Pregnancy Update- 41 Weeks Pregnant

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Well, as you can see, still no Baby Glitter. I'm so fed up I could cry/scream/both, but know it wouldn't get me too far.

(Sound advise if you ask me! Hahaha!)

I'm a week over now and have been booked for an induction for Tuesday the 5th. I really, really don't want an induction. I thought I did but then I found out what it entails and that you loose the option of a water birth anndd unless you are in established labour, you're partner can't stay with you the whole time. Also, whilst you are induced (ie, laying with a pessary up your lady zone for 24 hours), you are in a room with 3 other woman and have regular internal examinations- NOT WHAT I WANT AT ALL.

In an ideal world I'll labour at home as long as possible, get to hospital, pop myself in a birthing pool, dim the lights, try to remain calm and have a lovely little baby girl. Unfortunately, we don't seem to be reading off the same page and she doesn't seem to game for this plan.

I had a stretch and sweep yesterday, which is just as vile as it sounds and the midwife said she had stretched me (shudder) 2-3cm, so this is a positive. I'm booked in for another on Friday so fingers crossed it starts labour (as yet, yesterday's hasn't). Whilst these Stretch and Sweep things are very gross, I think they are the lesser of the 2 evils (compared to induction) so I'll opt for them. Sigh.

In other news, my feet and ankles are still swollen, just called me Mrs Kankle, my skin has gone really spotty (thank goodness for MAC Studio Sculpt) and I have been more tired than a sloth on sleeping tablets.

I won't go on too much because I'll only be Mrs Grumpy Pantaloons and I don't want to bum you all out.

Please send all your psychic energy to encourage Baby Glitter out naturally!

Toodlepip!

xx

Image: weheartit.com

Lust List

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Just doing a bit of fantasy shopping (you know, where you just imaginary buy everything you fancy, even if your overdraft is in dyer straights like mine!) and thought I'd share a few pieces with you. Does anyone have a few hundred pounds they want to buy me a new Spring/Summer wardrobe with?

Pink Print Crochet Kimono. £39.99. River Island.

Navy Peeptoe Platform Shoes (which I would actually break my neck in no doubt, not to mention look like a giant seeing as I'm 5"7 already, but such is the joy of fantasy shopping!). £69.99. River Island.


Mint Green (although looks blue to me!) Fringe Kaftan. £26.99. River Island.
I think this would look nice with jeans or leggings but always feel a bit annoyed that most kaftans are see-through. Grrr just cos you're on holiday, doesn't always mean you want to be nakey!



Navy Heart Print Skirt. £24.99. River Island.
I like the pockets on this. This would be lovely for meandering around in the evenings with a glass of Rose. Oh how I miss Rose!



Gold Leaf Chandelier Earrings. £9.99. River Island.

These remind me of fire flies and look really jazzy but I would still wear them during the day :)

I could easily buy up half the accessories in River Island, but wont bore you with my wish list on them. When I was a PA, my office was 3 seconds away from a really nice River Island so I have a lot of love for it as it was often my lunchtime reprieve, where I'd unwind, float about feeling the fabrics and buy myself a little treat.

As much as I can't wait to have Baby Glitter and am more than happy with the compromise of less money/new baby, I am looking forward to a time when I can splurge a bit and buy pretties more regularly.

What sort of things to do you splurge on? Would you rather spend £70 on one big thing or lots of little things?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Bio Oil

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I made this video a while back and have since had oodles of message about it, soooo I thought that I would give you a link on here in case you haven't seen it.

I've posted this 4 times and I keep loosing my picture. I'll try again later- Sorry Bloggerinos!

Nothing like taking your screen print on a keerraazzy happy shot! Woop Woop!

One question that has come up quite a lot is "How do you apply Bio Oil?". Well I suppose you can apply it however you fancy but I just squib (lovely word is squib) a few drops into the palm of my hand and rub on. Simples.

You can click HERE to have a looksie :)

Hope you enjoy the video and look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Toodlepip!

xx

PS.

Still no Baby Glitter although I do keep having shooting pains in my upper thighs- anyone know what that's about???

Chit Chat of This and That

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I do actually have some reviews for you but I'm getting a bit tired of that kind of post and figure if I'm fed up writing them, you're fed up reading them! I feel a bit like I've gone Lou's Reviews mental because I felt a bit like my life was a but uneventful but then I thought "meh, it's my little bloggypops so I'll jolly well witter about little bits of life". Ooohh that was fighting talk wasn't it!

