New Year's Eve Nails

New_Years_Eve_Nails

When it comes to Christmas and NYE nails my thoughts of chic looking nails go out of the window. The more glitter the better I say... even if it's a nightmare to remove! 

So as you can see my New Years Eve allowed for no taste and I mixed glitter with sequins! 

I feel I should quickly skim over the rest of my nails and talk about the amazing sequins! So for the main part of the manicure I used Avon Rapid Black nail polish (favourite black) and a nifty little Nailene Glitter Fx that puffs out just the right amount of glitter onto the nail (here for £4 or ASOS have their own version 3 for £6 here). Finishing with a coat of trusty Seche Vite.

Ciate_Miss_mistletoe_sequins 

Then for the star of the show I used a little bottle of Miss Mistletoe sequins from my wonderful Ciate Mini Nail Polish Advent Calendar. As you can expect sequins aren't the easiest thing to work with but just applying it to two nails was easy enough (as fiddly as caviar nails I'd say but with better staying power). To adhere the sequins to my nail I applied a coat of a metallic gold nail polish as a base coat and left it to go tacky. I then slowly poured the sequins from the bottle onto my nail with paper underneath so I could tip the excess sequins back into the bottle. Then I simply pressed the sequins down and applied a slightly thicker than normal coat of Seche Vite. 

Sadly Miss Mistletoe sequins aren't available outside of the Ciate Calendar... however I discovered Ciate do have Sequinned Manicure Kits that contain a large pot of sequins and a sticky base coat to really secure the sequins to the nail. I'm not sure how many sequin kits Ciate do but I found a lovely kit reduced to £7 at John Lewis here that contains multi-coloured sequins! 

Overall my nails could have been a touch on the coordination side, as I don't think the sequins go to well with the black (maybe a gold or nude would have worked better) but I like them none the less. 

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve. See you in 2014!

Fee xo. 


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Beauty Sale Picks - Amazing Bargains only!

Boxing_Day_Beauty_Sales


The sales have most definitely started and as I have done a spot of online shopping I thought I would do a round-up of my favourite bargains.

So far I have purchaced the Pacifica Fragrance Set (set above) as it was reduced to £5 from £18 here and a few Miss Patisserie Bath Cakes here which are down to £1.34 from £6 - both from Tesco Direct! Below are more amazing bargains that are all hopefully still in stock! 

Makeup 
 Too Faced Joy To The Girls Gift Set - NOW £28.50 was £38.00 Beauty Bay HERE
Benefit Love At First Shine Lipgloss Set - NOW £13 was £19.50 John Lewis HERE
Lancome Time to Dramat'Eyes Makeup Set - NOW £23 was £46 Feel Unique HERE
 Dancing Queen Lipstick Queen Trio Set - NOW £9 now £18 Space NK HERE

Nails 
China Glaze Holiglaze Various Polishes - Now £2.76 was £13.00 Sally's HERE 
 Nails Inc Christmas Crackers (6 full size) - NOW £14.75 was £30 Amazon HERE
 Nubar Porcelain Base Coat - £4 was £8 Feel Unique HERE
Ciate Mini Nail Lacquer Advent Calendar - NOW £21 was £42 John Lewis HERE
Nubar Time To Shine Collection - NOW £7.62 was £15.25 Feel Unique HERE
 OPI Take 10 Mini Kit - NOW £12.55 was £25 Sally's HERE
OPI Mariah Carey Mini Liquid Sand Set - NOW £4.99 was £10 Sally's HERE
Nina Pro Disco Dazzle Trio - NOW £4.20 was £9 Sally's HERE
Nina Pro Cocktail Party Trio - NOW £4.20 was £9 Sally's HERE

Bath, Body & Skincare 
 Lush Christmas Fun Set - NOW £3.25 was £6.50 Lush HERE
 Lush Melting Snowman Bath Melt - NOW £1.12 was £2.25 Lush HERE
Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Body & Bath Duet - NOW £15 was £30 Space NK HERE
 Miss Patisserie Bath Cakes - Now £1.34 was £6 Tesco HERE

Accessories & Non-Beauty 
  Ted Baker 5th Avenue Makeup Bag (medium) - NOW £14 was £25 ASOS HERE 
Ceramic Owl Ornament - NOW £3.49 was £5.00 Homebase HERE
Real Techniques Core Collection - NOW £15.74 was £21.00 Feel Unique HERE
Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Gift Set - NOW £5 was £18.00 Tesco HERE


Hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas!

Fee xo.

