Getting back on track, cakes, life updates and sorts

Hello everyone!

So I definitely haven't blogged for about a month. Which is quite unforgivable really. The only excuse I have is that I had such a busy July! I've also been quite down and not felt up to writing some days, but I feel a bit better now. 

Apologies if you're not in the UK, I'm sure you've been reading it everywhere, but WOW has it been hot! I am a sun LOVER, so have definitely been in my element in this heat! I blogged about our first BBQ of the year a few weeks ago, before the sunny weather had really picked up, and since then, I've lost count of how many BBQ's I've eaten. I just love sitting out on the swing chair, cider in hand, with the food flaming away nicely! That was until the bbq caught fire. We haven't had one since. You can imagine my devastation I'm sure. Haha.

I've attended a friends leaving party (off to work at Universal Singapore for 13 months!) my best friends 21st birthday, getting my cakes back on track, work work work, gym gym gym, and sorting out somewhere to live for when I move away for work in October! I just don't know where July went. 

I've taken a ton of photos this month but as they'd be highly out of context now, I don't feel like posting a backlog of pictures, but I thought I'd share with you some examples of the cake pops I've been baking. They are too yummy, (if I do say so myself!) I need to update my cake page on fb, which you can find at the link above if you're interested. 

So, I'm back, and I'm setting myself a challenge to post a picture of something every day. I am yet to decide on the theme....I've got a few hours yet...hmmm....any ideas would be good! 

Ooh, and check back in a few minutes because I HAVE to share with you the amazing sandals I treated myself to! 

Over and out for now, 

Sammy xo

I'm still here..Back properly soon, promise!

Hi everyone, 

Just a post to say that I'll be back shortly. I've had such a crazy week that I haven't had a chance to post anything, but hopefully I'll be able to get down to it tomorrow. I've got lots to share with you!

Hope you've all been enjoying this amazing sunny spell!

Sammy xo

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes // Hair and Beauty

Hello lovely people!

So last month I briefly reviewed Rimmels new ScandalEyes Flex mascara here, which on first use I thought was pretty good, but after further use, I've decided isn't my new 'go-to' mascara. It goes on easily, and doesn't clump, but I feel like it never actually dries! I hate mascara that goes crispy, however, this mascara has no chance of that; it remains really easily smudgeable (is that a word?) but for some reason is still really difficult to remove! I really needed something different, because as far as I know, Panda Eyes aren't in this season, so headed to Boots today to find something new. When I got there, I found that they are currently offering 2 for 1 across all beauty products, and 2 for 1 on all hair products, score! 

L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Excess 

After some serious deliberation, (I'm not joking, I really couldn't decide what I wanted!) I went for the L'oreal Volume Million Lashes Excess waterproof mascara. It has an anti-clump wiper which is great; it prevents any excess on the brush, and shouldn't clump. I wasn't blessed with long luscious lashes (tounge twister alert, sorry!) so I always look for a volumizing mascara to better what I've got! As it has Volume in the title, I'm hoping I'll be onto a winner here. I tried it on one eye when I got home, and can confirm that it is not overly crispy, but has dried nicely and doesn't seem to be easily smudgeable. It also has nicely separated my lashes, which again, is a good feature. I wouldn't say it creates a particularly dramatic effect that you might like to accompany a smoky eye, but really I think it makes for a good multi-use mascara. 

Seventeen High Drama Liquid Eyeliner 

I normally go for Collection 2000's liquid eyeliner. It does exactly what you need, and is great value for money, but for some crazy reason the Boots I went to did not have a Collection 2000 stand! I chose Boots '17' Liquid Eyeliner which was only £3.99. They offered another liquid eyeliner which had a Wet Look finish, but I didn't think that was really the look I was after, however if you wanted to find a Wet Look eyeliner, that could be one to try! The High Drama eyeliner has a pen-tip for easy application, and comes in 5 different shades. Pretty standard, and should do the job nicely! 

