Never Underestimate a Charity Shop

 Hey guys! So the other day I was wandering through town and spotted this little gem of a coat in a local charity shop. Just in case you didn't know a charity shop is the English version of a thrift shop. I think? (Please don't eat me if I'm wrong). ANYWAY so I got the 'I must have it' vibes and charged into the shop, came out all happy and warm inside because I had just bought a proper coat for £3.99. Brill.

Now I don't know about you guys but I love it. I personally think it is a similar cut to some of the Topshop coats this year? Though the material isn't as good quality I think the colour pretty spot on for the current pale coat trend. It could equally be perceived as blue or grey, but today I decided to go for blue so paired a dark grey jumper underneath to bring out the colour. Seriously people, never underestimate a charity shop.

 I would also just like to mention that me and lils are going to be making more of an effort with our photography from now on, we both have the equipment to produce some nice photos and I think it really adds to a blog. What with work and exams (intelligent time to start a blog) we just haven't really thought about it.

Don't forget to check out my 'Ellas Gallery' page! 

Ella x

Umbrella Problems 

REVISING

Exams can be a pain, and it can be so stressful to prepare for them if you aren't sure how. I have some exams coming up soon that I need to revise for, really I should be doing that right now but instead I'm writing a post about how to revise.. there's procrastination for you I guess, this is a case of do as I say not as I do. I've googled around a bit and used some of my own advise to come up with some top tips on how to revise:

1) Make Notes

Hopefully you will have notes from class, but if not make sure you go to someone in your class or look up the subject online so you can take notes and get an understanding of what you have to learn. It's really helpful to have these notes in your own words as this can be so much easier to remember.

2) Timetable

A great idea is to set aside certain hours of the day for your revision, this will make sure that you will have as much time as you need and will keep you organised. Remember to stick to it though, otherwise there would be no point. Also, people can generally only concentrate for about 40 minutes at a time so give yourself breaks every so often so your brain can rest.

3) Start Early

There is nothing worse than sitting down the night before a big exam and trying to cram all the information you need in a few hours, this just won't work. Start to revise at least a couple of weeks before the exam so that you don't get that horrible last minute panic. Going in to an exam feeling prepared and calm is ideal.

4) Find Somewhere Quiet

This one really is self explanatory, but make sure your workspace is clear from distractions, this could be loud noises or clutter. Also turn your phone off because if it goes off every 5 minutes you'll never get anything done!

5) Videos

Sometimes if you don't quite understand a topic it can be useful to find videos online explaining all you need to know, I am revising for GCSE science at the moment and if any others are I would highly recommend checking out My GCSE Science on YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/user/myGCSEscience ) I find this so useful for watching and taking notes down at the same time it really helps me revise.

I hope this has been helpful and if anyone has any ways of revising that work great for them I'd love to know! Good luck!

Lily x

Oh Leo

 I've just spent a whole afternoon in a sad little mood and it's all Leo's fault. I found myself scrolling through young photos of him (don't get me wrong he's still very good looking for his age) and just thinking how unfair it is that I will probably never get to meet someone so lush. Young Leo is gone and though age difference in relationships doesn't really bother me, 24 years may be a stretch....

I just comfort myself by watching his films (I highly recommend Shutter Island) and eating various biscuit and cake combos.

Oh Leo 

P.S I have created an 'Ellas Gallery' page full of my latest art + textiles work, I'd be so grateful if you checked it out!

Ella x

Wonder Shoes: SILVER

I found these shoes one day browsing the American Apparel website and I knew I needed to have them, immediately. They cost like £80 but can you really put a price on love? No didn't think so. I have very little practical use for these shoes but I wear them to parties and around the house when I want to feel taller than other people. I love silver things and these shoes are just beautiful, if you team them up with a silvery outfit it's like you are from the future (I don't know just go with it).  So yeah these shoes are basically the best thing ever so far.

