lifestyle

October & November Round-up

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I’ve been a bit of a nomad these past few months going between home, my blokes flat and his Dads. No wonder I haven’t been sleeping, my body doesn’t know where ‘my own bed’ actually is anymore! Here is a two month round-up for you.

October (a fair bit)

I reviewed this Maleficent tee which I bought from Pop In A Box who sell Funko Pops! but also other alternative pop-culture things.

I was lucky enough to get gifted some products from my one of my fave natural brands Yaoh to review. Total skin saviours in the crazy changing Autumn weather.

With Halloween coming up I put together a Modern Witchy OOTD. I’ve found that this style of dress is perfect if you want something over-the-knee and strappy but have a bit of belly as they emphasise the right curves and hide the ‘I’ve eaten way too much pizza’ kind. I also love this style of boot because they look stylish, don’t cut across legs mid-calf (which is never flattering) and the heel is low and chunky enough to support a wobbly wench like me.

It was my blogs 6th birthday! I’m so glad that I’ve stuck with this particular blog for six whole years and that you’ve all stuck with me too. Thank you so much!

Dyspraxia Awareness Week (7th-13th Oct) celebrated 30 years. For any posts I’ve written relating to Dyspraxia just type the word into the search bar on the lower right side of this blog.

I reviewed Ciate Dewy Stix in Gleam Gold and had mixed feelings about it.

I bought some seasonal and creepy-cute pins from Little Lefty Lou and Em & Sprout (the cat I’d previously bought from Punky Pins and it tends to spin around upside-down unfortunately).

I put together 6 Simple Autumn Style Essentials as we all want to be stylish and warm!

For Halloween I also treated myself to these pre-loved Monster High dolls from ebay which were about a quarter of the price they would have been new. One is a punky vampire and the other is a goth looking ghost. #stylegoals

I reviewed Ciate polish in Paradise Lost – part of their Gelology collection as it’s perfect for Autumn and the upcoming party season.

I compiled a list of Spooky TV Shows to Binge Watch – old and new.

I was so happy to be gifted these beautiful Moonstone rings from Gemstone Silver Jewellery to give my thoughts on.

I bought the oversized bat-wing jumper from Boohoo and lived in reviewed it. Why I look like the actor Ron Perlman in this particular photograph I don’t know.

November (not so much)

My hair was very happy that I reviewed this Shampoo and Conditioner from Yaoh but I begged to differ at one point!

10 Cozy Ideas for Autumn & Winter. I love doing posts like this each year as it makes me feel all cozy and optimistic for the months ahead.

I was gifted an Exercise (resistance) Band by Care Co. and had a lot of fun and some mishaps reviewing it.

When Hunkemoller asked my to choose something from their range of PJ’s and loungewear range I knew I wanted these velour joggers immediately. Here’s what I thought of them.

I thought it only fair to share My Autumn and Winter Skin and Hair Saviours with everyone.

I’d say this photo pretty much sums up my October and November lol

❤Chrissie❤

Athleisure Style Joggers from Hunkemoller

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When you spend a lot of time chilling in doors, you want to wear something cozy but you don’t want to greet people when wearing washed out cartoon PJ’s from a decade ago. You know you need a serious (grown) up-grade. This is where Hunkemoller comes in handy as they offer pretty and practical pyjamas and lounge-wear.

How cute is this box ^_^

Look at my gorgeous new joggers! With a silky tie at the waste, sparkly sporty stripes down the gently tapered legs and a rich burgundy colour, I invited people around just to show them off – not kidding. They are also warm and pretty enough to go outside in, if you don’t have the time (or simply can’t be bothered, let’s be honest) to get changed.

They are made of a velour type material which I love because a) They are bunny soft b) They have some substance about them so they don’t end up getting baggy knees after a day of wear and c) They look sumptuous, especially in burgundy.

These are a ‘Small’ and although I agree with that as far as the waste band goes, I think they could have been a little more fitted around the top and the back. I’m glad I have slightly thick thighs and a lot of junk in the ole’ trunk, put it that way! To be fair, they are one of the few tapered pants I can wear that don’t feel like they are cutting off the circulation in my ankles and the length is perfect for my 5’8″ height. I’d say overall Hunkemoller sizing is generous.

If you could treat yourself to a lounge-wear/pyjama upgrade for the winter, what item would you choose?