Schwarzkopf Got 2 B Glued Blasting Freeze Hairspray

This is my FAVOURITE hairspray of all time. It absolutely does freeze your hairstyle, and makes your hair stay put. You only need a minimal amount too, because it's so strong! If you use too much, it doesn't brush out particularly nicely, but if you don't go overboard, it's fine. It also has a nice smell, which I think is an important deciding factor for hairspray! Spraying essence of bug all over myself is not what I have in mind when finishing off my look. 

Also, I do love Elnett hairspray. That and this one are the ones I'd recommend. And I've tried amd tested a LOT of hairstyles in my time.

Botanics Intensely Hydrating Shampoo

I was very pleased to discover the 2-4-1 offer on haircare; I have to be really specific because of my hair extensions and can only use Shampoos that are Sulphate free, so with Boots' big range of haircare products, I was sure I'd find one that I could use. You'd be surprised at how hard it is to find a shampoo that is sulphate free! There are benefits for using a sulphate free shampoo even if you don't have extensions, and especially if you have curly hair. The sulphate in shampoos is a drying ingredient, and shampoos without it are designed to keep moisture in your hair. So, obviously not a good choice for anyone who has oily or greasy hair. But great if you have naturally curly or dry hair. I like the Boots' Botanics skin care range, so thought I'd give the shampoo a try. It has a really nice floral scent, and I'm looking forward to trying it out on my hair! 

What are your favourite mascaras? Is there one you think I should try out? I'd love to know if there is!

Sammy xo

Fit Man of Steel! Wow..

Hello everybody! 

Now, for those of you who don't know who Henry Cavill is, go to the cinema and see Man of Steel right now. You get to stare at this face (and body, do not forget the body) for a whole two hours. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Rob and everything, but if I ever met Henry, I would definitely blush, go very unnecessarily giggly, and/or weak at the knees. Maybe try and throw myself at him...Don't try and tell me you wouldn't, because I definitely wouldn't believe you. 

It's a good film (if you can drag your eyes away from Henry whenever he's on screen). A lot of action and fight scenes. Maybe too many in my opinion, but obviously, the above makes up for that...

I don't remember the original Superman, or know masses about it, so I thought the storyline was great, and I quite enjoyed it, but Rob -who knows a lot more about Superman than me- felt that there were certain elements missing. But if you want to see a good sci-fi action film, (with some serious eye-candy) then this is a good one to see. 

I can't stop scrolling up to have another look at the picture, oh my, get a grip Sammy!

In other news, it's Wednesday evening, which means we're closer to Friday than we were this morning. Yay! I've had a bit of the mid-week blues today. Both of my best friends are working away for 4 months, so I'm pretty lonely, and it hit me a bit more than normal today. But I've got a busy weekend ahead, so I'm looking forward to that. Unlike most people, my weekdays are pretty empty, but my weekends are extra busy!

Cheer me up, tell me who your celebrity crushes are! (Other than Henry 'fittest man of steel' Cavill of course!) ;) 

Sammy xo

Happy 2nd July! // Minnie Mouse Nails

Afternoon all!
As you may have noticed, I've changed the url of my blog, and the header. When I started my blog, I didn't really know what I wanted to name it, so everything I had to name was something different. I'm not sure what made me choose Just Freckles either, (apart from the fact that I have a lot of freckles :]) but I think I'm happy with it! So re-welcome to my blog, Just Freckles!
Also, pinch punch, flick and a kick and all of that for the 1st of July. I am aware that it was yesterday, but I missed it. So, a belated, yay it's July! Bring on summer! To you all.
I attempted some sort of fancy nail art today, Minnie Mouse inspired. I have shaky hands for some reason, and can't seem to do my nails neatly, especially when I'm trying to do my right hand with my left! But I gave it my best shot.

There we go! I used a Nude Barry M nail varnish for the base colour, a no. 17 Red for the tips (which took me a long time to get straight. Anyone have any hints on how to make that easier?) and some nail art pens for the bows and polka dots, that I bought from eBay. They've got a thin brush, and a nib top for more precise detail. They are pretty adventurous for me but I'm pleased with them! The only other thing I can do is leopard print. I attempted some zebra-like stripes the other day, but it just looked like I'd had an accident with the black pen...

