Wednesday Wishlist #87

Gifts & Pieces - Bunny Ornament for Rings - £8.50, Bon Bon Jar - £18, 'Owl Always Love You' Ornate Hanging Heart - £3.50, Ornate Heart Jewellery Stand - £9.50, White Owl Ceramic Vase - £6.90

Another home/giftware themed Wednesday Wishlist. This week's features pieces from GiftsandPieces.co.uk. I absolutely love everything on it and I'm waiting patiently until I get paid so I can make a couple of purchases.

The prices are really reasonable and I think my first purchase will be the white owl vase along with the owl hanging heart and the ring holder...I really want to add some little bits and pieces around the house and some of these would work really well. When I finally get my own dressing table I will purchase a few bits from here for it too, it has some great little jars and holders.

What's on your wishlist this week?

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Polish in Mango

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Polish in Mango - £3.99

Oops, I bought another Barry M Gelly polish. I do apologise. I was recently in Boots looking for a bright, fun shade and I came across this one and one of the limited edition yellow ones. I decided against yellow as I really love the Gelly polishes and this one slightly had the upper hand so it went into my basket.

It was really annoying to apply though. I've not really had this problem with the Gelly polishes before in that it was kind of gloopy and annoying. I had to use really thick layers of polish and when I applied a second coat it did that annoying thing of dragging up the first coat and mixing all together.

After a second attempt I managed to get it looking just right and I love the brightness of this one. I'm really feeling bright nails at the moment instead of my usual nude/plain colours. I could easily snap up all of the Barry M polishes, in fact there was a pretty bright pink one that caught my eye...

July 'Jet Set' Birchbox

I haven't ordered a beauty box in SO long. I remember when they were really popular and every month every single blog would be reviewing the same box. I'm glad it kind of died down a bit as if you really think about it it's a lot of money to spend every single month.

On a whim I decided to sign up for the Birchbox. I never signed up the first time round so I decided to give it a go as I'd seen the June box reviewed on a couple of blogs and I was semi-impressed so hoped I'd be just as impressed with the July box.

On first opening the box I wasn't impressed but now I've looked deeper and have given the products a try I am quite happy with it. Leave-in conditioner, great. New lightweight moisturiser, even better. More Weleda skin food, a bonus and a new gel eyeliner, bingo!

I probably won't have much use for the blush but it's so tiny and cute I'm sure I can find it a good home. The 'theme' of the box is 'jet set' so these products should come in handy for when your travelling, however I don't ever travel so that's a bit useless for me. I think themed boxes are a little pointless as we all know the company just throw in whatever they can get their hands on that month. These aren't products I would reach for on my travels.

I'll admit I have unsubscribed from the box now as it was just a bit of a one off and I would quite like to try out some other boxes that have made their way onto the market during the lull.

Were you impressed with the July Birchbox?

An unhealthy week in photos

Chinese takeaway / Meatball sub! / Leftover Chinese / Roast lamb! / Estee Lauder perfume / Orange nail polish / Sleepy kitty

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

To be honest most of my weeks are pretty unhealthy. Vince and I tend to eat a lot of takeaways, oops! We do regularly eat home-cooked meals though so I hope that evens it out a bit!

This week has felt pretty long. I think it always does when you have no money. There's no popping to the shops for a 'quick look' where you end up spending loads of money on things you don't need. I've been trying to be good but as you can see I did have to take a quick trip to Boots for 'essentials'. Obviously an orange nail polish is essential right now.

I was sent the Estee Lauder perfume so it doesn't count, but I will be reviewing it on the blog soon. It's lovely and my mum's favourite as she so obviously pointed out when she saw it.

Also this week mine and Vince's boiler was finally fixed! Hooray! We finally have hot running water..after eight months. Yep, you read that right. I'm off to do the washing up or something that includes putting the hot water on, haha.

My favourite skincare products

Origins - Drink Up Intensive Face Mask - £22
Boots - No7 Soft & Soothed Toner - £8, No7 Soft & Soothed Cleanser - £8, No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream - £12.50
Elemis -  Freshskin Skin Clear Treatment Gel - £7.99
Bioderma - Sensibio H2O - £7.99
Clarins - HydraQuench Cream Mask - £33

I've been meaning to put this post up for a little while but haven't got round to photographing my skincare products. So here they are, in all they're glory! Aren't they pretty?

Like most bloggers I've pretty much tried every skincare brand you can find and through a LOT of trial and error I have finally settled on these products as part of my daily routine.

I've reviewed each product separately on the blog before but together they've worked wonders. Of course I do still get the odd breakout and my pores are rubbish but I'm loving using this combination of products as they're all really gentle on my skin, which for me is the most important thing as it's so sensitive and prone to redness.

