My 30th Birthday Look

My 30th Birthday Look

Saturday, July 08, 2017

I promised on Instagram I would do  a little post about my 30th birthday. A what I wore, what I did kind of thing so here we are. 

This year's soiree was quite a bit more subdued that previous years'-there were no costumes, no crazy themes, no 3 day benders in Newcastle. It was just me and my favourite people, having dinner in my favourite hotel, and drinking into the wee small hours, and it was fabulous! I loved it, and as a reformed party girl I think I might have been missing a trick all these years (who am I kidding I loved every minute of those too)! 

So what did I wear? 

Well my absolute favourite piece of my whole outfit was this last minute addition...isn't it gorgeous 😒

Yeah so I managed to totally bugger my arm the week leading up to my birthday so this beauty is my new accessory de jour! Luckily for my mood the outfit underneath this bad boy was so perfectly me.

 I spent about 20 minutes picking dresses to try on from the sale (ya girl's not made of money you know) rail at New Look only to spy this dream on the way to the fitting room. Honestly I don't think there is a single other item of clothing that sums "ME" up quite so perfectly. Annoyingly this one has actually been added to the sale since I bought it *sob* and can be yours for £24. Thankfully for my bank account the shoes were in the sale when I got em and they are actually surprisingly comfy. Damian picked them though so I can't take all the credit-they aren't online anymore but these are quite similar.

I know as a blogger I am supposed to document everything but I think I maybe took a maximum of 3 photos all night so I don't actually have one of me all dressed up :-/ but I did take this one in the dressing room when I bought it!

Time for Makeup:

I am totally obsessed with my Anastasia Beverley Hills palette that I picked up when we were in Florida so that is the base of every single makeup look I have done recently! If you've never heard of Manny Mua I highly recommend checking out his tutorial for these eyeshadows he's a genius, and even I can follow his videos. 

I love all of these products so much, so imagine my despair when half way through the night Fiona told me that Estee Edit were shutting and I wouldn't be able to get my beloved Flash Illuminator every again :-O! Apparently I don't like to make it easy for myself because my favourite lipsticks are only available from the US and customs charges are a bitch!! 

On birthday night I wore:

• Urban Decay All Nighter in 1.0 (this stuff oxidises about 2 shades darker so shop down a shade or two), I actually like to mix in a touch of liquid highlighter with my foundation to give my face an all over light. 
• Estee Edit Flash Illuminator
• Sleek Soltice
• Modern Renaissance: Golden Ochre mixed with Burnt Orange, Venetian Red, and Vermeer. 
• Kylie Cosmetics Koko Collection 2 Shade Bunny with a dot of Sugar Plum gloss on centre of bottom lip. 

I was going to do a bit about what I got too but it turns out that I was spoiled this year, that I have enough to fill a whole other post! So stay tuned for that if you are into that sort of thing. 

I also absolutely promise that the next time I do my makeup, or wear this outfit I will make a concerted effort to take decent photographs for you all. Or at least take some before I'm drunk! 

What did you do on your last birthday? Did you know that W7 Cosmetics have come out with this amazing dupe for Modern Renaissance? Can anybody find me a replacement for my Estee Edit illuminator 😭?

My Perfect Glasses Experience

My Perfect Glasses Experience

Friday, June 16, 2017

I have such a weird relationship with glasses. On the one hand I need them for reading and looking at computer screens, but on the other I see adequately well without them. Granted wearing them does reduce my book/screen related headaches BUT every pair I've ever had has given me headaches by pinching the side of my head (it's a fibro thing, I'm extra sensitive)- so you can see why I'd begrudge wearing them full time. And if I'm not going to wear them full time why on earth would I want to spend a small fortune on a pair? So, because I am my own worst enemy I didn't wear them, the headaches came and I persevered...in my defence painkillers are a lot cheaper than glasses!

However I must now admit that I am a changed woman, and it's all thanks to the folks at Perfect Glasses.

At first I will admit I was pretty sceptical about buying glasses online, and with the prices being so low I was convinced I was going to receive a pair of shoddily put together glasses that looked nothing like the picture.