Does anyone else like to experiment with their nails? If anyone has any tips and tricks for me to try, I'd love to hear!

Sammy xo



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Sunny Sunday! Time to relax.

Hello again lovely readers!

It was a hot and sunny sunday yesterday which could mean only one thing - BBQ!

Nobody can be unhappy when its warm. Even the dogs were smiling - look at Bailey. :) It was just such a laidback day; my family and Rob just relaxing in the sun, drinks in hand, music playing, the bbq...bbq-ing...everything you want a summer afternoon to be. We also made a start on Robs best man speech for his friends wedding in October. They are really hard to write! Especially to make them funny. But I think we're off to a good start. 

I'm going to post a link to the recipe for the Mars Bar dip we had last night in place of a standard chocolate fondue. I have to say that it's not looking as good as it tastes in that photo! There are still chunks of un-melted Mars bar, but seriously, the taste is lushhhh. Strawberries were definitely the favourite to dip, too.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Did anyone else waste away their sunday in the garden like me?

Sammy xo

London Adventures // Photossss

Hello everyone <3
The weather must have been listening to me; it's finally sunny and warm, and I can wear summer clothes! Hooray! We are preparing for an epic bbq this afternoon. There is so much food in my house right now, I'm so excited, I love bbq food, especially when the weather is this perfect. It's funny, because you can just imagine the amount of bbq's happening today; everyone running out to get food, burger buns, cider. Any of you having one today too? I can't believe that I'm the only one. :) I'm also happy, because I'm wearing a new shirt I got in the H&M sale the other day, it's mint green and really light; perfect for a warm day. Photos later!

So back to this post. Yesterday, me and Rob decided to have a tourist day out in London. We do this every now and then. I'm in London every week for work and stuff, but I never venture round being a tourist, so I like to do it once in a while! I wore my new white woven vest, H&M sale, (£5, winning) black trainer wedges and black leggings, both Primark, and my vintage gold chain necklace that I match with everything. :)

Our first stop was to Covent Garden for lunch at Bar and Grill 'Maxwells'. American burgers and grill with my favourite - cocktails! Rob of course found Purple Rain on the menu again and ordered that, and I went for a Baileys Banana Colada. It was basically an alcoholic milkshake, and it was goooood. Once we'd done the rounds here, we headed towards Picadilly, for Hollister and Gilly Hicks. I was overwhelmed by the amount of underwear and bikinis. I can't not buy underwear, I just love it, so I had to exercise some real self-restraint not to buy everything I laid eyes on. I'm glad I did though, because there's a 70% sale online right now.... yay!
When we arrived in Picadilly, we noticed that it was really busy, busier than normal. What we didn't realise was that we had arrived slap bang in the middle of the London Pride parade! There were so many people, and it was a great atmosphere, but it was too crowded for that sort of heat, so we decided it was best to move on.
Now, I discovered the other day that Rob had never been to Harrods. I found this quite unreal. I've only been there like 3 times in my life, but I've still been and experienced it, so I decided it was my moral duty for Rob go and actually see Harrods! As expected, it was also crazily busy, but we went on the Egyptian Escalator, up to the pet spa, (where we saw baby Billy and Baileys, eeek!) and around the Food Halls. They had these incredible meringues, I think I got a photo of the raspberry and dark chocolate meringue. I really regret not buying one now. Oh well, we'll just have to go back... ;)
As we were in the area, we also went to the Natural History Museum (I did warn you about it being a seriously touristy day) and went round the Dinosaur bit, because we are just that cool. Haha.
Once we'd finished checking out the dino's, we went to Kings Cross and went to the Harry Potter shop! (I'm not sure if I've mentioned that I have a teeny tiny obsession with HP? I don't think obsessions a strong enough word, if that gives you a hint.) Anyway...we went and had a look at what was on offer in there. It was okay, had a few good things in it, but wasn't a patch on Harry Potter land in Florida, or the Warner Bros tour. I'm not making myself sound too cool here am I. I've revealed too much. Let's just get off of this topic now before you all leave me!
We then headed to a pub and enjoyed a cider over ice, which was just what the doctor ordered. Normally I'd go for Brothers Strawberry Cider, but if that's not available, Rekorderlig Strawberry & Lime is just as good. They've recently brought out a limited edition Passion fruit one, which could actually be my new favourite. Anyone else a cider drinker? Let me know what your favourite is, I love trying new ones! Like, what's that Toffee Apple one about?!

