www.carlysharples.co.uk http://www.carlysharples.co.uk www.carlysharples.co.uk http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/would-you-like-slagroom-with-that-girls/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/would-you-like-slagroom-with-that-girls/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Would you like slagroom with that? andnbsp; Ill just point out that slagroom is Dutch for cream, and yes my sister and I were that childish to giggle every time we saw it advertised on a menu! andnbsp; Last year I was supposed to be going on a university trip to Paris with my sister and a billion other Politics students. At the last minute, I figured out we were on a coach from Sheffield to Amsterdam and then - wait a minute... STAYING IN A HOSTEL. IN DORMITORIES. IN THE ROUGHEST ARRONDISSEMENT OF PARIS. Gasp! andnbsp; Well, I wasnt having any of that. The previous year, the sister and I went to Paris on my hen do and did it in style. Eurostar, 5* hotel, champagne... the works. There was absolutely NO WAY I would go to Paris with a bunch of sweaty students and stay in such conditions. I am an unashamed spoilt diva. And what?! andnbsp; So, quick sharp I scoured the web and decided that the sister and I would sell our Paris tickets to some other desperate students and booked us onto a KLM flight to Amsterdam with a 5* hotel for the weekend, instead. andnbsp; So we arrived at the hotel and checked in. We told the receptionist that we were sisters. "Dont worry girls, anything goes in Amsterdam!" came the reply from the receptionist, with a wicked glint in his eye. andnbsp; We had an awesome time. Fun and frolics, shopping, gastronomic delights and sightseeing. andnbsp; Ah yes, sightseeing. andnbsp; Id been to Anne Franks house on my mini-moon with the husband and wasnt too fussed about going back, but the sister was adamant she wanted to go. The time I went before, I was heavily pregnant and looked like I was about to give birth any second so they took pity on me in the queue and let me skip it. andnbsp; The sister and I were cycling along the canals on our way to Anne Franks house when we saw the queues from afar. They estimated it was a three-hour queue. Well, we werent having any of that! We devised a cunning plan. andnbsp; We chained our bicycles up and hit the cafandeacute; next door. No, not one of those cafandeacute;s! A food serving cafandeacute;, where I ordered the biggest dish on the menu and gobbled it up. I loaded up with bread and literally committed carbicide. Washed down with a couple of bubbly colas, my tummy was ENORMOUSLY BLOATED after that bad boy. Mission accomplished. andnbsp; I was wearing a jersey tunic, cinched in with a waist-belt. I hiked the belt up to underneath my boobs and stuck my tummy out like a Teletubby. And then we marched to the front of the queue and yep, asked if we could use the loos as I was seven months pregnant and the queue was too long to wait in. When youre pregnant you become nigh-on incontinent so it wasnt an unreasonable request (if I had indeed been pregnant, that is!). andnbsp; They took pity and let us straight in. We didnt even have to pay! andnbsp; Oh, the shame. andnbsp;I can assure you that I am not usually so deceitful and dishonest! Im hoping that by confessing to my wicked deed it somehow absolves me of my sin. andnbsp; Anyway, it wasnt my idea. I blame the naughty little sister... andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-opi-meep-meep-meep/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-opi-meep-meep-meep/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A big thank you to the husband for treating me to this nail polish. The boy did good! Especially since it came after he had taken me out for a lovely brunch in the beautifully historic Bailgate of Lincoln. andnbsp; Now before I get started, Ive got to point out that this wasnt the best quality nail polish by OPI. It chipped within 12 hours! May be longer lasting on others, however, who do not have to run around after two little munchkins like I do. andnbsp; Also, the colour. Is it pink? Is it red? This nail polish appears to be having some sort of existential crisis. Its very similar in shade to Revlons epic Cherries in the Snow, which suffers from the same dilemma. Im going to call it a raspberry red. andnbsp; andnbsp; And that is where I can begin to wax lyrical about this polish. The colour is sensational. Its a kind of fuschia jelly-like base with glass flecks in it, which gives it that sparkle. The glass flecks shift in the light from pink to violet to gold - it really is quite remarkable! andnbsp; It applies really easily and dries very quickly. I applied a Essie base coat, two coats of Meep-Meep-Meep and then an OPI top coat. I adore this colour and was marvelling at my nails all evening! andnbsp; andnbsp; Released as part of OPIs Muppets holiday collection in late 2011 (to coincide with the release of the Muppets movie), I think this is a limited edition polish that will be quite difficult to get hold of soon.andnbsp; andnbsp; Despite my reservations with the whole chipping issue, I genuinely am in love with this nail polish because of the stunning colour and the incorporation of the multifaceted glass flecks.andnbsp; andnbsp; Im going to persevere and try again and see if it lasts longer this time. If not, I will make sure I wear it for an evening out or special occasion where duration and endurance of the polish doesnt matter so much. andnbsp; Have you seen any of the other OPI Muppets polishes? Would you recommend any? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/all-the-gear-no-idea/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/all-the-gear-no-idea/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Iandrsquo;m embarking on an almighty challenge, starting on June 1standnbsp;2012.andnbsp;andnbsp;Not only will I be blogging every single day for a year, but Iandrsquo;ve pledged to take my own photographs to accompany the posts.andnbsp;andnbsp;The hope is that on June 1standnbsp;2013 I will look back and see how my life, and my photography, has progressed over the course of a year. andnbsp; As I mentioned on the homepage, I am a complete newbie to the photographic world.andnbsp;andnbsp;I rely on others to take good quality pictures, like my sister or husband.andnbsp;My husband has a fancy Nikon DSLR but Iandrsquo;ve always been banned from using it due to my general ineptitude with cameras and my clumsiness.andnbsp;Occasionally, I may take a few snaps on my iPhone but they are few and far between.andnbsp;andnbsp;I struggle to understand how Instagram works.andnbsp;andnbsp;Even my andlsquo;normalandrsquo; compact camera only comes out for city breaks and holidays, where I literally just point and shoot!andnbsp;andnbsp;So, as you can see, this is quite the risky adventure for me. andnbsp; Itandrsquo;s important in life to set challenges and take risks.andnbsp;andnbsp;It helps your character develop and improves your self-confidence.andnbsp;andnbsp;So, with that in mind, I have plotted and planned many blog posts, all with corresponding photos.andnbsp;andnbsp;I have had no formal training on photography, nor have I been shown how to properly use my awesome gift of a new DSLR (14.2 megapixel Nikon D3100 and a 70-300mm macro lens).andnbsp;andnbsp;It will be a case of learning on the job, so to speak. andnbsp; T-minus four days and counting.andnbsp;andnbsp;Iandrsquo;m snapping away furiously like Iandrsquo;m David Bailey at the moment and canandrsquo;t wait to share the end results with you.andnbsp;andnbsp;I really hope you will enjoy my posts and ride along on this adventure with me! andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/film/review-the-dictator/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/film/review-the-dictator/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Sunday night was Date Night. The husband and I went for a cheeky cocktail overlooking the beautiful city of Lincoln and then onto the cinema to see andlsquo;The Dictator. I must admit, I didnt have very high expectations. Whilst Ali G reminds me of my misspent youth and I absolutely LOVED Borat, I disliked Bruno intensely. Furthermore, to me, the highlight of a Baron Cohen film was that he was embedded