Happy New Year!

Just a quick one to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

MUA Matte Lipstick - Wild Berry

This little beauty has become my go to lipstick this month. I absolutely adore it. Don't be put off by the extra dark shade that it looks, swatch it, it's actually a gorgeous plum berry shade. Perfect for this season. It gives a good colour pay off, and although it is a matte lipstick, it is super creamy. It also lasts very well.

Christmas Gift Guide For Her - Under £10

With the Christmas season quickly approaching, here is the first of my Christmas Gift Guides.

These are my Christmas picks from Boots this year for under £10.

Baylis and Hardling Beauticology Mini Trio - £4 Boots

I bought a couple of these last year, they are the perfect little stocking filler and extra cute. This one contains Gingerbread Body Wash, Chocolate Shower Creme and Vanilla Frosting Soap.

Sound good enough to eat don't they! They smell it too.

Extracts 4 Pack Body Butter Collection - £8 Boots

These are firm favourites of mine and smell divine! This would be a lovely gift. I think I am going to pick some of these up for my Mum. This set contains 4 different flavoured body butters: Cranberry, Coconut, Mango and Cocoa Butter.

Sanctuary Triple Moisture Bliss - £10 Boots

This gift set contains a set of three moisturising body butters from three of the different ranges provided by Sanctuary. For three 100ml products from Sanctuary this is well worth £10!

Toni & Guy Mini Gift Box - £10 Boots

I am wanting one of these for myself. A lovely way to try out different hair products from  Tony&Guy. This set contains shampoo, conditioner, heat protecting mist and hair spray.

There are a few of these gift sets available for the same price, for different hair. And also from different brands.

Laura Ashley Mini Indulgence Gift Box - £10 

I have already bought one of these for my Auntie. I just love everything about this gift set, the colour, design and packaging are absolutely gorgeous! In this set you get hand soap, shower creme, body lotion and fragrance mist.

Cute or What Keyring and Travel Pass Holder Set - £9 Boots

These are super duper cute! I love owls and the whole countryside trend that's big for this winter. 

Keep a look out for my next Christmas gift guide posts. All of which are £20 and under.

MUA Matte Lipstick - Scarlet Siren

Hi everyone,

I've been looking for the MUA Matte Lipsticks in my local Superdrug ever since I heard that they were being released. They've only just started to get them in, in fact this was the only colour they had in. Suprisingly, I don't own any bright red lipsticks, so for just £1 I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to try one.

I picked up the shade Scarlet Siren, it it a really bright red with a tiny touch of a pink hue to it when it's on the lips. 

I wore it for around 8 hours with no primer or touch ups, it still looked as good as when I has put it on, and I had eaten and drank in that time as well! I am extremely impressed! The formula is lovely, not like other matte lipsticks that I have, it's has a creamier texture on the lips. I will definitely be picking up some other shades when I see them in store!

Have you tried the new MUA matte lipsticks yet?

Counting Stars

I guess I'm kind of lost at the minute. I'm over thinking things a lot (worst thing to do) and full of what ifs and maybes. I really want my business to succeed but I'm extremely anxious that it will all fall through. All I can think of at the minute is if I am doing the right thing. 

 I'm really wanting to change myself as a person, I want to shift this weight, which I am going to do. I'm going to be doing Slimming World but I'm not signing up to it, I'm going to do it on my own. I've been searching on Instagram and found some fab meal ideas that look really yummy, and it's like you can eat what you want just not too much of it. I will be starting that on November 1st and I really cannot wait!

On to the Christmassy things, I love this time of the year and this year it seems to be creeping up really fast, I cannot wait to put our tree up and decorate it, and make the house all festive. I've made my Christmas cupcake samples, they went down a storm! Also I am going to do a Christmas gift guide again this year, although the shops aren't screaming out to me this year, I am determined to find some goodies.

I have got my love back for Yankee Candles, it must be the change in weather. I am currently loving a new one called "Christmas Cookie".

Are you looking forward to the Christmas season?

Primark Autumn Winter 2013 Picks

Here are my picks for Primark's Autumn/Winter offerings.. 

I'm loving the whole grown up grungy look, tartan is a must this coming season, from scarves to trousers, can't get enough.

I'm a sucker for anything Disney, the fashion world is going Disney crazy this year and Primark is no exception, I've noticed a few pieces in store that are super cute! 

I adore the bag below, it's on my must buy list, I noticed it in store last week - they've also got it in a brown colour as well. Lovely. For £12 it's a must.

What are you eye-ing up from Primark's Autumn/Winter offerings?

♥

Wings Of A Butterfly

Last week, whilst visiting my Grandma's, we was sat in the garden, I noticed an incredible amount of butterflies and bees heading for a large white tree. I saw different species of butterfly that I can remember from being a kid, but that have somewhat disappeared over the years. There were 100's upon 100's of Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies. It was a remarkably beautiful sight. I captured a few pictures that I thought I would share with you.

Mother Shipton

Hi everyone!

So after a hectic couple of weeks, yesterday I decided to take some time out and head up north for the day with my family. We spent the morning in Harrogate in North Yorkshire then headed to Knaresborough where we spent the rest of the afternoon. It's right by the River Nidd and a truly beautiful place. 

We visited Mother Shipton's Cave. Mother Shipton was a Yorkshire witch who prophesied about future events in the form of poems. Her prophecies predicted the fates of several rulers within and just after her lifetime - the invention of iron ships, Great Fire of London in 1666, the defeat of the Spanish Armada... and even the end of the world! 

 And the Petrifying Well, which I was in ore at.

 Over the years, millions of people have come to see for themselves the amazing powers of the Petrifying Well. This ancient well, formerly known as the Dropping Well, is believed to be the only one of its kind in England. At the time Mother Shipton was born, Knaresborough townsfolk believed the well to be magic and never ventured near it. They had seen small twigs, leaves and perhaps a dead bird turned to stone in the well's falling waters.

They were very superstitious in those days and believed that if they touched the waters they too would be turned to stone! They noticed the side of the well looked like a giant's skull. The earliest written reference to the well was by John Leyland, antiquary to Henry VIII. He visited the well in 1538 and noted that it was very well-known and visited by many to drink and shower under its falling waters, as they were believed to have miraculous healing powers.

In the early 1600s samples of water were examined by a medical physician. His report concluded that the waters from the well were a miracle cure for any flux of the body!

In 1630 the section of the Royal Forest that now forms our park was sold by King Charles I. It was purchased by a well-known local gentleman, Sir Charles Slingsby. By then the well was so well-known and visiting it was so popular that he placed it on exhibition and charged for guided tours around it. He had no idea he was creating England's oldest visitor attraction! It is only in the last 150 years that scientific analysis has revealed exactly what lies behind the magical petrification process.

Today's visitor to the Petrifying Well can see a whole host of everyday objects slowly being petrified in the cascading waters. The most popular item is a teddy bear or soft toy which usually takes between three and five months to turn to stone.

We then went and sat by the riverside. It was hot and sunny , the perfect place for a picnic, oh how I wish we had packed one up. I could of stayed there all day, listening to the water flow past and watching the canal boats on the river. So relaxing.

I captured a few pictures, which I am pretty pleased with how they turned out to say I took them on my phone. Then we headed back home.

I love taking little days away, just to spend time with loved ones and gather my thoughts.

What have you been up to this week/weekend?

Emma x