New Years Resolutions 2012

Afternoon lovelies,hope your well and have enjoyed your Christmas, it was all over yesterday for me as we have so much family to visit on both sides!


So I sat down and wrote out my list of things I want to achieve this year, but I've split them up into different categories to help my poor OCD brain cope with them!

So here goes

Blog resolutions
1) Have a redesign
2) Reach 100 followers
3) Get into a habit of blogging regularly with different posts

Hair and Beauty
1) Grow out my hair to its old length
2) Try and become more adventurous with my make up choices
3) Maintain my skin routine, using Liz Earle and my Clarisonic

Body and Clothing
1) To set small weight loss goals and stick to it
2) Wear more skirts!
3) Have a clear out of my old stuff and replace with things I will actually wear

Money and Work
1) Hit outstanding for my teaching
2) Continue saving and pay off overdraft
3) Clear credit card

So there you have it, this year had been a real mix of ups and downs, a lot more ups then downs but I want to build on this year and start off 2012 well!!

So what do you think, any that are similar to yours?

Thanks for reading and Happy New Year!!! Xx

*Image from weheartit.com

Next step into fitness with Davina.

Afternoon lovelies, hope your all well.


Hands up if you have put your regular clothes on today and thought that they are snugger then they were 3 days ago - I currently have both hands up at this point.


I've decided that this will be the year I will get back into shape and regain some of my old figure (hands up if you have also said this at some point in the last 3 days!) Well, I am, I'm sick of looking more like a Quality Street Big Purple One then the Finger of Fudge. I have already bought a stack of fitness DVDs, signed up for more classes at the gym then there are hours in the day and moved all the chocolate out of my cupboard and onto my boyfriends shelf.


The next step is my least favourite one, purchasing of new gym kit, the same thing that hundred of women across the country are doing at this precise moment. You walk into a sports store and instantly people know what your new years resolution is. It's never stylish, hardly ever comfortable and tends to highlight your Christmas Pudding wobble. So this year I'm looking for something a bit different.


Looking for something different I came across a launch for Davina For Next fitness clothing line. Lunching in Spring 2012, Davina has designed a gorgeous range of fitness clothing with style and practicality in mind.


When asked about her range Davina said: 'I’ve thought very carefully about the details that matter to me, like a place for an MP3 player, or reflective strips on the bottoms – essential when you’re jogging in the early morning or at dusk. And I’ve ensured the workout tops are extremely solid and secure so your boobs won’t be bobbing around while you’re working out!”

The clothing is really bright and interesting but the cut is very flattering with long-line tops that shouldn't ride up even during the most energetic classes.

Looking at the pictures the range really is gorgeous and I'm keen to find out more, especially the long line tops as I often struggle to get tops that are long enough over my boobs and don't expose my belly whenever I raise my arms in a class. I haven't found a piece that I don't want! What do you think?

Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 21 - Handmade Goodies

Morning lovelies, how exciting is it, only 4 more days!!! Currently I'm heading up North to my parents house in Lincoln to spend the first half of Christmas there! 




So I've been on the search for personal, individual gifts for people that have a handmade feel. Instead of buying something made by someone else, I made my own! 

How cute are these! Now I'm not the best with a needle and thread but I'm pretty proud and they were so easy to make! So here's my quick step by step in case you want to know how to make them:


You will need:
Material
Wonder web (you don't need this!)
Thread
Needle
Ribbon
Buttons
Wadding - you can get all of this from Hobby craft or off Ebay


1) Cut a template out of card and draw around it twice onto the back of your material.

2) Carefully cut out the shapes carefully.

  
3) Put your shapes with the pattern inside so that the thread is hidden when we turn it inside out. Using your thread, carefully sew around the edge, leaving a hole at the top about 4 cm wide

 4) Once you have sewn around the edge of the shapes, tie it off and then push your shape through gently.

4) Now you should have a cute shape, don't worry if it doesn't look quite as you want it, we are about to give it some curves! 

 5) Tear off bits of wadding and stuff your shape using as much as you want until it looks nice and curvy. Make sure you spread it all out so there are no gaps.

6) Take your ribbon and form a loop. Sew it into the gap, sewing the hole up and then tie it off - this should give you the shape you want.

7) Customise it how you want. I have a bag of random buttons that I use. Don't worry if it doesn't look perfect, its meant to look handmade! 

You can then use it to decorate your tree or as little give tags on presents. I have made L shape ones for my niece and nephew to add a fun touch, or wrapped it around presents for my family!