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Christmas Decorations 2013

Christmas_Decoration_Ideas

When it comes to Christmas I pretty much love all elements of it! The shopping, the wrapping, spending time with family, amazing food and of course decorating the house and getting my tree up! 

Having my decorations up is a sure way for me to feel Christmas-y, especially at night when just the Christmas lights are twinkling. This year I decided to go for a more winter wonderland feel with a touch of fun. In past years I have gone for a more sophisticated look (you can see my decorations from last year here) but this Christmas I decided I wanted everything to feel a bit more magical and interesting. 

Decorations in above image - Large gold reindeer - Asda, Snow Globe - Past Times, Robin Cushion - Tesco, Reindeer's (actually tree decorations with the string cut off) - Matalan, Wicker Heart - Waitrose. 
 
Putting_up_Christmas_decorations

When putting up my tree and decorations, which have known to take hours, I like to get in to a festive mood with two things - music and chocolate. Reluctantly I will admit I'm partial to Justin Bieber's Under The Mistletoe album so that goes on and I break into my first box of chocolates. This year it was Lindt Master Chocolatier Gift Box (large box can be bought at Tesco and other supermarkets for £12.99) which have to be the nicest chocolates I have tried - no dodgy fruit creme centres here!

I also got out my other treat with Neom's amazing Scents of Christmas gift set of 3 travel candles. These have taken pride of place on my dining table and are so strong in scent that they fragrance the room without being lit. So right now I still haven't burnt them! But come Christmas Eve I plan to light them all and try out the 3 different scents.

Christmas_Tree

As I mentioned for me when the lights are turned off and the Christmas tree lights are twinkling away I get that wonderful fuzzy Christmas feeling. So I like to have different lights around my living room to make it feel extra cosy and pretty. 

My favourite light has to be the Bunny Lamp above, this can be found on DotComGiftShop or ASOS for only £5, this suits my winter wonderland theme perfectly but is such a cute bedside lamp for both adults and children... it's also battery operated which is handy. I also place some cute white Berry Fairy Lights, again battery operated for ease, around my fireplace, these came from a seller on Amazon and have been used all year around a mirror as they are so pretty. 

Other decorations in above image - Christmas tree & baubles - Tesco, Ceremic Logs - Homesense, Deer Cut-out Ornamentt - DotComGiftShop, Glass Cloche Bird Tree Decoration - Homesense, Glass Diamond - local gift shop.
 
Winter_wonderland_decorations

To carry on my magical winter wonderland theme I mixed together silver , gold and white with different ornaments that wouldn't necessarily go together. Mini baubles (from Tesco) in a tall slim vase, mini baubles hung on a White Jewellery Tree (from Achica), Polar Bear Snow Globe (from Asda) and baubles placed in a giant teacup (PR gift)!

This just gives a playful and interesting element to my decorations, especially as my Christmas tree is quite plain. Baubles, large and small really are a great way to create a display on a budget - in bowls and vases like I have done above or even made into a garland with ribbon or string.

John_Lewis_Christmas_Decorations 

As for larger decorations I have purchased these over the years and bring them out every Christmas. My Candle Arch (local garden centre) is placed in the window and is the only touch of red. The Metal Birdcage (from a stall at the NEC Gardener World Show) sits behind my Christmas tree filled with a mixture of silver baubles and last but not least one of my favourite Christmas pieces - Wooden Light-up Church (from John Lewis) is brought out. 

Hope you enjoyed this little tour of my Christmas decorations this year! 

Fee xo. 
 
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Crazy Rumors Gingerbread Lip Balm

Crazy_Rumors_Gingerbread_Lip_Balm

When it comes to lip balms you could say I own a fair few *cough* 50+ *cough* with my favourites being ones from organic/natural brands. For me these always get the flavour just right and the balm actually hydrates the lips. 

So last week I was more than pleased to hear all Amercian and natural brand Crazy Rumors were now in Holland & Barrett stores! 

If you aren't familiar with Crazy Rumors then let me tell you they have the most amazing and quirky range of lip balms... think Raspberry Sherbet, Apple Spice and Amaretto to name but a few. Plus all the lip balms boast being 100% natural and suitable for vegans.  Great if you are ingredient conscious, but I also really believe the natural ingredients do wonders for dry/chapped lips.

Crazy_Rumors_Holland_and_Barrett 

In addition to the 12 flavours that are now in Holland & Barrett stores there is also a festive limited edition lip balm with Gingerbread! This is ideal for a little treat or as a stocking filler at only £3.49. 

