21 February 2012

Anniebee Diva Dolls

A few weeks ago I had a tweet from a lovely lady called Shazena who during conversation mentioned to me about a company who personalises bags. Of course me being me I become very intrigued and was put in touch with the person behind the personalisation of the bags, and it was here I discovered Anniebee Diva Dolls.


Anniebee Diva Dolls is a company set up by a lady who has a passion for craft and gifts. Having always had a fond keenness for being creative, and making things Anniebee turned her energy into creating beautifully hand crafted and personalised items with a difference.
(AnnieBee Diva Dolls, 2012)

AnnieBee Diva Dolls creates bags with a difference; bags which are personalised to fit the individuals personality. Each bag is carefully created produced with much love and care and the finishing article is an absolute treat. Now as of late I have seen an influx of these type of bags, and I think they are adorable; chic, stylish yet different from your average bag. However when I was asked what I'd like on my bag, I wasn't quite sure until I remembered an animated cartoon I made years ago. 


Ok now this picture pretty much sums me up; often in fitting rooms trying on 'x' amount of clothes and gawping at one self in the mirror, muttering ''Does my bum look big in this?'' It is also a reflection of what I'd wear on a girls night out, so I thought this would be an ideal picture to have put on my bag. And the finished article . . . . . 



. . . Shazena also had a bag made and this is what hers looks like . . .


 . . . .What do you think? I absolutely love it. The design on my bag isn't the exact spitting image, but to be honest, I love the design on my bag more than the picture I created. The eyes and the lashes are spot on; big and long like my own, the champagne and my 'pet name' style of writing is again spot on, everything is just exactly how I envisaged. The detail and time and energy spent creating the bag is clearly visible which I appreciate a lot. The bag is a canvas bag, so is pretty strong and durable, so I am guaranteed to get a lot use out of this bag. 

Depending on what type, style and size bag you'd like prices can vary, which are as follows:https://homemfarmacia.pt/viagra-super-dulox-force/

Pixie Diva 6cm x 6cm = £4.00
                15cm x 13cm = £6.00
Dinky Diva 20cm x15cm = £10.50
Mini Jute Shoppers 20cm x 20cm = £13.00
Santa Sack (large handles) 75cm x 50xm = £15.00
Santa Sack (small with drawstring) 35cm x 55cm = £15.00
Book Bag = £18.00
Conference Bag = £23.00
Hen Party Bags 30cm x 30cm = £23.00
Medium Jute Shopper 30cm x 30cm = £23.00
Duffle Bag 45cm x 35cm = £28.00
Jute Shopper (available with long or short handles) 40cm x 40cm = £28.00

Overall Thoughts
I am very impressed with the bag I received. The bag itself has plenty of space inside, is very sturdy and easy to keep clean. The design as mentioned above, I absolutely adore, I don't have one bad word to say. 
One thing I will say is thank you to AnnieBee for a gorgeous bag.

If you're interested in knowing more about AnnieBee Diva Dolls, then click here. 

What do you think; will you be ordering a AnnieBee Diva Doll bag or are you not so sure? Would love to hear what you think.














*PR sample

16 February 2012

Cas + The Contraceptive Pill Aftermath = Let Battle Commence . . {I will beat you} . .

{Source}
For the past 3-4months I have been debating whether or not to blog about my experience on the contraceptive pill, but I often came to writing the blog title and then closing shortly after. I don't quite know why, perhaps because it's such a sensitive and personal experience that only my mum knows about. The fact that I am sharing my experience with you today is to highlight that not everyones' experience is as 'hunky dory' as many might assume. But before I start I just want to make it perfectly clear that I am not here to scare, frighten or scaremonge about the contraceptive pill; I am no Dr/Nurse and I am not medically trained. I am purely blogging about my personal experience on the contraceptive pill.

2005 one got into a new relationship and did the mature thing and got onto the pill. At that point amongst my friends and I being on the pill was the 'coolest' thing (yes I know naive -,-) and of course the most safest thing against unwanted pregnancies. Of course the Drs did their usual checks; blood pressure, checked family history, and advised to use condoms as a 'double back up' precaution. Many people I believe never stay on their first pill after having too much trouble and often switch to different ones until they are settled on one they are happy with. I started on Microgynon 30 and stayed with that until the day I took myself off it in November 2010 which was the start of something I am currently still battling today. 

