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Monday 31 December 2012

Happy 2013


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Another year, another fresh start, another clean slate. I'm excited. 

I hope that 2012 has been all that you hoped it to be this time last year and that 2013 will be even better.



If you read THIS post, you will see I have a lot of things I want to do and achieve this year and I'm really looking forward to sharing a lot of them with you.

I'm so glad I have you lovely lot in my life. I really am.

Happy New Year to each and every one of you.

xx

Saturday 29 December 2012

A New Year, A New Me?


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

As 2012 draws to a close, I find myself thinking about 2013. What I want to achieve, what changes I want to make and what I want to amend.

If you follow me on twitter, you may have heard, but this week has been pretty poopsicles. I've been suffering with a severe kidney infection which involved a hospital visit, days of bed rest and a LOT of drinking water! Yikes! Slowly but surely I'm feeling on the mend again so I thought I might take this opportunity to talk about New Years Resolutions.

I make them every single year. I feel excited for them every single year. I break them every single year. And yet, for some reason, here I am excitedly making more.

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 (Image :: weheartit.com)

In 2013 I Will ::


Stress Less. As 2012 ticked by, I found myself becoming increasingly anxious about things I didn't need to be worrying over. Little things like having absolutely perfect lighting for videos or replying to as many facebook comments as possible were really weighing on me. When I first realised I could making blogging/vlogging my 'job', I thought it was perfect for 2 reasons. The first being that I could spend 100% of my time with Baby Glitter and the second being the freedom it allowed me. By stressing about every tiny thing, I realise I was removing any of that freedom and making it a really unpleasant experience for myself. In 2013, I'm not going to allow that to happen. If I don't manage to do things, so be it. If my lighting, editing, spelling etc is a little off, then oh well. I never began this journey being perfect and I certainly won't end it that way so I may as well enjoy the happy medium of things. It's going to be a little more old school from now on and I for one can't wait!

Write more beauty reviews on my lovely little blog. I went off writing them last year because I think I had a bit of a crisis of confidence, but 2013 will be the year I spring back with beauty posts galore, just like the golden olden days.

Drink more water. Given the fact that I was hospitalised this week with a water related issue, I think that indicated I need to hydrate myself a LOT more! As well as fending off kidney infections, drinking plenty of water makes you skin, nails and hair happy too.

Make quality Mummy-Darcy time. With life getting as busy as it is, I feel like I don't ever just down tools and play. In 2013 I want to spend proper one on one time with Baby Glitter every single day. Her tiny childhood years won't last forever and I want to cherish every moment of them. 

Loose a stone. It's a classic. No NYR is complete without the old 'loose some weight' one. If I do, hurrah! If I don't, meh. 

Edit Less. Since I learnt how to edit this summer, I've got a bit cut and snip happy! I used to quite enjoy rambling on to the camera for ages about nothing in particular but after a while I thought people might find that quite boring and maybe I should be a bit more like other girls and make shorter more to the point videos. I've decided to find a happy medium. I'm going to do some concise, swishly edited videos and some like ye olden days. That way, you're happy, I'm happy, everyone's happy! Good plan?

Travel. As you may have seen from my three years of blogging, we don't really go on holidays. This year, in October, Matt, Darcy and I plan on going on the holiday of a lifetime to Florida!!! I can't even tell you how much this THRILLS me!! Matt and Darcy have never been to any of the theme parks out there so half the fun for me will be seeing them enjoy it all. We'll hopefully be going with my Dad, his Partner (who is a woman- I said 'partner' in a video recently and had 'good on him for being gay' comments! haha), her 2 children and my sister, so it will be a big family affair and should be amazing!! I'm also hoping to go away with Zoe at some point this year too (maybe Vidcon woop woop) so I best start saving my pennies!!

Decorate. You know when you have six hundred and fifty three frames and ornaments and clocks and things to hang up but you just never do? Well I'm going to!! 

Thrift. I'm taking a leaf out of Mrs Thrifty's book and I'm going to hit the charity shops, car boot sales and jumbles to see what treasures I can find. I'm on the hunt for decorative mirrors (that I promise myself I will hang up immediately), coloured glassware, good condition toys & clothes, books and jewels. Keep your eyes peeled for charity shop hauls!

Well, that's quite a lot to do there, but all positives and all achievable. 

Do you have any resolutions? Have you ever stuck to them for the entire year? If you have, well done!!!

Let me know in the comments and we can jolly each other along a bit!

Toodlepip!

xx

Sunday 23 December 2012

Happy Holidays Sprinklerinos


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

This is a little post from me to say a huge and happy MERRY CHRISTMAS!

<3 never to many ornaments for a tree

I won't stay long because I have dinner in the oven but I wanted to let you know that I will be taking a little bit of time off from blogging. Not very long, a week or so, but I need a rest and want to more spend time looking at my gorgeous family and less time at my laptop screen.

Considering it's Christmas, I don't think you'll miss me- not whilst there are turkeys to be eaten, gifts to be unwrapped and TV to be watched.

I'll be back in the New Year with fresh motivation, tonnes of beauty reviews and a bit more structure to this little slice of the web- hooray!

Until then, Seasons Greetings oh lovely and wonderful Sprinklerinos! May all your festive wishes come true and may you have a wonderful, magical Christmas.

Lots of Love,

Louise

xxxxxxxx

Saturday 22 December 2012

Happy Birthday Mrs Thrifty!!


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Following on from yesterday's somewhat sombre blog post, I thought it would be nice to put a little pep back in our step and CELEBRATE!