I'm not actually a fan of gingerbread biscuits but this flavour is sweet with just the right amount of spice to give it that authentic gingerbread flavour. The balm also warms up as you apply it to the lips to sooth over thems nicely. This really is a lovely unique flavour that is a great additional to my lip balm stash. 

You can also find the whole range of Crazy Rumors Lip Balms at CutECOsmetics here

Fee xo.

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Christmas Day Nail Polish Contenders

 

When Christmas Eve comes around I find myself sighing with relief that the busyness will soon be over with! Don't get me wrong I love Christmas but it definitely is the most busiest time of year for most people. 

So pampering myself is definitely limited and that also means nail painting needs to be done quickly - i.e no faffing with nail art. 

 Yes, festive nail art for Christmas day is pretty but too time consuming the night before and also just not practical as I know I will be opening lots of hard-to-get-into boxes for my nieces! So for me it is a sparkly base coat and then a glitter top coat to finish my nails off. Below are 10 nail polishes I absolutely love and I'm considering wearing on my nails come Christmas day.


1. Orly Snowcone - £3.99 Fragrance Direct here
2. Orly Luxe - £3.99 Fragrance Direct here
3. Orly Cherry Bomb - £3.99 Fragrance Direct here
4. Ted Baker Totally Twinkie - £8.50 at duo Boots here
5. Ted Baker Golden Girl  - £8.50 as duo
6. China Glaze Elfin' Around  - £5.45 Amazon here or Sally's
7. China Glaze Your Present Required  - £5.59 Amazon here or Sally's
8.  NYC Full Metal Jacket  - £1.79 Superdrug
9. NYC Red Hot - £1.99 Superdrug
10. NYC Top of the Gold - £1.99 Superdrug

So here is my lovely selection that I really couldn't pick a favourite from, however I would say the savviest buy would be NYC Full Metal Jacket as it's the nicest gold fold nail polish I have come across and it's under £2! Then for a more 'expensive' treat I would say Orly Cherry Bomb is very lovely indeed.

As for glitter top coats, the most unique has to be China Glaze Your Present Required as it looks quite quirky on the nails over any colour but also festive. Looks best over black or gold... or even white. But NYC Top of the Gold is definitely a hidden gem as it actually looks like flecks of gold on the nails and much more expensive than £2!   

These are just a few festive shades I really like. I also highly recommend Models Own glitters, especially the Wonderland Collection and opaque coloured glitters such as Gold Finger and Scarlett Sparkle.

Sinful Color glitters are always worth a look in Boots at only £1.99 each!

Fee xo.  

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Sweater Weather Tag

Winter_Sweater_tag

As I've been a bit of a bad blogger recently (I blame Christmas for my busy-ness) I thought I'd get back into the routine of things with a nice wintry tag. 
But leading up to Christmas I have a few lovely Nail art posts for you and last minute  gift ideas. Hope you enjoy the tag!

1. Favourite candle scent? 
Anything warm and yummy! I love scents that smell like home baking that are all warm and cosy. My favourite winter candle has to be the mini Neom Serenity candle which to me smells like a vanilla-y chocolate orange.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?
I'm not hugely in to hot drinks but I do love white hot chocolate and a very milky coffee/latte. Costa coffee's White Hot Chocolate is a must for Winter!

3. What's the best winter memory you have? 

It was actually early this year when it snowed really heavily and I took my dog, Ruby for a long walk in the snow, the views were just amazing with the snow being so deep and I was amazed at the giant 7+ foot icicles!

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? 
Winged eyeliner is everyday makeup for me now (if really makes your eyes appear bigger/stand out more if you are a glasses wearer) so it doesn't feel like a trend for me. So I'd have to say dark lips as it can change the look of your makeup so much and can look really chic or vampy depending on the shade. All time favourites have to be NYX Round Lipstick in Hero or Rimmel Kate Lipstick in 107.

5. Best fragrance for winter?
For me it has to be Guerlian Insolence but that is because it's my all time favourite scent. But a truly wintry fragrance is Calvin Klein Secret Obsession. 

NYC_Round_Lipstick_Hero

6. Favourite Christmas Food? 
It has to be turkey! I overload on turkey all year round but on Christmas day with gravy it's just amazing. But if I could I'd say Christmas dinner as a whole is my favourite! 

7. What is winter weather like where you live?
The UK is always pretty rainy and varies from mild to cold in temperature. So nothing interesting. I'd actually prefer it to be colder in December so that we had at least some chance of snow before Christmas or on Christmas day - very wishful thinking I know!