My feet are aching today, but it was totally worth it. So good to wander around with Rob and discover new places to go!

I have to go and make a start on this BBQ now. I'm hungry! Let me know what you're doing with your sunny sunday! It's too nice to stay indoors. :)

I'll be back later on, to seriously get on with posting my haul from in the week, and todays bbq food, for example, a Mars Bar dip for strawberrys, marshmallows etc. (Yes, it's as good as it sounds!)

Sammy xo

Skin and Make up tips for battling HAYFEVER!

Hello lovely readers, 

Again, I must apologise for the infrequency of my posts this week - there's been a lot going on, but I'm nearly  back on track now! 

Well, it's definitely hayfever season. I feel sorry for anyone who is suffering like I am. There isn't enough piriteze in the world to get rid of this! I find that not only do I get the funny throat, and watery eyes and nose that is standard with hayfever; it also wreaks havoc with my skin. I'm sure I'm not the only one? I thought I'd post some of my best tips for advice if your skin is messed up by season changes/hayfever, too. 

- Allergy Tablets. 

Okay, so while this isn't a beauty tip or quick fix, an allergy tablet before you go to sleep, and when you wake up is definitely the first step to tackling watery or puffy eyes. If you can get these under control, you're onto a winner. It's bad enough when you're out, and the wind causes your eyes to stream, and your mascara ends up in strange places. So try to control it from first thing in the morning! Piriton are my savior, they really are. (Obviously, I understand if you don't take tablets, that's fine, don't feel compelled to do this!)

- Washing!

So, pollen gets around. Once you've woken, and allergy-tableted up (if you take tablets :]) make sure you thoroughly cleanse your face, especially round your eyes, and nose. Do whatever you normally do in the morning, shower, or face planting into the sink, warm water, cold water, face wash, just make sure you do so in hayfever season! I would then normally cleanse and tone with my No7 cleanser and toner, which I will post about soon. And then I follow with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, which you can read about briefly here. Pollen gets around and will have clung to your skin over night, so it's best to decrease what you can at the start of your day. 

- Make up

If your skin goes as strange as mine, you'll know how it feels and looks slightly blotchy, mine changes texture and is nothing like its normal smoothness! You'll also know that it's not going to be happy with a lot of make up on it. Obviously, sometimes it's inescapable - you ARE going to have to wear make up, because you have places to be! (Luckily for me today, the only place I went to was the gym, so I got away with being make up free, giving my face and well-received break.) 

The best advice I have, is to not over-clog your skin with too many products, in order to make it appear more natural. Less is more! This can be said for many situations, but it really is applicable here. 

(---BASE)

No7 Colour calming primer is BRILLIANT, if your skin is red or patchy. Its a green, creamy primer, which is formulated to be non pore blocking, revitalise skin, and creates the perfect foundation base by neutralising redness on the skin. I LOVE this product - and save it for when I really need it - days like today are a perfect example! Perfect for anyone who suffers with patchy skin, or redness throughout the year, like I do. 

Okay so back to make up!

If you're going to wear foundation, try not to use heavily oil based one, as it may sink into your already upset skin, and will not provide a matt, even-coverage, when you need it the most. I would recommend a mineral based foundation, Bare Minerals, L'oreal true match. If you don't buy into powder based foundations, I do quite like the Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid. It's quite light on your skin, and is air whipped, for top pore coverage. Or, just use your favourite tinted moisturiser for the day! 

Go ahead with what you would normally do, but gently! Bronze and blush as normal.

