Fab & Fail: Sunday 17th August 2014

Fab List

Getting more organised with my blog. I used to hate spreadsheets, but now I’ve learned to embrace them.

Feeling inspired after reading these words of wisdom. Which one is your favourite?

Dusting off my post-holiday resolutions and getting back on track.

Getting a helpful vote on TripAdvisor for my review on the turtle hatchery in Sri Lanka. I love the idea that I’m helping to shape someone elses travels.

This brilliant article from Gala Darling. I woke up like this. Did you… really?!

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Delicious curry from Tesco.

Listening to the rain pour down whilst drinking (decaf) coffee.

Being able to wear my smug face at my day job.

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Raspberry Mojito from my new favourite take out.

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Days out with the family on the Severn Valley Railway.

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My first proper taste of Australian biccies. Do they call them biccies in Oz?

Fail List

Being woken up at 6am on a Sunday morning by chavs causing a whole heap of noise in our car park. Grr!

The day job being so busy that I’ve been indulging in caffeine again.

Feeling sleepy tired, tired but still having loads to do!

Fab & Fail: Sunday 10th August 2014

The Fab List

Lipstick in the shape of a shooting star from Anna Sui. Seriously, do I need to say more..? If only they were a bit more, erm, affordable.

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Olivia Palmero copying my fashion savvy. Seriously where I go, others follow… maybe.

Essie Button’s vlogs. It would seem that I go through fads with my choice of YouTube entertainment, right now I’m loving Estee and Aslan’s vlogs – such a cute couple.

Hubby allowing me to watch two-hours of the Kardashian’s, even though he hates it. I needs me some trash TV every once in a while. It’s my way of switching my brain off.

The Fail List

This washing-up brush thing. The idea is that you fill the handle up with washing-up liquid which is slowly dispensed through the sponge as you wash-up. I’ve known loads of people rave about them and I wanted to love them, but the liquid keeps leaking out and the brush just isn’t getting things clean enough, plus it’s really easy to cut the sponge when you’re washing up knives. I’ll stick to my bumper pack of sponges for 59p please, ta!

The fact that I am now so old and boring that I managed to write an entire paragraph about a washing-up brush. Seriously, I need to get out more!

My memory card bosted (that’s Black Country for breaking in case you didn’t know). Can anyone recommend anywhere good and cheap to buy a replacement?

A stressy week at work.

Fab & Fail: Sunday 3rd August 2014

My loves and loathes of the past week…

Fab List

The 2014/2015 La Liga fixtures for Real Madrid finally being released AND Real Madrid signing James Rodriguez. I feel I may need to see the new team line-up for myself. Hala Madrid!

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Keeping an eye on holidays for the Autumn and watching the prices slowly drop. Speaking of which, this quote on my calendar seemed kinda apt given my most recent reading material.

Cruising around in my car with the Iggy Azalea pumping out. Shake it, break it, make it BOUNCE!

The return of the pointy flat. The last time these were properly in I was doing work experience in London at various magazines. The return of these shoes reminds me of happy times and makes me want to live the dream. I’ll have a pair in every colour please. Wonder if wearing them with patterned fish net pop socks will be the fashion this Autumn/Winter like it was back in the early 00’s?

Lazy Saturday’s.

FINALLY getting around to doing something I’ve been meaning to do for about two years!

Reminiscing about my high-speed drive in a Nissan GTR. Loves me a fast car!

Getting my read on.

Fail List

When internet banking gets stressful. Too many sodding passwords, not enough time.

Sunday drivers, especially when they’re driving like it’s a Sunday on a Monday! Seriously doing 40mph down a motorway slip road is dangerous and crawling towards a green light, so that by the time you reach it it’s changed to red is just plain annoying. Grr!

Neighbours deciding to go outside for a cigarette at 4:30am on a Friday morning, having loud conversations and waking me up. Seriously? Not cool.

Useless delivery companies despatching two parts of the same product on separate delivery vans, resulting in one not being delivered and us ending up at the depot (which felt like a prison) in the armpit of the Black Country. Sheesh!