8. Most worn sweater? 
It's a black jumper with a white stags head that I picked up from Tesco last year.

9. Must-have nail polish this winter? 
It has to be be Essie Bahama Mama which is a wonderfully rich plum shade. It just looks so glossy and chic on the nails. I do also like a lot of the NYC berry shades though which are amazing value for money at £1.50-£2.00.

10. Skinny jeans or leggings?
Leggings all the way! So comfy and easy to wear. I go through so many pairs in winter but at only £3 in Primark I make sure I have at least 4 pairs on the go.

11. Boots or Uggs? 
I actually wear both. However I would never pay the price of Uggs and have some nice dark brown Rocket Dog ones that are still in perfect condition even after 3 years. Proper boots for dog walks and slouchy boots for shopping.


berry_nail_polish_shades

12. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype? 
I can't say I actually know what pumpkin spice actually is, as pumpkin products really aren't that popular in the UK. Come to think of it I have never tried pumpkin or anything pumpkin flavoured.

13. Favourite winter TV show? 
Game of Thrones is an amazing winter watch I would recommend to everyone, a lot of it is set in snow and the genre of it just suits winter. But I'm currently watching Breaking Bad and loving it. I took a long time to watch it to see if I liked it, but within 2 episodes I was hooked. Much like Game of Thrones it isn't for the faint hearted but I think most people would actually enjoy it! I'm only up to Series 2 so no spoilers in the comments!

14. What songs really get you into the Christmas spirit?
 As I'm a huge lover of Christmas I'd have to say they all as a collective get me in a festive mood, especially when Christmas shopping and only Christmas songs are playing. I do have a guilty pleasure though, which I cringe to admit, of listening to Justin Biebers Under the Mistletoe Christmas album when wrapping presents and oh the festive feelings! 

 If you enjoyed reading the tag please feel free to answer the questions on your own blog and also use the image I've created for this post. 

Fee xo. 

PS. How is it only a week until Christmas day?! 

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Amazing Beauty Bargains at Tesco Direct

Tesco_Christmas_Bargains


As we are all pretty much Christmas shopping at the moment, unless you have done it all already! I decided I had to write a post on all the amazingly reduced products on Tesco Direct that really are hidden gems! 

In the past I've found some great bargains on Tesco Direct and blogged about it, heavily reduced Natio, Kings & Queens and All For Eve products. But this time so much has been reduced even amazing gift sets such as the YSL Mascara set for only £14! So without rambling too much, below are the best products I have found that are all amazingly priced! 


Tesco_Beauty_Sale

Stocking Fillers under £3.00...

Miss Pattierie Bath Cakes in Gift Box - All £2.67 each - La Vie en Rose, Lily From The Valleys, Tokyo Rose, Sherbert Star, Fizzy Pudding. Seen these lovely little boxes of decorative bath bombs/fizzers in-store for £5.00+

King and Queens Products as low as £1.33 - Cinnamon Orange Soap £1.33 Lemon Flower Shower Gel £1.67, Caspar Myrrh Body Butter £2.67, Cinnamon Orange Body Milk £3.50. K&Q products normally retail for £8+.

All for Eve products as low as £2.13 - Lipstick £2.63, Nail Polish £2.63, Body Lotion £2.13, Body Butter £2.63. The All for Eve lipstick and nail polish would make a lovely gift for just over £5! 

Vintage Cosmetics False Eyelashes - All £1.50, normally £6 each - Kitty, Connie, Gracie, Nancy, Betty.


Tesco_Gift_Sets_Sale

Gift Sets under £15...

YSL Mascara Volume Effect Set - reduced to £14, normally £23 - here. Amazing price! 

Nip + Fab Gift Sets as low as £10.63, normally £17+ - 10 Years Younger Set £10.63 here, Laser Fix in a Box £11.30 here.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour The Original Set - reduced to £11.20, normally £18+ here. The little red door is actually a compact mirror, very cute!

Pacifica Perfume Gift sets - reduced to £10.00, normally £18 - Hawaiian Ruby Guava, Indian Coconut Nectar, Island Vanilla, Tuscan Blood Orange. Also a Pacifica Candle Set for £8.33 here.

Lancome Hypnose Drama Gift Set - Reduced to £14.70, normally £22 - here.

Some really great bargains to be snapped up, but I'm sure things will be selling out soon enough.

Fee xo.