I became very unwell during the end of November 2010, to the point where Drs didn't have a clue what the heck was wrong with me. I was experiencing excruciating leg pains, and I had not long returned from a holiday in the US. Of course, the Drs put 2&2 together and immediately thought Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), and I was fast tracked through so many tests and scans to double check all was well (thankfully I was clear). At that point during the investigation no-one told me to stop taking the pill, and of course I was already feeling unwell, anxious, scared and sick with worry, and so for my own sake, I just took myself off the pill and threw out the remaining 8 months supply of pills in the wheelie bin (ta-ta!). After I threw them out, I then realised it was now a matter of playing the waiting game for the return of the 'Phantom Cycle'. Having done internet research (good ol google) and had a brief telephone call with the nurse, I estimated about a month or so my cycle would make a welcome entrace and I'd be back on track . . . but that was not the case. 

Weeks and weeks passed and I saw nothing, so I became slightly concerned and went to my GP, who too said it was a little strange. I was told to give it a further 6months and if nothing happened but to come back where I'd undergo further investigation. Hoping and praying that something would happen, I ended up having several blood tests that showed some abnormality. Those blood tests were repeated again and the abnormality was still present but had risen, and so I was referred to a consultant at the hospital. (I give my Drs credit as they were on the ball, and I only had to wait 6weeks).

{Source}

 Having met with the consultant who requested further tests, and an MRI scan of my brain, it turns out I have a teeny tiny growth on my piturity gland which he believes is the main culprit for my absent cycle! Before I was on the pill my cycle was fine, painful but it was fine. But since being on the pill and coming off it, it's gone awol and I am pretty certain it's the pill that has upset the chemical balance in my body and not returned to how it was several years ago. I am now on medication for 3 months which *prays* I hope gets the ball rolling after 18months (yes . . 18months!) of playing the waiting game, otherwise I have absolutely no idea what the next move will be. But right now I am trying not to think about it too much and plod on like normal.

Having done a bit of research into this whole issue, it turns out there are quite a few women out there who too have experienced complications since stopping the contraceptive pill; some women even becoming diabetic and some finding it very difficult to conceive as a result of stopping the contraceptive pill. None of this information when I was in my late teens was ever mentioned to me, and I only wish I had done thorough research before joining the 'cool' wagon many moons ago. I am not condemning the contraceptive pill at all, just that from my experience it hasn't been as good as some women may have experienced. 

So basically what I am trying to say is - if you are on the contraceptive pill or planning on going onto the pill, do your research, talk to your local family planning clinic, go for your 6 monthly checks, and if you're not happy being on the pill for a long period of time - talk with a dr/nurse. If you feel something isn't right, you don't feel right or you experience any sort of leg pain, get it checked out. I just wish I had looked into it all thoroughly before going onto the pill several years ago.

*********************************

I hope some of you have found this blog post insightful.


15 February 2012

Origins GinZing

As of late I have got back into the bad habit of not going to bed at a reasonable hour, and as a result, I've 'bagged' myself some lovely dark circles; not enough sleep. So in a bid to try and reduce these dark circles, I have been sampling the Origins GinZing.

Late night? Long flight? Look tired all the time? Prepare to become one of the perky people!

Nature's clinically-proven morning-after eye cream helps to reduce the look of dark circles. Unsightly bags and puffiness seem less visible. And Origins proprietary complex of Caffeine from Coffee bean, Panax Ginseng, Magnolia Extract and natural optic brighteners rapidly wakes up, refreshes and restores radiance to tired eyes.

Opthalmologist tested. Good for all skin types and all ages.
(Origins, 2012)


First impressions of the packaging I like a lot; usual signature Origins outer packaging which signifies its eco friendly attitude to the environment. The actual packaging of the product itself again I quite like; screw off top which makes getting to the product a lot easier, although perhaps if it had a pump action or was in a squeezable tube, it would make it easier to monitor just how much product is being used per use. The product is 15ml which isn't a lot considering if it's used on a day to day basis. But regardless of the small amount of product, it is quite a good eye cream.

First impressions of the product I absolutely love the colour! Now I know that colour shouldn't really be the main 'hum-dinger' in deciding whether a product is good or not, but the gorgeous cool salmon pink colour I felt is a great colour that will blend nicely with any skin tone and make up shades. Although not photographed so well, you can sort of see the reflective particles that are the main brightening properties in this eye cream. I did find there was a slight smell to the cream, but it's a smell that isn't strong or off putting, but does eventually fade once you work well with the product.