(---EYES)

My eyes show off that I am affected by hayfever, so I avoid using too much on them. They'll look and feel heavier and smaller than normal, showing that something's up! Personally, I wouldn't use eyeshadow on a day like today and normally -I can't live without my eyeliner, but if it's bad enough, I will. So I'd either not use it, or do the smallest line, and just use a good WATERPROOF mascara for the day. (If you'd like to hear about my opinions on waterproof mascaras, I'll do a post. Just let me know!) 

I'm just trying to express that rather than caking on loads of make-up to compensate for angry skin, use less, and aim for a fresher, dewier look, you'll more natural and your skin will really thank you for it!

Do you any of you experience upset skin with hayfever, or does it play up when the weather changes? Mine always does, but some of my friends are lucky and never do! 

I hope my advice may be of use to someone. I'd be happy to go into more detail if you'd like. Just let me know! :)

Guess what - It's Friday again tomorrow! Fabulous Friday, at last!

I've just remembered that I still need to post some of great finds in the H&M sale the other day...I'll get on that soon!

Over and out for now!

Sammy xo

- 

Mid week posting madness, family birthdays!

Happy hobbit!

Stars and Stripes knickerbocker glory - vanilla and strawberry ice cream, marshmallows, smarties and chocolate sauce. If you're not a fan of sugar, this may not be the ideal choice for you...

Hello everyone! 

I'm sorry, I'm so behind this week. Yesterday was my nans 70th birthday, so my mum and I surprised her with a visit from my aunt (her eldest daughter) in a restaurant. It was brilliant; she really had no idea, it looked like she'd seen a ghost, and had to have a glass of wine. (Big deal because she doesn't drink - bless!) I guess birthday surprises are a good idea! We took her to a restaurant in Southend, called Tomassi's. It's really well known for its desserts - special pancakes, waffles, and these enormous knickerbocker glorys. There are so many flavours; Stars and Stripes, Italian black magic, vanilla macaroon, Eton mess, you name it, and they've probably got it. They're amazing! I love desserts. I just love food in general. Sometimes I go to sleep thinking about what I'm going to have for breakfast... Is that wrong? Surely other people must do that too... Sorry, off in my own world there.

I uploaded a photo of my outfit yesterday. I wore my aquamarine chiffon waterfall-style skirt, from a boutique in Leigh Broadway, the cropped white top I bought from Primark last week, vintage gold chain necklace, River Island drop-cross earrings, and my favourite Topshop black chain waist belt, which I wear with everything! I teamed this with my white low-cut converse, just to keep it casual. Do you have a wardrobe staple you love to wear with everything? My belt is mine, it goes with all my outfits - or at least I make sure it does.

It was lovely weather yesterday, I was relieved to finally be able to wear a skirt without tights! Hopefully it's here to stay, it would be nice to wear some of the summer items I haven't be able to resist buying...

I was so pleased to celebrate with my nan yesterday; she said it was the best of all her birthdays, and I took some lovely family photos to remember it by. I really want to invest in a good camera when I can; my iphone is great for quick snaps, but they're not great quality! 

Over and out for now, I might have done another spot of shopping in the h&m sale.....so watch this space! 

Sammy xo

It's show time!

So yesterday was fun! What incredible show, and for such a fantastic cause.

I really wanted to take a photo from backstage but you are 100% not allowed your phones or cameras back there, so it wasn't possible. 

There is something so wonderful about being involved in a show. The fun of rehearsals, getting to the theatre and doing sound checks, tech-ing, run throughs, the make up, the costumes, the nerves before the curtain goes up, the excitement when the music starts, and then when it's all over, wishing you could do it all over again. That really doesn't sum up what the atmosphere is really like, but I don't know how to put it into words. There's just nothing like it. It's electric. 

The audience were incredible. The show finished with 'Do you hear the people sing?' from Les Mis, and as the song hit its peak, they stood, and waved their flags in time with the song. It was just, amazing. 