First of all, Baby Glitter will be here any day now (even if I do have to be induced, which is looking more and more likely), so don't forget to enter my 'Guess Baby Glitter's Real Name Competition' and have your chance to win a MAC product of your choice, click HERE for that.

I went to the midwife today to talk about what happens next now that I'm overdue and feel quite freaked out by it all. She offered a stretch and sweep which I turned down because it just sounded too utterly vile and a few people have said they have little effect. So now it's a waiting game and if she doesn't make her debut by the end of next week, it's induction time. This excites me because obviously I want a little baby and to see her little face and touch her hands, but also scares me because I'm freaked out by needles and drips and stuff. Yes, I'm cool with pushing a small human out of my lady zone, but I'm not ok with having a drip in my hand, go figure.

I'm really feeling gee'd up by the sunnier weather. I rrreeeaaalllllyyyy want to loose a few pounds this year (I weighed myself today and nearly died at how much weight I have gained, I hope this baby is 8lbs and the waters are around 3stone ahahaha) and feel good about myself. I usually feel OK but just recently I have been feeling very whale like and I want to spend the summer being confident in lovely floral floaty numbers and suchlike. I tell you what, I never see anything nice in Next, but I had a gander online and there are LOADS of gorgeous things there! Why don't they stock these in stores? Why? WHHYYYY??

I usually like to keep this blog as a place of happy chat, beauty, bargains and sparkles, but recently I have seen a few bloggers talk about more serious issues. I think it's ever so brave of them to go down this avenue because it attracts so many opinions and can be a bit controversial. I have a couple of topics that are very close to my heart that I am thinking of working up the courage to discuss, one being loosing someone to cancer and the other being child abuse, so do look out for those oh-so-cheery posts!

(Totally off topic but I NEED these in my life)

Whhaattt elssee? Hmmm. Oh yes! I'm thinking about starting another degree (part time from home) in September in Counselling. I did Psychology and Biology at University in Liverpool when I was 18 and my plan was always to be a counsellor but it kind of fell by the weighside and I took various boring office jobs to pay the bills. Now though I've come to realise I'm 25 and want to have something that I'm special at, I want to have the ability to make a decent salary and also I want Baby Glitter to look up to her Mummy and feel proud. My Dad owns his own business and so did my Mum and I always felt/feel very proud of them and so want the same for Baby Glitter too. Soooooo, all I need to do now is find a course that suits and apply- eep!

Ohhhh what a jolly good ramble I've had, I feel like you are all up to speed with my life now, whether you wanted to be or not, hehe.

As usual, I have littered this with images from http://www.weheartit.com/ because I cannae bare a naked post.

How has your week been? Do you have any news? Oh one more thing, a big Congratulations to Muhsine, over at BUBBLEGARM, who has just announced that she is pregnant! She is one of my favourite bloggers and Baby Glitter and I wish her all the best!!

Toodlepip!

xx 

Pregnancy Update- 40 Weeks Pregnant

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Yep, I'm still with child and she's showing no signs of wanting out...I am literally loosing my mind with all the waiting.

I have EVERYTHING prepared in her room, mine and her hospital bags are in the boot of the car and her pram is set up and ready to roll. All we need now is the baby!

How cute is her Moses Basket? Before you safety nuts get up in arms, I won't turn the radiator on and I'd draw the curtains when it's sunny like this :)

I can't say a great deal has changed in the last few weeks but I will fill you in anyhow. I've been spending a lot of time at home because a) Maternity Pay isn't exactly lots, b) Waddling for very far becomes a bit much, even round the supermarket is now a struggle and c) Most of my chums work days or don't live in Northampton, so it's been a bit lonely. I'm looking forward to when Baby Glitter is born so that I can be a bit more mobile (providing the birth goes well) and can enjoy the sunshine and take her out in her pram.

Physically, all that has changed is that I have got bigger in the bump department, put on a few pounds (sigh), which I have felt mostly round my face and boobies and also, my feet and ankles have swollen to unnatural proportions!! Matt says it looks like my legs have fallen into my feet and calls me 'Slab Foot'. I feel so sexy, ha.

Mentally, I'm frustrated and nervous. I want her here but I'm obviously anxious about the birth, will her health be ok? Will I be ok? Will we make good parents? Will I be shattered? Will I ever do my nails or hair again? You know, the usual kind of thing you expect all new Mum's to fret over.