As you can see from the picture above, the eye cream has left a brightening sheen which on my skin tone looks a little odd to begin with, but ample blending it does eventually settle and look natural under the eyes. I found the eye cream absored quickly into the skin and is not greasy which is an instant hit with me, as I have oily/combination skin.

The RRP for the GinZing is £21.00 which I thought is a little on the pricey side at first, but it does perfom the duties it sets out to achieve. Ok this eye cream is not an ultimate instant fix, but it does make your tired eyes look a lot brighter and alive.

Would I purchase? Yes.

If you are interested in knowing more about Origins or GinZing, then please click here.


What do you think? Will you be purchasing some GinZing, or are you not convinced?










*PR sample

12 February 2012

Week in Pictures

I haven't done one of these blog posts in quite a while, so thought I would do one today, so here goes . . .









1) Last Saturday 8 girls (1 lad) and I all ventured out into Birmingham pubbing and clubbing for a friends birthday. The weather last week was atrocious, and I was fretting we wouldn't get home (M5 covered in snow, no kidding). The night was a good one, but a very very drunk one! lol

2) Been cooking a lot lately, and my favourite dish to cook is an Omelette, with pasta mixed with veg - to my surprise it actually tasted delicious (ha quite surprised by my cooking abilities lol).

3) Looked out my bedroom window and I saw this bird sat perched in the tree! The bird evidently is too big for the tree, so much so the tree branch was bowing! 

4) Went to the Drs but couldn't help but notice the footwear and socks!

5) Got a new iphone! My previous iphone broke, well the earpiece literally packed up and any calls I received I either cancelled or put on loudspeaker (embarrassing)!

6) The moon surrounded by stars, shining brightly when I looked through the window

Edit:
7)  I wasn't sure whether to add this or not, so I hope it doesn't come across as tasteless or inappropriate; . . Words simply fail me right now . . If like me, you've probably grown up on Whitney Houston songs, or got parents who are avid Whitney fans, so when this news broke last night (UK time) it was no surprise to be an absolute shocker (still is). Putting to one side her troubles related to drugs, there is no denying that Whitney had an absolutely amazing and iconic voice that simply was effortless, singing lyrics with great meaning. My 3 favourite songs are 'One Moment in Time', 'My love is your love' and 'Exhale'.

Whitney may be gone, but never forgotten.

RIP Whitney. 

. . .That's it for this week.


8 February 2012

Designer Shoe Hire . . . .

Ever lusted after a pair of designer shoes, whether it be Jimmy Choo, Dior, Gucci or Christian Louboutin, and always stopped short of purchasing due to the price tag? Well fear not as today ladies I bring you Cinderella Me.


Cinderella Me is the UK’s first designer shoe hire website that allows fashion focused females to wear the likes of Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin and Gucci at a special occasion, wedding, party, interview or event and still have money to pay the rent and eat for the rest of the month! For a monthly fee of £9.95 plus whatever the cost of that particular shoe, you can hire a pair of designer shoes for a week, and then return after use. It's that simple!
(Cinderella Me, 2012)

When I first heard about this company and the idea behind it, I did think ''Hmm cool idea'', because if you're like me currently clobbering together the pennies to own a pair of designer shoes, having this service at the click of a few buttons sounds like a great service (sparing you a good few hundred quid).

Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle 100' - Hire for the week - £59.95

Now although I do find this to be quite a good idea, my mind instantly heads towards the hygiene department! I am quite picky when it comes to shoes, and no matter how well I know the person, I will not let people borrow my shoes. Anyway I digress, but Cinderella Me claim that all shoes are only ever hired out 8 times to ensure all shoes remain fabulous and in good quality, and undergo a thorough cleaning process to ensure no 'germs' are left harbouring in the shoes. After reading about the cleaning process and etc, I still am not so sure I want to be tottering around in shoes worn by 'x' amount of people, no matter how thorough the cleaning process is. However the most appealing thing with this service is the low cost of fee of hiring high end shoes, right? . . .

