Something very exciting is happening.....

Ever since I got back from Australia last year I have been dying to get back. Well it's finally happening. Today I paid for my flights. Next thing is to get my visa sorted and insurance and all the other little bits for working. I'm planning on leaving in August and I'm just so excited already I can't wait. This time I won't be just going for a month because it felt to short and there was just so much to do. So this time I will be going for a year.

I'm not a big fan of flying and our flight is really long with a 10 hour stop over in Kuala Lumpur but I don't care as long as I get there.

So the plan is now for the next few months to save as much money as possible. This means no shopping and alot of nights in but it will be worth it by the time August rolls round.

Waxing my legs at home. How I got on.

So I decided to be brave and give waxing my legs another go. I had said that I never would again after the horrible incident when I was 17 which resulted in having a patch of skin on one leg missing. Oh just thinking about it makes me shiver. The whole experience scared the life out of me. Thinking about it now I really shouldn't have tried it as my skin was very sensitive and dry and I had been suffering from an eczema flare up just before but I was determined.

 I don't know what I was so worried about this time because I now know a lot more about it then I did then. I had bought a wax pot a while ago but never really used it and it sort of fell over once and ruined the sitting room rug oopps. Anyway I took a trip over to Sally Salon Services and got myself a tub of Green Tea soft wax, spatulas, fabric strips and an after wax lotion which has tea tree in it. 

Although it turned out that I'm very messy with wax my legs have never been so soft and as for it hurting I could honestly barley feel it.  I made sure that I had exfoliated my skin before hand and that my skin was dry, I heated up the wax and tested it on my wrist first to check the temperature. I then applied a layer to my leg and applied the fabric strip. Next I rubbed the strip in the same direction that I applied the wax. Then the scary part came when it was time to pull it off. I pulled the skin down and quickly pulled of the wax strip making sure that I didn't pull it up in the air but more backwards on itself ( if that makes sense). Anyway I was expecting to be shocked and maybe even cry a little but nope I was just like oh that was alright actually haha. After finishing I used baby oil to remove some wax that had was still on my legs and the floor and then massaged the after waxing lotion into my legs. 

I really was expecting it to hurt a lot more, I think getting my eyebrows waxed hurts so much more then this did and the next day they where not at all sensitive or red. I really don't know what I was expecting to happen. I think I'm converted and I love the lotion so much I've been using it as a moisturizer on my legs ever since and they are so soft. 

Home Made Bread

The finished Project 

I decided to spend my Sunday baking bread. I haven't done this in ages and forgot how long it takes, but very worth it. The house now smells of lovely fresh bread and it tastes gorgeous. I went with a bloomer type loaf and am so happy with how it's turned out that I think it has brought back my bread baking bug. My sister who is coeliac has now asked me to make one but gluten free so that's what I will be working on this week. Since I don't like recipes that don't turn out as well as hoped I usually make up my own and a fluffy and crusty gluten free loaf is my next project.

                              After all the kneading and proofing and ready to go in the oven.

Gluten Free Ginger Bread Men Recipe

Here is my recipe for Gluten free ginger bread men. It's actually quite easy to make and they taste delicious.
Bake them in the oven on a medium heat, I usually go with 180 degrees until they have browned a little. Don't forget that they are a little soft still until they cool down.

White nails

I keep seeing pictures of white nails recently and absolutely love the idea so I decided to try it out recently. This is how they turned out. Unfortunately they didn't last that long, by the end if the next day they had chipped a lot but I'm not that surprised as I used a nail polish that I don't even remember buying or where it came from. I think it may have come from a french manicure set. Anyway I still love the look and will definitely be investing in a better polish for my white nail look.

My new charm bracelet

Charm bracelet and charms.

My little sister got me this lovely charm bracelet and gorgeous four leaf clover charm for Christmas this year. She even bought the new most adorable little glittery box for it.

I am so happy to get a charm bracelet as it is something I have wanted for a while as I have two lovely charms that I got from family in Australia for my 21st and after my Granny died a few years ago. I'm so picky that I couldn't pick one myself so this is perfect.

Adorable box.

Unfortunately when I opened it on Christmas day the bracelet was not in great shape and looked like it had been warn a lot already. My poor little sister had to bring it back and exchange it. Not surprising that the manager was shocked when she saw it and swapped it straight away. So now finally I can wear my sparkly shiny new bracelet.

Crafty Christmas Batman Apron

This is the apron that I made for my sister for Christmas. I was trying to think of something to get her that she would really like and could keep without it running out or breaking. She loves baking and batman so together a batman apron seemed perfect. I drew out the idea I had and looked for fabric that I wanted for it. For the top I used plain black cotton and for the band and skirt part I used a sequined fabric. I also used some tulle underneath to give it a more flared look. The photo is not great for showing details  but I made the bottom part more like a rara skirt.  Trying to keep it hidden and make it in secret is a bit tricky when you live in the same house. I would have to wait for her to leave for a while to get bits of it done at a time. 