With any luck, I won't be doing a 41 week pregnant update and you will be reading Zoe of Zoella's guest post to say I'm in labour! She is going to come in to Glitter Land and let you all know here, on twitter and on YouTube so you won't miss it! Be sure to send me positive vibes because I'll be puffing and panting for all I'm worth!!

I want to say a really heartfelt thank you to ALL of you who over the last few months have left kind messages and helpful hints about pregnancy, birth and babies, I feel a lot more equipped thanks to you all! THANK YOU

Toodlepip!

xx 

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Botanical Essence No. 1

Aloha Bloggerinos,

You know when you buy or are sent something reeaaallyyy good and you feel reeeaaallly excited when you think about it or look at it or play with it? Well I've got that!

I was sent this nifty little number from Liz Earle as it's Mother's Day coming up and this would be an ideal gift. Sadly, my own Mum was taken to heaven when I was 7, buuuttttt this year will be a million times better than all the other lonely Mother's Days because I will be a Mummy myself to little Baby Glitter and I'm VERY happy about that indeed.

This perfume comes beautifully packaged in a neat little box and the bottle is square and professional looking. Now, I think a some of you might be turned off by the bottle because it isn't what you would call 'pretty pretty' but I really like sciencey/nature/natural type things and this kind of reminds me of that area of life (I did a degree in Pyschology and Biology you seee, I'm not just a science geek..well, maybe a bit actually). I love that it comes so snug in it's box because you shouldn't keep your fragrances in the sunlight as it diminishes their quality.

The scent of this is fruity and zingy, a winner for someone like me who loves sweet or citrus smells. I think it's a prefect smell for Spring and Summer and makes you feel all happy and sunny. After a good few hours (ie, the zinginess lasts a long while) the scent settles into a more subdued floral smell, and I enjoy this too. I went on the website to see exactly what the ingredients were and was surprised at how aesthetically pleasing it is- it's a picture list! Woop woop! Click HERE to check that out and see all the yummy natural products this is jam packed with.

The Botanical Essence No.1 perfume retails for £40.35 and really would be a lovely present for your Mothers, Aunties or Grandmas (I thought I'd throw a couple of others in there for those that don't celebrate Mother's Day conventionally, like me) or just to treat yourself to a little Spring time gift :)

You can click HERE to have a looksie at this lovely.

What sort of things do you do for your Mum's on Mother's Day? Am I in for lots of lovely pampering this year??

Toodlepip!

xx 

Lou's Reviews :: Topshop Sandstorm Collection

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Oh me oh my have you seen the TopShop Sandstorm makeup collection? I luurrvveee it!!

I have a few gorgeous bits here and will be sharing the love and giving you my glittery little thoughts on them. I'm not planning on opening a couple of bits though as I want to keep them fresh for an April Giveaway (it's my Birthday Month, so I'm planning a few special things for you lovely Bloggerinos).

These are by far my most favourite things from the collection- I luurvvvee them! They are the Eyeshadow Mousse in Tundra (rrp £8), The Gloss Stick in Glisten (rrp £8) and the Eye Crayon in Equinox (rrp £.8.50) and below are swatches.

(I'm so glad you can actually see the sparkle in the 'Tundra' eye product because when I was showing it in my YouTube video, I had less luck than a walking under a ladder, whilst carrying a black cat and shouting the number 13, ie, NONE!)

I absolutely adore the fresh, girly, summery colours, they really make me feel ready for brightness and happiness and they are all vivid without being vulgar.

The eye crayon in 'Equinox' looks set to be my best friend this Spring (especially now I'll be pushed for time with a tiny baby), as you can use it as an inner corner/eyebrow bone highlighter, for a full wash or colour, for played down eyeliner or you can even apply a little to the cheeks for a golden glow. It blends like a dream and is lovely and soft, so no skin snagging :)

The little 'Eyes' paint point in 'Tundra'  is also very jolly. I love that it is made of glass, a rarity in packaging these days and the frosted effect adds a little bit of class I feel. The product is a dirty grey cream shadow with flecks of sparkle in for the glitter lover in you. I love the colour but still haven't worked out the best way to apply this- fingers, sponge tip, brush, but will let you know if I ever do! A slight problem for me with this product is the scent. It smells VERY chemically and I find this somewhat off putting, but this could be because pregnancy has made me ultra fragrance sensitive, so do have a whiff in store yourself!