After the show, I went to the after party - good fun, more dancing! Somehow I never managed to get a photo of my outfit. Fail. But my little blue primark dress went down a treat! Nude heels, gold accessories, and bold lipstick to accompany it. :) 

This morning (after getting to bed at around 3.30) I had some new headshots taken. (Luckily I woke up looking fresh and alert after 5 hours sleep; in hindsight probably not the best idea I've ever had...) For those of you who don't know, your headshot is what gets you anywhere in this industry. If your headshot is wrong, you won't get seen for jobs, however right you may be for the role! Mine was so out-dated (I still had a pixie cut in it, woops) so clearly I wasn't doing myself any favours. I'm so excited to get them, new hairstyle and all. :)

Well, I hope you all had a lovely weekend, and a good start to the week today. I've got family visiting this week, so that will be fun. We're surprising my little Nan tomorrow - it's her 70th birthday this week and she's been trying to pretend it's not happening. Sorry Nan, we all know, you're not letting it slide! ;)

I'm sorry that this has been quite a stagey post! But I hope it gives you some sort of insight into what I do. If you're interested, here's a review of last nights show - 'West End Heroes Review' - I'm one of the 42nd sSt performers.

Is anyone else a performer? I'd love to know if you are. 

Over and out for now!

Sammy xo

Friday Night Photos! Chilled out Saturday

Afternoon everyone :)

Just wanted to post some photos of my evening last night. I really want to invest in a good camera, as I take a lot of pictures! But I do like capturing moments with my trusty iPhone. 

Me and Rob went to a TGI Fridays; we love the food there, and settled on the same meal, which was gooood. I always challenge myself to see if I can finish my whole plate, (man v food styley) but I've actually only managed it once, and that was after a whole day walking around at the zoo! Rob also chose the manliest cocktail he could find, a nice purple number which basically tasted like alcoholic Ribena! The barman gave him a wink after establishing that I had ordered a nice bright purple drink for my man, haha. I had a prosecco cocktail mixed with orange sherbet; it was pretty good! 

We did go to the cinema afterwards, and saw the new Brad Pitt film, World War Z. If you like intense movies, this is definitely one for you! The only calm moments are the first 5 minutes, literally, after that you are absolutely on the edge of your seat! I highly recommend it.

I took that last photo on our way home. We just came up from an underpass and the street lights looked almost like fireworks; I was glad I caught it in a picture!

Anyone up to anything exciting this weekend? I'm having a chilled out day today as I know that tomorrow is going to be a long, but exciting day! I'm really hoping to get a photo with The Overtones, who are performing after me. 

Have a great Saturday everyone! 

Sammy xo

Fabulous Friday!

It's Friday! Fabulous Friday! I've had a busy one so far, but have finally found a minute to sit down and catch up with some of my favourite bloggers, and write a little something myself before this evening!

I can't function in the morning without a cup of tea, (how British) so I started off my day with an appropriately captioned mug-full, and two chocolate chip brioche rolls from Mark and Sparks. If you've never tried them, I suggest you do! They're sooo good. My mouth is watering now just thinking about them. I know there's one more downstairs but 3 in a day definitely qualifies as greedy, really. Unless you all agree that it doesn't? In which case I'll go and eat it before anyone else does...

I then did my sister a huuuuge favour, she owes me now! Basically, she has her college end of year show next week, and needs a white, floor length, evening dress for the finale. We ordered her one off ebay almost 4 weeks ago, but unfortunately, ebay really let us down this time, and it never arrived! So I went trawling around Prom/Bridal shops this morning in the hope of finding something, which I finally did. She's only little too, 5" and a size 6, which made it more problematic, so I had to get her out of college to try one on. Luckily it was a perfect fit - clearly meant to be! - so that put an end to a big stress! I honestly thought we were going to have to get a wedding dress at one point, just as well not, I may never have left the boutique if I started looking. I could see them looking at me, calling me over. (I should add that I am in NO position to even be thinking about weddings, but how could any girl not get caught up in a slight daydream whilst surrounded by these beautiful dresses?! Just me? Oh.)

After that I've went to the gym - standard - and got ready to go out once Rob finishes work. He's taking me out for dinner tonight, and I think we might go to the cinema too. I've been so much recently; there's so many good films out that I want to see. I'll let you know if and what we see!