Lily x

How To Keep Your Hair In Good Condition

Keeping your hair in good condition is such a popular topic among, well, everyone. No one wants to be walking around with split ends up to their ears, myself included. Since I have long hair, which is unfortunately prone to split ends I have over the years gathered tips on how to keep your hair healthy. Here's a list of everything you need to know:

1. Getting a regular trim - the simplest thing you can do, to me this used to mean going to the hair dressers once a year but THIS IS NOT ENOUGH, ideally you should being getting a trim once every two months.
2. Heat protection - It's obvious I know but this is a crucial step if you feel you have to use heat on your hair, you can get loads of heat protect products for really good prices, I will recommend down below.
3. DON'T BRUSH YOUR HAIR WHEN IT'S WET - You know that ripping sound when you drag the brush through your matted locks? Well that's your hair. Either wait until your hair is dry or very gently pull through with a comb.
4. Condition, Condition, Condition - It's not a good idea to be shampooing everyday. Shampoo strips your hair of natural oils and using it too often can lead to dry and greasy locks, but this doesn't apply to conditioner. It is called 'conditioner' after all, using it daily will actually do your hair good and keep it soft and shiny, especially for those with chemically coloured hair and those who use heat regularly. If you are a busy bee and do not have time to condition all the time then deep conditioning your hair every week should have a similar effect. Please note if you keep your hair natural you may already have naturally conditioned hair, so do not need to use every day and should only focus on conditioning from the mid - ends of your hair. 
5. Read ingredients - Unfortunately a lot of the big brands use very harsh chemicals in their products. The one to look out for is sodium laureth sulphate, which is extremely damaging, even herbal essences include this in there products! If you have dry hair the answer could be as simple as switching shampoo, go natural dude.
6. Argon Oil - I cannot tell you how totally AMAZING this product is! Its amazing for hair, skin, everything and will feature in my 'how to keep your skin in good condition' post in a couple of weeks. It's 100% natural and can be used as a daily moisturizer, a deep conditioner, a heat protectant AND it softens hair,adds shine and helps thicker hair growth by strengthening your strands. Omigosh.
7. Don't wash your hair with really hot water - Remember your hair is delicate, hot temperatures can damage, dry and in some cases encourage sebum production on the scalp and sebum=grease. Try showering in cooler temperatures, especially if you have frizz-prone hair.
8. Massage your scalp - Now this is an easy one, always massage your scalp for 30 seconds before washing, this stimulates the scalp, promoting hair growth and helps lift buildup ready to be washed away.
9. Putting a myth to bed - There is lots of debate about switching products regularly because they stop working on your hair, THIS ISN'T TRUE. If you see any affect at all it isn't the products changing, it's your hair! seasons, weather and environment all affect your hair and you need a change of routine (e.g moisturizing hair mask in the winter) not products!
10. Lather, Rinse, Don't repeat - You may have noticed that a lot of instructions on shampoo and conditioner bottles say something along the lines of "Lather, Rinse, Repeat", don't listen. This is unfortunately just a way for the companies to get you to use more of the product, have to repurchase more quickly and gain more profit. Soaking your hair in chemicals twice is not the way to go.

Phew, so there you go, that took A LOT of research and now I'm in need of a cake or two. I hope this helps with hair struggles and I will link some of my fav products below. Please remember I am not a hair expert and so if you happen to know some of this advice is wrong please let me know! I would also like to know any products you use/any steps I may have missed out. Let me know!!

Ella x

Argon oil:

http://www.arganoil.uk.com/

http://www.superdrug.com/proclere/hair-xpertise-argan-oil-100ml/invt/278670&bklist=#readReview

Heat protectant:

Argon oil

http://www.superdrug.com/tresemme/tresemme-heat-defence-serum-30ml/invt/404450&bklist= 

Shampoo and conditioner:

http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/aloe-vera-shampoo-200ml.aspx 

http://www.greenpeople.co.uk/aloe-vera-conditioner-200ml.aspx

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/haircare/rainforest-shine-shampoo.aspx

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/haircare/rainforest-shine-conditioner.aspx

Deep conditioner/ hair masks:

http://www.superdrug.com/herbal-essences/herbal-essences-beautiful-ends-intensive-mask-200ml/invt/200088 

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/haircare/rainforest-radiance-hair-butter.aspx 

http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/bath-body-care/haircare/rainforest-moisture-hair-butter.aspx 

Chokers: A little obsession

Hey Guys! yes that was plural, because there are now nearly 60 of you! Me and Lils are getting into a routine of definitely blogging on Thursdays and Sundays so for the few of you who like to read all our posts there will be updates at least twice a week. Todays post is going to be a quick one because I have to go and write a 2000 word essay on Romeo and Juliet, which I have expertly left until the last minute.