My most favourite of the entire collection though is the Gloss Stick in 'Glisten'. Despite being called a gloss, I don't get this effect but do LOVE the colour with my darker hair and if I want a really juicy look, I have been adding a bit of Soap & Glory MotherPucker in 'BabyDoll'. It looks sensuous and yummy but not too mental/whorey (always best not to look a whore hahaha). The longevity is average, packaging is something I am happy to whip out in public and my lips don't feel parched after using- win, win, win.

I have actually made a YouTube video on these lovelies, which you can watch HERE, or alternatively, you can have a looksie on the official website below: 

TopShop Sandstorm Collection

Have you tried or will you be trying this range?

Toodlepip!

xx

LOU'S REVIEWS :: TopShop Sandstorm Cyclone Polish

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I've been super busy today, but I don't like to not post a video or article, so this is a really quickie (ooer misses!).

I went to the midwife this morning, hoping she would magically encourage Baby Glitter but alas, no such luck. She did say though that if there was no sign of her by next week we could do a ...... stretch and sweep! *shudder*. So tonight we've had the spiciest fajitas ever to smoke this little blighter out!!

Anyhooo, do you like this new nail polish? This is 'Cyclone' from the new TopShop Sandstorm Collection and retails for £5.

(Not the greatest of snaps I know, I was in a tizzy trying to get to midwives/feed the cat/find my bag etc etc- garghh!!)

I love the cube bottle, very chic and I enjoy the colour immensely. It's easily wearable for when you want something but not too much- perfect for job interviews and suchlike. Also, the joy of lighter colours is if they chip during the day, it isn't as noticeable, phewf! The cruddy picture above is just with 2 coats but no base or top coat, so I'm looking forward to spending a bit more time on them in future.

All in all, an ideal colour for when you're in a mad rush and want a tiny bit of subtle oomph.

I have quite a lot of the Sandstorm Collection and am really enjoying it, so keep your eyes peeled for more posts.

For more information on this polish, clickidy click HERE.

Toodlepip! 

xx 

Lou's Reviews :: Tisserand Lavender Relaxing Cream Body Wash

Aloha Bloggerinos,

This is just a really short review tonight, I'm feeling a little jaded.

I'm STILL pregnant, tomorrow is one of my Due Dates (yes, I have two. My ultrasound lady said the 18th but my midwife said the 23rd, so who knows) and I am so ready for it. I'm feeling a bit wound up and tense these last couple of days, I think it's a mixture of anxiety, pressure, excitement, nerves, the lot.

So with this in mind, I have been trying to do things to soooottthhhh myself and a good soak in the bath is always a great place to start.

I was sent this Tisserand Lavender Relaxing Cream Body Wash to try a while back but thought it was going to be a no-go because in the shower I only like really sweet smells or really zingy smells (weird non?). It sat unloved by the bath until I had a brainwave- I'd use it as bath bubbles!

I've since had 3 baths with this, all I do is squeeze a generous amount under running water and it works just like bubble bath, but the scent and aromatherapy properties reeaaallllyyy help me unwind and leave me feeling all soft skinned and lovely. It is also free from SLES and parabens (although not sulphates I noticed), which although isn't a deal breaker for me, it certainly is an added bonus.

I think this will definitely be something I completely use up and I hope Matt gives me lots of time off from Baby Glitter so I can have some Yummy Mummy Tisserand Bath Time.

I know this hasn't been an over in depth review of the product, but if you want to find out more, click HERE.

What's your favourite bath product for unwinding?

Toodlepip!

xx

Lou's Reviews :: Eau Thermale Avene Products

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Recently I was sent a couple of bits from a brand I am unfamiliar with, and I thought I would share my thoughts on them with you. As usual, they are all my own, I'm a big girl after all!

Eau Thermal Avene is a French brand which uses thermal spring water whose properties have apparently been endorsed by dermatologists 'over the years'. When I read this I thought it was a bit of a wide statement to make and thought it would have been more professional to give solid facts, like which dermatologists and how many years or how and why they endorsed it. Maybe that is just the science geek in me, but I just felt that it was a little wishy-washy.

So, pushing my doubts to one side, I have had a whirl of each product and am actually pleasantly surprised.

My first product to tell you of is the Cleanance Soapless Gel Cleanser, which I have actually really enjoyed. To use it, I wet a fluffy blue flannel (not sure why the 'blue' is relevant but I like to give you a full picture haha), dampen my face, squib (real word there) a generous amount of cleanser about the size of a 50p coin onto said flannel, lather my face and then with a non soapy part of the flannel, remove. It is a dab hand at removing foundation/powder/bronzer, even when I have used a primer and was really good with my eye makeup too. I had to be a bit more thorough on my mascara but this is to be expected with most cleansers.