I've posted a picture of Bailey and Billy from when I got home; they were SO excited to see me, (although they're generally overexcited at the sight of anyone) just look at Baileys face! When he gets excited he does these funny little yaps, which he can only do with his head facing the ceiling. So when he finishes yapping he then faces you again with this mahoosive grin. I've caught him mid-way between the two, haha, bless him. And Fatbill is just waddling headlong towards my lap for a nice cuddle. Please don't be offended that we call him Fatbill, but he IS over double the size of Bailey, which is funny because they are brothers from the same litter. It's beyond me how he's managed to get so enormous! He's super cuddly, and he loves being carried around like a baby. :)

I might make some brownies before Rob gets here...hmm...I've got that Friday Feeling. Where I like to eat loads of food. Haha. 

I hope you all have a Fabulous Friday! Any plans? Anyone else going to the cinema tonight? 

Speak soon!

Sammy xo

Primark haul! Mid week shop.

Hello world! 

I've been itching to get back on here to write, but have had two full on days rehearsing for West End Heroes which is playing at the Dominion Theatre this Sunday, in aid of Help For Heroes. It's going to be a wonderful event; there are so many amazing people giving up their time for a great cause. I'm really looking forward to it! 

After the show, there is going to be an after party, which is definitely going to be a 'dress to impress' sort of evening! Normally I always stick to a tried and trusted LBD, (can't go wrong!) but I really want to start introducing more colour into my wardrobe. It was so hard avoiding dresses with black on them, but I've succeeded! (Kind of..) I decided on trusty old Primark as they've got a great selection of dresses at the moment, at really great prices. 

I absolutely love the fit of this dress! I saw the black one and loved the fabric, style, length, everything about it, and then next to it was the bright blue one! Total win-win, I got myself a lovely new LBD, and a bright coloured dress which I can wear on Sunday! As I know the style is great for my body shape, when a black dress may be more appropriate, I won't be wishing that the blue one was black! And, they are only £10.00 each, barrrrrgain! They are also great quality, (considering the source!); the fabric stretches, but doesn't appear see-through, and isn't a thin, lightweight fabric. It feels very durable, and thicker than a normal Primark bodycon. I'm so excited to wear the blue one!  

Above is a picture of a ring I got for £1.50 too. The zip on the dress is gold, but looks a bit silvery in the picture, so I'm planning to wear it on Sunday too. I will of course post a picture of the whole outfit! Definitely need to choose some shoes....that's another whole can of worms; why do I continue to only buy black heels?! If anyone has any ideas as to what colour shoes would be a good investment pair, please let me know! If you've seen some, tell me! I'm thinking something tan/nude would be pretty versatile?

Seeing as how I've titled this post a 'haul', I should probably show you it! Cue photo:

(Apologies for the quality of the first picture, I don't know what was going on with the light in my room!) 

I'm obsessed with these lovely high neck crops at the moment, this black one was about £3.50 I think! And I think the white cap sleeved one was the same price. They're so easy to dress up, or wear whenever, maybe with high waisted jeans or something. I couldn't really say no, I love stocking up on basics! Heel shields, very handy, especially with a night out on the horizon ;) And finally, these two necklaces were reduced to a £1 each! A black rope chain with a silver cross, and a tan strap with a gold cross. I liked how the cross' were only knotted on, so I can change them about depending on my outfit that day. I wear a lot of black and gold so I think that'll be a popular combination. 

Anyone else picked up some good Primark bargains recently? The Topshop sale started today; I didn't have a chance to stop in, but I bet some lucky ladies got some great steals there today!

Sammy xo 

Something new for my Monday Blues!

Had the Monday blues this morning, absolutely didn't want to get out of bed! However it was made all the better as I remembered I had bought some new flower lights to hang around my bed frame. I did have some lovely pink ones, but they've started to look a bit tatty. Look how pretty!

I'll post another photo once I've hung them up :)

I Hope you've all day a good Monday! Anything exciting happening this week?

Sammy xo

HAIR EXTENSIONS...The Good & The Bad..

Hair Extensions...a topic I've wanted to write about for a long time! I'm going to waffle on for 5 minutes now about my hair history, I promise it's relevant!

