31/10/2013
gosh I've been so distracted moving house this week I only realised it was halloween today.. fail!
I had planned a spooky nail art for you guys but I think I've missed the boat! I do have this winter floral pattern that I'd though I'd show you; it was inspired by the dress I wore to the cosmo blog awards but I''ve switched up the colours slightly!
I was recently sent these two butter london polishes to review cotton buds and pimms; I'm new to butter polishes so I was excited to try them!
my verdict.. I love them both! rich and creamy to apply the colours are beautiful and the finish is lovely. I'm a huge fan of white nails in particular this year and these both have a good formula.
white is a great all rounder to have in your collection; even if you don't want to wear white nails it's the perfect undercoat to pale shades. I find a lick of white under bright polishes makes them 'pop' (top tip: neon's in particular really benefit from a white base coat first)
I decided to use a black base so they were a little more autumn/winter than some of my other nails, I love a glossy back or navy polish when the winter kicks in!
the full tutorial for these nails is over on the my bag blog so pop over here if you'd like to see how to paint them!
I hope you like them..
caroline x
27/10/2013
jumper: h&m
bambi print skirt: c/o brat and suzie
belt: american apparel
ashleigh boots: topshop
chunky gold necklace: topshop
suzan backback: c/o la moda
I love somethings about winter.. open fires, hot drinks, snuggling under my duvet.
attempting to take outfit pictures in rain, darkness or gale force winds urmm not quite so much aha! however today I woke up to sunny skies and beautiful weather.. yippee!
mild weather means I'm snatching the last chance for bare legs.. my skirt is from east london duo brat and suzie who have the most adorable range of animal motif clothing (any combination of pencil skirt with bambi print is a winner in my book) they're bringing some exclusive pieces to ASOS soon so keep your eyes peeled! the pink fluffy number is an old h&m purchase that I love to pull out on in-between days as it's soft and cosy without feeling too bulky...
I've worn my topshop backpack into the ground this summer so I was long overdue due an upgrade; this one is from la moda. it's no ordinary bag.. pull the straps one way to wear as a regular shoulder bag and another to wear as a backpack.. two bags in one! how cool is that? I'm a sucker for novelty but in this case it's actually really handy!
I'm bringing all of my clothes over to the new house this week so I've spent most of the weekend pulling out my wardrobe and having the mother of all spring cleans... so satisfying! I've found the most random assortment of old clothes (what the hell was I thinking...) but luckily I unearthed a few little treasures too.
I hope you've all had a great weekend.. I'll be back soon!
caroline x
shop the look:
22/10/2013
I don't often share swatches of singular nail polishes but this one swayed me!
it's from the new illamasqua creators collection that I was lucky enough to sample; a collaboration with some of the uk's most loved bloggers (including the lovely milly who's created a very wearable copper toned lipgloss which you can see here!) back to this little beauty though, a galactic inspired glitter polish from style suzi called perseid.
glitter rich it has a gorgeous pearlescent finish with undertones of purple, blue and green. it's a tricky one to photograph as you can't catch the full iridescence on camera! you'll need just two coats for full coverage; it's described as a black polish I find it more purple toned until the second coat is applied.
definitely one I'll be wearing this A/W and a good alternative to the standard black polish, well done suzi for creating this little rascal!
what do you think.. one for you maybe?
caroline x
17/10/2013
hat: primark
vintage levis jacket* brag vintage
eagle sweater: urban outfitters
leigh jeans: topshop
backpack: topshop
boots: office
reykjavik is charming... and pretty chilly.
every morning I'd layer up like the michelin man and head out to explore. it's quite a small place; the streets are full of little shops brimming with vintage clothes and hidden gems. it's so relaxed you find yourself wandering from street to street with no agenda other than to peek into doorways and hunt out the next quaint coffee shop to stock up on cake and caffeine.
I found myself going for comfort every day.. skinny jeans, jumpers and hats (winter dressing at its easiest) I only opted to bring hand luggage so I was forced to plan what I was going to wear in advance (this meant I didn't spend every morning pulling out clothes debating wardrobe options much to the delight of the boy!)
we spent our first day wandering around the city soaking up the atmosphere of the icelandic way of life:
we stumbled upon the harbour and the opera house on the water; the architecture inside the harper is quite breathtaking when you head inside. the locals are incredibly welcoming with their perfect english and relaxed approach to life.
coffee shops are popular in reyjkavik, they're either sleek and modern or crammed full of reclaimed shabby vintage furniture.. perfection! the coffee shops are the perfect place to people watch; from hipsters on their iPads to ladies who lunch everyone seems to frequent these little hang outs.
we were lucky to discover an old car park that had become a massive graffiti installation, wall and walls of artwork hidden away from the main streets! I loved the edgy slightly ramshackle vibe of the city; it's all a little weathered and rough around the edges.
we stopped for lunch and milkshakes at the laundromat cafe followed by an afternoon rummaging through vintage clothes shops and exploring downtown.
I loved the comfort of having an apartment rather than a hotel; we felt really settled in our little open plan flat and it was wonderful to have the option of a kitchen if we felt like cooking dinner (I'm a big geek about supermarkets when I go abroad.. I love all the quirky food and foreign packing)
it's such an unusual but beautiful place; iceland is a country of extremes from glaciers to volcano's there's something different to experience every day. I couldn't recommend reykjavik more for a city break!
back soon!
caroline x
10/10/2013
after what feels like forever we're finally coming to the end of the renovations.. the boy and I are finally making progress.. yippee!
