H&M Home blog photo prop haul

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about my New Look blog photo prop haul and I have say it went down rather well. It seems I'm not alone in seeing homeware products as blog photo props instead so when I was in London recently I just had to pop into H&M Home.

I was very good and quite restrained, just picking up three little bits in order to give my blog photos a bit of a makeover as I have to admit the copper props were getting a bit samey in every pic. I got myself a very pretty silver pinapple, which only when I got it home did I realise it was a candle, a geometric print cushion cover and a small porcelain plate with some really cute detailing around the edge. You can see the first set of photos I took with the new props here and I have to say I'm really pleased. I like the monochrome look and the plate in particular is fab for popping nail polishes on.




I'm starting to build up a bit of a collection of little plates, they're just perfect props for blog photos and I've seen lots of other bloggers using them too. I know that TK Maxx and Sainsburys have lots of cute ones so I may need to pick up some more. I love the detailing on the edge of this one, very pretty with the blank, white and gold colour pattern.

I also find that tea towels and cushion covers make fab backgrounds too, in particular monochrome ones with geometric patterns like this that I picked up. It looks nice just poking out of a photo and takes away the harshness of the fake wooden floor background. I definitely need to pick up more cushion covers, H&M had loads of different colours and patterns...I feel like this could be my new obsession.

So what are your thoughts on this mini H&M Home haul? What bits have you picked up recently for use as blog photo props? Let me know in the comments.

Bomb Cosmetics Little Hotties Wax Melts

Last year I featured a Bomb Cosmetics Christmas cracker gift set and ever since then I've been a fan of the brand. I was recently contacted and asked if I'd like to give the new Little Hotties Wax Melts a try and of course I did!

This is the perfect little gift for someone who likes their scents in the home and enjoys burning candles. You can choose your oil burner for £8.99 and a box of the melts for £6.99. You can choose from a huge variety of scented melts in all sorts of shapes and colours and build a really cute little gift set or you can buy the Little Hotties Gift Pack for £15, which is a real bargain too!

I am a big fan of candles and have lots dotted around the place but I have to admit I am a little bored of the scents now. Sometimes if you smell the same scent you become immune to it. I did sign up to a wax melt subscription box but found the size of them were a little on the big side, meaning they'd need to be melted for a lot longer than I wanted a candle burning for. This is why the Little Hotties are perfect. They're so cute and small and melt super quick. They smell absolutely amazing as well. You can add as many different melts as you like to create different scents or you can stick to one or two if you're only burning them for a short while or want to keep the scent simple.

As I mentioned this would make such a cute gift for a friend or family member or even for yourself!

Have you tried the Bomb Cosmetics Little Hotties Wax Melts? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

*This post contains PR samples.

Bedroom Wishlist

Well it seems as if I'm visiting every room of the house with my wishlists. This week it's the bedroom! My current bedroom is painted a chocolate brown colour and I actually really like it. It's the only room in the house that doesn't need redecorating but I still really enjoy switching up the different accessories and I have so much bedding, it's a bit ridiculous. I can't help buying more either.

Just look at the duvets I found here. The fairisle one is from Matalan and the Moose print one from Next. Both gorgeous! The only problem is that bedding has become so expensive. I usually buy my duvets from Primark as they're cheap and cheerful but it is nice to have one that is of a good quality. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to resist these two.

I really want a dressing table in my bedroom. At the moment I have a stack of shelves and they're really untidy. I'd just like somewhere I can sit in the mornings and do my hair and makeup. It would be nice to have everything organised together and not gathering dust. However, I wouldn't fork out £399 for this one I've featured…I am trying to find something a bit more reasonable!

What's on your bedroom wishlist?

Bathroom wishlist

Last week's autumn home wishlist went down really well so I thought I would perhaps make it a more regular thing. Ever since moving into our house I've wanted to redecorate the bathroom. Although we're only renting, it's still nice to be in a place you actually like - at the moment the walls are a horrible green colour so I think, when we've got a bit of money to spare, it's time to tackle the bathroom.