Fab & Fail List: Sunday 27th July 2014

Fab List

The things I’ve been loving this week are…

The weather. Loving the fact that we’re ACTUALLY having proper summer weather this year. Result!

Getting nostalgic for Sex and the City. These quotes and this video montage has really inspired me to dust off those box sets.

Finding out what’s causing my annoying chin zits, thanks to this YouTube video. Not sure what to do about them mind you?!?!

Sam Smith’s album FINALLY being available on Spotify. This man has the most amazing voice, it’s the musical equivalent of eating Galaxy chocolate whilst laying in satin sheets, wearing cashmere. Love it!

Dreaming of Autumn getaways. We have a week booked off work in a couple of months. Our original plan was to return to Edinburgh, now we’re thinking of jetting sun-wards.

Hot chocolate – yep, I know it’s almost 30º outside, but whether it’s Green and Blacks instant hot chocolate, or a lowly chocomilk from the vending machine at work I’m loving myself some hot chocolate action. I’m thinking it’s my coffee replacement, maybe?! Don’t worry I’m limiting myself to one mug per day, lest I get addicted to this stuff instead.

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Spending Tuesday morning by the river in Worcester and getting paid for it. Yay for the day job!

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Almond Magnums – so yumsome.

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Getting the new NEXT directories. Sure, whilst the sun has still got its hat on I don’t really want to be thinking of Autumn clothing… but NEXT has some really gorgeous pieces that I might just have to. Roll on pay day!

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Caudalie Beauty Elixr – keeping me cool (and awake) on frightfully hot days.

Reading – you may have noticed I’ve been a bit of a bookworm just recently and I’m really enjoying it.

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Trying out contact lenses again after a two year sabbatical.

Fail List

And the things making me go meh are…

Washing up – so nice to dunk your hands in hot water in the winter, blooming sweaty work in the summer. Phew! Housework and hot weather aren’t a good match it would seem.

Feeling a little overwhelmed – a host of to do tasks to tick off in the day job and a living room full of odds and sods as we start decorating the spare room. Argh!

Not having air con in my car – toasty, much?

Pesky chin zits.

How has your week been?

Fab & Fail List: Sunday 20th July 2014

Fab List

Hubby transforming the spare room with his decorating genius.

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Being able to sit in the park on my lunch break, catch a tan and read a book. Gosh, weather, you are spoiling us.*

Treating myself to some new skin care – thank goodness for pay day.

Having a digital clear-up – good for the soul.

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New books.

Fail List

*Except this weekend, where we appear to have tropical storms of epic proportions.

Getting rudely awoken by the boom of thunder at 4am.

The terrible news about flight MH17, sometimes I really do worry about the state of the world.

Fab & Fail: Sunday 13th July 2014

Fab List

This make-up look and interview with Charlotte Tilbury in the current edition of Style Birmingham magazine. I love this quote:

I know that makeup can make your day better. The psychology of makeup is interesting. It’s an instant effect so when you look at yourself in the mirror you feel good about yourself and the whole world reacts to you in a happier and more positive way.

This graphic print dress from Wallis. It’s received poor reviews, but I might just have to try it on for myself.

Adding some new book inspiration to my Pinterest board. 

Re-living the Swing Both Ways gig by listening to the live CD of the night we went. Gosh, us screaming crowd were louder than I thought!

This blog post provides some words of wisdom on how to live and love your life. Who wouldn’t want to do that?

The sound of early morning breakfast bowls being scraped for the last morsel of cereal.

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New notebooks.

Fail List

Feeling ropey.

Fab & Fail List: Sunday 6th July 2014

The Fab List

Seeing Robbie – you can read my review of his Swings Both Ways tour here.

Spending some quality time with my hubby.

Our fantastic and bargainous hotel in Manchester.

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Visiting the Manchester United museum at Old Trafford, that’s one ‘place to visit’ ticked off the list. Psst! There’s free entry to the museum at the moment. 

Curling my hair the easy way – plait whilst damp, spritz with hairspray, blast with a hairdryer, leave in plait all day, spray with more hairspray and blast with hairdryer again before releasing the plait and scrunching with more hairspray on the evening – et voila.