Today, my dear friend El (aka AThriftyMrs) is having a very special birthday- a brand new number! I won't say which one because a lady never tells, but it's a good'un none the less.

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(Image :: weheartit.com)

Thrifty is a good egg. She has battled through more than most and still has the time of day for my piffling phone calls and ridiculous heytell messages. She has the driest sense of humour I've ever come across, an open mind to explore so many fun things in life and a good kind heart. I love her a lotta bit.

I know the term 'internet friend' has a seedy sigma attached, but I am glad every day that I found this amazing lady through the internet and that she allowed me into her life. 

So my thrifty little chum, I hope today is brilliant. I hope this year of your life brings you all the good things your strive for, that Mr Thrifty spoils you rotten and that you have a windfall of utility china in your local charity shop for a mere seven pence!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

If you would like to find out more about my internet friend, or even better, wish her Happy Birthday yourselves, you can find her places (ooer) below (ooer again).


xxxxxxx

Toodlepip!

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE


Thursday 20 December 2012

Twenty on the Twentieth


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Yes, it's that day again. The anniversary of my Mum's death. The 20th to be precise. Twenty whole years. Two decades. Almost 3/4 of my entire life. Woah that's a lot. 

I want it to be known that I'm not writing this to gain your sympathy or to be all woe is me. I'm writing this because I like to mark these things. Being a bit weird and anal and not missing these sorts of days brings me an odd sense of calm.



Twenty years is such a long time, a long enough time to get over something. It's long enough for my Dad to re-marry, my Aunties to form better bonds with their other sisters and for my Mum's friend's to loose touch. Occasionally one of them will bring her up in a conversation or make reference to her, but I feel like if I encourage this and really think properly about the loss I feel on a day to day basis, that I'll spiral into a terribly dark hole and not climb out again. I suppose you could call that normal grief but I'm not prepared to wallow in it or spend vasts amount of time feeling it, so back under the rug it goes. How very healthy.

On days like this I always talk about the lovely woman my Mum was. I always try and portray that even though people always say passed away relatives were special, she really was. She was the type that would lend a hand whenever it was needed (seriously, once a bus crashed by our house and before the emergency services arrived, mum had gotten most the passengers off the bus and laid them in our house. Our carpets were ruined with blood but she was given an award from the regional police), laugh when everyone needed a pick-me-up and make even the lowest people feel up again.

She had a steely determination and a wicked sense of humour. When we moved to Northampton, my Mum wanted an older house with character and era appropriate features. My Dad wanted a modern new build full of gadgets and mod-cons. As usual, my Dad won, but just to make her point, Mum filled it to the new build rafters with victorian-esque furniture and dark wood. It was rather a strange mix but demonstrated her, 'Ha! Take That'-ness to a tee.

I miss her everyday. Twenty years is such a long time to think about someone every single day. Sometimes I just see something that reminds me of her, or hear someone shout, 'Jane' and I look round. Other times I feel overwhelmed with heavy sadness, like a cloud passing over a mountain top until it's invisible and feel like I can't take another step forward. 

I was in Euston station a few weeks ago, standing on the forcourt waiting for my train's platform to be announced. I was standing there after a really productive day and I thought to myself, 'I would love to ring Mum and tell her the things I have accomplished today and tell her how proud of myself I am'. And then it hit me. It doesn't matter that I did something really well or clever that day. The last time we had contact I was a child. I was in lower school and my biggest worry was having my bookbag ready for the next day. She would never know that I grew up, started doing things on my own, take myself off to big cities, having meetings with interesting people and sustain my little life. She never saw me pack my own bookbag.

There will always be the people who say, 'I'm sure she's looking down on you'. I'm sure she is too but to be very brutal, it brings me little to no comfort and I think the people who say it feel obliged to say something comforting- I do it myself to people in the same positions! One day I'll say to them, 'Yeah, it's really shitty and I feel for you. I wish I could take the ache away but I can't. I'm sorry' and be done with it. Seems a little harsh though doesn't it?

It's raining today and I told myself I would go to the cemetery to say Hello and lay some flowers. I say this every year and never manage it. It makes me so angry to have to go to a florist to choose the nicest flowers I can find, knowing all I'm going to do is lay them on a bit of grass that has my own mother's bones beneath it. It shouldn't be. Flowers should be in vases, being adored or cherished or photographed (that's the blogger in me). I hate that my flowers have to say, 'I'm sad you're dead but to show how much I care I spent the most I could on flowers that I'll put by your headstone and leave there until the grave keeper comes and removes them and chucks them in a skip, but I love you'. It's not right.

When I get to the cemetery I freak out. I have a phobia of ghosts (don't laugh), so for me, a graveyard is horrific. I get there, park and think, 'Just get out the car and go'. The problem is, to get to her site I have to walk past about 70 other headstones. It's always eerily quiet. You might call it peaceful but I find it unnerving. On top of that, I have this fear that when I get there, I'll cry. Obviously, crying is fine and good for you and a release, but I fear that if I cry there I'll never stop. I'll just sit on the ground feeling angry that rather than looking at my Mum's lovely healthy face, I'm looking at a piece of marble with her name etched into it. It reminds me of her in hospital looking grey and with a turban on to hide the fact that her beautiful hair had all gone. It reminds me that she had hoped so desperately to have a private nurse look after her at home for just one day at Christmas so we could have those memories and that it never happened. It reminds me that I never got to say a proper goodbye and that now I'm sat, 20 years older with a Daughter of my own and I'm starring at a piece of cold marble and wondering how I will ever overcome this. 

I wont. 