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Under £10 - Nip + Fab Body Butter Triple Set & Bodycare Gift Ideas

Nip_Fab_Body_Butter_Triple_Set

Another little treat I picked up for myself last week as I love Nip + Fab as a brand and I love their mini body butters (Pistachio Sundae is my favourite). So this was a no-brainer, especially as it's only £5.97 at the moment on Tesco Direct here (click & collect is probably a good option to get it before Christmas). 

The gift set contains 3 x 50ml body butters all in limited edition winter appropriate scents that definitely sucked me in! 

I naughtily bought this for myself however as a gift this is really nicely packaged and a good size to feel like a substantial gift. You can also find the matching Nip + Fab Lip Butter Triple Set from Tesco as well for £4.63 here.

Nip_Fab_Body_Butter_Set

As for the body butters themselves I was pleasantly surprised to find them thicker than the normal range of Nip + Fab body butters and quite a bit more moisturising - ideal for winter. Out of the three scents I found Winter Cherry to be my favourite, a really lovely sugary cherry scent with a slight kick that really does linger on the skin, in fact they all do! Sugared Almond is also a lovely scent, much softer and warmer. However I can't say I'm keen on Spiced Apple, it somehow reminds me of an air freshener scent and apple really isn't a smell I associate with body products. 

 This really is a lovely trio of body products that is something a bit more fun for Christmas. Below are a few other gift sets that I also feel would make fun bodycare gifts. In fact the Lush Christmas Fun gift set and Bomb Cosmetics Soap Chunks are on my own Christmas list!

Bodycare_Sets 
 Other body care gift ideas...

Soap & Glory Good, Butter, Best Gift Set £8.00 Boots here, Christmas Fun Set £6.50 Lush here, Burts Bees Tips and Toes Christmas Edition Gift Set £13.49 Amazon here, Bomb Cosmetics Soap Chunks Gift Set £6.11 Amazon here, Cowshed Christmas Cracker £8.00 ASOS here, Andrea Garland Box of Beauty Delights £36.00 ASOS here, Shea Lip & Softening Gift Set £7.00 The Body Shop here.

Hope this has given you a few more present ideas! 

Fee xo.

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Under £15 - Nails Inc Best Dressed Mini Collection

Nails_Inc_Best_Dressed_Set

Remember last month when I wrote a pre-Christmas wish list? Probably not. Well I decided that I needed to treat myself to the Nails Inc set I featured in that post because it just looked too glittery and wonderful to miss out on. 

Since then lots of places have been selling out of the mini set, even ASOS. But I found it on Beauty Bay for the bargain sale price of £12.80 here!

I've recent years I have purchased a few mini collections from Nails Inc as they are nice way to try out the more 'special' shades from the brand, especially when their nail polishes cost £9+. I've always been pleased even if they are pretty dinky but this year I'm even more happy as this set contains some amazing glitters from 5 different collections.

Nails_Inc_Best_Dressed_Swatches

I would have loved to have swatched away on my real nails however sadly I've had a few nail casualties so a nail wheel will have to suffice for now!

As you can see the set contains a lovely mix of textures and finishes. 2 glitter top coats with Hampstead Court and Old Street, a semi opaque glitter with Westminster Bridge Road, a subtle glitter opaque top coat with Regents Park and a metallic foil in rose gold with King's Road

My favourite has to be Regents Park as it just reminds me of shimmering winter berries and it really does look beautiful on the nails, perfect for Christmas and winter. But I also love how fun Old Street is, I'm sure it would look great over a white or black nail polish especially for New Years Eve. Also King's Road went and surprised me as I always imagine metallic nail polishes to be streaky but this is just perfect and such a soft delicate shade that I can imagine wearing alone or with a subtle gold glitter over the top or even Hampstead Court.

Nails_Inc_Best_Dressed_Mini_Set

This really is a nail polish set ideal for the festive season and updating your party nail polish collection... just like I have done (I've told myself no more presents to me love from me until after Christmas!). 

But this would also make a great gift for someone that loves nail polish! I know I would be pretty delighted with this... well maybe a different mini set such as the Nails Inc The Editors Set which is even cheaper at £11.20 here... just not as glittery. Or you could split up the set if you were creating a few gift sets for friends. 

Really at a great price at the moment and worth snapping up! 

Fee xo.


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Christmas Gift Guide - Under £5 for Her

Under_£5_Beauty_Gift_Guide

Gift guide time again! 

For the past month or so I have been purchasing and receiving lots of lovely products for upcoming gift guides. As this year I want to ensure I bring you some savvy guides that will give you gift ideas and hopefully tips along the way. 