So why not have a go, its not to late to make some for this Christmas. Its a great activity for chilling out in front of the TV or doing with children!


Let me know if you have a go, thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 20 - A Film Review - New Year's Eve

Afternoon lovelies, hope your well and getting in the Christmassy mood! 


Today I went on a lovely girly date with my friend from work and we went to see New Year's Eve. I LOVED it!!!


For me Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without being able to watch Love Actually with all the different characters and the twists and not knowing who will end up with who. Well the Americans have taken it one better and packed a film with loads of big name celebs and a really great story line.


It is an all star cast of:
Ashton Kutcher
Sarah Jessica Parker
Robert De Niro
Jessica Biel
Halle Berry
Hilary Swank
Lea Michele
Zac Effron
Katherine Heigl
Michelle Pfeiffer just to name but a few!


All of their lives twist and turn as we move towards 2012, with love, death and new life being a common theme of this film.


This is a typical rom-com, with moments that will make you laugh out loud as well as moments which will make you cry - I'm not incredibly emotional in films but this one made me shed a few tears. It addresses everyday issues such as families being apart due to War in Afghanistan, relationships between parents and children, however what struck me most is what Hilary Swank's character, who's job is to ensure that the NYC New Year Ball drops correctly and it gets stuck, says when questioned why the ball is not ready:


"...it's (the ball) suspended there to remind us before we pop the champagne and celebrate the new year, to stop and reflect on the year that has gone by. To remember both our triumphs and missteps, our promises made and broken. The times we opened ourselves up to great adventures or closed ourselves down for fear of getting hurt. Because that's what new year is all about -- getting another chance. A chance to forgive, to do better, to do more, to give more, to love more. And stop worrying about what if and start embracing what would be. So when the ball drops at midnight, and it will drop, let's remember to be nice to each other, kind to each other. And not just tonight but all year long."


So this year, why not start your New Year off with a great film to get you in the mood, to laugh, to cry, and to just enjoy being with your family and friends.


Have you been to see this yet?


Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 19 - MUA Immaculate Collection

Afternoon lovelies, hope your well. I've only recently discovered MUA cosmetics, having started off with the Heaven and Earth Palette. Since then the Superdrug in town has gradly got a smaller and smaller display which is quite upsetting. So I took to twitter to find where I could get it and the lovely people at MUA said I could shop online at http://www.muastore.co.uk/.

I ended up spending £12.00inc postage on various bits for my sisters Xmas present, and because I spent over £8.00 I got a free Immaculate Collection palette which I am really excited about! 

The Immaculate Collection is made up of 24 colours, a neat mix of glitters, shimmers and matt shades, isnt it gorgeous?!

Some of the shades are really creamy and give really good colour pay off, whilst others are more of a highlight colour. I think for £8.00 you can't really go wrong with this and I think I will get a lot of use out of it.


So what do you think? Have you tried the Immaculate Collection yet?


Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 18 - Boots 17 BB Cream

Morning lovelies, hope your well, can't believe that this time next week it will be Christmas day!

I've seen all the hype about BB creams, however I wanted to try it for myself before I actually believed it. So off I wandered to Boots and picked up a tube of the Boots 17 Blemish Balm in medium.

It comes in a really sleek black tube, and you get quite a lot of product for £6.99. Its a smooth creamy liquid that is light on the skin and easily blended. It feels more like a tinted moisturiser but with slightly more coverage, but not as much as a foundation.

 It wears well on the skin and helps me look slightly more awake in the mornings, but it doesnt give as much coverage as I would like for the days that I'm at work, but I live in it during the weekends. To build up the coverage I have been layering it under my Mac Face and Body to make both of these a bit thicker. It does even my skin tone out a lot, but I do still need to use a powder and it can settle into pores.

Sorry for the scare no make up picture!

I would repurchase, but it's more of a summer skin product for me. What do you think? Have you picked it up yet, or tried the other BB creams out at the moment?

Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 17 - Soap and Glory Big Splendor

Evening lovelies, hope you've had a good day.


I'm so excited to show you this, as its a present that I have got for someone and I know they will love it! On Friday Boots released the big Soap and Glory set as their Star Buy, making it better then half price! So I had to pick one up!

How cute is it? A gorgeous pink vanity case, with a really cute bow.


It unzips the whole way round, and the lid opens up to reveal a draw string bag. The case is quite sturdy so it will protect what ever you put inside, and you can fit loads in side (very tempted to keep it for myself now!)

The drawstring bag is made from a wipe able material so if anything spills or leaks then you can just wipe it clean no problem.


