The Style List

Stuff  I want out of this week's Stylist magazine;

- Maybelline big eyes mascara
- Dior Dream Skin (£££!)
- Bobbi Brown Ballet Pink nail polish
- Benefit POREfessional: Agent zero shine
- was a bit annoyed by their 'sell' of mangobikes.co.uk - a range of bicycles to coordinate w/yr wardrobe,, cuz that's all females care about, pretty colours
- badger biscuit tin @ oakroomshop.CO.UK (we've got some espresso cups by the same company )

Deal of the day

Ulp, on Friday the Amazon Kindle deal of the day was "Good as Dead" by Mark Billingham. On my 'to be read' pile I have the prior book in the series : "From the Dead" ... so, if I write about something on here it means it has to happen! So- next book (after "Fury" by GM Ford) will be From the Dead, then Good as Dead on my Kindle- promise!

Due for collection

Wouldn't you know it- the day after I go to the library, my reservation for "Tokyo ", by Mo Hayder becomes available! 😡

Items due for return 09/01

Thursday is Library day!

Today I had these due back:

I had got "Are you my mother?" (graphic novel) out for Jerry, he'd been asking if the library had "Fun Home" by the same author; at the time of checking they did not, but this caught my eye on the shelves instead.  He did not like it, oh well.

I also returned "Ms. Cupcake- The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in town!", although technically this was not due until Monday.  I got this out aaages ago; in work they were having a Bake-Sale (one they gave us decent notice about), so I ran a search on the library catalogue for 'vegan' for some inspiration.  

I made two recipes from this: Red Velvet cupcakes, and the Bakewell Tart Cupcakes. They both had a similar- easy - method and produced tasty results. CONFESSION TIME: I'm not actually vegan, Jerry is, but I daydreamed about the Bakewell Tart cupcakes after they were all finished.  Raspberry plus Almond is one of my ultimate combinations!

I was sad to return this to the library, and would be happy to add this cookbook to my collection... if only it was a little cheaper on Amazon!    

New Year noodles

This was the recipe I followed yesterday.  We had a roast chicken for our Christmas dinner, and I made a stock w/the carcass.

The supermarket,  although open on New Year's Day didn't have half the ingredients:

- I just used instant noodles... which kindof went mushy as I added them first (not cooked separately), but then had to boil the soup quite a bit as it was very liquid-y
- No fresh ginger so I bought a ginger paste in a jar
- I didn't use a fresh chilli (my little girl was going to be eating it too,  but added a squirt of Flying Goose chilli sauce to my portion)
- No tamarind paste, and wasn't sure what to use as a substitute
- Skipped the fresh coriander to give it a more store-cupboard vibe
- And yes, we had frozen prawns

There's loads left!

 THAI CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP | Recipes | Nigella Lawson

Monday Mani- "Fantasy Fire"

Max Factor; Fantasy Fire (3 coats), No.7 ltd edition Gold glitter topcoat on accent nail.

So I finally caught up and bought Fantasy Fire, kindof expecting great things... I was/ am disappoint.  The sheer-ness of the colour, even after 3 coats makes me think like my fingernails are discoloured because I've been poisoned/ have some illness, Blah.  At the time I just couldn't be bothered to paint my nails a different colour just to act as a base for it.

As recommended in Marie Claire

A while back I bought 

SIMPLE CLEAR SKIN OIL BALANCING MOISTURISER, £3.99

as per recommendation by Marie Claire magazine:

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/best/13989/5/moisturisers-for-oily-skin-oily-skin-care-products.html#stop

It was good, as in cheap, but when the tube ran out I opted for Boots own brand 

Boots Expert Sensitive Daily Defence Moisture Cream

Actually I got it as I'd seen it in my friend's bathroom, and she has PERFECT skin.  I mean, who needs some dumb magazine recommendation when the proof is right there in front of your very own eyes?

It was preferable to the 'Simple' one as this actually had an SPF (12), and was on an insane offer- £4.49 by itself, or £4 for 2 selected Expert Sensitive products.  Naturally I opted for the two-for-one and also bagged a 200ml Gentle Cleansing Lotion also. 

The Cleansing Lotion is fine, but the moisturiser is just all wrong for me!  It's a pump-dispenser, and if you squirt a "full" pump it's miles too much.  And then the product itself is just greasy!  I felt it as soon as I spread it between my hands to apply onto my face- oily moisturiser on oily skin ? Nightmare!