Walden Electra from Perfect Glasses

Well colour me pleasantly surprised because not only are the glasses sturdy, they are also comfortable, I can see perfectly through them (I ordered standard reading glasses but prescription sunglasses and sunglasses are readily available) and they look almost exactly like the image on the website! Because I am a terrible cliche I ordered a white marble pair, with a gold nose bar and when they arrived they were slightly on the grey marble side but honestly they are so pretty and I can read Harry Potter for the 9000th time, so I don't really care haha. 

The best thing about shopping with Perfect Glasses has to be the prices. With some pairs starting at just £9, and designer glasses like these Fendi bad boys going for just £173 (including prescriptions and coatings), even the cheapest shopper can find something to suit. My beautiful pair are called Walden Electra and came to a grand total of £29 and that's not too bloody shabby. They came in a protective case too so there's no penny pinching going on as far as I can see.

Fendi fabulousness

All in all I could not be happier with my first foray into online glasses shopping and have been telling everyone who asks just how great my experience has been. So if you're looking for new glasses, that don't cost the earth, from a company that could not be easier to work with, head over to Perfect Glasses. I'll be heading back as soon as I've recovered from the post Florida money chasm lol.

Disclaimer: This post contains sponsored content or PR samples. All thoughts and opinions are true and personal. 

The Super Last Minute Gift Guide

The Super Last Minute Gift Guide

Monday, December 19, 2016

This is not your usual gift guide guys! This is a gift guide that is going live 6 days before Christmas! This is a gift guide for people who work in retail/care/emergency services and haven't had a day off since payday. A gift guide for people who work unsociable hours. A gift guide for people who planned on shopping online and then discovered there was a Royal Mail strike planned for the week of Christmas! This is a gift guide for all the Last Minute Lucie's, and Larry's, and whoever else's out there, so let's not waste anymore time and dive right in.

For Anyone who wants great skin:

L'Occitane- Nothing says "I care about you" more than a Christmas Gift Box full of lovely smelling, natural, organic skincare products. You could buy one of L'Occitane's pre-made collections or try putting a gift box together yourself! My dream box would contain the Shea Butter Hand Cream, Verbena Body Care Set, and the Neroli Scent. With all this in one place you could easily nail Christmas shopping in one go. Don't have a L'Occitane Boutique near you? Never fear, despite the Royal Mail strike L'Occitane have told me that orders made up to December 21st will arrive on time for Christmas!

My Top Shops Run by Independents!

My Top Shops Run by Independents!

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Do you know what I love about the internet? It's not the memes, or the gifs, or even the amazing people I have "met" through blogging and twitter, it's the ability to type in a few words and buy something designed or drawn or made with actual love! Something that somebody put together in their living room and are selling to make a living.

I love knowing that the art on my walls was created by that really bloody loud and really bloody lovely scouser with bright green/blue/purple (delete as applicable) hair. And that the money I spent on the 574639262th piece of Harry Potter merch I've bought this year went to a genuinely lovely artist who had the most amazing wedding.

You choosing to shop independent could mean that a struggling artist can heat their home this winter, it could mean that they can afford to go on that trip they've been planning-but you can be assured that no matter what, it will ALWAYS mean the world to each and every one of them.

I don't know about you but I would much rather give my money to that strange (in the best way) lass that makes me piss my pants laughing every other day, than the faceless CEO that takes a 60% cut of every sale and doesn't pay their taxes.

So please, please check out some of my favourite independent sellers:

 Jemma from Dorkface Blog is one of my  favourite illustrators ever! Her shop on Etsy is  always my first port of call when I want to  expand my desk area a little further, or stock up  on handy little stickers for my "not quite a bullet  journal" planner.
 The best thing about Jemma's store is that she is  just so creative that her shop has such a wide  range that there is likely something for  everyone, but at the same time her stuff is  instantly recognisable as hers.
 Someone handed me their business card at an  event and I knew straight away it was "a  Dorkface original"! I see big things for this girl-  get in before she gets all famous and stuff ;-).