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Discovering a fantastic (and healthy) local take out.  Sooo yummy!

My recent make-up purchases.

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Cheese and Shiraz – that’s my kind of pre-gig snack!

The weather being good enough that I can wear flip flops in the UK. And not just any flip flops.

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Starbucks Coco Mocha Frappucinos and lemon chicken melt panninis. So yum! And yep the caffeine did make me go loopy! 

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Cheesy photo opportunities.

Treating myself to Max Paprika crisps as part of my Boots meal deal.

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Blue nails.

Sunshine.

The Fail List

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Manchester closing off one of its main roads for a cycling event on Sunday, making it virtually impossible to navigate to our hotel.

The Manchester United museum. Whilst I’m pleased I’ve visited, after going to the Real Madrid museum it was a bit like comparing Debenhams to Harrods.

A lack of signage and organisation at the Phones-4-U Arena in Manchester (where we went to see Robbie). I’ve never known chaos like it at a concert. Groups of people blocking the main entrances and we even ended up in the wrong seats for a while. Sort it out!

Fab & Fail: Sunday 29th June 2014

Hope you’ve all had fabulous weeks? Here’s what’s been flourishing and floundering for me this week…

Fab List

J’adore this way of planning out your week. So much more inspiring than a boring list of tasks.

Also loving all the fabulous office-y type things you can purchase from Etsy. There’s a few I could do with for my day job in this post.

Look how far tech has come in this amusing ‘kids react to old computers’ video.

I was addicted to Judy Blume books as a teenager, now it seems she’s writing saucy stuff for us adults.

Porridge made with coconut milk – so I delicious I had to text Hubby at work as soon as I’d tasted the first spoon full.

Fail

Beyoncé and Jay Z kicking off their On the Run tour but not bringing it to the UK. Pssst, if you really are ‘on the run’ Carter-Knowles’ our borders really aren’t that secure if media reports are anything to go by you’ll be fine hiding out in the UK for a few nights.

Toothache – the aftermath of accidentally chomping on your cheek can be rather irksome it would seem.

Hayfever – sneezing loads and having toothache ain’t a great combination.

Not having any photos to accompany this blog post. Sorry it’s been another mad week, but on the plus side I’m all caught up now, so expect good things for next week.

Fab & Fail: Sunday 22nd June 2014 (posted on Monday – oops!)

Fab List

The amazing Nike World Cup advert. Seriously, take a look at how magnificent this is…

The weather! Gorgeous is not the word. I’ve actually caught a bit of a tan!

The smug satisfaction of completing a monster project at the day job.

Twinings Apple and Pear Green Tea tea bags – seriously refreshing.

OD’ing on Saccone Jolys vlogs, seriously addicted to this super-cute family.

Feeling proud of myself for finishing a really long book.

Catching up with my bestie.

A yummy date night meal with the hubby.

A super-duper clean car.

Fail List

Getting super stressed out over the monster project at the day job – so much so that I, again, neglected my little blog.

England’s World Cup performance. We look like a better team, we pass well, we’re quicker, but yet we’re not managing to turn that into results. Hopefully we can iron out the kinks in time for the Euro’s in a couple of years.

Fab & Fail: Sunday 15th June 2014

Fab List

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Oreo ice cream sandwiches – divine!

The Blogacademy home school – if the taster session is anything to go by I need to sign up for the rest!

Socceraid – Robbie, James McAvoy and a host of other hot men running around a pitch in shorts, raising over £4million for Unicef? Yes please!

Treating myself to a coffee as a treat and not feeling like I need another… addiction officially broken!

Finding balance-ish.

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The World Cup. I’ll admit it. I’m enjoying the football more than I thought I would. Literally wanted to jump on the pitch and hug Casillas after the Spain Vs Netherlands match.

Sunshine – love it!

Fail List

A cray cray week at work meaning I didn’t see as much sunshine as I would have liked.

That same cray cray week making me succumb to a daily coffee on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Oops!