Beach Day

Today we travelled down to the South of England for our annual family beach holiday in Swanage. Given the 5am wake up and long journey, I wanted clothes that would be equally comfy for the journey and then beach/summer appropriate. I chose this baggy t-shirt from Republic which is so old the store in fact no longer exists, however it was perfect for spending the day relaxing whilst also protecting my pale pale shoulders from the sun. My jeans are from River Island (who do perfect leg lengths for shorter girls) and are wonderfully summery but with a subtle enough print that they go nicely with most things. Accessories wise the only things I have on are cheap and cheerful sunglasses from Dorothy Perkins and everyday stud earrings. Whilst many bloggers are moving towards more autumnal pieces, I'm definitely still definitely trying to hold onto the Summer!

Sunglasses: Dorothy Perkins similar on sale for £3 here

Top: Republic

Jeans: River Island

What's been your Summer holiday read?

Lara xo

Ballet Shoes

Handmade Cards

Wow it's been a long time since I've just sat down and drew. I used to love sketching and being creative but after 2 years of GCSE Art and a year of AS Art it ended up being more of a burden. However, as I was saying goodbye to my dance teachers today in preparation for leaving for uni, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make something a little more special and personal. I was so pleased with how this turned out; I started with some crumpled brown paper from a package, did a rough pencil sketch then added detail using water colour pencils. I then stuck the design to a folded piece of plain white card and added a border with biro. I love how the texture and colour of the brown paper make the whole thing look a little more rustic.

Interestingly, whilst I was doing this, I remembered I'd done a very similar drawing when I was in year 10, so around the age 14. I've always thought ballet shoes were beautiful to draw. At the time I thought that this was one of my most amazing pieces of work ever and I was so proud of it, but now, looking back, I realise just how much I've improved.

One day, I'd love to set up a little online store selling cards that are a little different from what you'd find in a card shop, so let me know if you'd be interested in this. 

Here's to drawing just for fun again in the future!

Lara xo

Feel Unique Sale Picks

Real Techniques, Stila, theBalm, bareMinerals . . .

I love Feel Unique because of the range of brands they stock, from drugstore to high end. They also offer free worldwide shipping on all orders over £10 and that definitely is never hard to spend! Therefore when I get an email announcing there's now a sale on, temptation goes into overload and I spend the rest of the day trawling through what's on offer. Here's some of my favourites:

Real Techniques Brushes

There's a surprising amount of Real Techniques products in the sale, from sets to individual brushes. I currently own the core collection set (reduced from £20.99 to £16.79) so I'm now after the eye starter set (again £20.99 reduced to £16.79). Let's be honest, you can never have too many makeup brushes, especially when the more you have, the less often you have to wash them!

theBalm Mary Lou Manizer

I've seen this floating about a lot lately, both on blogs and in YouTube videos, and now it's £12.80 instead of £16 it's definitely very tempting. It can be used either on the eyes, cheeks, or all over if you really want a glow and from what I've seen gives a very subtle yet pretty finish. 

bareMinerals Cream Eyeshadow

This is a fairly new release from bareMinerals claiming to prime, brighten, smooth and sun protect as well as adding colour. The tones are all very neutral so would be perfect for a super quick every day makeup or for travel since you wouldn't have to faff around with brushes. It's currently £12.75 for certain shades instead of £17.

Stila Eyeshadow Trio

Saving the best till last, this limited edition product really is adorable and I've been wanting it ever since I laid eyes on its beautiful packaging. Aside from this, it also looks a very practical product containing 3 complimentary shades without taking up unnecessary space so again would be ideal for travelling. They have 2 other variations available, both of which are cooler toned but only 2 of the three options are reduced to £13.50 from £18.

What products are you lusting over at the moment?

Lara xo

A-Level Results Day 2014

Going Through Clearing

Sometimes things don't go quite as expected. Up until the day before results, I was all set to have a gap year and wasn't really worried about my grades at all as I knew I had no university place lined up. Then I read an article on my school website's newsroom and just like that I changed my mind. Now I've never been a decisive person but I continued to spend the day reading about the clearing process and decided it didn't sound too painful an experience. Boy was I wrong.

So Thursday morning, 8 am, I grabbed my envelope and was straight in the car ringing the clearing hotline, knowing I had the necessary grades. I was early ringing, so didn't have to wait in a phone queue and quickly got told I had done enough and would be put through to the relevant department. It was then as I was again recalling my grades I heard in the background they were now having to ask for higher requirements due to demand and I was told sorry we can't have you. Yes I cried, yes I broke down rather spectacularly. I glumly returned into the school hall snivelling and already dreading seemingly inevitable retakes.

3 hours later, both my head of sixth from and head teacher himself had tried to get past the general admissions hotline and into the department to explain my theatre studies grade shouldn't be an influence when I wanted to do maths but neither succeeded. They suggested I try different universities, but for me, it was never about the course and it was the place I had fallen in love with. By 11:30, I headed home, still snivelling and very much resigned that I was going to have to go ahead with my gap year after all although with resits which was far from the original plan.

In a kind of desperate attempt, when I got home, I emailed the department directly, trying to explain my situation or at least searching for advice for application the following year since now my grades wouldn't be enough. We left for a celebratory (ish) lunch and during this I received a reply asking for my number so he could call me personally. It definitely proved rather difficult trying to eat whilst nervously expecting a call. 

I had no idea what he was going to say, so when he apologised for my earlier ordeal and asked if I still wanted a place, all I could reply with was 'really?!?'. Not necessarily the most professional response but at least he got an idea of my enthusiasm. Now I am all set to start at the University of Surrey on a 4 year Financial Mathematics course and I absolutely can't wait! Even the prospect of buying my own bowls is exciting me at the moment so expect homeware hauls galore on here leading up to September.