So recently I've been getting a little obsessed with chokers, I say a little because I only own three, due to financial reasons (I'm broke) but that doesn't stop me window shopping to my hearts content. I think I love them so much because of the way they can be nicely understated, just a finishing touch to an outfit, some people just go overboard with jewellery and wear rows of diamonds to there knees (though that does actually sound pretty cool). I should point out that if you have a small neck then its best to avoid chokers as they will cut it off even more.

Two of my chokers, the white flower and the black tattoo choker, were purchased from Amazon for like £2. Seriously check it out, and my amethyst one was a gift from a friend years ago. It was just a stroke of luck that my six year old friend managed to pick out something so lovely and now it has huge sentimental value. 

I should also point out that I don't where them all together, though sometimes I will wear a choker and a longer plain silver chain which is nice and casual.

Ella x

My Favourite Books

I first started to love reading when I was pretty young and I used to read loads of books all the time, as I have gotten older I've found less time to read but I still love sitting down to a good read when I can. Here's a few of my favourite books (I'm not very good at summarising books so I'll be using the help of the WHSmith website):

1) Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

I looked on the WHSmith website for a summary of Birdsong and it said:

' Set before and during the great war, Birdsong captures the drama of that era on both a national and personal scale. It is the story of Stephen, a young Englishman, who arrives in Amiens in 1910. Over the course of the novel he suffers a series of traumatic experiences, from the clandestine love affair that tears apart the family with whom he lives, to the unprecedented experiences of the war itself.'

Birdsong is a book I read a couple of years ago and fell in love with it, it is really interesting to read and although it is quite long it doesn't ever get boring. I would recommend it to anyone looking for something not too light to read.

2) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

I think The Curious Incident is a fantastic book, I had a look on the WHSmith website and this is what it said:

'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.'

I think that is a pretty good summary of this book, it is a really interesting read that I would really recommend. 

3) Room by Emma Donoghue 

I read Room for the first time last summer while I was in Croatia and I couldn't put it down, the WHSmith website says:

'Jack is five. He lives with his Ma. They live in a single, locked room. They don't have the key. Jack and Ma are prisoners.'

It is a bit of a heavier read but it is not really written in a heavy way as it is from the point of view of a five year old.  And similarly to the other books I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Lily x

Leibster Award

This week we were kindly nominated for the Leibster Award by Taylor at /http://lipsticksandlavender.blogspot.co.uk/. To write this post Lily is going to write in this colour and Ella will write in this colour.


These are the rules:
1. You must link back the person who nominated you.
2. You must answer the 11 questions chosen by the person who nominated you. 
3. You have to pick 11 people to nominate with under 200 followers.
4. You can't nominate the person who nominated you.
5. You must tell the nominees they have been nominated.

The questions we were given:

What made you want to start a blog?
Just reading other blogs made me think it was a cool idea, then when Ella suggested the idea it seemed like a good opportunity.
I really liked the idea of having a personal space on the internet, we haven't been going for long but I already love it!
Your best childhood memory?
Going to my grandparents house in Florida for Christmas with the whole family.
Um this is going to sound weird but probably going to the airport with my family, I love the whole airport experience
The last song you listened to?
Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured - Arctic Monkeys
The tide is high - Atomic Kittens (I'm not even ashamed)
A secret that not many people know?
I lived in America and had an American accent until I was 4.
I have a scar on my bum from when I folded myself in a camping table
Your favourite time of the day?
LUNCH TIME
LUNCH TIME
What hobbies do you have?
I don't really have anything at the moment, but I love to read.
I dance a lot, sewing, set painting for theatres and yeah I am a serious bookworm
Your favourite lunchtime meal?
Chicken Ceaser Salad
ooo healthy ^ I like Lasagne
A fear you have?
Needles.
People running up the stairs behind me seriously stresses me out + spiders
What was your favourite holiday?
When I went skiing with my family in Slovenia when I was younger.
Visiting friends in the south of France
Who was the last person you texted?
Ella.
Lily.
Your current favourite movie?
Atonement
Frozen 