I will just learn to live with a Mum shaped hole in my life and will get on. 

I'm going to mark today, acknowledge it and accept it as being totally shit. Then tomorrow, I will get up, put on nice makeup and be glad it's nearly Christmas and that I'm healthy and that I have a great Husband and Daughter and family and amazing friends. Two of my friends actually offered to come with me to the grave (knowing my fear of ghosts) and I was incredibly touched. If you're reading, 'tang'. :)

If you have a Mum, go and tell her what she means to you, or just give her the hug I'd like to give mine.

x

Diana Jane Pentland 1955-1992

x

PS- This post has not been re-read through or spell checked. I just wrote it as I thought it and that will do. I may well take it down in a few days, but it was therapeutic to pour it all out onto paper (screen). 

Amazing Advertisers & SALE || December


Aloha Sprinklerinos, 

Oohhhh, it's Christmas! Since it is the time of festive joy and jingle bells, I'm having my first ever Advertiser Sale!

I am offering 20% off ALL advertising packages from now until Christmas Day. All you need to do is enter the promo code FESTIVEGLITTER20 at the til when you book. Hurrah for sales!! 




If you would like to advertise on this blog (you can feature your blog, handmade business or youtube channel), click HERE for more information and details. Spaces are filling up fast and there are only limited spots. Sorry!


If you love all things gorgeous and homey, then I think you'll like this blog. Racheal shares lovely posts and fantastic pictures (often starring the most beautiful woofy friend) about her life, thoughts and day to days. It's like cosying up by a warm fire in blog form. Go and roast your totsies!


You know when something just tickles you and you can't help but smile? That's how I felt about Alexandra's 'Life Reciepe'. It is very witty and realistic (I certainly felt I could relate to it) and definitely something you should have a read of.  There are also giveaways, chats and pinterest festivities. Everyone's a winner!


I've known Stephanie for years (thanks to a rather smashing blog event where I was billy-no-mates and she very kindly chatted to me!) and have loved watching her blog grow and develop. Primarily a fashion/OOTD style site, Stephanie Dreams is also sprinkled with lifey posts, beautiful photos and blog event write-ups. Why this blog doesn't have more followers I do not know. Let's get her to 2000.


Tasha writes a blog reviewing beauty products, providing really cool nail tutorials (like cupcakes?) and also featuring some of her 'get ready with me' style videos. What I have enjoyed most about Tasha's blog though is the 'and that's who I am feature', which she is running every weekend. The idea is to give us a little more insight into who she is but it's the imagery that pleases me the most- I too am a 'night blogger' with a penchant for twinkle lights. :) .


Emilly has advertised on Sprinkle of Glitter for quite some time now and it has been lovely to have her. Her blog is professional, uncluttered and full of posts from a variety of genres. As the name would suggest, this blog is about everything that Emily Hearts, with a few guest posts thrown in for good measure. Also, Emily has just been proposed to. Can we all say, 'Awwee'? :)

Katie's blog is a lovely site documenting her outfits of the day (OOTD in case you're unfamiliar) and a little bit about her life, thoughts and moods to accompany it. All the photos are clear, unflustered (so you can very clearly see the clothing pieces), well lit so the colours look correct and we are also provided with close ups. A very, very good fashion blog. You'll feel inspired.


I've said it before and I'll say it again. I bloomin' well love this blog. Don't sit here listening to me tell you about it, just go and look at it now!! To summarise (in case you are still reading) : Amazing tips, ideas, beautiful photos, well written, cosy, happy, GO AND READ IT. 


Brace yourselves, we have a boy blogger! A Sprinkle of Glitter first! Tom writes about all that interests him, as well as having a YouTube Channel too. Despite being poorly this month (I know that feeling far too well), Tom has put up some lovely posts with gorgeous photos to boot. If you would like to read a well written blog that is different to the usual girlie kinds (although fabulous too), then you'll really love Daydream in Blue. 

Stacie is currently waiting for a heart and lung transplant due to suffering from Pulmonary Hypertension. Her blog is a documentation of her highs and lows, thoughts and feelings. I love having a window into Stacie's life and seeing all the fun things she does. Also, I was really glad she went to her Christmas Do. You go girlfriend! *Clicks fingers about with sass*

Ellen has a small deer in her banner. Do I need to go further than that? Really? OK. This blog is oh so pretty, oh so helpful and oh so addictive. Please go and look immediately! Also, Ellen has launched a new site to sell her blog design services so that might be of interest to you too. 

Laura is our only YouTuber this month and is advertising her channel. Laura makes beauty and fashion videos galore! There are hauls, OOTD's, storage ideas and tags. If you are a watcher rather than a reader, you may well enjoy her chatty little slice of the web. Yay!


Paige's blog is a very pink, very girlie place that she can share her love of all things beauty with us. Just like me, Paige is a total Lush-aholic and has shared with us her thoughts on the products she has tried. Paige also has a YouTube channel which you can find linked in her perfectly pink blog. :) 

And that's all folks.

I hope you feel that you have learnt a little more about the gals and guys down the sidebar and I look forward to another month of fabulous new reads.

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Friday 14 December 2012

Winter Mini Happies 2012


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It has been a running theme throughout the lifetime of this blog, but something I like to talk about are my Mini Happies. 

Mini Happies are the little tiny things that make you smile and put a bit of pep in your step, and I like to make a big thing out of them. It is natural that we crave huge, enormous, crazy amazing things in our lives, but I truly believe that it is the little things that make life special and feel it would be a shame not to give them the honour they deserve.

