be one of my favourite shops right now! The mixture of smells and colours, it's hard to walk past the store, without going in. As always, the company has put together a number of sets perfect for the celebration containing a number of their usual fun and beautiful products. These include: Just For Mum (£23.50), Happy Mother's Day (£35.50) and Mum (£27.95).

As hard as it is to go into Lush and not pick anything up for myself, I have my eye on Just For Mum





This is a beautifully boxed gift set, ideal to pamper and bring a sense of relaxation to every mother out there! It holds five different bath bombs: click the links below to find out more about each. 





I attended a work colleagues retirement tea last week, where M&S put together a lovely afternoon tea. Like any afternoon tea, there were: a selection of finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and a number of little cakes - it was very sweet and at £6.95 each, very reasonable. 




For a little extra, you will also be provided with a mini bottle of prosecco (a treat for you, as well as mum). I think this is a lovely idea, to get each mother out of the house, or away from the stress of work, to take a few hours out and enjoy some mother-daughter time (without a huge price-tag). 


I think this is one of the cutest inventions ever! Marshmallows with the pictures of your choice printed on top. At £15 for nine square marshmallows, this could make a nice change from the usual appearance of chocolates. They are definitely a talking point. 
Imagine eating your own face! 

I have purchased these once before for part of a friend's birthday present, and she loved them. 




Should be noted that the photos I used were all from Snapchat - so the quality was not great, but with properly taken photos, they can look even better.


Although not a new store, it is new to me. Looking for a present for a friend last week, and having tried most of the jewellery stores, I thought I would see what they had to offer. So many beautiful, yet simple pieces to choose from and it is definitely a shop that I will go into again and again. A couple of the pieces that I loved included: the Cream Pearl Stretch Bracelet and the Duo of Pearls Necklace.

At £30 for the bracelet and £35 for the necklace, I also think the brand offers excellent value for money.


Well there you have it. A number of ideas for presents, for every deserving Mother out there.
What kind of lovely presents have you lot decided on for Mother's Day?? 
Let me know below.


Thank-you for reading
Claire

xxx

My February Favourites

Seeing as February is coming to an end, I suppose this is the post where I talk (a little) about some of the products that I have found, brought, used and loved this month. 




I am an absolute sucker for a new shade of Barry M nail varnish! I mean with the huge selection of colours and finishes, I'm surprised they are able to find new ones to release. And what with their long-lasting wear and £3.99 price tag, what more could you ask for?! 



I love a matte look on my nails, and this colour is no different. It is richly pigmented and gives a beautiful colour and coverage after just one coat. Though as it is a darker colour, I tend to opt for two. The next colour that I can't wait to try is Mocha, maybe this will feature in my March Favourites - who knows?!

Oh and on top of all this, all the pretty colours look lovely displayed on top of my dresser (my best excuse for not tidying them away)...


I love this product, and in all honesty, it isn't a new product for me...though I treated myself to a new one this month...so that counts, right?! It's also a pretty commonly blogged about shade/product, so there probably isn't much for me to add. 

 
But what I love about this product: I love the smooth formula, it doesn't dry out my lips (which is quite common in other matte lipsticks), and it stays put! There's nothing worse than having to run off the shop floor every few minutes at work because your lipsticks smudged or lost its colour! 


I also really like that it's an everyday colour - I suppose it's nude/brown without being too dark. Also it works on so many different skin tones (it's one of the favourites among a lot of my friends, and works for each of us in a different way!).

And seeing as I get 20% off with my work discount, I might as well continue to stock up!




As much as I love my hair, I don't tend to show it much love - I was 13 years old when I first went to Toni and Guy to have lowlights put into my hair, after that there were years of highlighting, which soon turned to bleaching! I'm now at a dark brown colour, hoping to get some health back into it! Team that with regular straightening and my hair has lost a lot of its life that it once had! 



Because of this, I like to try any new hair products, hoping that they might give it a bit of strength back, and a lot of shine! This shampoo and conditioner combo is perfect for this!! After a couple of weeks of using these products my hair looked nourished, breakage was happening less and overall it just felt and looked stronger (I guess it does exactly what it says on the packaging then). 

Oh and the shine was unbelievable, people asked if I was using anything different - for such a reasonably priced product, it really does work wonders on my hair and I recommend to anyone who wants shinier, bouncier and more manageable hair.