Questions we have chosen:
1) Who is your favourite celebrity?
2) If you were stuck in a jungle would you prefer to be with David Attenborough or Jude Law?
3) Favourite song?
4) Favourite T.V show?
5) If you could have a super power what would it be?
6) If you had to chose only one make up product to use for the rest of your life what would it be and why?
7) Who is your biggest influence?
8) Favourite colour?
9) Favourite book?
10) Coke or Pepsi?
11) Why did you start your blog?

The blogs we have chosen:

pinaforesandpies.blogspot.co.uk
lovehellogorgeous.blogspot.com
infatuation-is-a-fantasy.blogspot.co.uk
redlips-catflicks.blogspot.co.uk
xxcharlou.blogspot.com
ablogbyaliceolivia.blogspot.co.nz
emsbeauty17.blogspot.co.uk
wildlovestyle.blogspot.com
thedarlingdreamer.com
vanilla-n-mint.blogspot.sg
lucyhannahxo.blogspot.co.uk

FASHION PETS - RABBIT IN A MUG

Let me just start  by saying I am no way in favor of 'fashion pets', handbag dogs is a cruel idea to me, but I can assure you that this crazy idea is 100% animal friendly. Ish.

Rabbit in a mug came to me in a dream (I think I may be borderline obsessive since I've had multiple rabbit dreams... weird), and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I can see that there is no practicality in this idea but isn't it just the cutest!? I'd love to just be wandering around the house with my baggy jumper and boyfriend jeans on, with a rabbit to keep me company. Obviously it would live in a hutch and go for walks and so on and I'm thinking when its bigger and fluffier house train it?

Unfortunately this isn't actually possible because I think having a rabbit may be a few too many steps up the responsibility ladder, but I just thought I would show you what the inside of my head looks like.

Ella x

Big 'Ole Winter & Party Fashion Faves

ELLA

                                                           

WINTER FAVOURITES
Coat - Vintage
Top - H&M
Skirt - Vintage
Headband - Urban outfitters
Shoes - Vans

This is a lovely outfit to wear out and about when its chilly,  the oversized coat keeps me nice an snuggly so I can wear my cute little velvet pencil skirt. The jumpers nice and plain and though I don't normally go for pink I'm totally getting into it - it's great for wearing with casual light jeans. My personal fave out of all this is the woolly headband, I've just discovered them along with fur ones and I highly recommend to anyone who gets cold ears.


 








Coat - Vintage
Top - Urban Outfitters
Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Headband - Urban outfitters
So I'm basically wearing the whole store.
This outfit is a little more sophisticated, and the coat is simply royal. It was a random buy but this is the coat that beats all coats, I love it.
The top is a fox print, slightly cropped shirt, though from far away I admit the foxs look a bit like carrots (nothing wrong with that) its great close up and is such a lovely colour.
The skirt. Oh the skirt. This is one of my best 2013 buys, you may not be able to tell but its black velvet with a polka dot pattern and to top it off the spots sparkle! its great and goes with anything. 
<3                                                                    

PARTY FAVOURITES
Top: Urban Outfitters (little bit obsessive at the moment)
Skirt: Urban Outfitters

Okay, so I think I've mentioned Clueless before but this top also reminds me of the exercise outfit Cher wears and is totally 90's. The back detail is really intimate, showing a cheeky bit of skin and the colour is really nice - it doesn't wash me out because its more creamy than white. Unfortunately this presents a problem: Bras
I happen to like wearing them but if you are confident enough not to wear one then you are on your way. 
Now the sparkly skirt returns for this outfit as it goes nicely, is figure hugging and it's always nice to add a bit of sparkle!