Photo: Jack Frost has been again ❄⛄❄ Ohhhhh I do love this instagram malarky! Follow me @Sprinkleofglitr
(Taken from my Instagram album on FACEBOOK)

My Winter Mini Happies

* Good TV. I don't know about you but I think TV has picked up a bit recently. I'm not usually a tele watcher (what with my terrible internet addiction), but with programmes like An Idiot Abroad 3, Kirsty's Vintage Home and Supersize Earth, I've been quite enjoying what's on the box.

* Frost Mornings. It really pleases me to go downstairs in the mornings and see the garden and fence and shed and washing line covered in sparkling white frost. It's nature's glitter.

* Veggies. Yep, I did just say vegetables. I made a conscious effort a few weeks ago to eat more of them and now I have found if I don't have some every day that I crave them. Hooray for nutrition!

* London. I have been to London for various things a few times lately and really enjoyed every trip. I'm not sure if it's because I was with good friends or because I was doing exciting things, but either way, it made me really happy. 

* Skype. The online communication software (fancy) is my portal to the world sometimes. It allows me to chat away to friends and family for free and gives my brain a bit of a break from real life. Lovely.

* Decorations. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing people's Christmas lights in their front windows or opening freshly delivered Christmas cards. I'm so looking forward to Christmas (although, still not as hyped up as usual. Very odd!). 

* Good News. A couple of my friends who so desperately needed it have had good news this month. Whether it's improved finances, new arrivals or being in good relationships, I'm happy their world's are oh-so-bright for them. Warm fuzzies all round. 

Photo: Poorly but loving (and insisting on her accessories haha) x Ohhhhh I do love this instagram malarky! Follow me @Sprinkleofglitr
(Taken from my Instagram album on FACEBOOK)


* Darcy. Saving the best til last, my little lovebug, Baby Glitter. She does far too many cute things to put in a list without making you all sick, but, the baby babble in particular has melted my heart. "Spish spash' for bath and 'Haaaart' for heart (when pointing to body parts) and 'Nortnortey' for naughty, are all words I never tire of hearing in her sweet voice. 

I would love to hear what your Mini Happies are because they spread the joy and make the world a better place. Power to the people and all that jazz haha!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Creative Christmas Wrapping


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

If you follow me on YouTube then this might not be news to you but I know some of you are strictly the reading sort, so I'm sharing here too. Sharing's caring after all!

I recently made a couple of videos about Christmas wrapping - things I used, styles I make, bits and bobs I like etc. I was really pleased at how well they were received and have been having a lorra lorra messages asking where certain things were bought from. 

A great deal of my wrapping products were either pieces I had floating about already or from Marks and Spencer. I must say, I bought from M&S because I was there and I was in a rush. It definitely was not the most purse friendly option!! 



I decided it might be a good idea to source some wrapping essentials and luxuries for you and for most of this, I turned to my old pal, ebay! Ebay is a treasure trove of everything you could ever need to make your gifts beautiful this year.


Christmas Craft Supplies :




Christmas Double Satin Ribbon for 99p to wrap round your paper. 

You could attach some of these little Silver Jingle Bells (£2.30 for 70) to your ribbon to add a bit of festive glamour.

Making pompoms like I did? This seller has balls of every colour (tehe) for only £1.49.

Lace (99p) is perfect for little girls or ladies gifts.

If you want to add something a little cute, why not try this Mini Reindeer Stamp Cutter for £2.25?

And of course, SELLOTAPE and Rainbow Star Confetti!


--------------------------------------------

I hope this post was helpful to those of you who have asked or for you crafty Sprinklerinos that are going all out this holiday season!

If you are on Pinterest and have a Christmas board like mine, feel free to use the image below to pin. Pinning is winning! Haha! Feel free to leave your Pinterest name in the comments so that we can all follow each other too.



If you would like more of these 'Source my supplies' style posts, let me know!

Toodlepip!

xx


This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.  

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Winter Beauty Treats


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

You may have noticed that over the last few weeks there haven't been a great deal of beauty related posts on this blog. The reason for this is fairly simple- I haven't been trying a lot of new products or buying tonnes of new things. I've declined quite a few pr samples on the basis that I have so much makeup that it would be a waste for me to accept more and I have felt that to force myself to write a review would be a little fake.

It's not that I'll never do beauty things again (I've still enjoyed making quite a few beauty related videos on my YouTube Channel) but I've just found that over the last few weeks I have been focusing on a lot more family and lifestyle type of things. I hope you don't mind. This blog is sort of like an extension of my mind and feelings, so if you see a lot of reviews, you know I'm going beauty crazy, and if you see a lot of family posts, you can tell I've been watching too much '19 Kids and Counting' hahaha. 

Saying all that, last week whilst I was running some errands, I popped into Boots and treated myself.



Like a moth to a flame I simply could not let these two beautiful bottles of glittering nail polish stay on the shelf. They had to be mine.

I bought 'Jack Frost' from the Wonderland collection 'Freak Out' from the Mirror Ball collection, both £5 each. I suppose you could say that £10 is quite a splurge for 2 nail polishes but have you seen the sparkle?! Oh my oh my!! I adore the mermaidy blue, purple and green colours in Freak Out and the iridescent blue in Jack Frost was far too wintery and lovely for me to walk away from. They are like liquid magic. Beautiful.

I have worn both of these over a muted grey tone and quite enjoyed the wintery effect. I think I'd like to try them over a black or navy and when that happens, I'll take a sneaky picture and give you a NOTD post- it's been a while since one of those. 