Under £5 may seem like quite a budget but I have to say I found this quite a breeze! Some of the gifts below are whole gifts, gifts that can go along side something else and also cheaper stocking fillers. Really hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed putting it together! 

ASOS_Prints_Framed

Creating a framed print under £5...

This is a gift idea I have created a few times now and is probably my favourite 'under £5' gift. Generally framed prints are quite pricey however if you are looking to give a A5 sized print then a card instead of a print will do the job just as well for a fraction of the price! Here I have used an Ohh Deer 'All We Need is Love' card from ASOS - £2.50 here, placed onto a black pieces of card then framed in a lovely ornate frame which I picked up from the clearance section of Homesense for £2.00! 

This can also be achieved with postcards (Paperchase is my favourite place for amazing postcard prints) and frames can be found in charity shops... generally a lick of white paint (a sample pot will do) turns any frame in to something aesthetically pleasing.

ASOS_Checked_Scarf

A cosy, pretty scarf...

Scarfs can be found in so many shops and can be a lovely gift along side something else or even used to wrap up another gift - especially body products! This particular check print scarf is from ASOS - £4.50 here, and feels very festive! 

ASOS, Matalan, Primark would be my favourite ports of call for nice scarves.

Gogo_Philip_Star_Necklace

Boxed Jewellery...

Nice jewellery under £5 really doesn't seem that realistic however if you know the right places to look and make sure you present it in a nice gift box it can become a lovely gift for someone. 

Above is a beautiful Gogo Philips necklace that was under £5 in the ASOS sale, this is sadly now sold out however you can find quite a few Gogo pieces from only £3.00 here. Another brand on ASOS that I love that has so many pieces under £5 is Designsix which you can find here. On the high street Claire's and New Look are worth a look but also Topshop sale pieces can be surprisingly cheap, plus they also stock Orelia which is incrediblyly delicate and dainty. If jewellery doesn't come boxed you can find nice festive appropriate or simple gift boxes from Argos starting from £1.50.
 
Asda_Fair_Isle_Christmas_Mug

Winter mug & hot chocolate... 

Nice mugs can be picked up anywhere and from as cheap as £1.00 (I spotted a lovely red and white star mug in Tesco recently for only 99p). Then paired with some interesting tea or coffee or hot chocolate and mini marshmallows becomes a nice gift. This lovely large mug can be found in Asda stores for only £2.50 - available in red or grey.

Gift boxed Candle...

Candles ares another cheap but nice gift that can be gifted alone or with a book or even some bath time products. Again my favourite place to buy all sorts of different candles from is Homesense/TK Maxx as they come nicely presented in a box most of the time and you can definitely find a scent that will suit the recipient. The candle above is another product I picked up from ASOS for only £4.00 here and comes with an initial on the front to make it feel that bit more personal. It is also a lovely Vanilla Soy wax candle, so no nasty fumes. 

ASOS_Nail_Studs

Nail Art... 

I kind of feel nail art is more of a stocking fillers however so many products can be picked up for £1 from Pound shops and eBay that you could easily create a nail art gift set for £5.00. 
This nail art wheel is a few more pounds but so worth it for all the looks that can be achieved. You can find this Rock Chic set from £3.99 on Amazon here... though NPW nail art sets are sold in select Topshop and New Look stores.

Ciate_Tree_Baubles

Splitting gift sets... 

Another great idea especially if you have lots of friends to buy for is to split up a larger gift set. Above is one of the Ciate Tree Trinkets that come in a set of 6 for £20 from Selfridges here, making a single bauble with mini Ciate nail polish only £3.33! 

Other sets that are worth splitting up are Benefitt gift sets, Stila Lip trios and of course nail polish sets, my favourites being from China Glaze and Kiko. 
 
Under_£5_gift_idea_Teens

Pamper gift set...
 More of complete gift here that really can be customised for any age! Everything above, except for the magazine which is on sale for £2 this month, is £1... a complete I think. Face masks can be found in so many places and in all different scents for £1, Terry's Chocolate Orange is currently on sale at Tesco for £1 (I have been converted to the White chocolate one this year... it's sooooo yummy!) and finally the China Glaze nail polish was an amazing 99p for 3... yes, you read that correctly, from 99p Stores which are up and down the UK. Though £1 nail polishes can always be found in Poundland/Poundworld.
 
Sally_Hansen_Christmas

Cheap Nail Polish Trios...