So now for the best bit, inside the box are 10 full size products:

Clean on Me™ Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel has a bonus, built in body lotion, so you can get clean, smooth, sexy skin simultaneously.

The Righteous Body Butter™ A smooth, creamy, and velvety intense body lotion. With skin softening shea butter and aloe vera to attract moisture.

Pulp Friction™ Foamy fruity body scrub with fig powder, pumice, peppermint oil, lemonade tree liquid, orange waterjuice™& vitamin balls™(A,C,E). Includes new Fruitigo™ fragrance with notes of frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig, and jungle pomelo essence.

Face, Soap & Clarity™ For super clean, fresh & bright skin. A 3 in 1 daily detox vitamin C facial scrub - a great exfoliator and brilliant for flaky skin.

Off Your Face Wipes™ 3-in-1 cleansing, toning and skin smoothing for the quick ridding of makeup, dirt, oils and dead cell build-up. With a mix of skin softening glycerin, quick cleansing agent and PORESHRINK-RS, Soap & Glory™ Off Your Face™ Cleansing Cloths are your quickest route to clean.

Heel Genius™ A soak-in foot mask marvel that smoothes and softens while you sleep.

Hand Food™ A super-silky gorgeously-scented non-greasy hydrating hand cream featuring fennel and lotus flower extracts, which leaves your hands super smooth. Relish in the delightful aromas of fresh bergamot, strawberries and mandarin, with floral and fruity midnotes, musk, amber and warm vanilla.

Mist You Madly™ A flirty, floral, fragrant body spray featuring notes of bergamot and blackcurrant, magnolia, freesia, vanilla and musk.

Sexy Mother Pucker™ Extreme formula lip plumping gloss, in seductive Candy Gloss colour with a fabulous vanilla flavour. Scientifically-proven plumping microspheres that explode in volume up to 10x when they come in contact with water. (They’re like tiny, dehydrated little sponges that expand when you apply them onto your lips. It also contains a rare circulation enhancing ingredient that gives your lips a little ‘electric’ buzz, to move more blood around the area, creating the swelling effect mentioned above).

Calm One, Calm All™ A double function deluxe formula bubble bath soak. With a built in body lotion and a moisture magnetising skin conditioner you’ll be smoothed while you’re soothed! Indulge in the wonderful fragrances of fresh bubbled bergamot, strawberries and mandarin with floral and fruity mid notes, and musk, amber and warm vanilla.

If you bought all of these individually they total £66.32 so to get all of these for £25, that is a mega bargain!!!

It's now sold out on line but head to your local shop as they have literally stocked them up with palettes of the things, the one in my local Boots was stacked as tall as me and I'm 5ft 9! 

Great for a gift for yourself or someone else! Have you picked it up yet?

Thanks for reading xx

PS, there's still time to enter my give away! For your chance to win a bottle of OPI's Rainbow Connection click here and enter! 

Advent Door 16 - Rimmel Kate Moss Collection Lipstick

Evening lovilies, hope you have had a great week - I'm currently nursing a very sore head after last nights works Xmas do.

I wanted to show you my lipstick that I have started to wear. I like very nude lipsticks and for me this is great! When the Kate Moss range came out there was only one colour that appealed to me, however I could not get my hands on it until recently!

This gorgeous colour is the number 3 which is a nice peachy nude. It comes in very sleek packaging with Kate's name written in red, very simple really.

 It comes out quite brown toned on my skin however on my lips its very neutral, a peachy nude that is great for everyday wear. It lasted really well, and the formula is very creamy so it didn't dry out my lips like some other brands I have tried.

For a low cost brand this is really good, and I think I may start to wear it everyday for work or just generally as well. 


What do you think?


Thanks for reading xx


PS: don't forget to enter my give-away for a bottle of OPI's Rainbow Connection!! 

Advent Door 15 - Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Evening Lovelies, hope you have had a good day.


I'm busy getting ready for our staff night out, but I still have a bit of time before I head out - we're going to Pizza Express, I will try and pop some photo's up tomorrow.



I'm not a big lipstick fan, I think this is because I get very dry lips and I have a terrible habit of picking at them when I'm stressed or worried.

To counter this have found a wonder product. Lush Bubblegum lip scrub is a sugary sweet scrub that is also edible.

Its made from sugar crystals which have been flavoured a gorgeous Bubblegum flavouring. I keep this on my desk at work, and I have one in my handbag as well for those moments when I find that my lips are quite dry and in need of some love.4


You only need to touch your finger to the scrub to pick it up and then rub it all over your lips to remove the flakes. When you've throughly scrubs your lips then you can lick it off and are left with lovely smooth lips.