I have also been absolutely loving scented candles this month. I am incredibly fussy when it comes to scent because I am prone to headaches but I have now burnt several Neom candles and have always been so impressed with them. I have particularly loved Invigorate from THIS set. The scent is strong but not overpowering and it leaves a lovely lingering fragrance long after it has been blown out. Also, since they come in such lovely little glass jars, when the candle has burnt down, I save and wash them and use them to hold hair accessories. Upcycling at it's best! 

This year I am struggling to feel as festive as usual so over the next few days you are going to see a lot of CHRISTMASNESS (real word there) from me to evoke my yuletide joy, so prepare yourself for that!

What have you been treating yourself to this winter? Do you have any hollyjolly blog post requests? I'm all ears!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.    

Friday 7 December 2012

Feel Good Friday


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It's Frrriiiddaaayy!! The start of a weekend, the end of early starts (for some!) and one day closer to Christmas! Ooohh yyeaaahhhh!!

In order to help you unwind, clear your head and reflect on the weeks you've had, I picked out a few of my favourite inspirational typography images for you to enjoy. I really enjoyed searching through Pinterest to find these and think I might make a bit of a feature of it. 

Don't forget :)

I am definitely guilty of this one. All too easily I see what other people have and get grabbygreedyguts for it. This has reminded me to look at what I do have and be jolly well glad for it.

comparison

In keeping with the first image, this has become something of a mantra to me ever since I saw it. Clever old Roosevelt.

Steve Martin

I liked this. I like the idea of being excessively good and shining. Let's all try it. 

What mantras make you happy? Share them in the comments below.

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE.  

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Tips for My Teenage Self


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Luckily, my teenage years are firmly in the past, but every now and then I look back on them and think about things I would have done differently or the mistakes I made or the bad judgement calls I took.

My darling sister is now walking down adolescent alley and I find myself offering advice (wanted or unwanted haha) at every opportunity.

(My lovely little sister)

If I could board a time machine and visit 16 year old Louise, there are a few things I'd tell her.

Advice To My 16 Year Old Self


1. It's OK not to be liked by every single person. Obviously, there were girls in my school that didn't like me. Throughout my entire school life this upset me. I felt like I had failed in some way. It never occured to me that nobody can please everybody and that there will always be someone who doesn't take to you. You're not a bad person, you haven't failed, the people that don't like you aren't bad people. It's just life and it's normal and it's fine. Relax.

2. GHDs will soon be invented so hang on in there. Naturally, my hair is a frizzy triangle mop. We have a love hate relationship. Throughout my teen years I had to tame my locks with a babyliss steam straightener (remember those?!) OR do that oh-so-sexy slicked back to all buggery style. Thankfully, at 17-18, GHD's came in and my hair was saved!!

3. Take the good and ignore the bad. I had a very turbulent relationship with my Father as I grew up and often our house would be a very unpleasant place to live. I would feel angry and upset about this for the majority of the time but I wish I had let a lot of those negative emotions go. I wish I had had the maturity to enjoy my Father's good moods and ignore his bad ones. If I could go back, I would take a 'that's your problem, not mine' stance.

4. Work hard at school. Although my job has little to do with the things I studied, I definitely didn't reach my full potential and it's entirely my own fault. I was far too preoccupied with socialising and messing about to do my homework or take a real interest. I'd say to teen Louise, 'Stop shillyshallying around and focus on your books, if you don't, you'll regret it when you're in your mid twenties and have no idea what the difference between hard and soft water is or struggle to work out with the price of something with 20% off!!".

5. Enjoy being young. I'm not old now but I certainly didn't appreciate my early youth whilst I was in it. I was always in a rush to do the next thing (driving lessons, dancing in bars, going to uni, having a boyfriend, moving out etc) that I don't think I stopped to relish what I was doing enough. If I were able to go back I would just enjoy a time of cinema trips with pals, long lay ins and pocket money!

The more I think about it, the more I would change (those boot cut stretchy black trousers with a pale pink angora jumper for one) but a) you have lives to lead and b) I have a feeling that you're supposed to make those mistakes in your teens to allow you to grow into adulthood. 

I'll check back in ten years and let you know what I would have done better in my twenties!

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Friday 30 November 2012

MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher | Review


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

For the majority of my makeup wearing life I have been a bronzer girl. I love to bronze, highlight, shimmer, contour, the lot. With naturally red skin, I hid away from products that promised flushed cheeked and rosey glows and stuck to what I knew.

What a silly billy I was.


After a recent I-Can-Wear-Blusher discovery, I added two MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blushers to my collection and have been so impressed with their quality.


With an affordable price tag of £2 and 4 different shades to choose from, I think these could be a makeup bag staple.

I found them to have good, buildable pigmentation, easy to blend properties and they lasted a satisfactory amount of time. Obviously the likes of MAC and Illamasqua are going to outshine these in the quality stakes, but for £2 a piece, these blushers were above and beyond my expectations.


I really liked that you could apply a few layers to have quite a strong look, or simple apply a tiny bit for a fresh flush. I was also pleased that the cream blusher worked well with my fingers, for when you don't have a brush to hand.

The packaging is sweet and the clear hinged lid allows you to see exactly what shade you are picking up. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the shade have names. I'm a huge fan of their budget £1 lipsticks but wish, wish, wish that they would give them pretty names. 'Shade 13' is just so uninspiring, no matter how amazing the colour is.

Overall, I don't have anything bad to say about these little gems and suggest you give them a swatch next time you are in your local Superdrug.