I've been finding it really difficult to think of a colour to paint the bathroom. I didn't want to paint it a traditional sea blue colour and I don't want it all white either. I recently spotted some bathroom accessories in Sainsburys, which were a pretty duck egg blue colour and I thought this might be a nice way to go. The bathroom isn't very big and there's not actually that much to paint, just one wall and a bit above the window, but a little bit of colour with the white tiles would be nice.

Through researching for this wishlist I came across the white and dark blue bathroom accessories and I really like these too, so now I'm pretty torn as to what colour to go for. What would you suggest?

No.3 Fig Noir and Blackberry Fragranced Candle Tin

No.3 Fig Noir and Blackberry Fragranced Candle Tin - £5



As a Yankee candle devotee I'm often wary of trying out the competition. Yankee candles always smell SO good and its inevitable that any scented candle is going to be compared to the popular brand. I recently received this candle as a Christmas gift and I'm really glad I did.

The candle is actually from Boots of all places, somewhere I didn't think actually sold any type of candle, and is just £5. You can buy the glass version for £8 and either is pretty reasonable if you ask me. I'm sure the range comes in lots of other scents but I was bought the gorgeous Fig Noir and Blackberry scented one, which is absolutely delicious. It really fills the room with a deep, fruity scent.

I think I'm somewhat of a snob when it comes to candles. I thought it was either Yankee Candle or nothing but this Christmas I received two different branded candles, including the one featured here, and they've proved that other brands are equally as scrumptious smelling and a fraction of the price too! I'm really interested to check out the rest of the range and scents and would thoroughly recommend other candle snobs try out the No.3 brand.

Air Wick Colour Change Scented Candle in Mulled Wine and Cinnammon Apple

Air Wick Colour Change Scented Candle in Mulled Wine and Cinnammon Apple*

I do love a candle. Ever since moving in to my own place I've loved burning candles, particularly scented Yankee Candles. I snapped up the chance to try out one of the Air Wick Colour Change Scented Candles and the child within me was excited to see the pretty colour changing effects. The effect would be a lot more impressive if I photographed it in the dark, but I couldn't wait!

It's quite calming to watch the candle change different colours and the Mulled Wine and Cinnamon Apple scent is a-mazing. It reminds me so much of Christmas! The scent is pretty strong too so it sticks around for a while (much for Vince's displeasure). I'm currently sitting on the sofa writing about the candle while it burns on the kitchen window sill and I keep getting a lovely waft of it every now and then. It really makes the house smell delicious.

These are selling for around £7 in the supermarket, which isn't too bad. The candle is a good size and it will last quite a long time so I think it's a good investment. I like to burn different candles and rotate them so for me this will last ages. I'm sure Vince will come home from work and moan about the smell but lets fact it, he's a boy and doesn't appreciate these things!

I'd definitely recommend this and it would be great to find some different scents.

This post contains PR samples

Matalan Autumn/Winter 2012 Home Lookbook

Yesterday I mentioned that Vince and I had been looking at houses and flats to possibly move into so I thought this would be the perfect follow on post.

I recently received the Matalan Home Autumn/Winter 2012 Lookbook and was really impressed by everything inside. Autumn/Winter are definitely my seasons as everything in the Lookbook has that lovely homely feel!

The Lookbook features three different styles; Faded Grandeur, Rustic Charm and Monochrome and I love all of them.







As you can see, lots of amazing pieces. These days you don't really need to decorate a room in order to give it a theme, I think dotting little bits and pieces around the place is a much simpler way of creating a feeling in a room.

I think the cushions are definitely my favourite pieces from the Lookbook, what are your favourites?

Fish Feet!

Long time no see! While I was at home this weekend I barely went near my laptop so haven't had a chance to blog yet. I had a lovely time this weekend just shopping, eating and relaxing!

We didn't get back until late on Friday evening so I didn't really do anything until Saturday. I originally planned to stay indoors and catch up on writing and blogging but my sister persuaded me to go to the Hairdressers with her. Unfortunately they had no appointments so we decided to go to the new Fish Pedicure salon that recently opened in our town.