(I like the packaging too- the twisty top is really handy when you have wet hands and eliminates the old "arrghh where did I drop the lid" issue)

According to the website, which you can find HERE, this cleanser is paraben free and helps to regulate oil secretion, a winner in my books. There is a very soft, clean fragrance and I haven't had any issues with irritation or breakouts, fingers crossed it stays this way. 

The only small downside (and I'm just being picky now because I'm used to the wonder that is Liz Earle), is that after using this cleanser, my skin feels very tight and I have to reach for my moisturiser ASAP. With Liz Earle, I get a good while to get dressed and potter about before my skin goes tight.  

The second product I have played with is Thermal Water Spray. This cute little can is basically just an aerosol of pressurised water (it's ingredients are only water and nitrogen) that you spritz directly onto skin to sooth, cool, calm or even set your makeup.

I'm not sure that water actually does set your makeup, common sense says this is silly, but I have been using it for it's cooling/calming properties and like it A LOT. So much so, that we are taking it to the hospital when Baby Glitter arrives into the world because I've heard the labour ward is really warm.

It's simple to use, just spray on, and a nice dinky size for your bag. The only problem would be that after you have spritzed your face with water, you may well need to moisturise, so unless you carry some with you, it might not be great for on the go.

There is no scent (it's water) and the spraying mechanism makes it come out nice and 'softly', not all 'sharply', if that makes any sense?

So after my initial doubt about an unfamiliar brand, the morale of the story is never judge a book by it's cover, these have turned out to be lovely little products indeedy.

You can purchase Avene products from all sorts of places (like chemists and pharamacies), but I think Boots is the most accessible and easily purusable (hmm is this a really word) online. Click HERE for more info and prices. I think the prices are pretty reasonable and this is definitely a brand I will be exploring further.  
Have you had any experience with Eau Thermale Avene products?

Toodlepip!

xx

My New Do

Aloha Bloggerinos,

If you have been following my adventures on YouTube, you will have seen that I have had a brand new hair do. I thought that since I had a half decent snap of my locks, I would also do a blog post on it too :)

So this is it! From long and blond, to shortish and brunette. It was all or nothing.

I felt like with all the changes in my life, like Baby Glitter, giving up work etc, it was time for a change of image too. Once Baby Glitter has arrived and I've recovered a bit, I would like to loose a bit of weight because I feel very swollen and have definitely felt my face fill out a lot, and I thought "in for a penny, in for a pound", I'll get a new do whilst I'm at it!

In conjunction (big word there) with my new hair, I have TONNES of hair products to review for you and will be trying out some new styles and telling you what I used to achieve them. You'll have to bare with me though, I'm a bit of a hair novice :)

What do you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS. Those peacock feather earrings were on the sale rail for £1 in Dorothy Perkins and you know my lust for all thing peacock- eeeep!!

Is it a jumbo jet? Is it a whale? No, it's Louise, 9 months pregnant!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I just wanted to pop a quick post up to say still no Baby Glitter (I don't think she will ever come out, I will just be pregnant forever and become a medical marvel, making my millions as "The Girl Who Was Pregnant Forever" etc) but I have been going gaga on the YouTube front and have uploaded lots of new videos, should you want to check them out. Look right and down and there is the link.

Do excuse my gimpy face, this is pinched from Matt's facebook and was taken the other night- I thought you might like to see how ENORMOUS I have become. Even my stretchy jeans are straining- eesh!

I do have lots of beauty reviews coming up, including Batiste Dry Shampoo, Bio Oil (loving the stuff), MAC Prep and Prime Serum, a few hair masks, lotions and potions and all things lovely. I might also be brave and pop up a few FOTD's because I have been taking snaps and there will no doubt be a few 'life' posts too, just bare with me :)

As always, all your requests are welcome and I hope you are enjoying the smell of spring that seems to be in the air :)

Toodlepip!

xx

Come Join The Party!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Something really exciting has happened! No, no, I STILL haven't had Baby Glitter, but it's still pretty good!

I've just hit 2,000 subscribers on YouTube!! I cannae bloomin' believe it!

I know there are a lot of people on YouTube with zillions more than that but I really feel excited and proud that so many people have hit that little button- so to all of you that have- THANK YOU!!