Boohoo and Sports Direct Holiday Haul

Boohoo and Sports Direct Holiday Haul

Monday, May 16, 2016

I can't quite believe it but It's suddenly less than a month until we fly out on our much needed holiday! Plus side to this is sun, sand, cocktails, and finally a chance to relax,  the downside is I am so underprepared. I have gained almost a stone since our last holiday and sadly that means none of my holiday wear even fits anymore :-(...so, I went shopping.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Monday, April 11, 2016

The Spring/Summer 2016 Wishlist

I feel pretty, oh so pretty...

They See me Hauling, They Hating...

They See me Hauling, They Hating...

Monday, February 08, 2016

In AJ world there is a three step process that I like to employ every now and again, and it goes like this:  Step 1: Wake up and feel like crap Step 2: Buy something pretty you don't need to cheer yourself up Step 3: Lament the dwindling bank balance and realise that a new notebook won't cure chronic pain Repeat!  With that process in mind, welcome to my latest mini haul *insert smiley face here*

Isn't it pretty!?! Sidebar: I posted this to Instagram and woke up the next day to over 40 likes-maybe not a big amount to some but for me I'm happy if I hit the magic 11 lol.

Anyhoo as you can see there's a fair few Yankee products here- I can't help it they are an actual weakness!! First up is my all time favourite Mango Peach Salsa...I mean seriously people you need to smell this, if you like fruity scents this is the one. 

The other 2 are brand new Q1 scents for Yankee UK and they are so good. The local store in Aberdeen didn't have these in for ages so I hunted them down on a trip to Glasgow and I'm so glad I did. The Lemongrass & Ginger is lush on cold sniff and I'm hoping that it doesn't give me a headache like some other lemon based scents :-/. I don't really know how to describe Moonlight just yet but as soon as I've melted it I'll let you all know. 

Up next is something that I was so freaking excited about, and then so heartbreakingly disappointed in :-(. Illamasqua is one of those brands that make bloggers go all googly-eyed and I am not immune so when I saw this in their sale I had to have it. Sadly my expectations were not met- and that's a whole other post...coming soon.

Finally the journal-Oh MY GOD the beautiful, beautiful journal. I didn't need another journal, in fact, I went into Paperchase looking for a diary -you know one of those, big, day to a page kinda doohickeys, but alas there were none in store. So here we have another new Journal that I need to fill with more of my spraff. Another plus side to this is that purchasing it qualified me for £5 on my Paperchase card because I give them enough of my money lol. 

Anyway, that's what I bought recently. Come back soon to find out why I'm not impressed by my Illamasqua Nail Polish. 

Waterstones Haul

Waterstones Haul

Thursday, February 26, 2015

So apparently we can't walk into a bookshop and not buy something...who knew!? 

This haul actually took place over two days, which just serves to underline my point about something being bought EVERY'damn'TIME. 

Those of you who view the blog on desktop may have noticed my funky little wish list slideshow, if you have you will have seen this bad-boy staring out at you every minute or so. So far, this is a really compelling story of a woman with deteriorating memory trying to solve the mystery of her friend Elizabeth's disappearance. As you can see from the above photo this book won the Costa First Novel Award, so I'm hoping it lives up to the hype. 

Right I'm not going to lie, I bought (well Damian bought) this one based purely on the cover. The fact it looks like my diary when I go post-it crazy, just adds to the appeal. This is the story of Theodore Finch and Violet Markey who are both struggling with their own problems and yet, find themselves falling in love. I'm really excited to get started and see how the story unfolds. 

Do I really need to explain these ones? Tanya and Fleur are two amazing bloggers/vloggers that have really found their place in the industry. Both books appealed to me, as both a blogger and as a woman who is just starting to experiment with the beauty side of things. I dove straight into The Glam Guide and I'm sure I'm going to love it.

I'm not even mad that Chuck the Waterstones guy spelled our surname wrong, growing up as a McCahery I am more than used to it, because THAT ^^^^ is a pre-order of Harper Lee's Go Set  A Watchman!! To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favourite stories and when I heard they were finally releasing her previously unpublished prequel I literally squealed with excitement. 