into society and played tricks on people to get the audience laughing. This was his first scripted film. After all, everyone knows who Sacha Baron Cohen is now. The laughs do still keep coming, however, as Baron Cohen has a knack of being what I term an andlsquo;equal opportunities offender. Meaning, he offends everybody. Equally. No stereotype lies unmentioned; he offends every possible race, disability, religion, sexual orientation etc that there is. All at once. With equal fervour. Baron Cohen plays Admiral General Aladeen, oppressive dictator of a fictitious African, oil-rich, nation called Wadiya. IMDb describes the plot thus: "The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed". I feel that sums the plot up well. This genre of film is never particularly plot-heavy; more focus is on the script tailored to get maximum laughter from the audience. From watching, you can see how the character of General Aladeen mocks well-known despots such as Saddam Hussein, Gaddafi, Bin Laden, Kim Jong-Il and even traces of Bashir al-Assad of Syria. Indeed, the movie gets off to a good, humourous start by dedicating the film andlsquo;in loving memory of Kim Jong-Il. The plot basically follows the exploits of General Aladeen in New York City, after being summoned by the UN. Many escapades follow; some funnier than others. The end of the film was the highlight for me. General Aladeen gives a speech on andlsquo;democracy and why it is better for countries to be oppressive regimes. He implores the USA, and by implication every democracy, to become a dictatorship for reasons such as:andmiddot; Controlled by one man and his familyandmiddot; 99% of wealth controlled by 1% of the populationandmiddot; Rigged electionsandmiddot; Start wars with no real reasonandmiddot; Wiretap your own citizensandmiddot; Health system that only the rich can accessandmiddot; Prisons filled with ethnic minoritiesThis is obviously a pastiche of Charlie Chaplins famous closing monologue in andlsquo;The Great Dictator (1940). In Baron Cohens satirical speech, however, you can see that the actual joke of the film is on America and our own, Western, perceptions of freedom. The final line of the movie, when Aladeen finds out his new wife Zoey is pregnant, is: andlsquo;Are you having a boy, or an abortion?". This, again, is a good indicator of the type of humour in the film. Overall, Id give The Dictator 3.5 out of 5. The length was just right and I found the humour funny. It was actually very clever in parts, such as Aladeen being guarded by female soldiers (a la Gaddafi) and having photos with various celebs (a la Kim Jong-Il, who reportedly had the largest pornography collection in the world!). Pros:andmiddot; Speech on andlsquo;democracyandmiddot; Helicopter sceneandmiddot; Dedication to Kim Jong-Il Cons:andmiddot; The birthing scene was a step too far. Im not sure if I would watch andlsquo;The Dictator again, but I did enjoy watching it this time. The only real downside was that the husband and I had munched all our popcorn before the film even started, but then you cant have everything! Have you seen andlsquo;The Dictator? What did you think? andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/aye-aye-captain/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/aye-aye-captain/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; This weekend I am off to Amsterdam with the husband to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Ive been a couple of times before - a mini-moon with the husband pre-wedding and a girly weekend with my sister last year. Both times were epic, so I thought for these next couple of posts Id share with you some anecdotes from my separate trips. The first time I went to Amsterdam, I was eight months pregnant with the boy. The husband and I did things arse about face and had children before we got married... Shock! Horror! andnbsp; Welcome to the twenty-first century! andnbsp; Anyway, Id already decided that when we married a year later we would be taking both the children on our honeymoon to Mexico. Id have been simply miserable without them. andnbsp; So, with a month to go before the arrival of Reuben, we went to Amsterdam on a baby-moon or mini-moon. It was fantastic, bar the waddling around of me and the need to soak my swollen trotters in ice-cold water due to the heat (it feels like youre living on Mercury when youre pregnant in the height of summer!). andnbsp; On our final day, the husband thought he would be all romantic and hired a boat for us to go cruising the canals in. I was slightly wary - I hate boats and always get seasick. But eager to please (?!) I acquiesced and off we sailed. andnbsp; The husband was in his element. It was like the superiority men feel about driving, multiplied by about ten. Man, grrr. Man must sail boat for woman. Well, I say sail, but it was an electric boat so all he had to do was steer... never mind. andnbsp; Can you see where this is going, yet? andnbsp; We had a lovely time, sailing past Anne Franks house and admiring all the beautiful buildings. Amsterdam is beautiful on foot but even more so from the water. andnbsp; I was sunning myself like a big, fat, beached whale and enjoying the cool breeze... perfect. But then the damn boat conked out. Completely. andnbsp; We were about a mile from the hotel, and right in the middle of the widest of Amsterdams canals. Great. andnbsp; Whats more? We had a flight to catch in about three hours. Bollocks. andnbsp; We were literally stranded. andnbsp; What was I to do? Swim to the shore? I was that fat and pregnant Id probably have drowned. No exaggeration - my son was ENORMOUS when he was born so I was even more ENORMOUS when carrying him! andnbsp; The husband rang the hotel and ranted at them. They said theyd send a taxi to pick us up. A water taxi? No. A bloody normal taxi. What good would that do? We couldnt get to the road! andnbsp; Fortunately enough, at that moment a huge boat came past and the current from that propelled us to the river bank where we disembarked and snuck through someones house through to the main road. andnbsp; We made our flight, but I still havent been on a boat since! andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-to-the-cinema/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-to-the-cinema/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Inspired by Transatlantic Blondes What I Wore Wednesday posts, I thought I would post an outfit of my own. Im off out early for a browse in Stamford today, so wont have time to take photos of my actual Wednesday outfit until later. Hope this will do instead :) andnbsp; Nice and casual, this is what I wore for a trip to the cinema with the husband to see The Dictator (review - here). To be honest, this is what I had had on all day. 7pm came and we literally chucked the children into bed and then made a dash for it to maximise our time before the film started. andnbsp;So, besides the addition of a bit of lippy, this is actually what I had worn all day! Would have loved to have glammed up a bit... maybe even just put on a pair of heels... but Im sure those of you with kids know where I am coming from with the escape from the house resembling a prison breakout - every second is precious! andnbsp; Ive written down what I am wearing and linked to the exact item, or nearest substitute. What do you think to my busy at home ensemble, then? andnbsp; Top: andnbsp;Warehouse Jeans: andnbsp;Warehouse Shoes: andnbsp;Converse All Stars andnbsp; andnbsp; Sunglasses: andnbsp;Tom Ford Necklace: andnbsp;Tiffany andamp; Co Watch: andnbsp;Raymond Weil Tango Bracelet: andnbsp;Links of London Sugar Cane Cuff Bag: andnbsp;Mulberry Alexa (Oak Soft Buffalo) andnbsp; Lips: andnbsp;MAC Impassioned (Amplified) Nails: andnbsp;Models Own - Hedonist (Hed Kandi) andnbsp; andnbsp; As you can see, Im a huge fan of accessories. andnbsp;My accessories collection probably outweighs my wardrobe in size! I do believe though that even the simplest of necklaces or a statement handbag can completely transform an outfit. The Links of Londonandnbsp;cuff bracelet is probably one of my most worn pieces of jewellery. I received it as a gift for my wedding day and am beyond thrilled that it manages to conceal a ghastly and misguided tattoo on my wrist. Perhaps I may have that removed over the course of this #blog365... that would be an interesting (painful!) challenge.andnbsp; andnbsp; So what do you think to my outfit choice? What have you worn on Wednesday? Please do drop me a comment below! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-wednesday/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-wednesday/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; What a gloriously sunny day it was again! I channelled my inner MC Hammer and went for a rather courageous (for me!) outfit which neither flattered my figure nor was exactly subtle and sophisticated. But - do you know what? I dont care one jot. My loud and proud trousers are fun and make me happy. So there! :) andnbsp; Both blouse and trousers were lightweight which was perfect for the balmy weather in Stamford and Rutland Water. Stamford is a beautiful and quaint little town; you must visit if you ever get the chance. Blog coming up on that soon. andnbsp; Back to business - here is where my outfit is from: andnbsp; Top: Warehouse Trousers: Warehouse Sandals: Primark (2011) andnbsp; Sunglasses: Tom Ford Necklace: Accessorize (2012) Watch: Raymond Weil Tango Bag: Ted Baker (2005) andnbsp; andnbsp; Forgive the quality, but it is pretty difficult taking photos of myself! Anyway. Thought some of you might be interested to see what make-up I had on with my brash outfit. I decided to go for relatively fresh and natural face (although we all know it actually takes a lotandnbsp;of make-up to make us look natural!). A pop of colour to tie the look into the outfit and nude lips so I didnt look too overdone. andnbsp; FACE Foundation: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24hr. This is quite simply, awesome. It is smooth and silky, lasts forever and makes skin look translucent and flawless. Concealer: Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover. Yes, I use this camouflage foundation as a concealer. I have the darkest under eye circles known to man. I rely on this product to disguise the fact that (i) I drink too much tea and coffee; (ii) I dont get enough sleep; and (iii) my children run me ragged! You only need the tiniest drop and it transforms the under eye area without creasing too much. A pricy product, but should last at least two years so good value, Id say. andnbsp; EYES / BROWS Eyebrows: MAC Lingering eyebrow pencil. This has been a staple of mine for a year or so now, but Im going off it as it is too warm-toned for my liking. Stays put and applies accurately and effortlessly though. Eye Primer: MAC Painterly Paint Pot I use this as a base for my eyeshadow and apply all over my lids right up to the brow bone. It is a very neutral colour, a good consistency and gives powder eyeshadow something to grip onto. Eyeshadows: MAC Vanilla as a highlighter all over the eyelid and up to the brows. MAC Nylon is my favourite eyeshadow. It is a really vivid, white-toned gold that makes your eyes pop. I apply this to the inner corners. Finally, I sweptandnbsp;MAC Aquadisiac all over my eyelids and up to the brow bone, then blended well into the Vanilla. Eyeliner: MAC Industry on top lid. This is a really striking gunmetal shade. My beady eyes dont do it justice so I will swatch it at some point in the future. MAC Industrialandnbsp;along the bottom lash line. This is a grey, blue shade which nearly matches the colour of my eyes. Finally, I put MAC Fascinating eye kohl along my waterline. This is a lovely, creamy white which I use to try and make my small eyes seem whiter and brighter. Mascara: Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes CHEEKS I useandnbsp;MAC Harmony Blush to contour and emphasise my cheekbones. Otherwise, I look like I have hamster cheeks. Seriously. Then I rub Cargo Rose Flush onto the apples of my cheeks and blend together well. andnbsp; LIPS Good old Vaselineandnbsp;and a slick of Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. andnbsp;I cannot recommend these lip butters enough! They are moisturising and glossy with good pigment to them. andnbsp; So there you have it! Outfit and make-up. What do you think? Do you have an outfit that you love to wear that doesnt particularly complement you? It cant just be me! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/jubilee-childrens-caramel-clusters/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/jubilee-childrens-caramel-clusters/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Freya came home from school today moaning she was bored. She didnt want to read, play out or even watch television! I knew that this called for something creative to occupy her. Myself and crafts dont really go well together - Im normally outshone by my children who are 6 and 2. Honestly! andnbsp; But anything foodie and Im there. I LOVEandnbsp;food and I hope this is something I pass down to my munchkins. Food is not just fuel to fill up or a pitstop; it is a fulfilling labour of love that brings families together, I believe. andnbsp; So... what to make? We raided the cupboards and came up with this. Hope you enjoy! andnbsp; andnbsp; Jubilee Childrens Caramel Clusters andnbsp; Ingredients 3 Cadburys Caramel bars 3oz butter 3 cups Rice Krispies andnbsp; Method 1. Melt Caramel bars and butter. 2. Add cereal and mix well. 3. Put into cupcake cases (ours are from Sainsburys). 4. Leave to cool. andnbsp; I use Caramel bars as I find they are not as heavy as pure chocolate Rice Krispies cakes. Slightly greasier, but more toddler friendly - my son drops food everywhere! Nothing pretentious about this recipe, but it kept Freya occupied for half an hour and the sense of achievement she felt afterwards made me so proud. Mission accomplished :) andnbsp; Have you got any child-friendly recipes you could share with me for the next rainy day? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-models-own-hedonist-and-ibiza-mix/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-models-own-hedonist-and-ibiza-mix/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; When I saw these nail polishes in Boots, I was in two minds whether to buy them. I think they are a bit like Marmite in that you either love them, or hate them.andnbsp; andnbsp; Generally, Im a huge fan of bright colours (even in winter when a pop of colour brightens up a short, dark day!). Im also mad for glitter like a raving magpie. If it is shiny and sparkly, Im there. So, out came a andpound;10 note and these bad boys were mine. andnbsp; Ive only had one Models Own nail polish before: Indian Oceanandnbsp;from the Beetlejuice collection. This shade is simply stunning and a dream to apply. I expected the same of these two, and wasnt disappointed. andnbsp; I applied a base coat of Essie Grow Strongerandnbsp;and then two coats of Hedonist. It was a good size brush and wand, giving optimum control over application. The colour was muchandnbsp;brighter than it was in the bottle... I nearly had to reach for my shades! It was nicely opaque after two coats and dried quite quickly, thanks in part to a top coat of OPIs RapiDry TopCoat.andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; It sadly did lack that opaque glossiness that you get with more expensive nail polishes, but still looked bright and beautiful. I managed to chip it within a day, so thought I would expertly hide this by applying Ibiza Mix over the top. Two birds, one stone and all that! andnbsp; andnbsp; I didnt like this AT ALL. Dont get me wrong, the Ibiza Mix was easy to dab on to get a good glitter coverage, but I just dont think they go together very well. In fact, Im not too enamoured with Hedonist as a colour on my fingernails either, unless indeed I was sunning myself somewhere hot and fashionable like Ibiza! andnbsp; Im glad I gave it a whirl and will be experimenting with them both in the near future. Ibiza Mix is gorgeous with multicoloured hexagonal glitter. I think I would use it as a topcoat over a nude base, such as Maybellines Rose Poudre. It wouldnt look too much then. Much more subtle. As for Hedonist, this will be going on my toenails, where I think it will look fab. Especially if I manage a real or fake tan to complement it! andnbsp; What do you think to the Models Own Hed Kandi range? Have you tried any of the other three? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/blog-365/ready-steady-go/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/blog-365/ready-steady-go/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; June 1st 2012. D-day. andnbsp; Well - here goes. We are exactly half way through 2012 and Im going to post a new blog every single day for a year. andnbsp; Ive dipped my toe in the water with a few posts already, giving you all a taste of what is to come. This blog is on a super duper custom CMS so Im slowly getting to grips with it and learning the ropes. My images are all quite strange sizes at the moment when I publish them, so bear with me as Im hoping to get this sorted over the next week or two. Hopefully this will make the website as a whole more mobile-friendly. andnbsp; You can now subscribe via Bloglovin and RSS to receive my lovely posts direct to your inbox... click on the buttons at the top of the Blog page here.andnbsp;andnbsp; andnbsp; So - catch you on the flip side, peeps! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-clinique-chubby-sticks-pudgy-peony/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-clinique-chubby-sticks-pudgy-peony/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Clinique launched their new range of Chubby Sticks in the UK today. Whereas previously there had been eight colours to choose from, now there are sixteen. And very nice they all are too! andnbsp; In the past, Ive found Chubby Sticks to be very moisturising and softening for the lips. I never leave the house without lipstick, but this can leave my lips very dry in this lovely warm (?!) weather we are having. A Chubby Stick is a fab, multipurpose alternative. Nourishing and colouring all at once = perfect. andnbsp; I dragged the husband down to Debenhams and got my hands on Pudgy Peony, which as you can tell by the picture is a sheer fuschia. It was quite expensive at andpound;16 for what, lets face it, is a posh, tinted lip balm. But what a posh, tinted lip balm it is! At least with the Chubby Sticks you twist them like a lipstick, so there is no pencil wastage from copious amounts of sharpening. andnbsp; Woppin Watermelon was my favourite shade from the golden oldies, but today I was desperate for a new colour. I tried Mighty Mimosa and Curvy Candy, but they looked exactly the same on my lips. A bit too clear and sheer for my liking. In fact, they reminded me of The Body Shops clear lipgloss I used to wear at school about fifteen years ago (albeit not as sticky!). andnbsp; All of the chubby sticks are quite sheer, so even the boldest shade could be considered. I think Two Ton Tomato - in vivid red packaging, but a sheer, natural wash of red on the lips - would be a brilliant first step for those of us not quite brave enough to wear red lipstick. andnbsp; andnbsp; I went for Pudgy Peony, which as you can tell by the swatch above, is a gorgeous, deep pink. It is similar to the Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart in colour, but isnt as pigmented. Thats not necessarily a bad thing though; the Chubby Sticks last muchandnbsp;longer than the Revlon Lip Butters on the lips. andnbsp; I absolutely love this shade and this product. I think my next Chubby Stick purchase will be the Voluptuous Violet. Id have been tempted to buy two today if the free gift had been better. Im not sure if it is just Debenhams, or department stores as a whole, but if you buy two Chubby Sticks you get a free Chubby coloured pouch. These are absolutely horrendous. They reminded me of toilet roll tubes. This, coupled with the fact that the husband was paying, ensured that I only walked away with one Chubby Stick.andnbsp; andnbsp; I did notice, though, that if you buy your Chubby Stick online through Clinique you can choose two free samples to be delivered with your new purchase. The choices are: Aromatics Elixir Deluxe (4ml) Mens Lotion (7ml) All About Eyes Rich (5ml) Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion (15ml) I wish I had known about this before going to Debenhams. Id have happily have paid a bit of postage for the samples of All About Eyes Rich and the Anti-Blemish Lotion. But, then again, Id have waited even longer to get my mitts on Pudgy Peony (what a beautifully named product!). Patience is unfortunately not a virtue that I possess.andnbsp; andnbsp; New colours added to the collection are: Mighty Mimosa, Curvy Candy, Pudgy Peony, Two Ton Tomato, Oversized Orange, Heaping Hazelnut, Bountiful Blush and Voluptuous Violet. andnbsp; Are you going to indulge in a new Chubby Stick? What do you think to the new colours? Which shade will you plump for? andnbsp; Love to hear from you! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; PS: my watch is by Michael Kors and available here, just in case youre interested! http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/christian-dior-damn-they-dont-make-em-like-this-anymore/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/christian-dior-damn-they-dont-make-em-like-this-anymore/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; God save the Queen! It is her Diamond Jubilee here in the UK over the next few days and the whole country has gone Union Jack mad. I must admit, it makes me feel like Ive won the lottery of life being British. Im loving the patriotism and sense of belonging that the Jubilee and the Olympics are bringing to this country at the moment. Long may it continue! andnbsp; So. On the subject of the Queen, what colour do you associate with royalty? Purple. With that in mind, I thought I would share with you my favourite pair of shoes. Forget diamonds - in my world, shoes are a girls best friend. Unfortunately, they are not British, but they are most definitely purple! andnbsp; andnbsp; I adore my Christian Dior platform peeptoe purple shoes. The actual shade is violet foncandeacute;, but lets not be fancy - purple will do. andnbsp; andnbsp; Word to the wise - when buying French designer shoes, always ask for one size bigger than you usually are. I made the mistake with my Christian Louboutin shoes of buying my exact size, thinking theyll give. But they never did. So at the end of an evening of wearing them, my hooves are the same colour as the eponymous red sole! andnbsp; andnbsp; The only problem with such especially beautiful (and expensive!) shoes is that they live in the box far too much for my liking. You will not catch me wearing them on a night out as I dont fancy sticky alcohol all over the soft leather. Nor will I wear them where I actually live. As much as I love the City of Lincoln, it is full of cobbles and we all know these dont tally very well with stiletto heels. Thus, their next adventure will be to my auntie-in-laws 60th birthday party next weekend, to be held in a community centre. Not the most salubrious of events or locations for such stunning footwear, but they will make me feel on top of the world. Literally. Have you seen the size of that heel...?! andnbsp; Wishing you all a fabulous Jubilee weekend! andnbsp; C x http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-03062012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-03062012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I was bought this as a gift from somebody who thought I resembled the cover star. Moi? Never!! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-glossybox-may-2012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-glossybox-may-2012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Receiving a Glossybox really does make you feel like it is Christmas. The postman hands you a cardboard box, in which you discover an Agent Provocateur-esque pink and black box... which you then open to find a beautifully wrapped bundle, tied up in ribbon... andnbsp; andnbsp; It really is like having Christmas Day every month, if youre a beauty addict like me. The suspense of finding out what is inside is overwhelming. You have to withold the urge to just tear into the wrapping paper, like you used to at Christmas as a child. Would it live up to expectations? Would there be lots of new goodies to try? Or would it be a damp squib, like opening a Christmas present to find your Nans hand-knitted you a jumper (before they became cool, obvs)? andnbsp; andnbsp; I was dead chuffed with mine. Heres what I got: Nobleandnbsp;Isle Bath andamp; Shower Gel Lolita Lempicka LEau en Blanc andamp; Eau de Parfum Neals Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture Collection 2000 Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner Eldora False Eyelashes I worked out that the value of my samples was about andpound;29, so this box definitely represented good value for money. Ill go through the products one-by-one and give you my verdict on them. andnbsp; 1. Noble Isle Bath andamp; Shower Gel (Summer Rising) andnbsp; First impressions were good with this bath and shower gel. The Summer Rising scent evoked the smell of cut grass, and was very fresh and clean.andnbsp; andnbsp; Noble Isle have only been going about a year or so and are aspiring to be a premium, heritage, British brand; attempting to occupy that niche of the beauty industry similar to the position Jack Wills has in clothing. It can certainly achieve that with the price of the gel: andpound;20.00 for 250ml online here. But is it worth it? andnbsp; Im not so sure. Noble Isle describe the product as extracts of toning elderflower and antioxidant-charged gooseberry with clean notes of orange blossom, moss and cut grass.andnbsp;Doesnt that sound lovely and natural? Well, its not. The second ingredient is ammonium laureth sulfate and sixth is ammonium lauryl sulfate. In fact, there are forty-two ingredients in this shower gel! andnbsp; I used this as a shower gel, rather than a bath gel. I shower everyday and managed to get a good ten days out of the sample, so was impressed with this. As I said before, it smells very fresh and leaves you feeling clean. The downside is that it drys my already thirsty skin and the fragrance doesnt last very long afterwards. It is by no means a feminine smell though, so would be a good one to share with your partner. I bet, actually, it would smell better on a man than a woman anyway. andnbsp; Would I buy this full-size? No. I dont think the andpound;20.00 price tag is justified for this product. andnbsp; 2. Lolita Lempicka LEau en Blanc and Eau de Parfum andnbsp; andnbsp; Lolita Lempicka is the pseudonym of Josiane Maryse Pividal, a French fashion designer. The pseudonym is supposed to be an homage to the novelist Vladimir Nabukov and the Art Deco painter, Tamara de Lempicka. andnbsp; These perfumes are stocked in large department stores, such as John Lewis and House of Fraser. 50ml will set you back andpound;44.10 for the Eau de Parfum, which I think is quite reasonable. andnbsp; The Eau de Parfum is described as a sensual, romantic and enchanting fragrance with top notes of ivy leaves, aniseed and amerena; middle notes of violets, iris roots, vetiver and tonka bean and base notes of vanilla and musk. I cant say I was able to suss out all of those notes, but it was certainly very floral and pleasant.andnbsp; andnbsp; The problem I found with these samples is that the 0.8ml provided is no way near enough to form a valid opinion. I loveandnbsp;perfumes and happily spritz away until it makes me cough. Thats when I know I have enough on. Im one of those women with too much make-up and too much perfume on. But, who cares? I like to smell nice. andnbsp; LEau en Blanc comes in a beautiful bottle, shaped almost like an apple - very feminine indeed. This is a new perfume, launched in May 2012 and 50ml costs andpound;49.00 from House of Fraser. The blurb describes it as having top notes including powdery iris and violet leaves. Violet flower in the heart is enriched in with sweet aromas of cherry, raspberry and liquorice, while the base is woody and oriental due to accords of vetiver, tonka bean, helitrope and musk. What this means to us mere mortals is that it is dreamy and romantic, inspired by the scent of white violets. andnbsp; As I said, there was not enough provided to wear it for a day and see if it is something I would like to go on and purchase. However, I did really like the scent of LEau en Blanc and will be checking it out next time I am in House of Fraser, where I can douse myself to my hearts content and form a proper opinion! andnbsp; 3. Neals Yard Remedies Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture andnbsp; andnbsp; I was delightedandnbsp;to receive this. Neals Yard Remedies skincare products are my current favourite, and I use their products for my night routine of cleansing and toning. I got my products from a NYR party organised by the gorgeous Sarah, a mum at Freyas school. As I spent over andpound;30 (quite a bit more!), this Rose Daily Moisture was chucked in as a freebie. andnbsp; Rose Daily Moisture feels quite lightweight to me; more of a lotion than a cream. However, Id say it provides adequate moisture for a day cream. It has extracts of rose, combined with damask rose oil, but the scent is subtle and does not smell overly of rose or like old ladies (cant just be me that associates the smell of rose with the over 80s?!). andnbsp; NYR says that this product softens and replenishes normal and dehydrated skin. It is proven in clinical trials to provide moisture for up to 12 hours. Id wholeheartedly agree with this. I use mine on my face as part of my morning cleansing routine and would say it is not greasy, and provides a great base for make-up. andnbsp; The sample size was a very generous 45ml - perfect for the overnight bag or at work. You can buy a full size (100ml) Rose Daily Moisture for andpound;22.50 from the NYR website here, or if you live in or around Lincoln then drop me a line and Ill pass your details onto the NYR rep, Sarah, which will save you paying Pandamp;P. andnbsp; 4. Collection Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner (Gold) andnbsp; andnbsp; So. Collection 2000 are called, simply, Collection now. Who knew?! Nope, me neither. Anyway, this was a full-sized product retailing at andpound;4.99. A gel eyeliner, you can now pick it up at either Boots or Superdrug as it was launched on May 16th 2012. It is available in Black, Brown, Teal or Gold. I received Gold in my Glossybox. andnbsp; The gold eyeliner I received was intensely pigmented and was smooth, creamy and long-lasting. Apparently, they should last twelve hours - I reckon this is probably a good estimate. andnbsp; It comes with an applicator brush in the box and the instructions for application were on the back of the packaging. The gold was a pearly, yellow gold; slightly more yellow in tone than Nylon by Mac. I thought I could see some subtle silver flecks in there too; in sum, its really pretty. andnbsp; I applied mine with a Ruby andamp; Millie slanted angle brush instead of the brush provided, in order to get a neater finish. I found that lining with gold on top made my deep set eyes look even deeper, so I covered that up with black and stuck the Collection Gold gel liner in the inner corners and around the tear ducts. This worked much better. andnbsp; Im not a make-up snob, but tend to go for higher-end brands due to my skins sensitivity. This is not something I would have considered purchasing if I was in Boots, and at first I was disappointed to receive it in my Glossybox as the packaging doesnt exactly scream class. However, Im glad I did as I am enjoying finding different uses for it and am intrigued to now go and buy the gel eyeliner in Teal. Besides Teal being part of my favourite colour spectrum, I think this would be more flattering as an eyeliner, to wing out and wear with a golden eyeshadow such as MACs Nylon.andnbsp;On the Superdrugandnbsp;website, Teal looks very similar to Urban Decays 24/7 eyeliner in Flipside, which I love.andnbsp;Id then use the Gold gel liner as I had done - an inner eye highlighter. andnbsp; Im hoping Collection will roll this out to eventually include other fun colours. If youre reading this, Collection, then please could be have a silver and a purple gel eyeliner? andnbsp; 5. Eldora Handmade Lashes: B144 andnbsp; andnbsp; These eyelashes are called Sexy Black and look really glamorous; ideal for a night on the tiles. They are an affordable luxury at andpound;4.25 per pair (including glue), although application instructions and brand information could be better. andnbsp; I havent actually worn these lashes. Im not a fan of strip eyelashes as my eyes are so small. The only time I will wear falsies is if I have been to the salon and had semi-permanent individual lashes applied. andnbsp; So... this will be given to my sister, who is a fake lash diva. Ill wait until she has worn them, then ask her for her verdict and then pass the message onto you. andnbsp; MAY 2012 GLOSSYBOX VERDICT andnbsp; Im impressed. From the dramatic packaging, to the products encased in black paper sizzle, it felt very luxurious. This is despite two of the products actually being very cheap (Collection Gel Liner and Eldora Lashes). andnbsp; I enjoyed preening and pampering myself with all of the different products, despite the only product I would purchase myself being the NYR Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture. This may become a list of two once I have properly sprayed LEau en Blanc. andnbsp; As this was an anniversary edition, included in the box was a compact mirror and a pink balloon. Quite frankly, they shouldnt have bothered. They were both tacky additions and I gave them both to my six-year old daughter. Stick to what you are good at please, Glossybox! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-merino-cool-by-essie/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-merino-cool-by-essie/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Before I get started, I must apologise for the horrendous state of my nails. I had acrylic extensions on over Christmas and earlier this year and although they were very pretty at the time... we all know they do nasty damage to your nail underneath. My nails are still recovering. andnbsp; Phew! With that over, lets talk about my new favourite nail polish: Merino Cool by Essie. andnbsp; This shade is part of Essies permanent collection after being released in Autumn 2010. The colour is absolutely beautiful. Essie call it mulberry, but mulberry = handbags in my world so Im going to describe it as a dark lilac shade. It is a creme formulation, making application a doddle. It is completely opaque in two coats and I daresay you could get away with one, if youre in a hurry. andnbsp; andnbsp; I started by applying a base coat of Essie Grow Stronger. When this was perfectly dry, I applied two coats of the Merino Cool and finished off with miracle product OPI RapiDry. This dries your nails within minutes, but beware - only the top coat is hard. You need to give yourself at least an hour of being anduuml;ber careful not to smudge the layers underneath. A tip I learnt was that if you were to smudge it, wet your finger and smooth the polish back to where it should be. It wont give you an immaculate finish, but it is better than wiping it off and starting all over again. andnbsp; I know this is a very autumnal shade, but with the weather as it is in the UK (ie. quintessentially British... rainy!) my summer clothes are lying dormant in the wardrobe and my jeans and jumpers are back out. This shade goes so well with those type of clothes. andnbsp; andnbsp; Despite investing in good quality make-up in general, Id always had an unofficial andpound;5 limit on nail polishes. I often thought "whats the point? Theyll only chip after a day anyway!". Essie polishes are now available in Boots and Superdrug and one day I happened to stumble across their stand. Really, I did. Im super clumsy! I saw that their colour range was incredible and thought Id treat myself to one. At andpound;7.99 they cost more than I was used to, but hardly broke the bank. Well. I can tell you that they are worth every penny. Im a hard working mother of two small children and Essie polishes last a good few days on my nails. Now that is saying something! andnbsp; I cant wait to show you my summer Essie colours, but we will have to wait for this dreary weather to disappear first! andnbsp; Have you tried any Essie shades you would recommend? My Boots advantage points are growing... I can feel another haul coming on! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; PS: the statement ring is from Primark, the other day. andpound;2... BARGAIN! :) http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-manchester/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-manchester/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Bank Holiday Monday. We travelled up to Manchester for the day to visit the Imperial War Museum North and stopped by the Trafford Centre on the way home. andnbsp; Its been many years since Ive been toandnbsp;Trafford Centre, with Meadowhall in Sheffield being my usual shopping monolith of choice. It hasnt changed much, but I was beyond excited to go to Selfridges! andnbsp; I checked out the beautiful Monica Vinader jewellery and ended up treating myself to some Illamasqua and Nars make-up. Reviews on these products to follow once Ive had a little play with them. andnbsp; I also hit Zara and bought a gorgeous, buffalo leather bag. I originally lusted after this bag in cobalt blue (to match my YSL nail varnish I am wearing in the pic... sad, I know!). It wasnt very expensive but I loved the shape and detailing of this handbag. I also liked that you could carry it in your hands or over your shoulder. I sent a screenshot of the blue one to my sister (aka my stylist) who remarked that she didnt like it. Undeterred, in Zara itself I was actually drawn to the turquoise (standard!) and coral coloured versions. After much deliberation, I decided upon the coral one. andnbsp; Anyway, back to my outfit of the day. Id got the husband to check the weather for both Lincoln and Manchester and it was forecasted to be drizzly and damp. This called for my winter clothes to be dragged out of the wardrobe, and the following is what resulted: andnbsp; Top: Warehouse (January 2012) Jeans: Warehouse Boots:andnbsp;All Saints andnbsp; Necklace: Sasha by Farah Mansour Gold Cuff: Primark (May 2012) Watch: Michael Kors Ring: Primark (Swarovski dupe!) Earrings: Accessorize Bag: Limited Edition Bayswater by Mulberry andnbsp; Nails: Yves Saint Laurent La Laque Couture in Bleu Majorelle andnbsp; andnbsp; I dont know how long it is going to take me to get used to publishing full-on face photos. It all feels a bit strange! In fact, blogging about yourself in general feels quite peculiar. I think Im going to explore this further with a post on the cult of personality at some point... andnbsp; FACE Primer: Benefit That Gal.andnbsp; I got a free sample of this with this months Glamour magazine. I dont usually use a primer as Im fortunate not to have many skin complaints or wrinkles (yet!). The jury is still out on this one as to whether it makes a difference. My MIL did think that my face looked brighter when she saw me the other day... but that *could* be put down to the fact I looked dog rough and make-up free the last time she saw me! Foundation:andnbsp;Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24hr. Concealer:andnbsp;Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover.andnbsp; andnbsp; EYES / BROWS Eyebrows: Jane Iredale Bitty Brow Kit in Brunette I last used this in January but have rediscovered it after falling out of love with MACs Lingering. It gives a nice, full brow without looking like a Desperate Scousewife. I love the colour. It is a cool-toned brown and applies like a dream with the little brushes in the kit. As it is mineral make-up, it doesnt feel heavy or fake, but it probably only lasts 4-5 hours before a touch-up is needed. Eye Primer:andnbsp;MAC Painterlyandnbsp;Paint Pot I use this as a base for my eyeshadow and apply all over my lids right up to the brow bone. It is a very neutral colour, a good consistency and gives powder eyeshadow something to grip onto. Eyeshadows:andnbsp;MAC Vanillaandnbsp;as a highlighter all over the eyelid and up to the brows. I patted on some Lorandeacute;al Infallible eyeshadow in Goldmine up to the browbone and then put MAC Amber Lights in the crease. Ive just rediscovered this eyeshadow after not wearing it for a couple of years. It is a really warm, coppery, golden shade with a lovely sheen. I blended the three shades well and then added my eyeliner. Eyeliner: MAC Fascinating along the waterline, then MAC Powerpoint Industryandnbsp;along the lower lash line. This eyeliner is supposed to be waterproof; it isnt. The slightest bit of damp to hit it and it wipes it straight off! Finally, I applied MAC Liquid Eye Liner (Boot Black) along the top eyelid and winged it out slightly. Mascara: Clinique High Impact Mascara I received this from Clinique when I surrendered my trusty Max Factor mascara to them. It is supposed to add volume with definition and length... the jury is still out on this one. andnbsp; CHEEKS MAC Harmonyandnbsp;was used for contouring and sculpting, then I brushedandnbsp;MAC Well Dressedandnbsp;onto the apples of my cheeks. andnbsp; LIPS Clinique Chubby Stick in Pudgy Peony - see my review of this here.andnbsp; andnbsp; All done! This kind of look is my usual day-to-day face; quick and easy to apply. I cant wait to show you my new Illamasqua make-up, though. Subtle, it is not. Think canary yellows and the purple of my favourite shoes here! I am going to have great fun experimenting. Would you like me to post some pics? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/god-save-the-queen/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/god-save-the-queen/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I managed to catch the tail end of the Jubilee Concert last night after getting home from Manchester.andnbsp; andnbsp; While some of the acts were of dubious credibility for such an event (yes, Cheryl Cole - Im talking about you!), overall it was immense. I especially loved the way Buckingham Palace was lit up and the amazing fireworks at the end of the concert. andnbsp; What got me though, was the mass singing of our national anthem. Not for a sporting event or out of duty... because they wanted to. Millions of people singing God Save The Queen. That, coupled with Prince Charles speech, made the hairs on my neck stand up and I can honestly say I have never felt so proud to be British. Not English - British. andnbsp; As a nation, weve got so much to look forward to over the next few months and the Jubilee was just the start. The Euro football tournament, Wimbledon, and of course: The Olympics. London 2012. andnbsp; Im so excited, not just for the events, but for my children to see patriotism in its finest form. To feel that sense of belonging and pride. After all, we are the mightiest nation on Earth... lets never forget that. andnbsp; Hope you are enjoying the celebrations as much as I am! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; Jubilee themed nails: Pearly White by Essie, YSL Bleu Majorelle and Rimmel Hot Gossip. http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-family-birthday-party/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-family-birthday-party/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 Last Saturday, I went to a family party with the entire four generations of the Sharples clan. The females in our family were all wearing jumpsuits (was there a phone call I missed there...?), including my mother-in-law who had on an incredible teal leopard print jumpsuit from Marks and Spencer. Sounds rank, but honestly - she looked sensational. Anyway, my children were dressed in their Monsoon finery, husband looked like a Tory farmer... so I decided to go a bit crazy and say hello to the 1980s. I really love this era - bold prints, loud and clashing colours, neon, big shoulder pads, strong make-up... Iandnbsp;could go on! This is what I wore: Jacket: Zara Top: Warehouse Jeans: Warehouseandnbsp; Shoes: Christian Dior Earrings: Oasis (2007) Necklace: Vivienne Westwood (2011) Watch: Michael Kors Bracelets: Primark (June 2012) Bag: Chanel 2.55 bag I love, LOVE, LOVEandnbsp;this handbag. It was a wedding gift from my husband and we got it at the Chanel boutique on the Kudamm in Berlin. Even the experience of buying it made me feel a million dollars! Thats how I feel when Im wearing it, too. Its the ultimate feminine, classic handbag and deserves a post of its own at some point! So there you have it. Ive been dressing quite wacky all week really - must be the change in weather. Neon tops, bright clashing make-up... Sometimes you just dont feel like wearing a little black dress and conforming to what is expected of you! C x http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-the-perfect-victoria-sponge/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-the-perfect-victoria-sponge/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; It is sixty years since the Queens coronation. As I said here, Im feeling very patriotic at the moment and think it is fantastic that we are celebrating being British as a nation.andnbsp; andnbsp; Well, what is more British than tea and cake? andnbsp; My husband makes the best Victoria Sponge I have ever tasted. It is light, yet moist. Sweet, but not sickly. Most definitely moreish! andnbsp; Im the cook in our house. More or less all meals are made by me. If I fancy making a cake, the ingredients get chucked into the Kenwood Chef, then poured into two tins and then finally, plonked in the oven at which point I hope for the best. All the while Im being distracted by a little boy with Brio or a little girl who has written me a letter telling me she loves me one hundred times and wants me to read it aloud, or a big boy who consistently rings me five minutes before he gets home to tell me about his day. Tell me when you get in!! andnbsp; Im sure you can see that usually a Vicky Sponge is a Vicky Sponge chez Sharples. Nice enough, but versatile and made for purpose. andnbsp; This is notandnbsp;the case when the husband hits the kitchen, though. He only makes a handful of things, but these things are made with purpose. Without mess. And most of all, with love. andnbsp; He will hate me for saying that. But it is true. It takes him bloody ages to do anything in the kitchen, but everything always turns out sublime. Honestly, I could turn out a full roast in the time it takes him to boil an egg. But, guaranteed, that egg will taste ridiculously good. I dont know what it is. He does everything by hand. He weighs and measures and puts everything into little bowls like he is Jamie Oliver. Dedication? Patience? Applying his sporty competitive streak to the kitchen and wanting to beat me? andnbsp; I dont know. But what I do know, is that I shall continue to turn out mediocre cakes just so he takes pity on me and carries on making his signature, delicious Victoria Sponge. andnbsp; Here is how he does it: andnbsp; andnbsp; Mr Sharples Victoria Sponge andnbsp; Ingredients 4 eggs8 oz caster sugar8 oz sieved self raising flour8 oz Stork andnbsp; 200ml double creamStrawberry jam andnbsp; Method 1. Prepare yourself mentally and physically. Everything is done by hand. Even the whipped cream..2. Cream the butter with the sugar.3. Add each egg one at a time with a couple of tablespoons of flour. Mix well. When all eggs are in add the rest of the flour.4. Fold the flour into the batter until all mixed in then beat until you get a smooth mix.5. Split mix into two greased cake tins.andnbsp;6. Cook on middle shelve at 180 degrees (fan oven) for 20mins. Test cake with the knife trick: stab the cake. If the knife comes out clean, it is ready. If it doesnt, it isnt.7. Remove cakes from tin and leave to cool.8. Whisk cream until stiff.9. Add cream to one cake and jam to the other. Sandwich together.andnbsp; 10. Devour immediately. andnbsp; I know that I could follow this recipe to the T and it will still not look, or taste, as good as the husbands. Im intrigued - how does your Victoria Sponge turn out? Whats your secret? andnbsp; C x andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-the-grange-spa-pointon-lincolnshire/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-the-grange-spa-pointon-lincolnshire/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I first went to The Grange Spa late last year. Id been bought a Rose Cocoon Body Wrap by my parents-in-law, who live nearby. Although I was looking forward to some pampering, I did think it odd at first that I was having to drive for forty-five minutes from Lincoln when there are places much closer that offer similar.andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; It was well worth the drive. I was blown away by the spa and its facilities and couldnt wait to go back! andnbsp; So. I booked in for a pedicure. Would it live up to first impressions? andnbsp; First off, I booked my appointment via Twitter. Very modern! On the day of