To celebrate, I've collected a few pictures from www.weheartit.com that have made me smile, and I hope they give you a warm fuzzy too :)

There is something about multicoloured macaroons, balloons and bubbles that fills me with absolute glee- silly, non?

Toodlepip from a very Happy SprinkleofGlitter!

xx

Lou's Lovelies :: DIY Applique Personalisation

Aloha Bloggerinos,

It's been a loooonnnngg time coming, but I thought I'd throw a crafty post out there, since we have had so many beauty related things in the last few months. I go through phases with crafts, I have to be super in the mood to get my sewing machine or glue gun out and for the past few months I've felt a little bleaugh towards it all. However, this little project was so quick and easy, it didn't seem like a chore- woop!

Anyhoo, a few weeks ago, whilst in Hobbycraft, Matt spotted these cute little letters for £1.25 each. They had girlie ones and boyish ones, every letter of the alphabet. We picked up her initials and I decided that I would have a hunt for something to personalise for her, just to jazz up her stash a bit and make something a bit special.

Little moan here- I just saw the website in the photo, looked it up and saw that you can actually buy individual letters for 70p, which is a lot less than £1.25!! Naughty Hobbycraft!

I attached the letters to one of her shoulder cloths because I know I can hang the motiffed part over my back so it doesn't scratch her face at all and I thought it looked a little plain. Other applique contenders were blankets, muslin squares, little tops or towels, so it goes to show how versatile this project is :)

It was beyond easy! I positioned the letters where I wanted them, dampened a different cloth (I just used a muslin square as it was to hand), popped the damp cloth over the letters, ironed it thoroughly for about 15-20 seconds, removed the iron and damp cloth and voila!

I really think this is something I would like to do more of, not only for Baby Glitter but I also think it would make a unique gift for other mummy friends or relatives. I think this is ideal for someone like me who is now pressed for time but still has the urge to craft and customise :)

Is this something you might try?

Toodlepip!

xx

Am I a Fashionista Yet?

Aloha Bloggerinos,

As a curvier girl (and now a about-to-pop-out-a-baby-any-day-girl), I find it quite tricky to follow the latest trends in fashion. High waisted shorts would not flatter my wide hips, crop tops would offend the eyes of passers by and playsuits would make me look like a fabric sausage.

Baring these facts in mind, I have developed my own style that suits my figure and feel quite good about this. I wear clothes that fit and flatter and leave the rest for the day when I wake up a size 8.

However, since being pregnant, I have kind of fallen into a bit of a 'maternity rut' and it's only in the last few weeks that I've thought "Hmmm, perhaps I won't live in pregnancy jeans and maternity tops forever" and started to have a re think. Being a Mummy will be a whole new ball game and I think with it, will come a change of image. I'm having my hair cut shorter and choppy and coloured darker today and when Baby Glitter is out (we had a false alarm and thought it was going to be last night actually, but alas, it wasn't), I am going to make an effort to be a bit more fashionable.

I have been seeing scarves everywhere lately. Vintage silk ones, little cotton ones, huge pashmina ones, the lot, and decided this was an easy and 'fat-friendly' (it's not a playsuit after all!) fashion I could try. I bought this little cotton scarf last week from H&M for £4.99 which isn't a bank buster at all. It was actually in the children's section, but this doesn't bother me! So far I have only worn it with jeans and a black top because it's tres bright, but I like it.

So that was my first little step into being a bit braver with what I wear and venturing out of my comfort zone, still a long way to go I know, but it's baby steps.

What do you think I could try next?

Toodlepip!

xx

Guess Baby Glitter's Real Name Giveaway!! *MAC COSMETICS PRIZE!*

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Well with Baby Glitter's arrival so close on the horizon, I thought it was a jolly good excuse to have a giveaway. I was going to do a 1500 Followers giveaway but thought this would be a little more fun and I can always do a belated one another time.

The Prize:

The prize will be a MAC Lipstick, Lipglass or Lip Liner of you choice. All you would have to do is let me know which colour and I shall order it for you :)

The Rules:

This is open to everyone, everywhere.

There will be one winner. If more than one of you guess the correct name, I will pick a random winner from the right answers.

To enter, be a follower and comment below with your guess of her name.

For one extra entry/guess of her name, share the love about this game on twitter, YT, your blog, I don't mind Bloggerinos, just let me know that you have.