❤Chrissie❤

10 Ideas for a Cozy Autumn & Winter

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  1. Treating yourself to a new scarf, hat or gloves
  2. Hot chocolate or spiced tea/coffee in a big mug, which you can wrap both hands around
  3. A stroll around a big indoor artisan food or craft fair
  4. Fairy lights decorating a room, before and after Christmas
  5. A candle or perfume with a comforting fragrance
  6. Extra blankets and big cushions on the settee/bed to make a nest from
  7. A thick novel or biography which really engages you
  8. Donating food/clothes to projects and charities for people who are especially vulnerable around this time of year
  9. Big, hearty homemade stews or pies
  10. Having the heating automatically turn on for a while, just before you get out of bed

❤Chrissie❤

🎃 Spooky TV Shows To Binge Watch Over Halloween 🎃

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Stranger Things 2016 –

How could I not include this! With every 80’s horror-fantasy clique, this series somehow manages to seem fresh and retro at the same time. It’s equally charming, funny, subtly creepy and action packed.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer 1996 – 2003

Total classic about a teenaged slayer, her ‘Scoobie gang’ and her grown up (and very handsome) Watcher who, together, deal with all sorts of supernatural goings on in the town of Sunnydale. Snappy dialogue and wonderful three-dimensional characters.

Preacher 2016 – 

Based on the adult comic book series by DC’s Vertigo line, this story is about a jaded preacher who, stirred by a crazy happening at a church, joins up with his ex and a vampire to fight injustice and to find god. If you are vegetarian you might want to skip all of the scenes with the self proclaimed ‘King of meat’. Thoughtful, darkly funny and a bit nuts!

Supernatural 2005 –

Two brother follow their fathers lead and hunt supernatural creatures. Some episodes can be genuinely creepy but it’s a bit of a mixed bag – depending on what creeps you out.

Doctor Who 2005 –

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The Dr arrives again – this time in the form of a woman who can’t quite remember who she is. When strange things start to happen in the Northern town, she teams up with the people who found her as a race to survive ensues.

The Strain 2014 – 2017

One of the more creepy shows in the list but as a result of a particular person and circumstance, rather than the marauding zombies hordes. The Strain goes from sci-fi outbreak thriller – to holocaust flash-back drama – to zombie horror.

Charmed 2018 –

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Modern take on the beloved 1998 series of three sisters who discover they are much stronger together as they have magic abilities. And boy will they need them!

Grimm 2011-2017

A detective realises he descended from a line of Grimms who are sworn to hunt vesesen – people who turn into animals and other beings – who are disrupting the equilibrium. What happens when he realises some of them are his neighbours and how does he explain everything to his girlfriend and colleagues? Loosly based on Grimms Fairytails, this show is so much fun!

The X-Files 1993 – 

This classic, iconic show has covered, sci-fi, fantasy, pseudo science, the paranormal, myths and legends and in a few episodes straight up horror. Here’s a link to the 10 most scary episodes so you know what to avoid, hehe!

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

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Sabrina is still about a teen witch coping with everyday teen life but it’s darker than the original; a mash-up of True Blood meets Pretty Little Liars in tone maybe?

Which ones have you watched or are planning on watching? 

Chrissie V—-V

Simple Ghoul/Undead Look Using Everyday Makeup

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Brains!

Fringe (bangs) – Dry shampoo and styling putty. I ran out of dry shampoo but would have like to apply more so it looked white.

Face – White and light green eyeshadow, mixed with a silvery highlighter to give my face a pale but eerie glow. Used my fingernail to gently score out bits of makeup around my nose and chin for an uneven look (top picture).

Eyes – Grey eyeliner randomly applied, blended up to my eyebrows. Sparkly green liquid eyeshadow dabbed in the middle. Grey and green smeared down my cheeks like slimy sludge (bottom picture).

Lips – A nude-brown lipstick with foundation lightly dabbed over the top.

Chrissie V—-V

September – Monthly Round-up

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Food & Drink

My Bloke got me these posh teas from Twinings so I can have hot drinks that aren’t builders tea (strong, milk, two sugars) which I’m not overly fond of. I can’t attest to their waking and sleeping powers as my brain seems to function in any other way possible, than what’s expected; I can say they both taste lovely though. Fairly subtle and fresh in flavour and not too perfumy.

We are successfully growing chillies! The plant is both male and female so you get a really soft and narrow makeup brush and act like a bee and go around all of the flowers pollinating it. We planted it at the start of summer and now have seven decent sized chillies, with lots of tiny little green globes that will hopefully grow bigger.

I’ve figured out the perfect way of making a vegetarian Roast ‘Chicken’ Salad & Fahita Filling.

Style

This is the one of my trusty styles for autumn, along with a more dressy look I’ll post next month.

Of course there had to be something Halloween related as we near October. Unbelievably some of the things I wanted to include in Halloween Fashion were already sold out!

I’ve never been a big Disney Princess fan, in fact the words used to make me shudder as a kid BUT I’ve always loved a good baddie. Perfect for Halloween Disney Style.

Beauty

Here’s why this GOSH BB Cream was both a hit and a miss.

Ooh pretty! See what I thought of the Barry M Holographic Eye Toppers and what look I created using the green one.

If you want an everyday mascara which will be kind to your lashes and the environment then PHB Natural Mascara is the one you need.