Have you tried these before? Are you a fan of MUA? I know I am!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Thursday 29 November 2012

Sensory Play Ideas


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

During the day, Baby Glitter and I run our usual errands, do the housework and play. It's a very charmed life. 

She is a very lucky girl and has so many toys, but from time to time, I make a special effort to bring out some new things that will challenge her slightly and aid her development somewhat.

I've read a fair bit about 'sensory play' and decided to make my own sensory play activity to challenge her little bambino brain. It was super easy peasy so I thought I would share it with you in case you have or care for little ones yourself. If you don't have tots yourself, feel free to share this with your YummyMummy pals!



How To Make A Sensory Play Tray


Rice :: In a ziplock bag, pour dry rice and a few drops of food colouring (we chose pink). Shake really well and leave on a plate to air and dry. We left ours a good couple of days, but I don't think you'd need that long.

Pasta :: A few dry shells in interesting shapes are something new for little hands to feel and touch. 

Glitter :: Since our tray was black, glitter showed up amazingly and was a lovely addition. It also has a very fine texture which Baby Glitter doesn't feel too often so she really enjoyed the new experience.

Water Balls :: These little things are amazing! You pour the tiny little beads/seeds into a cup, add water, leave to rest and voila! The beads soak up the water and swell into squidgy, mess free balls that are ideal for discovering hands. Darcy absolutely loved them! You can buy them HERE for 50p per packet with free postage- bargain!

Arrange all your elements on the tray and sit with your tot, talking about the different textures, colours, feelings etc. After a while Baby Glitter became adventurous and started to mix them up a bit and it was sweet to see her enjoying it all so much! 

When you are finished, either salvage things, recycle or throw away- simples!

It is really important to give 100% supervision to this sort of play as the little parts are not to be eaten and glitter can look very enticing.

I love spending time with Darcy in this way because I feel like she learns so much from it and we get to explore new things together. She's such a gem!

I'd love to know if you have done this before and what things you put on your tray. Are you a sensory play wizz?

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Wednesday 28 November 2012

Hello, My Name is SprinkleofGlitter


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

We haven't been spending much time together this last few weeks because I have been focusing on family, Mummyhood, my YouTube channel and preparing for Christmas. Yay!

Since it's been a while and since I seem to be in lots of places on the interwebs these days, I thought it might be handy to write a post with links to every single place in Glitter Land and also say 'Aloha' to recent newcomers.

If you are a new reader, HELLO! It's lovely to see you here. This is a blog of happiness, beauty, baby and fun interactive posts that you can all be a part of. It's a very friendly community of supportive people who love beauty and enjoy to read about family issues and all things girlie. The comment section is always a nice place to be so feel free to chat to other Sprinklerinos in there, and if you ever have any blog post requests, fee free to tweet me.

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(organised. Image :: weheartit.com)

Places You Can Find Sprinkle of Glitter



Twitter is always the best place to ask me a quick question or have a quick chat. By nature it is short and sweet and this allows me to speed read everything and reply where appropriate. I am a fiend for this site. I check it multiple times a day, favourite cute things, look at your twitpics and links and also send my instagram snaps through to it. 


This is where I have been spending most of my time. I have a new system where I try to upload videos on a Sunday and a Wednesday (I'm finally being a touch more organised) as well as the occasional bonus one here and there. I make videos primarily about beauty products, but from time to time I throw in a fun, silly or baby related one. Variety is the spice of life after all. 


This is a new(ish) channel that I use to upload follow-me-around style vlogs. The camera quality isn't as sharp as my main channel but it's a totally different type of video so if you are (like me) a little nosey, you might enjoy it. It's lifey. 


My facebook page is a good place to stay up to date with things going on in Glitter world and I share a lot of my favourite sites, blogs and shops on their. I also find that I can be a bit more chatty because I'm not restricted to 140 characters (like Twitter) and I feel like it has a good community spirit. I look on Facebook about once a day.


I'm quite new to Tumblr. I started it a couple of months ago when I discovered that a few people had made GIFs of my videos and thought they were cool. Tumblr seems to be a bit like Pinterest in that you can 'reblog' things and comment on other people's media. My Tumblr page is pretty vain because I reblog a lot of cool things Sprinklerinos make for me- I'm very lucky!! I also reblog friends things and items that just make me smile. I check my Tumblr account about 3 times a day. 

Instagram - 'Sprinkleofglitr'

If you've been reading this blog long, you'll know I am an instagramaholic! I love, love, love the image sharing app and really feel for folk who can't access it on their particular model of phone. If you can't (or don't want to) follow me on the app itself, all images are linked through to my Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, so you're not missing out. I update my instagram every day.


Pinterest is my guilty pleasure. Every night after a long day, I flick through, pinning inspirational, motivational or just pretty images and feel all the better for it. Many a midnight project has stemmed from that site (some better than others I must say!) 


So that's everywhere that Sprinkle of Glitter is. I do also have a shop with my chum Zoe which is linked above in the tabs and an email address, but that is more of a business account and if you were wanting to get in touch, some of the options above would be your best bet!

I have lots of posts coming up so I hope this has been a useful one for you, just to get us reacquainted and to get me back into the swing of things!

I hope you have had super Novembers and are looking forward to December! Who's bought an advent calendar?

Toodlepip!!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is 21st Serendipity . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE


Saturday 24 November 2012

Amazing Advertisers || November


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It's that time again. Time to talk about the lovely Sprinklerinos who are sharing their blogs with you this month as Amazing Advertisers.