If you are my real life chum (as opposed to my Bloggerino chum ahaha) and already know her name, I know who you are you cheeky monkeys, so please don't spoil it and tell everyone or karma will come and bite you in the bottom.

This contest will close when Baby Glitter is born- fingers crossed it's soon, I can't wait!!

To give you all a helping hand, her initials will be D.J.W. D for her first name, J for her middle name (and is sentimental- a clue for you there) and W is my last name (my married name, so not Pentland!)

Toodlepip!

xx

images: weheartit.com

Lou's Reviews :: Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

Aloha Bloggerinos,

I'm fairly sure you will have seen the truckload of Liz Earle reviews going round at the moment, but I actually haven't seen anything on this Brightening Treatment Mask, so I do hope that this is of interest to you. Personally, I don't mind when you see the same product on lots of blogs, I like to read tonnes of different views, but I know some people don't- horses for courses eh.

(Side note- As I type this, Baby Glitter is going gaga in her womby home, she loves a bit of blogging).

(I couldn't not show you how beautifully the Liz Earle stuff is packaged)

I was sent this product about a fortinight ago and unsurprisingly for a Liz Earle product, I'm in love.

This product claims to instantly revitalise tired or dull skin and give you a natural looking radiance.

I'm always really sceptical of products like this, even though I have had nothing but excellent experiances from the Liz Earle range, but as usual, was proved wrong- Liz Earle, I salute you!

I have used this mask in 2 different ways- mixed with my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish to add a bit of oomph to my cleansing routine and on its own in the morning (on my clean skin) to give my face a radiant glow. I enjoyed using it both ways but mostly prefer it in the morning because I feel using it solo gives the most noticable results.

(Cute little wash bag and muslin included in the kit- yippee!!)

To use, I massage about 2 pumps worth onto clean dry skin, leave for a minute or so whilst I brush my teeth/potter about annoying Matt for taking my time ahahaha, and then just wipe off with the provided muslin (after I have run it under the hot water tap) and tada, done! None of this peeling off bits of serum or schmearing mud round your face with a flannel like so many other 'mask' products. By nature I'm pretty lazy, so this method is ideal for me, the whole process is done in about 2 minutes- another winner for when Baby Glitter makes her appearance and I have no time.

I honestly did think that my skin looked a lot more 'glowy' and I felt fresh faced and bushy tailed. I'm not getting good quality sleep at the moment, so this is perfect as it creates the illusion of a good 9 hours.

Containing witch hazel, this mask has a zingy and awakening scent but doesn't leave you all tight faced. It is recommended to use it in conjunction with the toner and moisturiser, but on a few occasions I've been a bit naughty and skipped the toner phase and I still felt super :)

In a nutshell, I can't rave about this enough, it is literally my love and I know I will be buying this over and over!

To find out more about this little gem, check out the Liz Earle website HERE.

Do you have any skincare products that you are obsessed with at the moment? Are there any you think I'd like?

Toodlepip!

xx

(Spell check wont work! Eek! I will try again later but please excuse my typos for now!xxxx)

Lou's Reviews :: Boot No.7 Equisite Curl Mascara

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Like many other Beauty Bloggers, I was sent this mascara a few weeks ago, to try out and let you know what I think.

If like me, you have an unhealthy obsession with reading everyone elses blogs, you will have read reams of stuff about this product, but just to join the masses, here is my opinion of it.

 

I've mentioned a few times, I am a mascara whore. I struggle to stay faithful to a mascara for more than a couple of months, so am always very open minded to new wandy friends. I was quite excited to try this, I'll admit because I thought the lilac chunky packaging was fun, but alas, I'm not in love.

This mascara has a curled bristle head that promises to curl my lashes and do all sorts of fabulousness. It doesn't. As far as drugstore mascaras go, it's alright. It separates the lashes and does give a bit of length but I have seen better results from the likes of Collection 2000 (I'm still loving the skyscraper one), Bourjois and GOSH, for less that £10, which is what this is retailing at. This is an introductory price and I believe it will soon be £13. I shan't go into it too much because I don't want to slate something that is good, just not good for me, but you get the jist.

Now, I'm definitely not saying this is rubbish, infact, I know another Beauty Blogger who is yet to do a review on this and she bloomin' well LOVES it. She can't stop ravving about it, which goes to show that everyone is different.