Random

Even though my Bloke has never watched friends he has somehow picked up on the recent resurgence of it and has started saying Joey’s expression “How you doin’?” to me. He started off enthusiastically (and hilariously) saying “How ya doing!!!” while wiggling his eyebrows up and down. Bahahaa! Nope. I told him it’s “How you doin’?” with one eyebrow raise to accent the word ‘you’, that makes ALL the difference. He is now utterly and disarmingly brilliant at it! I seem to have subconsciously picked up on the Joey look too.

Squirrels hate me. Yup. On three separate occasions I have been screamed at by a squirrel. Walking by one on a footpath, walking under a low hanging branch and yesterday one was on a tree, next to the window and I was inside the flat! I’m starting to agree with Carrie Bradshaw that they are indeed ‘Just rats in cute outfits.’ Although, that may be an injustice to rats.

Here’s an honest and lighthearted list of 15 Relatable Ways Brain Fog Effects People. You might think of someone or even yourself as rather ‘ditzy’ or sort of ‘head in the clouds’ but it could be brain fog if they/you have chronic fatigue or various other conditions. I’ve come out with some great one-linners and wonderings while feeling brain-fogged however.

 

❤ Chrissie ❤

The Mancunian Spray – Charity Art Battle

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The Mancunian Spray – Charity Art Battle commences on Saturday 15th of Semptember and will involve street artist creating their best effort to win the battle, as well as music, food and drink. It’s free entry and these things always have a great vibe to them. The point is to have fun while raising money the Manchester Mayor’s Homelessness Fund. It’s on until 6.00pm so plenty of time to have a lie-in after a Friday night out and a great distraction from a hangover!

Saturday September 15th

11.00am – 6.00pm

Baird Street

Manchester

M1 2WQ

❤Chrissie❤

August Monthly Round-up

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Well this is a bit late as the very end of August caught me by surprise for some reason.

Style

I bought this Rick & Morty tee from EMP and it’s a slim but flattering fit, soft material and a good length for tall gals.

I reviewed some gorgeous iridescent trainers by Hype.

I was prepared for the weather changing (before the resurgence of the British heat wave) and picked out some easy Autumn fashion ideas.

Food

As a vegetarian with a wheat and dairy intolerance, I often get asked “Then what do you eat?” I decided to show everyone what’s in my fridge (items in door included).

Beauty

I bought two two products from two different ranges by Nip and Fab, that compliment each other really well. They also look a little different too! Here’s my review.

It took me a long time to realise I was defeating my hair just by washing it the wrong way, before I even started styling it! Here are my tips for turninig thick frizz into shiny waves.

I think this is fairly self explanatory, here it is.

Random

The Bloke mentioned that I tend to look very serious in a lot of my selfies so I took some silly one’s when we were having a laugh.

❤Chrissie❤

Hype Iridescent Trainers

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I was looking on the Schuh website for my Autumn Wishlist post and came across these wonderful iridescent trainers by Hype (not available on the U.K. Hype site anymore) for £20. I think they deserve their own post!

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These are comfortably wide, have a medium grip on the sole and don’t dig into your toes when the front creases. The inner sole is slightly padded so you could be on your feet all day and not have your feet or joints hurting. They are proper lace up trainers with long laces, not those fake pull on ones.

The only criticism I have is because I have ankles that can get a bit thick after a long day, the tongues aren’t the softest and can feel a bit pokey. It’s fine if I double over my socks though.

I think I’d like a holographic/iridescent backpack next, to go with my laptop case and trainers.

❤Chrissie❤

What’s In My Fridge

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Often when I explain to people that I’m veggie and have a gluten and dairy intolerance, they often ask “Then what do you eat then?”

Top shelf: Chilled Water; Burger Sauce (this is as close to prawn cocktail sauce I’ve found and I love it on salad); Spanish Tortilia.

Middle shelf: Giant Green Olives; Organic Humus; Quorn Smokey Ham Free Slices; Violife Block Original (dairy free cheese, which is great for gooey toasties).

Bottom Shelf: Humus, Artichoke hearts in oil, Sacla Free From Green Pesto, Tahini (perfect for making your own humus by adding the tahini with tinned chickpeas, garlic paste or fresh and olive oil and blending); Gosh! Veggie Moroccan Spiced Koftas.

Salad Draw: Usually iceberg lettuce, rocket, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper; Mixed pickled veg which I love as it’s so crunchy!

Top door shelf: East End Very Hot Green Chilli; East End Hot Mango and Chilli (can’t taste any mango but it is very refreshing, used sparingly); Pitted Black Olives x2; East End Tamarind Sauce (sweeter than the original paste); Sriracha Hot Sauce (sweeter and less vinegary than Tabasco).

Bottom door shelf: Tyskie (not mine, I prefer Peroni – gluten free);OKF Farmer’s Aloe Vera with Water Melon (tasty and so hydrating); Vita Coconut Water (er, so hydrating); Alpro Almond Milk (great with coffee or for making ‘cheese’ sauce).

I’d love to hear if you have any questions or if there are other ways that you would use these items?

❤Chrissie❤