Whilst at the time it was an emotionally exhausting day, it just shows that trying to stay calm and use a bit of initiative really does go a long way and it's definitely going to be a tale that I come back to read! 

Did any of you just get results? Or do you have any results day experiences to share?

Lara xo

Summer Fashion Inspiration

Little Miss Bradshaw

All photos from www.littlemissbradshaw.com

I love finding places that offer something a little more unique than standard high street retailers, therefore when I found Little Miss Bradshaw on Instagram, straightaway I went to the website to see what was available. In the 'About Us' section of the site she describes how she always hunted for clothes to represent a unique personality or could never quite find perfect statement pieces, so that was what she setup her online boutique with the intention of fulfilling, and I really think she's done just that. There's such a wide and great selection of pieces which all have a little added interest to them and are different then what you'd find in the typical stores without being overly outrageous. Her are some of my favourite items which are definitely tempting me at the moment!

All Dressed in White ($63 = £37.47)

I surprisingly don't actually own a maxi dress; I find they can look overdone and over complicated, plus I'd had to take the length up a fair bit anyway. However, this is so pretty and elegant making it perfect for a variety of occasions and the crotchet detailing gives it a real summer vibe.

Rio Grande Crop Top ($49.99 = £29.75)

Although the Aztec print is quite common and on trend at the moment, I think the shape of this crop top and the positioning of the pattern makes it look more unique. The colouring also makes it very versatile when trying to pair with a bottom half.

A Daisy Girl ($49.99 = £29.75)

Obviously the print is just adorable on these shorts and completely ideal for summer, but what I like most is that they look so much comfier than what you'd find on the high street; they're not quite as tight and therefore a bit more flattering if you're not blessed with modelesque pins.

A White Affair ($62.00 = £36.88) and Bold and Beautiful Dress ($68.99 = £41.05)

I think the white dress has such an interesting hemline yet the pattern is subtle enough to still make it quite understated. Similarly the red dress may be bold but it's design makes it casual enough for everyday wear. It would be perfect either as a beach cover up or a Summer daytime date.

A Dainty Ruffle Crop Top ($46.00 = £27.36)

This is definitely dainty as the name says and a staple kind of piece that will go with anything. Unlike lots of other similar crop tops, whilst it is flowy at the front it's tight and elasticated at the back giving it a bit more shape. It avoids the issue I sometimes find that when a crop top's generally baggy it can hang off me unflatteringly.

There were so many other items I could've picked out so be sure to have a good browse of the website as I think there's something for everyone. 

Follow Little Miss Bradshaw on Instagram here.

Follow me on Instagram here.

Which of these pieces is your favourite?

Lara xo

Free Samples

My Favourite Freebie Sites

Who doesn't love free stuff? Especially when there's minimal effort involved. And beauty samples are especially handy to have both for smaller travel options or to avoid spending money on a product you turn out not to like. There are lots of websites out there offering links to freebies, however my favourite and the ones I regularly check are Free Samples UK and Magic Freebies UK. 

Both websites are very similar both in design and links they have available, I just prefer to check both as sometimes an offer will only be advertised on one. Products aren't just limited to beauty either, for example I've received free mini recipe books before. However, my favourite freebies are perfume sample vials which are great for handbags or if you're particular bout scents like me and foundation/BB cream testers so you get a better idea of the shade. Both also advertise competitions where either one considerably larger prize can be won or when there's a limited number of full-size products. I check the sites as well to find out what magazine freebies are available that month.

Now by no means is there a regular stream of great free sample offers and it tends to go in waves as to when companies are pushing new products, but both sites are updated daily or can be browsed by category. I've personally signed up to receive an email each day letting me know what's available and then just pick and choose as I want. 

For very little time and effort I definitely think it's worth checking these sites as why miss out on the opportunity to sample something free. It also keeps at bay the desire to try new products without causing any damage to your savings!

Have you used these or any other freebie sites before?

Lara xo

Lush Bath Time

Melting Marshmallow Moment

I like to savour my Lush products for as long as I can resist, therefore I've settled for sniffing this bath melt every time I've walked past its bag recently. However, after a couple of nights out and very much a lazy pyjama day today I decided what better way than to continue the theme and have a lazy, relaxing pamper evening. 

I'm quite particular with Lush scents as lots of them I find to be very overpowering or a bit too natural and earthy scented, but this has the girliest, sweetest smell which got even better when dissolved and just made me feel like a princess tonight. Disappointingly, the bath didn't turn quite as pink as I expected and the colour didn't particularly linger but still the water felt oh so soft and it made the mundane bath experience all the more luxurious.

Pictured above are some of my other pamper evening essentially including the beauty community loved Sugar Crush Body Scrub,  Garnier's Summer Body and the Refined Finish facial exfoliator from Benefit. I always use gradual tan as opposed to instant tan because I find even 'a light sun kissed look' adds plenty of colour to my skin and it removes the worry of it becoming patchy in a few days and having to scrub it all off. It's also a plus that there isn't that give away strong biscuity smell and I actually find the scent of Garnier's Summer Body quite pleasant. Benefit's Refined Facial Polish is another bath time necessity for me as it's perfect to use after the steam has opened up and unblocked your pores a little. I find this product leaves the most radiant finish and whilst being quite pricey is definitely cost effective as I only need to use it once a week. Finally peeking out the end there you can see the moisturiser and eye cream from Simple's Age Resisting range which I did a full review on  here. 

What's your favourite lush product and what are some of your bath time essentials?

Lara xo