At the moment, if you spend £5 in Boots on anything (so if like me you are on a spending ban, you can claim it's for essentials like toothpaste- I love a good loophole), you will be given a £5 Off voucher for No.7 products. Boots are also running an offer (or at least they were last week), where if you buy this Equisite Curl Mascara, you receive a free eyeshadow palette. Soooo, with the intro offer price of £10, your £5 off voucher, you can have this mascara aannnddd a palette. Quite a good deal, non?

Have you tried this? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

Marching on in March

Aloha Bloggerinos!

I'm 3 days late, but as I said yesterday, I just can't believe it is March already.

I've been waiting for this month since summer 2010, when I found out Matt and I were pregnant and now it's here!

Being pregnant has been nothing like I expected. You hear of women 'blooming' and 'glowing' and shopping for fantastic nursery furniture and fluffy little blankets. This hasn't been the case for me. I hate to use that reality tv cliche, but it really has been a 'journey' that I feel I have learnt a lot from, mentally and physically. I think I will do a separate post on this because it's quite a biggie, but for now, one of the biggest things I have noticed is that I feel like being pregnant has made me more ambitious.

I've always been a bit of a go-with-the-flow kinda gal and just meandered nicely through my adult life- a-levels, uni, house, wedding, pregnancy etc, but now I feel that I want to achieve things and be not only a good role model to my Daughter (still feels weird saying that!!) but also to myself.

So with that in mind, March is going to be my deciding month. I've got a few ideas of things I want to achieve in 2011, the obvious and main one is to deliver this baby safely and calmly and be a good mummy, but I also aim to improve other areas of my life too.

I want to improve and progress this blog a bit, improve my body confidence, learn a new little skill (I really want to make funky little girl tutus with amazing colours and sparkles and what not!) and to be able to cook a few things (this'll be a real challenge because I hate cooking, hate it hate it hate it).

So Bloggerinos, I will keep you posted on all this and hopefully by April I will have a bit of an action plan in place. All tips and suggestions are welcome or if you want to tell me about goals I'd love to hear- I was so inspired by all of you who told me what your 2011 plans were in my 1000 follower giveaway. Oohh btw, look! I'm nearly at 1500 followers now- if you haven't already, please do click that little follow button, it means A LOT to me and I appreciate every click.

Wishing you all a Marvellous March!!

Toodlepip!

xx

Image: www.weheartit.com

YouTube- MAC Wonder Woman, Brushes on a Budget and More!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Can you believe it's March already? I'm having a baby this month! Sheesshh!!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that although I've slowed down a touch on the blog front, it's only because I have sped up on the YouTube front. I can't seem to do the both at equal speeds and go through phases of having favourites. Soooo, if you follow me on here (thank you ever so much), then do make sure you follow on YouTube as well, because chances are if I'm not wittering on over here, that's where I'll be!

Click the link below for my sparkly channel:

Sprinkleofglitter on YouTube

I've recently made a few makeuppy videos including MAC Wonder Woman, Affordable Makeup Brushes and a bit of a chitchatty one too.

 

Let me know of any requests or thoughts, I always love to hear from you!

 

Toodlepip!

xx

To The Imagination Station!!

Aloha Bloggerinos,

Way back when I did my 1000 follower giveaway (would you like another one if I hit 1500 followers? let me know), I asked people to request posts for the blog as I was lacking a little in inspiration. Lots of you came up with some brilliant ideas that I am slowly working through, but one stood out the most.

One nifty little Bloggerino delved into her imagination and asked me to tell you all what I would invent if I could make anything for Lush. I thought this was a really unusual question and have pondered it for a while and decided on my fantasy product!

As a big fan of cleansing wipes (despite being somewhat of a Liz Earle convert these days), I would like to use these as my base. I would invent a packet of cleansing face wipes that smelt like green Opal Fruits (I know they are officially called StarBurst but I'm practically elderly and will never change) and in the packet, each wipe would be a different colour. I think nice pastel colours would be cool, mint, pink, lemon, aqua etc.

Naturally I would want to wipes to remove eye makeup as well as the Johnson 3 in 1's (the best I have ever tried), wouldn't be tested on animals, wouldn't contain sulphates or parabens and would be hypo-allergenic- I'm not asking much haha!

If any company were ever going to do something this 'out there' with colour and scent, I think it would be

Lush, as their products are always so vibrant and brave.

Obviously this is a made up product so until we invent cameras which look inside my head then I can't post a picture, but fortunately, weheartit.com has come to the rescue! Huzzah!

What would your dream product be?

Toodlepip!

xx