Garra Rufa Fish Pedicures are so popular at the moment, and I know they'll probably die out just as quickly, but I still wanted to blog about the experience.

The fish foot spas are a natural pedicure method that has originated from Turkey. It is a unique skin treatment that massages and exfoliates feet using the Garra Rufa fish. Although most people think that the fish have teeth to nibble off dry skin, they in fact have toothless suction-cupped mouths which enables them to lift away dead skin from your feet easily. The treatment is totally painless, but you may feel a slight tingling sensation. The Garra Rufa fish only work on unhealthy skin that has been softened by the water, and their hard work leaves your feet feeling soft and refreshed.

A lot of people are worried that letting fish suck on your feet can cause some diseases but the water in the tanks is continuously filtered to ensure it is kept clean. The UV lighting within the tank minimises bacteria growth and the fish stimulate acupuncture points, helping to regulate the nervous system, relax the body and ease fatigue. Blood circulation and flow is greatly increased during the treatment and the Garra Rufa fish can help to improve some skin conditions. People with broken and sore skin as well as warts or verrucas are not allowed to take part in the pedicure, which eliminates the risk of catching anything.

The Salon that has just opened near me is relatively small, with only 5 tanks, but I quite liked the cosiness of it. We were asked to soak our feet in a bowl of warm water for five minutes before being told we could put our feet into the tanks.

The feeling of having to put your feet into a tank full of fish is so unnatural that I didn't want to do it! As soon as I did, all of the fish were drawn to my feet and began nibbling at all of my dry skin. The sensation was the weirdest thing ever and at points I couldn't bear the thought of what I was doing and wanted to pull my feet out quickly. It didn't help that I am quite ticklish on my feet and at one point one of my reflexes made me kick my foot out a bit too violently.

Because it was so weird, I still can't decided whether or not I enjoyed the experience. My main advice would be to try not to think about what you're doing. Two people who were also in the salon with us were reading papers and not paying attention, therefore weren't squealing and giggling like my sister and I.

When our 15 minutes were up we were told to dry our feet and they were sprayed with hygiene spray. I have to say my feet felt really soft and smooth after the treatment, but there were still bits of dry skin that the fish hadn't managed to get. I think a bit longer than 15 minutes would be good for me and I would have loved it if a proper Pedicure followed.

I think I'd definitely recommend this treatment and I think I will try it again, but I'll try to stay a bit calmer!

I swear for the rest of the day I felt like I had fish hanging onto my feet. It was such a weird sensation that even when I think about it now I feel all funny! But my feet felt so nice afterwards that I am definitely doing it again.

On Saturday evening Vince and I met up with our friends for a yummy Pizza Hut! I've not laughed so much in so long and for some reason we all had the giggles that night. We were the last ones left in the restaurant and I think our Waitress was a bit annoyed with us after we mucked up the orders and Vince spilt a drink across the table!

On Sunday my Sister and I took another trip to town in order to do some Shopping. We were initially looking for things for the baby but Weston is so rubbish that we barely found anything. I think I brought a teething toy and a Parasol and that was it! So instead we treated ourselves and my sister spent the gift cards I got her on a lovely Maxi dress! I treated myself to a new cardigan and some shoes, which I'll post about soon! We had a nice little lunch in BHS and a bit of a giggle. I can't wait until the baby arrives! I still have so much that I want to buy her!

So that was my weekend in a nutshell! We're back in Southampton now and I've been at work all day. We're currently waiting for our Chinese to be delivered so I best be off!

Just a quick thing before I go. When I got home I managed to have a look at the review I had published in the Portsmouth News. So, have a look (Click the image to view large!):

Weston SUPER Mare?

I'm glad people are liking my CD reviews and are checking out the bands aswell! 