Right now, Waterstones are doing the book for half price if you pre-order it before its 14th July release date. If you really want to read this (if you don't I'm not sure we can be friends) I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer, because the book is retailing at £18.99, and because I am lovely...buy it here!

I'm so excited to read my new pile, which will be taking up residence next to my Crime pile, my to re-read pile, and my Classics pile! 

I'd love to know if any of you have read these books yet, and what you thought of them? Or are there any books you think I should be adding to any of my piles? Leave me a comment below, or as always tweet me :-). 

Much Love 

AJ

xx

OOTD: Our Valentine's Day

OOTD: Our Valentine's Day

Sunday, February 15, 2015

So if you've read our Lets Talk About Love post you will know that I had to work yesterday :-(. So we've decided to take today to do fun stuff together, have a nice meal and just enjoy each other's company.

With that in mind...we're going shopping!! Haha. I saw this gorgeous pair  of Prada shoes in a shop pre-payday so we are going back to see if they are still in stock. There is also a Polaroid camera on my list that just looks perfect for me so fingers crossed it's still available. 

So what does one wear to go shopping in February when it's very cold out? 

I love these colours together I think they just look so sweet, and this cardigan is surprisingly cosy. 

Cardigan: Oasis (very old, it used to be Cheryl's way back when).

Blouse: Zara (I think a year old maybe!)

Jeans: Gap (Gap have the best mid-range jeans. These are so soft, comfortable and have really retained their colour well). 

And of course a walk round town would be uncomfortable in anything other than flats, which is where my trusty TOMS come in to play. 

Shoes: TOMS from Office (£16 in the sale!!) 

I love the print on these, it's so colourful and I guess quite Aztec-y. 

Face and hair brought to you by me (duh)! 

Seriously though I used my new BY TERRY kohl in Bronze Generation, a slick of Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie in Hypnotist, and that's it. Throw my hair up in a bun and it's time to go! 

Check back later for an update on our shopping trip :-).

Much love 

AJ xx

Pre-payday spree!

Pre-payday spree!

Sunday, February 08, 2015

Unlike the rest of the working world, my payday does not fall on the last Friday of the month. When everyone else (I'm generalising here but stay with me) is relishing the fact that it's payday and duly embarking on spending as much of it as they can as fast as they can, I am probably half way through my pay! Getting paid four weekly is both a blessing and a curse, pro: I get paid 13 times a year (haha suck it normals!) and con: sometimes I have no money left to play with when all my friends are like "woohoo payday! Drinks?".
I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that I'm woefully poor at the moment but did I let that come between me and the things that make me happy? Did I heck!! Let's have a look at what has made its way into our home this week.

Not bad little bundle for being skint is it?! Well, I'll be honest I didn't personally buy all of it...

This beautiful box just screamed to be added to our living room, I'm not even entirely sure what I'm going to put in it but by God I had to have it! So my sweet sister bought it for me (isn't she lovely?) it was only £5 from one of our local charity shops, and it matches my writer's bureau perfectly :-). Speaking of this charity shop it was quite possibly the coolest one I have ever seen. It was decorated all quirky and vintage, with old style furniture literally suspended from the ceiling, and mismatched mirrors dotted all round the walls. This store also had a gorgeous pair of Prada slingbacks on sale for £25 but as we all know I'm skint!! Pray for me that they are still there next week. 

In the same shop I picked up this cute little summery top, I figured that if I started to dress fro the nice weather it might appear-who am I trying to kid lol-! Anyway I was a bit wary about this because it has a split back and I don't really wear anything that shows off my back because it is covered in scars, but my sister convinced me that you wouldn't be able to see them, she also followed this up with "even if you can, they are your life story!" right little Hallmark moment isn't she. So yeah this beauty was only £5 too. 

I've always wanted to find a bookstore that does Blind date books, you know the kind where the books are wrapped in brown paper and little clues are written on the front as to what's inside? Well, our local Oxfam had a wee basket full of them hiding in the back...I got stupid excited!! The one I chose had "quirky family", "inexperienced nanny" and "letters to a from family members" on the front. I have a nosy streak and I love reading old letters, diaries and personal tidbits so this was right up my street. And this is what I got...