The only products I don't use daily are the face masks. I tend to use this on weekly or twice weekly basis to really clean my skin and give it some added moisture. I will probably add more products to this as I go along as my skin tends to get used to products, if that makes sense, so I'm on the hunt for some more to add in and rotate alongside these. All recommendations welcome!

Wednesday Wishlist #86

Matalan: Chiffon Tie Dye Shorts - £12, Slouch Fit Shorts - £10
Internacionale: Black Crochet Shorts - £16.99
New Look: Black Aztec Drawstring Shorts - £12.99, Parisian Pink Floral Lace Shorts - £16.99

Due to the hot weather I've really fallen for wearing shorts. I'm not usually one to show off my legs at all so I much prefer shorts over skirts. I'm not talking the hot pant type shorts which are seriously short, I'm talking about the sort of shorts that are loose fitting and a bit longer than normal.

They're so comfortable to wear and easy to team with a little tshirt and sandals in the summer. I currently have three pairs from Matalan which have lovely patterns on but it's definitely time for an extension of my short collection!

What's on your wishlist this week?

Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser

Vaseline Spray & Go Body Moisturiser - £5

I absolutely love this product. I can't tell you how happy I am to have found it. I randomly came across it in Boots a few weeks ago. I had no idea Vaseline has bought it out so I gave it a quick test in the shop (ssh!) and decided to go ahead and buy the Cocoa scented version.

There's also an Aloe Vera and an oaty scented version, which are both really lovely, but my absolute favourite has got to be the Coca one. It just reminds me of holidays and sunshine. It's really simple to use, just spray and go. It pretty much does what it says on the tin to be honest. It's perfect in this hot weather for spraying on your arms and legs to keep them lovely and moisturised.

After rubbing in the moisturiser it dries extremely quickly so you really can just apply and go. I'm sure I'm not the only person who hates applying body butters/moisturisers only to have to stand around for ten minutes waiting for it to sink in. There's none of that with this product and for £5 I think it's very reasonable for such a convenient item, and what's even better is that I had enough Boots points to cover the cost. Yes!

Here comes the summer

New Look Zip T-Shirt - £5
Zara polka dot skirt

Dressing for the recent heat is pretty difficult for the likes of me. I usually live in jeans and I hate showing off my legs but this year I have embraced skirts, shorts and tshirts and haven't worn jeans in weeks! It's a miracle.

This outfit is pretty simple. Dressing 'fashionably' in this heat is pretty impossible so saying stylish goes out of the window ahead of comfort. I picked up the T-Shirt a while ago from New Look and it's really loose fitting, which is great. The skirt is ancient from Zara and before the 'heatwave' I don't think I ever wore it. I decided to dig it out of the back of my wardrobe and have been pairing it with simple tees like this one. It feels so nice to wear a skirt and not be all hot and sticky in jeans and trousers. I love the polka dot print and the handy pockets.

How are you coping style-wise in the heat?

Another sunny week in photos

Cooling off in Daisy's paddling pool / My dolphin friend / Orchid has come back to life! / Growing my own beans / Sweeties / Curry! / Birchbox / Flowers from the garden / Sunny Weston / Sunny walk along the beach / Vince on the piano / Hot, hot, hot!
Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

Another boiling hot week! I can't believe it really. I've not worn jeans for weeks and have been living in skirts, shorts and tshirts. Crazy!

Last weekend I spent the majority of the weekend at my mum's playing with Daisy in her paddling pool. I just had to dip my feet in and cool down.

This week has been a good week for flowers and plants in my house. My orchid has mysteriously regained life and I discovered my bean plants have actually got beans on. I can't wait to pick them and cook them up with a meal. I'm just waiting for my tomatoes to go ripe too, delicious! I'm also loving having a rose bush in the garden and it's saving me a fortune on buying flowers for my house, bargain!

On Friday evening Vince and I went for a lovely walk along the seafront. Weston is so pretty when it's sunny and I managed to snap a few lovely pics too. We were hoping to get some chips and ice cream but pretty much everywhere was closed, such a shame as it was a nice evening to sit outside with some food.

What have you been up to this week?

Coral Feet

Internacionale Coral Lazer Cut Ballerinas - £12.99

I just wanted to write a quick post dedicate to my lovely new shoes!

You may have seen these in a recent outfit post but I wanted to write a little more about them. I picked them up on a complete whim while I had a bit of extra money to go shopping with. Usually I wouldn't wear coral coloured shoes and would usually stick to black but I must have feeling super summery or something as I decided on these over the black and brown shades. Good choice I say!

I'm not trying to be gross but ballerina flats are pretty well known for going a bit horrible due to your feet sweating but as these include a cut out pattern your feet have the ability to breath!

£12.99 is a tad on the more expensive side but they're cheaper compared to the likes of New Look and Topshop. The flats are really comfortable so I'd definitely recommend! I'm keen to pick up some more colours.