I just had to finish one little area to give me an incentive for the final push and I was excited to show you my new lamp and reclaimed cabinet (I'm such an eager beaver!)
our first proper purchase was this vintage cabinet, we stumbled across it at a local dealers and I absolutely love it. we manged to knock the price down to £25- quite good considering I'm terrible at haggling normally! I need to give it a little TLC and a wax but it'll be great for storing (some) of my endless clutter..
I picked up the small paisley trays at zara home who have the most gorgeous textiles and the novelty night lights are from iceland
(I've just started reading the casual vacancy by jk rowling.. has anyone else read this?)
my other new addition is this ever so slightly AMAZING table lamp* I was sent from out there interiors. I've wanted to combine old & new pieces in the house and this is just what I had in mind hurrah! perspex is trendy and modern but the lamp is brilliantly traditional so it works really well (at night the ribbed shade casts the prettiest patterns!)
they have some beautiful statement pieces on their website; if you're after some quirky pieces they're one to bookmark! (watch out for this stag head in future snaps.. I'm going to buy it for my study eeep!!)
(dusty floor courtesy of me breaking our hoover!)
I'm so excited to get our things moved in! I think my head is in danger of imploding with all the paperwork and organising that need to be done over the next fortnight.. I'll pop up a post once it's all over and I'm finally on my sofa with a cuppa!
do you like any of the pieces? (anyone else a fan of granny house chic too aha!)
caroline x
08/10/2013
it's been a while since I shared some of my favourite buys & recent discoveries so I've rounded up all the things that make my heart a flutter and delivered them below!
a lot have come from my recent holiday so be warned there's quite an assortment...
night lights: gahhh I'm such a tourist, I literally can't resist novelty items!
these mini night/mood lamps are so cute and teeny I found them in a shop called tiger store in iceland luckily I was able to squeeze them into my hand luggage.. much to the delight of the people at airport security..
we do have tiger store branches in the uk but they don't deliver so you can't buy online.. pure torture!! I shall be making my way to one next time I get to london!
postcards: it wouldn't be a holiday without the compulsory postcard haul 'when I grow up I want to be a tourist' is my new mantra..
topshop ashleigh multi buckle boots: I've been harbouring a crush on cut out boots since last winter.. I took the plunge and ordered these chunky numbers from topshop to wear whilst I was away!
soaps: ok a little random but I loved the sound of milk soap... no?
impulse models own collaboration* I popped this in my bag to try while I was away -I haven't worn impulse since I was about 15 eeeek how time flies!! they've teamed up with models own to bring out their everyday fragrances along with a little nail kit which is a winner for me, since I couldn't bring a bottle of perfume in my hand luggage this was really handy!
retailing at £4 for a limited time you receive a body fragrance, a models own nail polish and 4 way buffer which I think is a really cute and purse friendly combo (this is utopia pictured which is one of my favourite models own polishes but there's a few different varieties available at superdrug and asda)
greeting cards: another tiger store purchase. I have all those birthday card emergencies covered for the next year!
novelty notebook: chocolate & list writing in one.. this but is pretty self explanatory HELLO NEW FRIEND!! I found this in a stationary shop on my travels and had to top up my collection.
well that's my random assortment of things I love this week.. I have lots of posts to come but in the meantime I'm off to finish sanding down my floorboards (another fun evening in the burke household!)
caroline x
05/10/2013
eeeeep lots of little polishes!
I don't know where my love of 'mini' things began (probably in the form of party food ...hello dinky sized nibbles) but there's something I love about pint sized versions of the originals.
cue this lovely little set from OPI; created especially for QVC its called the discovery set and it has a taste of everything OPI has to offer! for anyone who isn't familiar with their best selling products this is a treat..
first up is a selection of autumnal shades with a good quality formula and coverage that I've come to expect of OPI polishes. I wore a few of these while I was away in iceland as they were perfect travel size companions (the deep burgundy called in the cable car pool and the navy glitter alcatraz rocks glitter are my favourites)
OPI discovery set* from left to right: peace & love & opi | in the cable car pool lane | first date at the golden gate | muir muir on the wall | alcatraz rocks
now for me this is the most exciting part of the kit by a mile... the nail treatments and finishes
I'm often asked what products I use and I'll always include nail envy in my recommendations; its the only strengthener I've used for the last year.
this kit has three versions of nail envy- the original, cool pink and matte. previously I had a real issue with peeling nails, after a few months of solid nail envy use my nails were in much better condition (you don't see instant results but after incorporating it into my routine it really made a difference long term)
theres also a rapid dry top coat- I also have this in the full size and it's a nice shiny finish that dries quickly (I prefer seche vite but it's a happy 2nd place)
the last item and the one thing in this pack that I have totally fallen for is the avoplex oil, it smells incredible and is the nicest cuticle oil I've used... I'll definitely be repurchasing this in the full size.
the discovery set is perfect for trying out lots of new things in one fell swoop.. I do like the nail varnishes but my inner nail care geek finds the nail envy and oils easily the most fun part of this selection.
If you've been looking to try out their bestsellers this is a good way to dip your toes in the water and see what you like before investing in the larger versions (it would also make a great gift but I bet your bottom dollar you won't want to part with it!)
what do you think to this type of collection..are you ready for A/W nail colours yet?
caroline x
01/10/2013
dungarees/overalls: primark
bretton stripe tee: h&m
bag: la moda
watch: river island
chains: h&m
ring: urban outfitters
the suitcase is unpacked and I'm an icelandic tourist no longer *sobs*
since I'm returning to the task of finishing the house renovations it only seems right to don the painter and decorator attire of denim overalls (no builders bum though I have to draw the line somewhere...) these were a steal from primark and perfect longing attire!
once I've caught up I'll pop up some pictures of my time away as I hugely recommend reykjavik as a city break- it's quaint, quirky and I've left a little piece of my heart there!
back soon
caroline x
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