You may have noticed I have been a little absent of late on this here blog. There has been a lot of 'real life' (good) stuff going on, which have kept me very busy. I try to be as regular as possible with my posts but ultimately, my lifey life comes first and my fun blog life second. Saying all that, I have a lot of fun stuff lined up for December so it's going to be crazy busy round this part of the world- yay!

If you would like to advertise on this blog (you can feature your blog, handmade business or youtube channel), click HERE for more information and details. Spaces are filling up fast and there are only limited spots. Sorry!

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(Image :: weheartit.com)

Still Blushful

Victoria is  our blogger from the other side of the planet- Australia! Her blog is jam packed with all things beauty. If you are a fan of reviews, wishlists, magazine style 'get the looks' and swatches then I think you'll enjoy this one. I particularly like how Victoria shows the products on her face so 

Fash-ling

Fash-ling has been my Ultimate advertiser this month and in a nutshell, it makes me what to up it in the style stakes. This is one seriously stylish lady and she puts my leggings and dress combo to utter shame. Her pictures are pretty, the posts varied and the layout fresh. If you are a lover of clothes, shoes, bags, things to adorn your body, you will be a lover of this blog. Loverrrrr.

Secret Diary of A Fashion Journalist

Oh hello old friend. Laura has advertised on Sprinkle of Glitter many a time and I'm always so glad to have her back. This is a blog of beauty, fashion hauls, reviews and a lot of personality thrown in too. I really enjoyed this month her post about miniatures. I'm a huuuge fan of all things teenyweeny and to see she is a Batiste fan too really sealed the deal. Woop woop!

Talk Ffashion

If you are completely clothes obsessed, this is a blog you'll want bookmarked. It is the day to day documentation of a gal who works in and studies all things fashion. This blog is well laid out with excellent photographs and detailed images of the garments up close. Regularly updated and well written, you're gonna love it!

PaigeyPumpkin

Ello ello, what do we have here? Only a fellow Lush Lover! Yippee! This blog is full of reviews, wishlists, hauls and giveaway info. I love that the posts are updated regularly and the tone of the writing is so chipper. I like to read happy happy things! If you are after some girlie reviews in a very pink setting then you might just like this blog :). 

Angel's Corner

Angel's Blog is a lovely slice of the internet. A wife living in Dubai allows us to have little sneak peaks into her days, loves and family. This month she has shared a couple of cute DIY iPhone case ideas which you might like to check out if you are the arty type! 

Made Up of Little Things

Rachael's blog melts my heart a little bit. It's everything I want in a lifestyle blog and it makes me want to do everything featured in it. I didn't even know I wanted to go to Scotland until I read this, haha. I was really touched by Rachael's post about her Mama-in-Heaven and wished that our family had similar heart touching traditions. If you want to snuggle up to a warm cosy, this is the blog for you.

Life is Worth the Fight

Stacie is a lady on a mission. Stacie is currently waiting for a heart and lung transplant her blog focuses on her life dealing with Pulmonary Hypertension, her thoughts and feelings throughout the journey and a few other lifey bits along the way- oh hello giant Twilight fan! This blog has really educated me about a topic I before new nothing off, so I'm very grateful and am sure you would be too.

AmandaMuse

AmandaMuse is the first ever YouTube channel to advertise on Sprinkle of Glitter and I'm thrilled to have her. A YummyMummyVlogger, this glamorous expat talks about beauty, mummyhood and even offers baby jungle survival tips. The videos are well edited and shot with a high quality camera. I have already subscribed and hope you take a moment or two to relax through some of these great videos. 

J'aime Ombre

This blog is very mysterious and confusing to me. I shall say no more and let you see for yourselves. 

Daydream In Blue






Like many of the blogs that advertise with Sprinkle of Glitter, this is a fantastic place for reviews, hauls and beauty advice. What struck me most about this blog however was the post written on the 6th of this month about body confidence. This is an issue I have been thinking about a lot lately and I thought it was so refreshing to hear from someone who, over time, has become comfortable in their own skin and able to see that thin/fat/short/tall doesn't mean good/bad but it just is. It's just a size. If you'd like to be inspired, hop on over and give it a gander. 

A Product Junkie

Ellen Hannah is a genius. Every year I struggle for decent presents for Matt and my Dad and every year I end up feeling a bit sub standard. Ellen Hannah has recently written a brilliant Men's Gift Guide (inspiring me to write my own next week) and also solved a few gift situations for me too! On a less everyone-g-mad-it's-Christmas note, her blog is beautifully designed and full of many a girlie and beauty whimsy.

As I said above, if you would like to advertise on this blog (you can feature your blog, handmade business or youtube channel), click HERE for more information and details. Spaces are filling up fast and there are only limited spots. Sorry!

Toodlepip!

xx

Saturday 10 November 2012

Festive Traditions | Christmas Love



Aloha Sprinklerinos,

In my Christmas obsessed mind, the minute Bonfire Night is over, I can go 100% crazy for tinsel, cards and fairy lights. If I'm totally honest, I've been thinking about them since September, but once November the 6th rolls round, I feel like I have a full festive license. 

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(Image :: weheartit.com) 

I've always been one for Christmas. I love the magic and the warmth of it all. I love the way family comes together, and the traditions that are upheld. When I was younger, my family life was pretty up and down to say the least, and so I never spent Christmas in one place or had any notable traditions, I just slotted in with whoever's house I was at and celebrated their way.

Now that I have my own family (and my wider family is a lot more settled and happy), I enjoy making new traditions that we can honour each year and embed into our yuletide memories. Since Matt and I have been together for many years now and this will be our 2nd Christmas with Baby Glitter, I thought I would share some of the ones we already have, and some that we are going to put into action this season.

