10 Modern Folk Treasures

Over the last six months or so, I've got into folk music in a big way. I've started to explore the genre, listening to 60s and 70s folk, through to modern folk bands. I was lucky enough to see some great acts at Wickham Festival (and posted about it here). It was really hard to compile a playlist of only 10 modern folk tracks that I love, but I managed to whittle it down eventually. So click here for my '10 Modern Folk treasures' playlist.

 

Roll the Woodpile Down by Bellowhead: 

Bellowhead are an eleven-piece folk band who source traditional folk songs and writings to turn into dynamic masterpieces. They were amazing live and this song was even more uplifting than the album version. This song's origins lay in the Southern states of America, coming originally from the songs of African slaves. Bellowhead's CD inserts are really fascinating to read as they tell you where their tracks are sourced from and how far they might date back; it makes you realise how powerful the folk narrative and song tradition is, and how important it is that we are keeping it alive by participating in the traditions today, in one form or another. 

Many of the picks from my playlist inspire this notion in a far more powerful way than I could ever put it.

Make-up Palette storage solution: white filigree

I am a fan of acrylic storage and own quite a lot, but today's post is focused on palette storage. On the right you can see the letter rack that I have been using for my palettes for quite some time now. I like the white filigree design with butterflies and it fits well with the rest of my (acrylic) storage. The beauty of this is that you can bend the metal partitions to allow for more width in particular sections where you want to store a few palettes together. I believe I got this from Wilkinsons, but you could find this sort of thing in many shops selling stationery.

Review: Aussie Miracle Dry Shampoo

I picked this relatively new dry shampoo from Boots about a month ago. I love Aussie as a brand, especially their Three Minute Miracle Conditioners. The products smell delicious and I was thrilled to see that they had branched out into the dry shampoo market.
I chose the Mega Instant version for normal to greasy hair. It is also available in a formulation for coloured hair and one to give volume. 
The price is really competitive (little more than £3 when I picked it up), so I felt I had nothing to lose. 

Sweet treats at IKEA!

Topshop: Metallic make-up and berry tones for Autumn

Topshop have some gorgeous new metallic lipsticks and cream blushes in, ready for Autumn. I went to investigate and picked up Armour lipstick and Pulse cream blush. Both are beautiful and on trend for the new season.

Portsmouth in Pictures (and a few words!)

I moved to Portsmouth to go to university in 2002 and remained living there for the following ten years. As soon as I stepped off the train at Portsmouth and Southsea and walked through Guildhall Square, I knew it was the place for me; the streets are bustling with all walks of life and there's always something to see or do, whether it be a walk by the sea or a look around the shops.
I had lunch with a friend at Gunwharf Quays today, so I took some pictures on my way to meet her. 

My Limited Edition Mac Lipsticks

Left to right: Peachstock, Innocence Beware! , Betty Bright, Red Racer, Love Goddess

I posted about my Mac lipstick collection back in March, deliberately leaving out the section of limited edition shades that I own. I wanted to do these separate because, with the exception of Peachstock which I believe is now part of the permanent collection, the colours are not available to buy. Saying that, we all know that Mac has so many lipstick shades available, so you are bound to find a permanent shade that is similar.
Here are the shades I own, modelled on my lips for your entertainment!

My 100th Post!

Just a quick one to say:

I started this blog in 2012 after being inspired by the blogs and youtube channels of so many talented people. I also have had a love of writing since I was a child and wanted to take this up as a hobby.
I didn't find the commitment for blogging until earlier this year and since April, I've been kind of addicted! I'm also nearing 100 Bloglovin subscribers, so to get nearer to this number on the day of my 100th post would be magical! 
Even though my blog is still a work in progress, I'm so grateful to everyone who has taken time out of their day to read it: friends, family, fellow bloggers, the wonderful Bloglovin community and anyone who has stumbled across it by chance. Thank you, it means a lot to me. 

Review: Burberry Light Glow Blush in Misty 08

Looking at my blush collection, I thought it was about time to put the spotlight on Misty by Burberry. For any avid readers, you may have seen me post on my Burberry purchases before (if not, click here!)
If you haven't, I'll tell you a little bit about Misty:
The shade is most appropriate for light to medium coloured skin as it is a paler pink with slight cool undertones. This is probably what drew me to it, although I have to admit that compared to some of the more vivid and vibrant colours on offer, Misty does somewhat seem like the 'wallflower' of the collection on first glance. Despite the soft  and unassuming colour of this blush, it really packs a punch in terms of pigmentation. the swatch I did for this post is just one swipe, and you can build it up nicely to a very pretty shade of pink.
This is a matte blush, so perfect for everyday wear, and it applies beautifully, lasting well throughout the day.

3 budget-friendly, fun and vibrant lipsticks

Today's post is in protest of the ever-nearing end of the Summer! I know, I know, we've still got plenty of Summer sun left, I'm sure, but I'm looking out the window at clouds at the moment and needed to cheer myself up! Hopefully these budget-friendly lippies will have the same effect on you!

What's on my shelf?

This is a post dedicated to the curious people out there who love nothing better than a nosy peep at the random possessions that people choose to have in their lives - call it a twist on the 'what's in my bag' style posts, or, if you're an oldster like me, a take on Through the Keyhole: Now, who would live in a house like this...?