So I'm back to the Marie Claire list, and the next most expensive on there is Garnier Pure Active Spot Fighting moisturiser.  Wish me luck! 

I am a cat

Well I had possibly the worst spot in the world ever this week.  So to cheer myself up I got a couple of face masks.  
Montagane Jeunesse "Fudge Sauna"
I love these sachets, they are so distinctive.  I chose this variety because it stated it was suitable for -amongst other types- 'Greasy' skin... maybe a slight mis-translation there ?  Everyone knows that "a ladies" skin is oily, not Greasy.
You wet your face with warm water, and while still wet apply the face mask.  One thing I like about the packaging it that it's possible to tear it open when your hands are wet!  I hate those sachets of conditioners you get in packs of hair dye that are impossible to tear open while your hands and everything else is wet after rinsing dye out of your hair.  
The pack contains 15g of product, which when squeezed out doesn't seem like a lot, but it is very thick, and well, Fudgy! It's light in colour, and has a glossy texture like melted white chocolate.  When applied to the skin it has such a weird heating feeling!  This is to "open and deeply clean pores".  After 10-15 mins you can rinse off - DO NOT EAT!
I enjoyed the mask, it does exactly what it says on the tin.  Unlike most other face masks I have used, it does not seem to dry at all which I do enjoy about clay-based masks.  The heating effect soon wears off, but my skin felt nice and soft afterwards.  
Best of all these were half-price in Boots- a grand total of 0.49 pence!

Update- the Boots Skin Clear blotting sheets were also on offer- two packs for £4.00.  As e.l.f were out of stock on their blotting sheets on my payday this month I snapped the Boots ones up!

Gotta catch 'em all!

Let me take some time to let you in on one of my biggest guilty pleasures:

I was probably 'a little old for them' when the games even first came out, let alone these days- ten years after the original Gold / Silver releases.  But they keep on coming out on my favourite games console (Nintendo Game Boy/ DS), each time a little tweak and polish here and there that makes them unmissable- I mean this time you got a Pedometer with it!!

I have to admit that I have never had a friend that shared my passion, and have therefore NEVER been able to "Catch 'em all".  I don't think I've ever even fully completed one!  I think I'm doing pretty well on my current one- Heart Gold (in training to battle the 8th gym leader- Clair at Blackthorn Gym).  I'm amazed that I've gotten so far without caving in and getting the Strategy Guide, but I guess there are plenty of super sites these days with far too much info on for a Pokefan.  Jerry thinks I'm such a nerd for it!

I don't really have a favourite character anymore, but it used to be Jigglypuff; a Pokemon who thinks it can sing really well, but can't, and infact makes anyone listening fall asleep.  The Jigglypuff then gets cross and draws on their faces with marker pen :>

I guess there are lots of ways to show that you're a fan

And yes, there are already details of the next games in the series coming out:  Pokemon Black/ White.  Plus if Nintendo are bringing out a new hand-held-- the 3DS then there will most likely be a new incarnation of Pokemon for that as well- so actually it's pretty tough being a Pokefanatic keeping on top of all this hehee

Discover a hidden paradise

Well, the sneakers on eBay didn't sell.  I've not bothered to relist them.


Jerry got me a beautiful necklace from the http://www.origamibijou.com/ site- a silver fish.  So I've been looking online for origami patterns so I can fold him a(n exact) version to have on his desk, with no success.  I've reserved a couple of origami books at the library and will review them when they become available. 


The notes on the site say: "This necklace features the joyful fish - a gleeful fish that swims freely to her heart's content - may this fish bring you all the joy in the world."
I tried to look up Japanse fish symbolism, but all the hits related to koi carp, which is similar, but not the same enough for me.


Anyway here are some origami pics.

Ebay!!!

Get yourselves over to eBay for the chance to win some super sneakers!

http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/hellonikie/

Ladies size 3 (UK)

Men's size 8 (UK)

Shiny, shiny

Today was payday :)

I tried to place an order @ELF cosmetics; mineral foundation, the blush that's supposed to be like Nars 'Orgasm', and some blotting papers.  I signed into Paypal to pay and then the site crashed }: -[

So I went to Boots this evening instead:

Instead of the Elf blotting papers- which were really hard to find on their site- on the drop down lists it's called "Professional Shine Eraser", 50 sheets for £1.50.  Apparently they're double-sided which I've never head of before..