Oh and the smell is lovely - it's honey, but it really isn't too sweet!!!

I remember when I was younger, every year my parents would take me to Penhaligon's. While they were there picking which scents they would ultimately be purchasing one another, I would wonder around, amazed by all the beautifully decorated glass bottles, the stunning variety colours and the mixture of fruity, sweet, floral and spicy smells.

I was sent a tester of a new fragrance that will be available in the Spring: Equinox Bloom. It is a beautifully floral and sweet scent and is described as 'a scent that captures the wild sweetness of the first spring flowers; a blossom that blooms just once a year'. I'm looking forward to Spring, so I can take a trip to the Covent Garden store, where I'll probably still walk around in wonderment. 


One of my New Years resolutions this year was to read more!! Don't think I've read through a whole book, since doing English at A level - and I don't know why, because when I start, I actually do really enjoy reading. 


I do plan on moving onto more serious books in time but I felt this was a good one to get me back into some sort of habit. I honestly found it hard to put this book down, one of my guilty pleasures is a little bit of Geordie Shore, and Charlotte really didn't dissapoint with this book. It is exactly what I expected, hilariously funny, rude in places and just a story that I feel a lot of us can relate to (obviously I'm talking about her life prior to Geordie Shore, and her everyday life, this isn't my way of telling you all that I've joined a reality tv show).

I recommend you give it a read, though I do warn, it's probably not everybody's 'cup of tea'.


Have any of you gorgeous lot tried any of these products, or anything similar? I'd love to hear about some other shades of MAC lipsticks (I tend to get stuck on what I know and love. Probably need to venture out). Oh and any recommendations on books to read would be very much appreciated!!



Hope you all enjoyed reading


Claire
xxx

Payday Wishlist (Feb/March)

So it's payday...

It really doesn't matter how much I tell myself that I have 4 weeks to get through, the second that money hits my bank account, there's suddenly a list of things that I either want or need (and let's be honest, times like this, the two things are pretty similar).

After my unexpected spending on a couple of dresses (yes I did keep two of those dresses - number 1 and 5 from 'the Perfect Dress'), I was actually really good the rest of the month. No treats for me. So really...I do deserve a couple now, right? 

So here's the 'few' things that I have my eye on this month...


1. Boohoo Tall Claudia Zip Front Midi Skirt - uniform at work has become stricter and stricter in recent weeks. Skirts have to be longer, so this is me doing as I'm told, with the zip signalling the slight rebel in me...surely they can't moan at that too!?!

2. Grey Mini Zip Winged Tote Handbag - I love this bag, I don't have a grey bag...so it's pretty much a necessity!

3. Benefit Dew the Hoola Liquid Bronzer - Benefit is one of the best makeup brands in my opinion. Though slightly pricier than I may hope, their products really do stand out. 
Can't wait for 12th March when this product hits stores!

4. Giorgio Armani Si Rose Signature Eau De Parfum - I have the original Si already, but unfortunately it's running low! I love the smell, but the smell of this is an equally beautiful floral fragrance and it's limited edition. 

So, what do you guys have your eyes on this month? Let me know.
Thank-you for reading
xxx

Bottomless Brunch @ The New Street Grill



So what is brunch?

Brunch: (n) the socially acceptable excuse to drink before noon 

Now if that doesn't sound perfect then I don't know what does. However it gets better. A number of restaurants have introduced the concept of a 'bottomless brunch' to their menus.

Simply 'bottomless brunch' is where, for an allocated amount of time, you a provided with a certain alcoholic drink, which is continually refilled until the meal is over. Picture your local cafe, where the waiter tops up your mug with tea or coffee, but with prosecco instead - it's like a dream, right?

Now when it came to researching anything to do with school work, it would take a lot for me to even start, but tell me to research the best restaurants, to find those offering unlimited prosecco deals, and it will be done in a matter of minutes. 

So I found a number of different places:
  1. Bourne and Hollingsworth Buildings  (Farringdon) 
  2. Avenue (St James') 
  3. New Street Grill (Liverpool Street)
  4. One Canada Square (Canary Wharf) 
  5. The Great Exhibition (East Dulwich) 

Oh and there are a lot more...
Now what with these and my dress choices (from the blog post "The Perfect Dress"), I really am faced with some tough decisions, aren't I?