I'm talking £1 nail polishes here. Trust me Pound shops are your friend! In the past year I have picked up so many amazing nail polishes by Revlon, Salon Hansen, Rimmel and even OPI from Poundland and Poundworld. Poundland is always my first port of call especially for Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure nail polishes which normally cost £6.99 each from Boots. Select Poundlands are also currently stocking Revlon Chameleon nail polishes that just look amazing. 

To give your trio a bit more of a gift set appearance you may want to try to go with a theme
with the shades like I have done above. This could be 3 brights, 3 metallics, 3 glitters. As an added extra you could pick up a Glass Nail File for £1 and some Caviar Nail Beads or Sequins, also £1 from Poundland.


 Hope this has given you a few ideas for nice gifts on a budget! 

Fee xo.


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Lazy Links #9

Lazy_Links 

This week I have been... 
 
Getting back in to a festive state of mind - State of mind sounds serious but I take Christmas seriously! Christmas is my favourite time of year but as I have just come back from my winter sun holiday I do need to get them warm festive feelings back again. I'm nearly back to my festive self as I now have my Christmas tree up and my home is feeling like a winter wonderland! I now need to just overdose on Christmas films and everything festive!

Enjoying Gift Guides -  Blogger's gift guides really do put magazine ones to shame these days! So much more thorough and interesting. I have already looked at so many but my favourites have to be City Girl's Fashion Box's mammoth gift guide here that features so many amazing gift ideas. And A Thrifty Mrs's well thought out gift guide for gifts that will make the most difference to anyone living on a tight budget here. I'm just getting in to the swing of things with my own gift guides and my first proper one which is 'Under £5 for her' will be up tomorrow!

Watching Vlogmas videos from my favourites - Ahhhh so many wonderful Youtuber's are doing Vlogmas this year! So many in fact that I have to limit myself to just a few before I get out of bed in the morning (I have a strange routine of waking up and instantly watching You Tube videos) or I just wouldn't get up for hours as there are so many to watch daily. My favourites have to be from - Dulce Candy, Zoella, Miss Budget Beauty, Sunbeam Jess and Essie Button.

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Source: Cox and Cox
 Craving more good books - Even though sunning myself next to a pool whilst reading a good book seems much longer than a week ago I can still vividly remember the feeling of being swept up in to another world through just reading, it really can be total escapism! On holiday I ended up reading A Monster Called by Patrick Ness and John Green's The Fault In Our Stars... both amazing books but TFIOS's just blew me away (definitely a must read if you haven't read it). So now I'm craving something new to get stuck in to! Recommendations are fully appreciated! On a little side note I was thinking I may do a favourite books of 2013 at the end of the year as this year has been a year of amazing reads for me.

Planning Christmas presents - My notebook is out and I already have gift ideas for everyone that I'm buying for this year. I like to do this as it means I don't go off track as much and then end up with too many presents for someone. I'm not a huge list maker but at Christmas lists are definitely helpful!

...And starting my Christmas shopping - This has mainly been for gift wrapping as I love beautifully wrapped presents but I have started my Christmas shopping now! I have vowed to myself I will do more shopping on the high street over online shopping this year as it's much more festive, though of course you don't get the same discounts. The reason for this is last year I did the majority of my shopping online then went shopping once or twice just for extras such as chocolates and wrapping paper. Quite practical but also boring! So this month I'm going to plan a good few Christmas shopping trips!

Enjoying festive TV - Christmas TV has began! Well it seemed so last Monday night with A Great British Christmas with Sarah Beeny (watch here) which was really interesting and very festive. Then the first of four part documentary on Liberty of London (watch here) which was all about the inner workings of Liberty's and how they prepare for Christmas.

Hope you all have a lovely lazy Sunday,

Fee xo.


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Models Own Special Offers & Current Boots Free Gifts Round-up

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With so many high street offers floating around at moment I thought I would sit down and list them all.

 Plus show you the Models Own free gift with purchase that you can pick up in Boots at the moment and the free Limited Edition MO polish that is available at this years Clothes Show Live from 6-10th December. 

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First up is the Limited Edition Show Stopper 2014 which is an amazing combination of turquoise and silver holographic glitter. This can be picked up FREE as an exclusive gift with purchases at the Models Own stand at this years Clothes Show Live which opens today until 10th December! 

I've been to the Clothes Show twice and have to say it's shopping paradise! Soooo many bargains, especially if you go on the last day. 

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As for the other free gift which is available in Boots stores until 21st January this is definitely a lovely bonus if you are picking up two Models Own products. The set includes a full size nail polish (Dinky Pinky), a 4 Way Nail Buffer (these are so handy), plus two Nail Glitters in Gold and Silver. The nail polish isn't the most festive shade but the glitters could be used for all different types of festive nail art! A pretty great free gift. 