Now for me because I have very poor lips, it takes me a long time to get smooth lips and I need a very highly moisturising lip balm. 


For £4.95 you get quite a big pot and it has really lasted me well, I'm about half way through now and I use it at least twice a day over the last 3 months.


So what do you think? 


Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 14 - Win Me - NOTD - OPI Rainbow Connection

Evening lovelies, can you believe that it is 10 days until Xmas eve!!


I am very excited today, especially as we had Xmas dinner at work today with the children and then we have a work night out! 


What makes me even more exicted is this polish! OPI's Rainbow Connection!!!!! Look at how it shimmers and sparkles!

 Packed full of Pink, Blue, Silver, Orange and Purple hexagonal glitter pieces and Blue, Purple and Green glitter flakes all packed into a clear base this has to be the most gorgeous polish I have ever owned. I decided to layer this over Barry M Gold foil as I wanted a really bling manicure for Xmas lunch, the kids loved it!

Now for the exciting part, this polish has been incredibly difficult to get hold of it seems so I am offering one of my lovely followers a bottle of Rainbow Connection all wrapped up as a present for following my little blog!!


So the rules:


All you have to do is be a follower of my blog, leave me a comment in the box below with your name, email address and what would you buy as a Secret Santa Present! 


Extra Entries
+1 if you follow me on twitter ( tell me in the box and what your name is)
+1 if you retweet '@KnickersanNails is having a give away over on http://knickersandnailpolish.blogspot.com/


I'll close this giveaway next Tuesday at 8:30pm and pick a winner at random so good luck! 


Thanks for reading xx

Advent door 13 - NOTD OPI Fresh Frog of Bel Air

Evening lovelies, hope your well and settled watching My Big Fat Gypsy Christmas! With only a few days left at work, I'm enjoying spending time with my class making lots of Xmas goodies!

Today I've really ramped up the glitter as we have Xmas dinner at school tomorrow. I chose the very festive Fresh Frog of Bel Air from the OPI Muppets collection.

Thousands of tiny green glitters mix with larger silver flakes, all suspended in clear polish. I layered this over the top of Barry M silver foil.

This is 4 layers of the polish and it is a gorgeous emerald green, very similar to that of the colour of a real frog,  rather then the colour of Kermit.


A gorgoeus polish, but it's not my favourite so I'm not sure how long it will last on my nails before I try to peel it off!


What do you think, a contender for the best christmassy green? 


Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 12 - Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes

Evening lovelies, how you have had a good Monday!


Today I bring you something that was an Xmas present many years ago, but is still going strong and I used it for my FOTD in yesterdays post.


Benefits Big Beautiful Eyes is a great starter palette for those of us who are searching for the perfect everyday eye look.

Big Beautiful eyes is a great little kit that comes in cute Benefit cardboard packaging with a mirror and two brushes. I've had mine a while and I find it great to throw in my bag for work and it survives quite well.

It does come with a set of instructions of how to use each of the products to produce a gorgeous everyday look which are really easy to follow however I have now lost mine! :S

As for the products you get, each of these are great. You get:

• Boi-ing Concealer - I love!
• Alabaster pink base shadow
• Cocoa Shimmer contour shadow
• Chocolate Brown Liner/shadow

So here is my big beautiful eye that I made, I don't tend to use the chocolate brown as a liner every day, instead I use it for my crease colour just to deepen and contour.


So what do you think, a potential Xmas present? You can get it from Boots for £24.50.


Thanks for reading xx

Advent Door 11 - FOTD - Simple Sundays

Evening lovelies, hope your well and excited for the week to come, I have one week left at work, cannot wait to finish now! 

I've been keeping my makeup at the weekend quite simple, and this is what I wore yesterday and today to just do a few jobs.

 Face:

• I've been using the BB Cream by Boots 17 in Medium recently and am really loving how even it leaves my skin.
• My blusher is Benefit Coralista, I love this sooo much that I hardly ever swap it out for anything else, I just love the pink glow it leaves on my cheeks, makes me awake when I'm clearly not!

Eyes:

• Shopping my stash recently I found my Benefit Big Beautiful Eyes palette which I have neglected and so need to use more often as it lets me create a neutral eye look very quickly.
• My mascara is Maybelline Falsies in black. I've really grown to love this after stealing my sisters before buying my own.

That's it really, just very simple as I didn't rush as I needed to get out and start Christmas shopping!! What you think? 

Don't forget to enter my giveaway which closes tonight at 8:30pm!

Thanks for reading xx