I haven't started it yet, but it looks interesting and it only cost 99p. 

The book I have started this week is...

AWESOME! Awesome is what it is! This book is so cool and I am eternally grateful to my bestie Fiona for buying it and sending it to me "just because". I mean I did make a tongue in cheek comment about her buying it and lending it to me when she was done but because she's a diamond she got me my own copy. No doubt she's waiting to hear what I say about then she'll download it onto her devil book (kindle). Thank you Fiona, love you lots. xxx

and finally, this one is a little cheat because I actually bought it last week but it didn't arrive until yesterday so it makes the cut. 

Washi Tape! Haha, of course it's washi tape, I'm obsessed. These two are for a specific home decor project I have planned, so stay tuned to see how that turns out. 

Have you bought any cute, pre-payday buys lately? Any help on making my money go that little bit further? Why not leave a comment and let me know?

Much Love 

AJ xx

March Madness

March Madness

Friday, March 28, 2014

Wow I hadn't even realised it had been quite so long since I posted! I am very sorry, I can only blame a combination of Uni stress and being very very ill :-(. But there is an upside to being sick and living in front of a computer...shopping!!

So I thought to tide you over until I can concentrate long enough to give you a real post I would share my Best Bargain Buys-the March Edition, with you :-).

Gorgeous from H&M (£29.99) although I used my 25% that I got free in Glamour!

Had gone into town to get the Michael Kors version of this but it turns out that Aberdeen's FOUR floor John Lewis isn't classed as a big store, and thus they don't stock MK in store :-(...but hey BARGAIN!

Yeah because I need ANOTHER bag! I love the shape on this and because Internacionale have gone into administration this beauty was free! That's right it's buy one get one free on ALL bags and none cost more than £20.

Love the colour of this (in real life it's a soft duck egg blue) and it has the studded bottom that I love about Alexander Wang bags but at only £20 plus the added bonus of the one above this is much more purse-friendly.

Daisies!! I have a bit of a crush on daisies at the moment so when I saw this beauty in Primark (kids section again i'm afraid) I had to snap it up...only £8!

Denim and denim effect is going to be huge this summer I'm assured. So I of course promptly went out and snapped up my favourite style (skater of course) in a totally retro shade of denim. 

Pretty, pink, and baggy enough to cover that 4th year bulge that is slowly developing :-(. I love this and because it's from H&M Kids it only set me back £7.99. If you're after one though I suggest buying the smallest size you think you'll need...I bought the age 10-11 and it's MASSIVE!

I have been tempted to dye my hair pink for a long time and then I keep remembering that im almost 27 and about to enter the world of real work so keep deciding against it. With these however I can be whatever colour I want for as short a period of time as I want...colour your hair in then wash it out, simples!! I got 24 colours here for £3.99 from Amazon.

You might remember I bought John Green's The Fault in Our Stars last month, well I LOVED it!! So as I usually do I went right on a bought all of his novels so far!! (not including ones hes written with other people).

These are: Looking For Alaska- £3.07 (incuding postage) from Amazon

An Abundance of Katherines- £7.99 from Waterstones

Paper Towns- £3.98 from Waterstones (buy one get one half price)

Everyone knows I love to draw and paint and make things so I decided to make something cute for my sisters birthday. For that I needed a canvas...I headed to Hobbycraft (my third favourite shop in the world) and picked up a pack of three for just £4 in their sale :-).

SECRET CRAFT PROJECT HINT!

SECRET CRAFT PROJECT HINT NUMBER 2

My best girl Alexandra saw a print with this saying on it and instantly knew I would love it, unfortunately I couldn't get the print without travelling to Brechin :-(, fortunately though Amazon had this cute little plaque that will fit perfectly on my wall of art!

Sometimes you just want to play a computer game that requires little brain power and a steady trigger finger...Ratchet and Clank is the perfect game...this is the next game in the series which I picked up today.

This was the game that came before that which I bought on Tuesday, and finished on Wednesday!! Oops!

Anyway that's what I've been amusing myself with during this horrible month. I promise much more frequent postings as soon as I can.

Much Love

AJ

xx