...well not the most organised person, that's for sure. But nevertheless, let me take you through the items on my bedside shelf:

Review: Nars Light Reflecting Setting (Pressed) Powder

Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder is a beautiful product. I have it in the pressed form and have been using it now for many months.
This translucent powder is well worth the price in my opinion. It is not like any other powder I have ever used. There are many affordable pressed powders out there that claim to give a 'glowy' effect, but often the effect is less 'glowy', more glittery. The difference I have found with this product is that it imparts the most minute shimmer particles onto the skin, so fine that it looks very natural and healthy.
People always talk about 'receiving compliments' when wearing products. One of my lovely work colleagues has commented on how 'glowing' my skin looked on a few occasions, and although I'd like to think it was all down to my relentless skincare regiment, I actually put it down to this.
This photo captures the product well in direct sunlight and shows the true beauty of it's shimmer. Don't worry, under regular lighting, it just looks like a white powder. You also don't look like Edward Cullen when you apply this, as it blends into skin and actually works to mattify shiny areas, whilst giving a subtle glow.

Bellowhead at Wickham Festival

What can I say about my experience of Wickham Festival 2014? I'll say simply that it was amazing! We only dropped in for the Sunday afternoon, particularly because Bellowhead were headlining, but it was also great to see some other incredible folk acts such as Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and Kris Drever; Steve Knightley's Wake the Union; and Altan. 

The Liebster Award: What is it? What does it mean?

Lots of you would have come across the Liebster Award recently. It's doing the rounds as far as I can see, but until I was nominated by the lovely Sammy I didn't pay too much attention to it.

Of course, the first reaction to receiving an 'award' is to feel very, very flattered, so thank you Sammy for the huge compliment, I really appreciate that someone has seen my blog and thought enough of it to nominate it.

Funland, Hayling Island, in pictures

Have you ever seen the episode of Father Ted where they visit 'Funland'?

Well today I feel like I've been there (well actually, I have quite literally!). Funland in Hayling island, that is. 

Mac Foundation shades for cool, pale skin: NW10, NW13, NW15

NW10, NW13, NW15

This is a post aimed at showing you the difference between the cool (NW) Mac shades at the paler end of the spectrum. If you're not near a counter and are not sure how pale the colours are, this reference guide is for you. I am by no means a professional, but I can tell you about my own experience with these shades.

Review: Nars Lip Gloss (Belize and Supervixen)

Supervixen (top); Belize (bottom)

Today's review is focusing on Nars Lip gloss in the shades Belize and Supervixen- two neutrals with sparkle.

'Space Girl' inspired vanilla cupcakes

Today the urge to bake came upon me once again and I decided to make some vanilla cupcakes. I used the Hummingbird Bakery recipe below:

The lazy guide to skincare, on a budget

It's great to know that people who've read my posts on skincare seem to enjoy them. This post is inspired by a conversation I had with a friend of mine, who like many busy people, like the idea of taking steps to better their skin or their routine, but don't have the inclination, time or budget to do so. I have found some lower budget options here that I would either recommend from experience, or from reading positive reviews from others.

A day trip to Portsmouth

Today is miserable and wet. Looking back at my sunny Southsea pictures from a few days ago makes me feel a lot more cheery, and hopefully it'll do the same for you!

I lived in Portsmouth for about ten years, so it will always be a special place to me. I recently went to Portsdown Hill and Fort Nelson, before taking a stroll along Southsea seafront.

Skincare on the go

Here are my picks from a recent short stay away from home. I like to travel as light as possible, so I like to take samples and trial sizes with me:

A few of my favourite things #5 (July 2014)

Currently wearing

  Florals

Summer is here and I've been loving wearing floral skater skirts with plain tops or plain bottoms with floral tops. Two latest additions to my wardrobe are these these beautiful floral numbers from Warehouse in their sale. They work well tucked into jeans or a pencil skirt.

Make-up picks for a mini-break

Lush haul, featuring some favourites

I love Lush. Years ago I used to make sure that I had a regular stock of their bath bombs and bubble bars; nowadays, I splash out every now and again. The other day was a day for doing just that.
So what did I buy?

Blueberry and Banana Muffins

What a wonderful time of year the Summer holidays are for a teacher! Gone are the early mornings, dashing out the door at 7am and returning to do planning and marking of an evening. I cherish the holidays because I can do more of the things I enjoy- baking, being one.

Visiting Home in Pictures

Our beautiful family cat, Daisy (her sister, Chloe, isn't as good at posing)

Products I've used up

I find 'empties' posts and videos really useful as they generally give a true verdict of whether a product is worth looking into or not.

Here are some products I've recently used up and my opinions on them:

Simple Invigorating Shower Gel: 
I bought this on a whim. It is a mint-scented greeny-blue gel which is definitely, as the name says, invigorating and refreshing. I loved this and would purchase again without hesitation as it is a really affordable alternative to Lush or Body Shop shower gels. It lasted me about a month.

My experience with the 30 Day Shred

Last year I decided to use the free time I had in the Summer holidays to get fitter and tone up. Walking, running and swimming were some activities I did in varying amounts, but it was the 30 Day Shred that made the biggest impact.

For those of you that aren't familiar with this, I'll explain: it is an intense circuit training programme that you can pick up very cheaply on DVD and do in the comfort of your own home. That is probably a good thing because no-one is there to see you sweat like a pig and cry out in pain like a banshee! I'm half joking there. I say half because the workout is instructed by The Biggest Loser's Jillian Michaels, who is to put in nicely, a real task-master!