The Cherry Pie Eyeshadow Palette

MUA and Fashionista Palette - £7*

The ever popular MUA has recently teamed up with make-up brand Fashionista and launched a great new range of palettes. The palettes are fully customisable.

I was recently asked if I'd like to create my very own 'Cherry Pie' palette and obviously I jumped at the chance. I picked four different shades, which I knew I would wear on a regular basis and are pretty much my go-to shades.

I opted for Subtle Glamour, Gold Rush, Sultry and Night Sky and I have to say I'm pretty happy with my picks. Although there's only four shades I feel I can create a variety of looks with this palette. Gold Rush would add a touch of glamour to any eye look, while Subtle Glamour creates a lovely nude look. Sultry is perfect for adding a touch of colour for blending and Night Sky is of course perfect for a smokey eye.

All of the shades arrived in their own separate cases which you simply click out and place into the main square palette so there all together neatly. You can mix and match the shades and also add a blush or a bronzer to create a palette that contains everything you need. As I'm not big on blush or bronzer I opted for the four eyeshadow shades.

I love the idea and it's so cheap to do too at £7 for four shades and £10 for six. Each of the shades are lovely and pigmented and great for blending. I am really happy with my final choices and I'd certainly recommend people give it a try!

This post contains PR samples

Wednesday Wishlist #85

Matalan: Neon Trim Cushion - £5
Next: Bobble Heart Cushion - £16, Ochre And Natural Woven Check Cushion - £14, Hearts Appliqué Cushion - £14

Putting together this Wednesday Wishlist has made me realise just how expensive cushions are! £16 for a cushion is a little crazy in my opinion but they're so pretty!

I kind of want a new sofa, one that I can fill with some lovely cushions like the above. Ones that don't get squashed and mishapen and give the sofa a little bit of interest.

I think the key here is to buy cushions in the sale periods as they're much more reasonable. Matalan are really great for homewares at the moment, I'm forever in there browsing for little bits and bobs to dot around the place. While vases, candles and photo frames have been my thing in the past I think it's now moved on to cushions so hopefully I can get my hands on some soon and add accessorise a little more!

What's on your wishlist this week?

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser and Toner

No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Cleanser - £8
No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner - £8

Thank God for No7 vouchers is all I can say! I had been wanting to try No7's cleanser and toner for a little while but I was waiting for the vouchers to come out again before I did. I picked up the gentle cleanser along, which with the voucher only cost £3, and as I bought a few other bits too I actually got another voucher so picked up the cleanser too! SUCH a bargain for £6!

I'm very wary of using skin products as my skin is so sensitive but the cleanser and toner are super, super soft and gentle. The cleanser really rids your skin of any make-up and general dirt and it's a pretty pink colour too. Always good!

The toner, which is also pink, gets rid of any missed make-up and really refreshes the skin as well as hydrates it. They work really nicely together and I'm enjoying using them at the moment. It's good to have a regular skincare routine again but as my skin often gets used to products I will probably end up trying a few others and rotating them all.

It feels great to finally find some products that work well for my skin and I'd certainly recommend these, even if you don't have a No7 voucher.

Tshirt Party

Internacionale Tshirt Dress - £8, Coral Lazer Cut Ballerinas - £12.99

As it has been so so hot I just had to get out of the jeans and into a dress. I'm not usually one for dresses as I don't like showing off my legs and all that rubbish, but I've had enough now and just threw this dress on with a cute little pair of shoes.

I had actually bought the dress when it was full price at about £12 but I returned it as I didn't think it suited me. However, I needed something light and airy to wear when I went to London and I saw this in the sale for £8 so I thought I'd give it another go. I also picked up the shoes, which are really cute coral cut out pumps, which I'm going to dedicate an entire post to soon!

I was a bit worried this dress would be see-through but looking at the pictures here it seems fine, phew! I think a statement necklace would give it a bit more of an interesting edge but sometimes simple is best. I now have a bit of a Tshirt dress addiction and want to pick this up on every colour possible.

What do you think of Tshirt dresses?

A boiling hot week in photos

Beef casserole / Salmon linguine / Nudey nails / New book / Popcorn! / Noodles / Spotty Dotty Ice Lolly / New moisturiser / Roses from the garden

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

Looking back on them, this weeks photos aren't very summer related but what can you do. This week I worked four days as I had Monday off. I spent the day tidying and cleaning the house, which is always fun, not.

The week has gone quite slowly for some reason but it's been absolutely boiling hot. At some points I've not been able to stand it! I'm amazed I haven't worn jeans in about two weeks and have fully embraced getting my legs out. I need to get myself some more skirts and shorts to wear. I have to admit I really wasn't prepared for the heat and my summer wardrobe is pretty poor. I picked up a few new tshirts yesterday and Vince actually bought me a lovely new top/tshirt too, it was quite a surprise!

It looks set to be scorching for another week. I really need to get out into the garden and enjoy it!

What have you been up to this week?