Ten Days in Turkey

It feels like forever since my holiday in Turkey and I've only just got around to making a mini video of our holiday there. I'd intended to upload this in November but my god was I stressed and just didn't feel like posting at the time but, better late than never right? Have a gander at my little video below and if you fancy subscribing to my channel, feel free!

The Burgundy Bar palette from Maybelline

I don't usually post about make-up because if I'm totally honest I don't buy that much and when I do, its usually repurchases- that and I don't know what to say. "Its...shiny?" "I really really like it!" Wow Kat- thanks for that! But on this occasion I actually have rather a lot to say on this burgundy palette from Maybelline.

Firstly sorry not sorry that I have used the shadows before photographing. I hadn't intended to write about it but even so, it's proof I use it right!? I got this palette from as part of a Secret Santa gift this year (thank you Lucy, I know it was you!) and couldn't wait to try it out. I've been lusting for some burgundy shades on my eyelids and this palette encompasses lots of different shades with some gorgeous coppers and golds to compliment the red hues.

The shadow consistency is really buttery and soft- something I never understood when people said that until now. The burgundy shades are highly pigmented too which is impressive for a high street palette and I even like the little brush that comes with it even though a makeup artist would shudder at the thought of it. Some of the golden tones are more subtle but they are great for a natural look, making this palette great to take away for a weekend away; encompassing all the shades you need for every occasion.

The colours I've been drawn to and used the most of so far are the lightest shade (top left, first one) to highlight the inner corner of my eye and define my brow bone, the reddest shade (bottom row, second in from the left) for an all over smokey eye that really compliments blue eyes and the dark gold shade (bottom row, fourth from the left) as it's an unusual topey gold that just looks so goddam pretty! There is some fall out when applying them but in my opinion its nowhere near as much as the likes of Urban Decay shadows and you can forgive it that sin seeing as the colours are so pretty. I tend to apply my foundation after if I'm going for a smoky eye to avoid the smudge of shades into my base.

Now if you're not a fan of shimmer (who are you!?), this palette probably won't be for you as only two shadows are matte but if you love sparkle and shimmer you will luuurve this palette. It's perfect for autumn winter with the reddy tones but also I think the gold and bronze tones will be perfect for summer time. In the past I've had eye shadow palettes with some shades that you just never dip into but I can see me using every single one in here as they're all wearable and lovely.

It's nice to veer away from pink eye shadows for a change and since owning this palette its really stepped up my makeup game and made me feel like a new woman! It's amazing what new makeup can do for your confidence and mood. At £11.99 in Boots, it's a great price point for everyone and definitely feels a lot more luxurious than you'd think it would be.

Are you a fan of The Burgundy Bar? I'd love to know what palettes you are loving at the moment!

DIY diaries- The Living Room

I've been itching to do some DIY and craft posts of late and as some of you may know I bought a house early last year which makes for the perfect opportunity to make and upcycle.

The first room we've decided to tackle is the living room. This space is at the heart of our home where we relax, entertain and just generally enjoy having some down time.

Before

Before

Before

As you can see the room is quite a big space and our tatty old sofas (god rest their soul) looked small and silly in the room. Teamed with our second hand furniture, the colour scheme really didn't go with the grey walled room. Our inspiration for this project came from Pinterest (obviously), in the form of this image.

Conveniently for us, the living room had been painted not too long ago and we loved the colour the previous owners had chosen which made decorating a breeze. All we needed to do was dress the room and add some touches to make it our own.

The main feature for us was going to be sofas. We love big roomy ones with plenty of space to stretch out and this suite from Furniture Village spoke to us. They were actually the first sofas we came across and instantly fell in love. After looking at some other options we soon went back and ordered them the next day. The puff (poof? You know what I mean) is handy for when we have lots of people over at one time and helps to fill the space but is also nice to extend the three seater out for some extra room on a duvet day.

The L shape corner sofa is ideal for both Chris and I to sprawl out comfortably and still be near one another.

Looking at our shabby second hand furniture, my immediate thought was to chuck it out and start a fresh however looking at what was available and our budget, we soon decided that revamping it was a much better choice for us. There was nothing seemingly wrong with it so we replaced the door knobs with these metallic cracked glass ones, stained the wood work and spray painted the legs and body of each piece. A lick of paint and some new knobs have given it the lease of life it needed and came in at just under £50- result!

Keeping with the grey and white theme, we had to do something with the fire surround. After a bit of tinkering we figured out how to unscrew the wooden fascia and set about re-vamping it. Initially we had thought about leaving the fascia off but then the plug was exposed and the fireplace stuck out awkwardly from the wall. The "wooden" fascia turned out to be MDF so staining it wasn't an option hence the spray paint but were pleased with the effect and how it ties in nicely with the room. To finish off the spray paint extravaganza, the log basket got a good coat too, ensuring it matched in with everything.

The finishing touches were the throws, curtains, candles and other bits and pieces around the room. The throws were an absolute steal from Primark as were some of the candles. Considering they were so reasonable I personally think they look a lot higher end than they actually are and the throws themselves are incredibly soft and smooshy (yes that's a word.)

Sofas- Furniture Village

Coffee table and TV stand- second hand and upcycled

Clock- The Range

Silver Lantern- The Range

Coasters- Next

Tartlet burner- Yankee Candle

Lamp (on TV stand)- The Range

Glass lamp- IKEA

Throws- Primark

Candles- Primark, Elemis, Yankee Candle

All in all both Chris and I are very pleased with the final result. We're still tinkering here and there and adding some extra pieces like art work but this room is basically done and is a perfect haven for us. Can you tell we like grey too!?

I can't wait to share the next room with you in my DIY diaries series which will be the dining room! It's almost finished and soon we will be cracking on with the master bedroom. What interiors are you loving at the moment? I'd love to know!