 







Dress: ebay (originally H&M)

I obviously have the best party moves.

Where the other ensemble was rather
understated, this one certainly isn't. The sequins shine blue or green depending on the light and all heads do turn when you walk in. It's a little bit amazing. It's VERY short and figure hugging so I've labelled it parties only but I think it could be dressed down with various layers. I found this second hand on ebay as H&M have discontinued it, but finding a similar dress isn't hard, ASOS have a nice collection. Trust me, you are not doing parties properly until you have got your sequins on.







 





LILY
WINTER FAVOURITES
Coat: Urban Outfitters
Shirt: Urban Outfitters
Jeans: Topshop
Boots: Dr Martens

I wear this outfit quite a lot simply because it is easy and practical. I got the coat a few months ago and am very much in love with it, I love the way it looks and it is so warm too. I am big on wearing shirts and this is one of my favourites, I love the pattern on it and the material is really nice. Black high waisted skinny jeans are definitely a wardrobe staple, they are comfortable, and versatile, and really require minimum effort to look nice. Finally my beloved Dr Martens, they are so comfortable and practical I don't know what I would do without them (slight over exaggeration, only slight). 

PARTY FAVOURITES
Shirt: H&M

Crop Top: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: ASOS but originally River Island.

Tights: New Look

I wear quite a lot of black, and this outfit is no exception. I think it looks quite formal and sophisticated, I especially like the skirt because I love maxi skirts and the sparkles and split up the leg make this skirt perfect for parties. I also like the way the crop top looks under the shirt, you could go with just a black bra under this shirt but I generally don't. The tights are optional but I think they look nice with this outfit, and they at least make you look a bit less cold which is always a plus (right?!).

Dress: ASOS but originally from Lipsy.

I love sparkles, there is just something about the way they look when the light hits them that I find completely memorising and impressive. So this dress is basically great, it is short but not too short and the material is light and stretchy so it is great for moving around in. This dress just feels quite wintery and was perfect to wear to christmas parties. It also goes along with my trend or generally wearing black but the sparkles add a touch of glamour and fancieness to this dress. An outfit with this also requires basically no extra effort because it is quite a statement dress so wearing a plain jacket and tights with it still looks pretty dressed up.


xox

A Few Make Up Favourites

Happy New Year! Here are a few of my favourite make up products of 2013.

First of all I'm gonna start off with lip balm, I'm not sure it counts as make up but it goes hand in hand really so that's why I have included it anyway. Burt's Bees is one of my favourite brands for things such as moisturisers and hand creams, and I absolutely  love the lip balms, I have been using them for years and they moisturise my lips perfectly.

I find that concealers can be a difficult product to get right sometimes, either they don't have enough coverage or the consistency can be too thick. I don't think it would surprise anyone that the Rimmel Wake Me Up concealer is my favourite. It really is most people's choice when looking for a very affordable concealer. It is great for under eye circles.

I think this is another product that is a pretty predictable favourite. The Rimmel Stay Matte powder, it is extremely light on your skin and stays for hours on end. I think it is the best powder I have tried for getting rid of shine.

As far as mascara goes I like something that doesn't clump at all and looks pretty natural. That's why I really like the Maybelline Falsies mascara. The shape of the wand is great and it never clumps. It is also pretty waterproof and stays for ages. I find it makes my lashes look longer and more defined without looking too fake.

With foundation, I like a product that looks natural but has fairly good coverage. The L'oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint is perfect for me, it is very light and smooth on my skin and looks pretty natural as well. Applying it is extremely easy as it isn't thick at all.

I only started to use primer fairly recently, but I find it makes quite a lot of difference. My favourite one so far is this Revlon Photoready primer, the pump makes it easy to use and one applied is it smooth and makes it much easier to apply make up, it also makes my make up stay put for much longer.

I wear eyeliner all the time, and I have tried out so many different products. At the moment this one is by far my favourite, I like pen eyeliners because it is so easy to apply. This Maybelline New York Master Precise Liquid eyeliner is great because it doesn't smudge too easily and stays on for hours.


Lily x