Anyway, on to today's subject, which actually came to me while I was walking around town looking for a Father's day card. In case you don't know, I live in Weston Super Mare and have done for around ten years now. Today I realised just how aweful it is. It might just be because I am young but I am so sick of seeing charity shops, phone shops, estate agents and holiday shops popping up everywhere! I know people are going to say that you can find some great stuff in charity shops, but as Weston is full of old people, you really can't find anything here but a smelly old jumper. So many shops are closing down in the town center, and then they are being replaced by things that are useless to us.

I have to go to Bristol if I want to do any decent shopping, here we have a small Topshop store that is about 6 months behind everything else, a Dorothy Perkins which I hate and a New Look which is really packed full of rails and is also about 6 months behind the times. It's really frustrating because Weston is a seaside town and the council just don't make use of it. It would be great to see quaint little cafes and tea rooms as well as cool, funky boutiqes and we desperately need a music shop!

Obviously this is just my idea of the perfect place to live, of course not everyone is going to want the same stuff as me. I guess the old ladies like their rubbish charity shops and I'll just have to make do with travelling an hour to Bristol everytime I want to find some decent shops!

Almost over..

My dissertation is officially complete..now it's just lying on my floor happily waiting to be handed in on Wednesday. I suppose I could hand it in early but that would mean getting out of bed tomorrow and going out and that just can't be done I'm afraid! I'm looking forward to celebrating on Wednesday with the rest of the course. :)

I haven't blogged in quite a while as I've been so busy with work but as it all comes to an end I can hopefully blog more. I have one more deadline on May 19th and there's still quite a lot to do but I can't wait until it's all over! I'm going home on Thursday for the weekend so I'm hoping to get quite a bit done..and I shall also be visiting the Zoo so expect some pics!


As you can see from the post below I have had a review printed in Portsmouth News paper. I have yet to see it as I had to get my Aunty, who lives in Portsmouth, to send me a copy. I had no idea it was going to be published, I just thought it would be put online but when I couldn't find it for a few days I thought I would email and ask about it and it turns out it was printed. It's actually the first ever piece I've had published which is great, I hope I can do lots more gig reviews for them. At last I have something decent to go in my Portfolio!

Talking of portfolios and published work, I have been applying for jobs but still nothing has come out of it. I have applied for some work experience during the summer as well but I'm still waiting to hear back.

I am still posting on Styleclone.com and everything there is going really well. I've just come up with a new feature idea focusing on Fashion Bloggers and the first one to feature on the site is Claire from Sitting Pretty. After eBay announced their new fashion outlet I decided to ask Claire about her great eBay purchases, you can see the feature HERE and if you want to be featured then please let me know!


Yesterday turned out to be a fun evening. Vince's friend invited us for dinner so we both had a huge roast dinner each. Then we decided to go somewhere else for drinks which actually ended up turning into a few drinks plus a pizza and a sharing platter! I can't explain just how full up I was, but it was fun. :)

I'm not sure I have much else planned for the upcoming weeks apart from getting work out of the way. I need to start sorting out my things and packing it all up. I need to get rid of lots of stuff aswell and I've decided I'm going to donate the nicer stuff to a charity shop. Something I've never done before. :)

Until then, I shall keep you updated with whatever's going on. I've just purchased a Topshop Eyeliner and Eyeshadow duo so I shall post a review of those once I get them :) Until then..

Rain

I hate this cold weather, this morning I had a tutorial at 10am and had to walk to Uni in the pouring rain. It just makes you miserable! My feet were soaking wet, my hands were freezing and so was my face! I desperately need to invest in some gloves and a scarf and my new ankle boots will definitely have to come out a bit more!

Thankfully my essay didn't need too many changes, thank God!! Which means I won't have to really work on it for the past week or so, I can make the changes and then forget about it until the hand in deadline, woo!

I'm looking forward to going home on Thursday, just so I can have some nice food and be able to slob around the house doing nothing! Although I will try and get some website work done. Then on Saturday I'm going to the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham. I haven't saved any money for it yet and I'm not sure what to wear but I am definitely looking forward to it!