Anyway it turned out just as I had hope even with my sewing machine not working very well at the moment. The only thing about it was it was very hard to find the fabric I was looking for and had to settle on a different one maybe people don't like sequined fabric anymore ?? haha. But it did give me a perfect opportunity to start sewing again. The most important part was that she loved it and that is all that matters. I'm also thinking of making myself one in pink.

MUA

I have recently bought and started to use MUA products lately. I am always excited to find new make up brands that I haven't used before and also a little hesitant. I have been really impressed with these three that I bought a few weeks ago. I took a chance on one or two that i wasn't sure would work for me but was very happy with how they worked out. I am definitely a MUA fan now.

Mua 
BB All in one Beauty Balm
Shade: Medium Rose

What it says
Primes,smooths and conceals
A multi-functional formula that works wonders to prime and protect whilst conceals to even out skin tine for a brighter, smoother complexion.

What I thought
I found that this BB cream does even out skin tone leaving a brighter smoother complexion. I does conceal but not as much as I would need. I think that most people would find it a lot better but I do have a lot of redness from acne and eczema which usually needs a little extra concealing. 
It's long lasting and light. My skin didn't feel clogged and it didn't look caked on. Which is good because nobody can pull of that look. My face didn't look shiny or dried out. 
At first I thought I had gotten the wrong shade for my skin as it looked very dark but when I applied it and blended it in it was a perfect match.
I would defiantly recommend this BB cream as an everyday wear foundation.

Mua
Lash Boom volume and length mascara

What it says
Give lashes instant boom with this super lengthening and volumising mascara.

What I thought
I bought this mascara as it says it will give lashes volume and length. I was also interested in using it as I thought the brush looked interesting.
I found it a bit clumpy at first but only compared to the previous mascara I had been using. I like the brush as I think it gave me a way to use it on small sections of my lashes, like the corner of my eye. I always make a mess and get mascara everywhere with other brushes.
It actually gave my lashes the length and volume I was looking for and it is all I have been using since I got it.

Mua
Matte lipstick
Shade: Scarlet Siren

There where two things that I was a little worried about before using this lipstick.
1. I had never used a matte lipstick before
2. I'm always afraid of looking like a clown when wearing red lipstick that I usually avoid it.

With this lipstick I should't have been worried. It went on easily, mess free and the matte finish looked great. It made me think that I had been a bit silly about avoiding shades like this before.
In the shop the shade looked a bit darker but I'm happy now that it wasn't as it would have made look a little to pale.
It lasts a good while. Fore example, I find that some lipsticks don't survive a cup of tea after applying, but I've tested this and it survived my tea test. 
I also think it may be my new favourite and I now love red lipstick.

New Make Up Box

Up until now I have been storing my makeup in decorative boxes on a self in my room but it's starting to get hard to find something when I need it and am always running out of space. I saw this box before but when I went to get it there was none left and they didn't know when they would get anymore. I had forgotten all about it and had gone to buy wallpaper when I came across it. I couldn't find a price but noticed that it was the only one around so took it with me until I found someone to price it. It cost just under €40 in B&Q and even came with keys top lock it. I do think it is deigned for tools but hey it works for make up to. The lock is probably my favourite part as I have sisters who sometimes like to help themselves to my things haha. 

As soon as I got home I start to take out all my make up and perfumes and organize it into my new box. All the compartments can be moved and re sized which was great for my brushes. I love how everything can be moved so that everything fits in it own space. I have had it almost a week now and I'm really enjoying having everything in one place and how nice and neat everything is now. 

It also gave me a great chance to have a clear out of things I had forgotten I had or didn't want anymore. I first thought that I would be able to fit all my nail polishes in there too but now I realize I was wrong. I might get a smaller one for nail stuff if I can find one.

EOS Lip Balms

What can I say ... I have fallen in love with these lip balms. Not only are they adorable looking but the flavours are amazing too. I have been seeing and hearing about them for a long while and kept telling myself I would get one and eventually I did. 

I got these online a few weeks ago from cloud10beauty and are 6.95 each. I have only recently found this site and have picked out lots of things I love and have to have. I was only going to get one of them but couldn't make my mind up over Strawberry Sorbet and Sweet Mint so I got them both. I love both of them they keep my lips soft and have not chapped yet. At the moment I am working in a very cold environment and usually suffer with dry cracked lips in the winter, I also get a breakout of eczema under my lip which has calmed down a bit since getting these. 

I find it hard to pick a favourite still I love the sweet mint as it feels very refreshing and the strawberry sorbet is so nice I could almost eat it. They don't waste away as much as others I have bought. I think a little last a a good while and none of them look like I have used much at all. I am very happy with these and may even share the happiness by getting some as little Christmas presents. Perfect stocking fillers.