I spotted instead Boots (own brand) 'Skin Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets' 50 sheets for £3.49 (so more than double the Elf price, meh).  I haven't seen this range before, so will be interested to try the sheets.  In the packaging you have to tear out the sheets like good old Papier Poudre-- the first brand of blotting papers I used.  La Senza used to stock the Rachel colour one for £1.00; but then stopped, and now I've stopped looking in there for it (I don't get my undies from there!)

Yes I have used many a brand of blotting paper.  One of my favourites used to be the one I could get in Chinatown, which I have no recollection of the name- I don't think there was any English writing on the packaging :P   but again the supply of these seems to have dried up...

For me ANY blotting papers are an absolute handbag essential.  No matter what combination of oily-skin cleanser & moisturiser I use in the morning I never seem to manage to make it thru the day feeling 'fresh', or to get home without washing / cleansing my face being the first thing on my mind...

REVIEW: Boots SkinClear Oil-Absorbing Sheets

50 sheets for £3.50

The pack is a slim, small size ideal for slipping into you bag or even pocket to have handy at all times.  The pack states that the size of the sheets themselves are 80mm x 55mm / 3" x 2" and the package is only a few mm bigger than that on all sides.

On opening the pack you get to see that the sheets are like pages in a book that you have to tear out before you can use.  There is a protective white sheet at the front and the back.  

The sheets themselves appear slightly pink.  They are "impregnated with salicylic acid to actively help prevent spots", which I guess isn't my main concern --Just get rid of the oil!-- however it's a useful side-effect.  Salicylic acid appears pretty low down on the list of 'ingredients'- the main one is talc, naturally; followed by kaolin. 

It may not be immediately obvious which side is the blotting one to the eye - but to touch one feels like it has a very finely milled powder. Like all good sheets they change colour  / go translucent to show you just how greasy you are- or are no longer! 

Overall I guess no matter how Amazing these might turn out to be, I still think I'd like to try the Elf ones by virtue of their lower price point.

Return

Here I am back again, and much the same as ever.

Jerry get me a camera all of my own for my birthday- Nikon s4000
 

I really like the way it looks and feels- on the back it only has two buttons :) while the screen is a touch screen.

My sis was here in Mcr for a flying visit- literally as she went to watch the Flight of the Conchords last night with friends. I've never watched them on Tv, turned off by comedy songs by too many Radio 4 comedy shows.

She had 'Capricciosa' and I tried the Quattro Formaggi

Update

On Friday we went to both Pizza Express (half price offer, I had the spicy Etna!), and then met friends in Sand Bar. I tried some of the Lindemans beers, my favourite was the raspberry aka Framboise one.

Onto the fashion part: Laura had the sailor coat I mentioned previously! She said she saw them in Topshop, but they all got bought by swindlers to sell on eBay at a profit, so when they were back in store she snapped one up, but they only had a size 12- bit big on her- but she says she likes it cuz she can pretend that it really belonged to a (man) sailor and she's pinched it.

In other news my sis visited last weekend (15th Jan), for a belated Christmas. I got an Anna Lou brooch! Not the robin (sold out), but a yacht-

*god I really need to get the hang of taking pictures with this camera...

apparently she & Jerry had been emailing each other- her asking him if there was anything in particular I'd like :>

Jerry received a Cath Kidston cowboy scarf... he hasn't worn it yet

What I wore today

In the course of my internet browsing whilst in work I happened to hear about this Flickr group:

What I wore today (drawings only), on the Diskant site; another link in the six-degrees of separation from the wonderful Gemma Correll

This may just be the inspiration for me to pick up a pencil again! Especially seeing as how while Kate was here at the weekend we hooked up the scanner again for her--[however it is ginormous on the desk and a pain to use when the printer has no ink in it].

2010 wardrobe essentials no. 1: the white shirt

Wardrobe essentials for 2010 by wonderlake featuring Sweetbox blouses

Items in this set:
BLACK PEACE NOW Ribbon Blouse w/ Jabot (White), $159
D&G SS0237TN5 WHITE COTTON -, 87 GBP
Vanessa Bruno Tie neck shirt, 85 GBP
Sharp Shoulder Blouse, $58
White Shirt + Bow Tie(2 patterns), $35

Hmm, the white shirt. This is not an item I have in my wardrobe already, infact I don't think I have any blouses... I think mainly because I'm a D cup, petite so it's difficult to find one that fits without gaping buttons!

Also I think I particularly don't go for WHITE blouses as they remind me too much of school uniform. I don't have any other white clothes so I imagine it would be a pain to launder them and not have them end up looking greyish.