In 2009, I cut my nearly waist-length hair off into a bob, and month later, went for a pixie cut with a fringe, (basically the same style as Frankie Sandford's was.) I loved it, I couldn't believe I'd waited so long to cut it off, I found like I'd finally discovered the style I was meant to have! I kept it short up until May last year. I did a ton of hair shows, and decided that after having it cut into styles I didn't choose (all of which were amazing I must add, and fabulous colours!) I would probably be more versatile if I grew it out a bit.

So, from June to September, I left it, so it just looked a bit messy. By December, I could tie it into a tiny little ponytail! (Top Tip, if your hair doesn't grow as fast as you'd like, definitely invest in Lee Staffords Hair Growth Shampoo and Conditioner...You'll thank me later! ;]) In January I went to the Caribbean for my 21st birthday present with my boyfriend Rob, so from February I was back to normality and needed to seriously sort out my hair, because 'mullet' isn't a good enough description for what my poor hair looked like! 

I decided that I definitely wanted extensions, to get me through the worst of the growing out process, and settled on a brand called Easilocks. I would like to point out now that this is just my opinion and I am expressing my experience with them. In case you decide not to read on, I'll say it now, please DON'T get them! It's been my biggest waste of money, and caused me so much stress! A friend of mine is qualified to fit Easilocks, Great Lengths, and some others I think, but she was very excited about EL's as they are a really tiny version of Microloops, and were reusable for about 3 times. You can leave them in for 3 months at a time before you must have them redone, so I was looking at about 9 months of wear. Brilliant! Or so I thought... 

Here's some photos of me before, and once they were in for the first time:

 

So, 3 months later, it was definitely time to have them redone. My wonderful friend spent about 5 hours, painstakingly removing each one, and replacing it. But, it was made longer by the fact that once you had used the section of hair, it didn't fit into a new Lock...so they hair had to be trimmed to fit back in. We both agreed that for the amount I had paid for the hair (£360 smacaroons) there should be a better method. However, they all went back in, and I left, very pleased with the results. This, though, is when the nightmare really began! 

4 days later, I scratched my head, near a lock. And out came a whole piece of hair. I lightly tugged on the bit next to it, and it came out easier than plucking a grape off of its stalk! I thought it was bit odd, because for the whole 3 months previously, not a single one had fallen out (until the 12th week, but that was expected.) A week after, 20 strands were out. 

2 weeks after, and over 60 were gone. There were now less on my head than I had in my hand! I was devastated, I looked ridiculous, I'd paid so much money to have them all fall out, and I couldn't see what to do next! 

I rang my friend straight away, and she was mortified. I 100% do not blame her, she spent so long trying to make sure that each strand was the right shape to fit back in to be reused, but the fact of the matter, is that the hair is NOT reusable. She has tried to contact them, but no one will give her the time of day. Absolutely appalling. She will no longer be using the Easilocks method!

This all happened at the end of April. I didn't want to spend out on clip ins, as I already have some, but I needed something a little easier to contend with, so purchased a half wig. I LOVE it! So easy to quickly change your look if you fancy it! Mine is made of synthetic hair, and I purchased some fibre conditioning spray to keep it looking good! I now save it for certain jobs, or if I just fancy wearing it ;)

It looks so real, even one of my closest friends didn't realise it wasn't my own hair!

But obviously, I really needed to sort out my actual hair. Since I last saw her, my friend had taken the time to make her own bonds using a technique from Great Lengths and my Easilocks hair. This took her HOURS, but she was so cross with what had happened, she spent loads of time to fix the problem. Great Lengths works by using ultrasound technology, virtually no heat, and the bonds are flat and clear. I'm SO happy with them!

Here's the before and after...

One very happy customer! 

Do any of you have any hair horror stories? What's your opinion on hair extensions? My experience has definitely been a learning curve. If you choose a good brand, they're so great to change up a style, add some length, some volume. With mine, I can dye them too, which is handy! 

Do you guys prefer clip-ins, or do you think permanent ones are better? Let me know! 

It feels really good to have finally got that off of my chest, so thankyou, and well done if you stuck with me all the way through that! 

Sammy xo