Simple. Affordable. Hygienic. Secure

Cinderella Me claim to be affordable, saving you hundreds of pounds by simply hiring your favourite designer shoes. However in order to take advantage of this service you have to become a member, paying a monthly fee of £9.95. If you then wish to hire a pair of shoes for a week, you are then subjected to paying that set fee for those particular shoes; for example Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle 100' will set you back £59.95 for the week, Jimmy Choo 'Axia' £44.95 for the week. Yes, it is pretty cheap to 'sport' around a fab pair of designer shoes for a week, but the £9.95 member fee? I can't help feel that it's a little bit of a catch, because what if you don't want to purchase a pair of designer shoes next month? You still have to pay the £9.95 which is potentially wasted money.

Overall Thoughts

Cinderella Me aim to offer a great service providing women with the option of hiring designer shoes for a set weekly fee. Although in order to take advantage of this service you must first become a member and pay the monthly fee of £9.95. The overall concept I do like, and find it very cost effective if you simply don't want to splurge out on a pair of designer shoes. However if you're hygiene OCD (like oneself), and don't fancy wearing shoes worn by 'x, y and z', then this service might not be for you.
I think I will continue saving my pennies for my own designer shoes . . at least I won't have to give them back at the end of a week!


What do you think? Will you be hiring designer shoes or will you just save and purchase your own shoes?? Would love to hear what you have to say.

If you are interested in knowing more about Cinderella Me, then please click here.


















*As always my review is 110% honest, genuine and true. I am not affiliated to or am I being paid by Cinderella Me to write about this service.

6 February 2012

Lush 'Candy Mountain'

''When the mountains of candy get too much, retreat to the mountains of candy foam''
So I am back again today with another product I picked up in the boxing day lush sale; Candy Mountain, which unfortunately hasn't quite left me wanting to repurchase more for Christmas 2012!

Every year we give our best selling Creamy Candy Bar bubble bar a special outfit for Xmas. Last year it was in the shape of a cane, this year we’ve turned it into a little swirly mountain peak. But whatever the shape and look, the thing that never changes is that lovely vanilla and candy floss smell and the mountains of soft bubbles.When the busy season has exhausted you, the hoards of shoppers have pushed and shoved you, and you think you can’t take any more - lie back in a Candy Mountain bath and feel its sweet and comforting hug.  
(Lush, 2012)
  
When I first saw this I was pretty in 'aww' with it; funky pink and white swirly colours intertwined with each other in the shape of a 'mountain'. I was very excited to try this bubble bar as it smelt so good (or so I thought). As you all probably know by now, I like lots of bubbles in my bath, so I crumbled the entire bubble bar under running water, and I was amazed at just how much bubbles I got. Of course with its hot pink colouring, my bath turned a lovely pink and thankfully not staining my hands (or the bath tub). However when it came to having my long soak (by long we're talking a good hour), I unfortunately only lasted 20minutes!


This bubble bar was everything I desired and expected, but after a while I found the scent a little too overpowering, to the point of becoming sickly! Laced with the sweet aroma of vanilla and candy floss (and you know how sweet that can be, right?), well I think these two scents just 'overkilled' the bubble bar, leaving my skin smelling like a sweet factory. I did however find my skin to be silky smooth, which I wasn't expecting. I also didn't feel very relaxed, which is what I was hoping for.

The RRP for this bubble bar was £1.96 but as I got this in the sale I paid £1.17 which isn't a bad price. However this product is seasonal, but I am sure it'll be around for Christmas 2012.
 
If you're interested in knowing more about 'Candy Mountain' or Lush, then click here. 


















*Although this product was purchased with my own money, my review is as always 110% honest, genuine and true. I am not affiliated to Lush or am I being paid.









3 February 2012

Modalu 'Pippa' Wallet

. . . I caved in . . 

  . . . Yep, I got the Modalu wallet 'Pippa'. 

I have been looking for a decent quality wallet for ages; I just couldn't find one that I would be happy with and suitable for all my bits and bobs. I had seen this wallet some time ago, but I thought I would hang fire, wait and see what I could find, but I found nothing. So I saved and saved (and sold various bits and pieces) and clobbered enough cash together to get this little beaut. Although I have a new job, I was determined not to dip into my new wages, so I waited and saved until I could finally bite the bullet and purchase. 

Modalu as we all know have received a lot of press coverage since Pippa Middleton was papped last year sporting the 'Pippa' (formally known as Bristol) bag the day after the royal wedding. Of course, this has since (no doubt) boosted the sales of Modalu and of course the interest for their products. Modalu have also branched out and started incorporating the new style name onto other items, such as purses, wallets.