Tumblr_ltnjdceol61r4sf5wo1_500_large (Image :: weheartit.com)   

 

Old Christmas Traditions

Decor. Buying Baby Glitter a new tree decoration each year. There's never a theme, just one that we think is beautiful. Then, when she leaves home as a grown up lady, we'll give her them all and she'll have a ready made set for her own tree, full of meaning and sentiment.

Films and Party food. Matt and I get a bit giddy over miniature party food. You know the type- mini pizzas, mini quiche, mini hotdogs, mini samosas etc. Since it's the season of indulgence, we take ourselves off to the supermarket, buy a couple of boxes of party food, pick a film and then sit with only the fairy lights on (Darcy is in bed by now), eating our party food and watching a film. High on calories, low on disappointment!

Parties. If there is a Christmas Party to go to, I'm there! I'm like a magnet to them. My favourite thing for them isn't actually the being there, but the prep. I like to make platters of food to take and pick something glitzy to wear and then step out into the cold air and feel excited for the evening. In my books, it's a pretty magical feeling.

Baking. Every year I have grand plans that I will be a total domestic goddess and bake treats for all the family. Every year it fails miserably in and every year I cry, then laugh about it. I doubt this year will be any different!

Carol Service. The church our family goes to is wonderful all year round, but at Christmas it is extra special. The service is so popular that you usually need to arrive about an hour before-hand just to secure a seat. It's lit up with twinkle lights and the smell of hot mince pies drift round whilst children dressed as angels run about gleefully. I love it. Last year Baby Glitter was a bit too tiny to dress up, but this year I can't wait to see her in fluffy white wings and a halo.

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(Image :: weheartit.com)  
 

New Christmas Traditions


I'm going to stick to just three so that we can really focus on them and not get too lost.

A good deed. This year I feel like I have really ingratiated myself into our local community. I know my neighbours, I'm friends with the local playgroups, I like my hair salon, the man at the corner shop is always nice to me and the postman smiles. I feel very rooted. To kind of say 'thank you', I'd like to do something nice back and I've decided that I'm going to ring around local care homes and ask if I could go in and maybe offer my nail painting services. I have an insane amount of nail polish and would love to offer a bit of pampering. If they say that's not possible, I'll ask if there is anything else me and Baby Glitter can do. We're willing and cheery.

Pinning. 2012 was the year I discovered Pinterest (thanks to THIS lady! Check her out please) and am officially hooked! I've decided building my 'Christmas Glitter' board will be a certified tradition since it makes me so very, very happy!

Crafts. Making things with paper and glue and glitter makes me insanely pleased. This year, Darcy is old enough to join in (she's rather partial to putting stickers on coloured card) and so we are going to get our arty hats on and see what beauties we come up with. I'm sure I will instagram them (as I do most things), so if you'd like to see, I am @Sprinkleofglitr on the app. 


Christmas traditions is something I could talk endlessly about but I think I will leave it there for now. I would absolutely LOVE to hear what your traditions are and if you will be setting any new ones. 

Toodlepip!

xx


This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Fash-Ling . If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Happy Halloween 2012!


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

It is that most spookiest of times once again and in true ghoulish style, Baby Glitter and I have had our own mini celebration.

As you can imagine, Halloween with a toddler is exactly bone chilling, it's more "Oohhhh let's put glitter on pumpkins and drink orange juice from jam jars!", but that suits me just fine. I'm never one for scares and jumps!


This year, I avoided traditional pumpkin carving and opted for a much less messy affair. I like to make life easy and so dotted nail polish on the big one, stuck gems on the medium one and poured glitter over the tiddler. If you haven't already seen in, I made THIS how to video for the glitter topped pumpkin- might be worth checking out for next year!

Or, you can watch it below:


I know us British folk don't go too gaga for Halloween but it is something we enjoy in our home and I plan to involve Baby Glitter in it every year. I think it brings a lot of merriment and whimsy and Autumn just isn't the same without it.

Do you do anything for Halloween? I'd love to hear your household traditions!

Toodlepip!

xx

This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Made Up Of Little Things. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

Tuesday 30 October 2012

Giveaway Winners


Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Well slap my wrist and call me 'slowcoach'. Yes, I'm a little late in announcing the winners of my last 2 YouTube giveaways, these things take time sometimes.

I hope you can forgive me?

Without further ado, here are the winners:

The Samsung Camera Giveaway :


Well done Fleur!! To claim your prize, please email me on louise.pentland@hotmail.co.uk with the subject, 'I'm The Camera Winner!!'. To prove you are you (I've been swizzed before), please could you take a picture of yourself holding a piece of paper that says, "I'm Fleur King and I won the camera". I have seen your video so will know it's you then. Clever clever!!

Also, if you are following the other side of the Samsung Giveaway (about David Bailey), then there is more information about the next step of the process, HERE


The GlossyBox 3 Month Subscription Giveaway :


@staceysmum84

 Stacey if you could DM me your email and address from that Twitter account, I will pass your details onto the Glossy Team and have that arranged for you! Well done indeed!!

I really must apologise for taking so long to announce winners, it's terribly bad form and it won't happen again!

For those of you who live in America and other parts of the big wide world and were not able to enter these, I would love to hear what sort of things you would be interested to win and I will see what I can do for you! I feel awful that you have been left out two times in a row!

What's the best thing you have ever won in a giveaway?

Toodlepip!

xx


This month my Ultimate Advertiser is Made Up Of Little Things. If you would like to find out more about advertising on this blog, click HERE

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