Other Boots Offers & Free gifts with purchases... 
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Buy any 3 Maybelline cosmetics - Free Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Velvet

Spend £15 or more on Bourjois products - Free Bourjois Christmas Kit worth £29 (contains 4 full size products and a £2 off gift voucher)

Spend £15 or more on L'Oreal products - Free L'Oreal Million Carats Gift Box worth £28 (contains 3 full size products) 

Spend £5 on Collection products - Free Collection Supersize Mascara

Spend £8 or more on Seventeen products - Free Seventeen Brow Kit 

Buy any two Essie nail products - Free Some Like It Haute Nail Wraps  

Buy any two No7 Cosmetics - Free No7 Glam Gift Box worth £29 (contains full size lip gloss & 3 mini products)

Spend £6 on Barry M Products - Free Barry M Glitter nail polish 

Buy 3 Rimmel Products - Free Rimmel Nail polish  

Hope this has been helpful! 

Fee xo. 

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Christmas Gift Guide - 10 Foodie Gift Ideas

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Indoor Herb Allotment - £18.66 Amazon here
 I just love the idea of this herb kit! So unique and also well made from the reviews I have read. I think most people like the idea of growing their own herbs but it's a bit faffy especially if you have to find pots for them and it can look a bit mess. But this keeps them all together and looks great. Plus the little shed holds all your tools for the herb garden. 

Snow Globe Salt and Pepper Shakers - £9.99 Awoot here 
These may just be on my own Christmas list this year because I have a thing for snow globes and this may just be the most ingenious idea ever. A unique and clever gift. 

Andrew James 42cm Multi Cooker - £19.99 Amazon here 
This is a more usable take on the slow cooker and with a slow cooker myself I can see how this irons out afew of the flaws. This is large enough to cook stews and soups but also shallow enough to fry breakfast, cook paella and even bake pizza! This also becomes cordless so it can be take straight to the table which is a great feature. A great gift for anyone that enjoys home cooking. 

The Burger Book

The Burger Set - £5.00 Asda here
This is one of the cookbooks in my own collection that is the best burger book with some amazing recipes - Mushroom Swiss Burgers, Bento Burgers, Mexican Turkey Burgers, Cajun Pork Burgers plus so many more. I purchased mine from Tesco for £5 hardback but you can find a boxset with a burger press from Asda for £5. I personally think a nicer gift would be to buy the £5 book and also buy a good quality burger press with a selection of onion relishes. 

A selection of American candy - Best place to buy eBay 
This isn't really such a unique gift idea anymore but definitely a fun one! For ease Selfridges do offer quite a large selection of American products but price wise it works out cheaper from eBay. Hershey's and Reese's are two great American brands, plus Marshmallow Fluff is a cheap but fun product! 

Monin Flavoured Coffee Syrups - £6.99 Lakeland here
 From the syrups that are used in Costa Coffee comes this lovely 5 bottled sets of some favourite flavours. These can be used in coffees, milkshakes, on ice cream and even in baking, making this a lovely versatile set.

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Baklava - £3.50 Tesco and various supermarkets 
 Baklava isn't a hugely popular sweet treat but most supermarkets now stock it. This middle eastern dessert style sweet pastry is made up of layers of filo pastry filled with various nuts and sweetened with syrup. An unusual gift for someone that hasn't tried Baklava before! I absolutely love it but it is so rich that a box really does last.

Camembert Baker - £15.27 Amazon here 
If you have a cheese lover in your family then this is a gift they are sure to love. This does seem a little pricey however this high qualtiy baker is something that will last and will ensure the cheese is cooked evenly. Could also be accompanied with a Camembert wheel and a selection of nice crackers to make it more of a gift set. 

Instant Tea Selection Gift Set - £18.00 Whittards here
Even as a non-tea lover I can say Whittards is the best place to buy tea from. This set is a lovely alternative to normal tea that most tea lovers will be new to. Until other flavoured teas this is powdered so there isn't that tea leaf undertone to the fruity flavours. Dreamtime and Turkish Apple are just to die for! 

Charbonnel et Walker Dark Chocolate Drink - £5.00 John Lewis here (also Waitrose and Tesco)
The poshest hot chocolate that you can buy but for only £5! This would make a lovely cheap yet expensive looking gift teamed with a lovely wintry mug.

Next gift guide on my list.... Under £5 for her! 

Fee xo.

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