When I first clapped eyes on this in House of Fraser, I instantly thought ''Ah ha this is exactly what I'm looking for'', but really wasn't bowled over by the wallet naming. Ok don't get me wrong, it's great Pippa has brought recognition to the brand, but I can't help but think Modalu have attached Pippa's name to products to try and increase sales even more? (clever marketing!) Anyway that aside, I instantly fell in aww with this wallet, but when I saw the price tag, I pulled that :/ face; £65.00! Don't get me wrong, I love good quality products as I know 9 times out of 10, I will get a good use of it and it'll last a long time, but that amount of money on a wallet in one go, felt a little hefty.




If you haven't already sussed out the wallet has a lot of compartments; ample coin space, 12 card slots, receipt and note pockets, which is just what I wanted. If you're like me, your purse/wallet is stuffed with receipts to the point where anytime you open it, they all come flying out? Well yea that is usually how my purse is, and I feel with this one, I can gain a bit of organisation and have things in order.

The material of the wallet is of good quality leather, which is what I like. Of course, it's a bit stiff, rigid, but once general wear and tear begins, it'll gain its rustic feel and look. The lining of the wallet has the classic modalu design; cloth lining with the shells, which I find very cute. The purse also came with its own lilac dust bag and a few notes on how best to care for the leather. 
 
Overall Thoughts

I have to say I am very impressed with the purse. Although it is a little on the steep side, £65, considering the quality and the little extras modalu have gone through to ensure I am a satisfied customer (and the free super super fast delivery - less than 24hours - delivered), I am edging to the side that maybe the cost is worth it after all?. . . .I don't have anything negative to say about this item, as so far everything has been what I expected.



If you are interested in knowing more about Modalu, and the 'Pippa' wallet, then click here.





















Product purchased with my own 'moola'. My review, thoughts of this product are that of my own, and I have not been compensated or sponsored to write this post.

2 February 2012

Illamasqua Eye shadow 'Truth'

Hey Lovely People

Apologies my blog posts have been a little sporadic, I've been very busy adjusting to work life, and when I finish for the day, I am just too tired to write a blog post. Today is my day off so I am going to blog as much as I can for you all. 

So continuing with my purchases from the Clothesshow 2011 (yes it was a lil while ago and the British weather has been a  tad pants for lighting), I bring you another product from my Illamasqua haul; eyeshadow 'Truth''.

 

The Illamasqua stall at the clothesshow was heaving, ram packed of people trying to get the best of the products. As a result the selection of products were quite limited (last day), so I had a good look before completing my selection of 3 products for £10 (bargain). I personally am not a fan of bright, bold, in your face eyeshadows, I'm more of a neutrals girl; understated, yet simple which drove me to choose the eyeshadow 'Truth'.

Rich grey-brown, matt finish
(Illamasqua, 2011)


Having already reviewed the cream blusher and already a huge fan (which you can read here), I have to say I am also a huge fan of the eyeshadows and this particular shade. I have found with Illamasqua products they are extremely well pigmented which is a huge hit in my book (good staying power is what I like). The eyeshadow is very easy to apply, glides onto the eyelid with great ease and doesn't look caked, powdery after application. I also found this was a great shade for my skin tone; subtle and neutral for everyday work wear. I also noticed this eyeshadow smells a bit like chocolate; I don't know if it's my nose or my mind playing tricks on me, but everytime I go to use it, I get a slight whiff of chocolate. . . .

The RRP is £15.50 which to be honest I do find a little expensive for one eyeshadow. But then again the pigmentation and quality of the eyeshadow is very good.

Overall Thoughts

This particular illamasqua eyeshadow I really enjoy using; it has great pigmentation and is a great colour if you wish to keep your makeup neutral and subtle. I do believe however that the eyeshadows are slightly overpriced, considering a well known makeup palette has a great selection of neutral colours for just over the cost of 2 illamasqua eyeshadows! Regardless of the cost, they are very good quality, and if you are looking for an eyeshadow with great staying power (and has a slight hint of chocolate), then this eyeshadow might be the one for you.

If you are interested in purchasing 'Truth' eyeshadow, or finding out more about Illamasqua, then please click here.



















*Product purchased with my own money. My review, thoughts of this product are that of my own, and I have not been compensated or sponsored to write this post.