Each of these restaurants offer one or more of the following: unlimited Prosecco, Bloody Mary's, Mimosas or Bellinis. It probably doesn't come as much of a shock that I chose a restaurant that offered the Prosecco option (if you didn't know, it's one of my faves). 


And this was...
The New Street Grill

Its just a little walk away from Liverpool Street Underground Station and is just round the corner from a Dirty Martini (one of my all time favourite bars). 

The restaurant itself is lovely and the staff are so friendly and accommodating, though I suppose they could have been nasty and rude, but as long as they continued topping up my glass I would have been happy. 

The food was delicious and there were a number of options to choose from. It was also good value for money in my opinion. A lot of the other restaurants listed above, have a much higher price associated with them. 

Here, we both opted for the 'New Street Grill Full English' at a price of £12 (see picture). They also offer a two-course or three-course set menu for £20-25. Take a look at the menu to see all the other options available. 

Now the unlimited prosecco can be added to any brunch on Saturday or Sunday for an additional £15. Believe me, if you're anything like me, you will definitely get your moneys worth.


Now, once the food was gone and the prosecco stopped flowing, I made the mistake of turning to the cocktail menu. 

Luckily we had the will-power to stop at just one each, as each cocktail was a little on the pricey side. 

However if you deserve a treat, then it is definitely worth having one or two, as they were absolutely delicious. Oh and it goes without saying, that if you're being treated, then you might as well set up a tab and get comfortable.

So....I definitely recommend this place to anyone, particularly if you love to brunch with the girls (and boys)....who doesn't love brunch with flowing prosecco and a side of gossip. I definitely plan on going back...and soon!                                                                                                          

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The Perfect Dress

Choices, choices, choices.

So a week ago I promised myself that I would stop spending money and start saving - in short this meant no more clothes, no more shopping addiction. Then today, with less than a weeks notice, I get an invite to one of my old best friend's engagement party.

Bring on a slight sense of panic as I raid my wardrobe, chucking clothes everywhere, covering every space possible. Absolutely nothing. I mean I own a number of dresses but nothing was quite right, either they had been worn on a number of nights out already (I swear I recycle sometimes), just too dull or maybe I do just have a problem and this was a perfect opportunity to push the saving idea back a week or two.

Thank god for ASOS.com

3 hours later and I had a number of choices, can't purchase them all, can I?


So like I said, choices, choices, choices. Well I have ordered all of them, with every intention of sending all but one back (or maybe 2, I'm sure there will be another event soon right? Technically I would be saving on delivery).

Oh and I've already ordered the perfect little shoes, clutch bag and jewellery. I couldn't resist.



Oh...and btw, I totally recommend ASOS Premier. This gives you unlimited next day delivery for only £9.95, think how many times you can order a year. And they have started ASOS Rewards. I was picked to take part in a trial where you earn points for purchases (these then turn into reward codes = money off future clothes!!!).....make sure you sign up for this too!

Can't wait to see the postman in 3-5 business days 

Saving starts now....

Welcome To My Life


When I have asked other people, they tend to agree that the best way to start this blog is to simply introduce myself...so here goes. I feel like I'm in some kids club where you go around in a circle, saying your name and something interesting about yourself, or at an AA meeting...."I'm Claire, and I'm..."

Well, I am 22 years old, graduated almost two years ago and currently working in retail. I have been accused of being a shopaholic - I love clothes and I often arrive home to some sort of parcel waiting. Of course it isn't just clothes...shoes, bags, jewellery, make-up etc etc etc...I don't tend to find it difficult to find something new to buy.

I love to go out, whether that's having a couple of drinks with my favourites, or going out OUT! Although I enjoy various cocktails, rose wine, or a cheeky shot of tequila, prosecco is my drink!! I like to think of it as the classy girls way to get drunk - although classy may not be the best word to describe myself after two bottles of the stuff. My friends are my life, they are the family that you choose, and it is safe to say I'd be a little bit lost without some of them.

Oh and I'm a sucker for a selfie!!

So what to expect from this blog: a look into the newest products, the products that I love, the places that I go, and just a general look into my life (even though it can get a bit messy). Oh and I've also just moved out of my parent's house, so there may be some posts on my attempts to grow up...well at least I'm trying, right?


Hope you lovely lot enjoy

Claire <3