Furthermore I like to wear c o l o u r f u l underwear, so I'd either have to look trampy with a jazzy bra visible under the said white shirt, or invest in white/ nude underwear which won't show so badly...

However I did quite like Kelly Reilly/ "Anna Travis's" white shirt style in 'Above Suspicion' which has been on TV these past few nights. Maybe if I actually had a job where it mattered what I looked like/ wore I might consider taking a few style leaves out of her book

XXL real red

For Christmas I was off for six days in a row :>

Jerry was off on the 25th & 27th :<

So what have I been getting up to with myself...?

One thing was colouring my hair. Back in October I used Schwartzkopf Live Color XXL Real Red on my brown hair.

Result:

I'm on the left- arf!

This time I prelightened beforehand

... yes I had a beer- it was Christmas! ...That's also why I'm wearing Jerry's snazzy sweater :>

and now the result is

I think I might use a Stargazer semi permanant dye to keep it bright.

I've also been wasting a lot of time over on Polyvore.com

Real red by wonderlake featuring Rupert Sanderson shoes

Items in this set:
3.1 PHILLIP LIM - FAUX WRAP JERSEY DRESS, 491 EUR
Christopher Kane Leopard print sweater, 355 GBP
Daytrip Cropped Sweater, $12
Coach - Sailor Stripe Sweater, $198
TAO-COMME DES GARÇONS, 560 EUR

Christmas presents

Jerry buys the best presents!

I was only just mentioning how much he hates my duffle coat... well, he got me a new one! From the Petite range at Topshop. Unfortunatley he got a size too small (better than too big right?) so he's hopefully exchanging it today :)

Earlier in the week I also saw a lady at the busstop wearing this, also from the Petite range ...

On the reverse it has a beautiful sailor square collar, like Japanese schoolgirls... maybe if they don't have my size in the duffle coat I could exchange for this ?

As I have some time off work I've also been tackling the pile of newspapers & magazines we have in the front room- going through them all for items & pictures to scrapbook. I came across this super sweet, and seasonal robin brooch (Yes I know that the picture is of one on a necklace!)

*wants!

Anyway here's my first ever Polyvore set, based on my new coat:

Christmas coat by wonderlake featuring Marni bags

Items in this set:
Bound Seam Duffle Coat, $160
VIVI, 350 GBP
Marni Medium suede shoulder bag, $1,295
Cobweb Knitted Snood, $32
Womens AE Fairisle Hat - Cream, $15

Snow day!!!

Knock me down with a feather- we have actually been having snow here in Manchester (UK)! and the forecast is for snow showers tomorrow, Thursday (Xmas Eve), and Friday (Xmas Day).

For once in my life we were actually allowed to leave work early at 4pm (a whole 45 mins early for me). My mum had phoned me earlier in the day as well to make sure that there were buses running still to south Manchester, as ones to/from Oldham were cancelled.

So what did I do with my extra 45 minutes? I went shopping! We want to get a nice present for our 1-yr old nephew (a boy) who hope to see over Christmas.

I headed on over to Toys R Us... and was disappointed
whatever happened to the classic Fisher Price dog?

Instead, they had this plastic version

correction, PINK plastic one. I hate the way it has it's tongue sticking out like an idiot.

The only other thing that caught my eye were the Tomy Hide 'N Squeak eggs

However, next door there was Mothercare which was much better for toys for toddlers:

I quite liked the Click Clack Dino

but in a way it just seemed like an obvious imitation of the Brio brand.

On Amazon they have some fabulous wooden dinosaurs, but they specify age 3+... I'm not sure what it is about them that isn't suitable for a younger child, there doesn't seem to be any small parts...?

So, tomorrow I'm going to call the local toyshop to see if they are open 1. Christmas Eve, and 2. if they have the pull-along walrus (Lolrus?)

First sale!

OMG my bag sold !!!
I could not believe it when I checked my emails in work. Now all's I have to do is fax over my marriage certificate to Paypal in order to be able to change my surname on the a/c there so it matches my bank a/c and the payment when I withdraw funds doesn't get rejected by my bank...

I also need to list some more items...
the first I have listed is a vintage blue & white short sleeved sweater:

I had such problems uploading the photos!
The first one I tried was 2304 x 3072 pixels ~ 2482 kb... Etsy recommends under 300kb !
How on earth do people resize their pictures ?
I couldn't on flickr, and didn't seem to be able using the Piknik ...
I ended uploading them onto resizeimage.org, changing them to Small and then downloading them back onto the laptop in order to them upload them to Etsy ???