the appointment I received a tweet saying that there would be a pot of tea waiting for me upon arrival. They werent kidding! I arrived for my appointment at 2pm prompt and there was a pot of tea and all the accoutrements waiting for me on a table with adjoining comfy sofa. Heaven!andnbsp; andnbsp; I was greeted by Matt, one of the owners, who was lovely and friendly. He introduced me to my therapist, Kelly, who took me upstairs to one of the pamper rooms. andnbsp; andnbsp; Kelly was absolutely lovely and really put me at ease. We had a right gossip and giggle during the pedicure, although she did offer me some magazines if I just fancied a bit of peace and quiet. Peace and quiet, moi?! andnbsp; For the pedicure itself, the spa uses the Jessica system. I was asked if I would like to go for Green Tea or Citrus products. I was tempted by the antioxidant properties of Green Tea, but in the end I opted for Citrus. More than anything for its cleansing properties as I felt terribly sorry for Kelly having to tend to my manky trotters! andnbsp; andnbsp; I shant talk you through the ins and outs of the pedicure as I am sure you all know what it entails (if not then get yourself to The Grange Spa to see what all the fuss is about!) andnbsp; andnbsp; I shall give the products used a special mention though as they were, quite simply, divine! andnbsp; Jessica ZenSpa Blissful Revitalising Citrus Bath Jessica ZenSpa Purity Enzyme Scrub Jessica ZenSpa Stimulating Mint Masque Jessica ZenSpa Revitalising Citrus Soufflandeacute; andnbsp; andnbsp; Incorporated was a full foot and leg massage, which is something sadly lacking from most pedicures. Of the two places I have been in my home city for pedicures, one does not even put your feet in hot water and the other treats you like you are on a conveyor belt of clients. Sure, you have pretty painted toes at the end - but the overall experience is sadly lacking. andnbsp; Kelly was a perfectionist and strived to make my hooves as soft and smooth as possible. She even applied the nail polish with the precision of a surgeon! andnbsp; Speaking of which, the colour I opted for was quite unusual for this time of year. I really wanted something different to what I had at home though. I chose Milky Way by Jessica. andnbsp;Heres what the colour looked like: andnbsp; andnbsp; Milky Way is a dark navy blue with little holographic specks in. Ive never seen a colour like it! I think I will have to hunt one down for my collection. Four days on and it is still looking as good as new! andnbsp; Kelly also gave me a really handy hint, which is invaluable when applying such dark polishes. Instead of using a cotton bud to wipe off the excess polish on the skin, wrap an orange stick in a bit of cotton wool and use that instead. Its far more precise and accurate. See? I told you she was a perfectionist! andnbsp; I was gutted when the pamper experience was over, to be honest. I was offered a coffee once Id finished but had to get home, unfortunately. The spa would be a perfect place to spend a day with friends, in my opinion. Much better than Eden Hall, which is looking a bit tatty around the edges. The Grange Spa is immaculate. Its a beautiful building, with beautiful facilities, in a beautiful setting. The staff are all polite and pleasant. Nothing is too much trouble. Prices are very reasonable; my pedicure cost andpound;45. Yes, it was a long way to come for a pedicure but it was oh-so worth it. My feet were tingling and fresh for the rest of the day, at least! andnbsp; Instead of going to your usual beauty salon, why dont you give The Grange Spa a try instead? Make a day of it. Pamper and relax yourself there and then head to The Ship in Pointon itself for dinner - the food there is delicious, but thats another story... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-lincoln/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-lincoln/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I love Lincoln. I moved here in my teens and have never left. I could have left after school and gone to University in a number of places: Cambridge, Durham, Nottingham, Sheffield, Bristol... but I didnt. I stayed put and went to the University of Lincoln (much to my mothers annoyance - still in its embryonic form, it wasnt too good in the league tables back then and I had been accepted onto courses in much more prestigious institutions!). andnbsp; andnbsp; After University, I was tempted to move to London and join the rat race... but I didnt. I stayed put. I was fortunate to be successful for a brilliant job locally on the very day of my graduation. andnbsp; I met my husband, who was from elsewhere. I could have moved to be with him. I didnt. By this point I had a flat where I could lie in bed and look out at the stunningly majestic Lincoln Cathedral. So I stayed put - I love my city. andnbsp; andnbsp; I enrolled on a Masters course at the University of Sheffield. We could have moved; after all, my brother and sister both live in the city of steel. But we didnt. By this point, the husband had also fallen in love with the city and I dont think we will be going anywhere for a very, very long time. andnbsp; andnbsp; Lincoln is beautiful. It is just the right size; enough shops and entertainment for you to feel you are in a city, yet small enough for you not to feel complacent and insular and not want to go and check out other places. andnbsp; We are about an hour and a half from London and can be in other major cities such as Nottingham, Sheffield or Leicester within an hour. The coast is also less than an hour away if we fancy blowing the cobwebs away with a brisk stroll along the beaches. andnbsp; andnbsp; People in Lincoln are friendly. We have a sizeable University now and it is well integrated into our community. Businesses such as Siemens are investing in our city. It really is booming, and a great place to be. andnbsp; Im proud that my children will be growing up in Lincoln. All the amenities of a city, like cinemas and soft play and bowling alleys; yet rambling fields, rivers, dykes and woods. So many adventures to be had - the best of both an urban and rural childhood. andnbsp; andnbsp; Im a shopaholic and it has the right balance of high street chains and independent shops such as John Greed. We have all sorts of restaurants to choose from, right from fine dining and molecular gastronomy down to cosy village pubs with home-cooked, rustic cuisine. andnbsp; andnbsp; As youve probably guessed by now, I really do love my city.andnbsp;I think you should come and see for yourself, if you have never been. Its a hidden gem. andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; PS - A couple of weeks in now, and I think my photography skills are getting better! Do you agree? andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-ysl-la-laque-couture-in-bleu-majorelle/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-ysl-la-laque-couture-in-bleu-majorelle/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Armed with about a million Boots Advantage Card points, I hit Boots with the aim of purchasing a really expensiveandnbsp;nail polish. You know, the kind that you wouldnt spend your own money on, but seeing as its kind of free (conveniently forgetting how much dosh you must have spent in Boots to accrue said points!), it would be rude not to... andnbsp; andnbsp; I was immediately drawn to Bleu Majorelle. The picture above doesnt really do it justice; its a very bright, vivid, cobalt blue. It really does look incredible in the bottle and on the nails too. andnbsp; As you can see by the photo, the packaging is super luxurious as you would expect with such a high-end brand. The polish comes in gold, cardboard packaging and then you open that to find your polish. The polish itself is a nice shape and size, with a gold monogrammed lid that comes off to reveal the nail polish screw-top. andnbsp; La Laque Couture is a collection of thirty of YSLs most timeless classics. Each one is supposed to be a representation of the legacy of the brand. When it comes to Bleu Majorelle, this colour is named after the house, walls and fountains in Yves Saint Laurents garden in Morocco. This was built by Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s - hence the name. In fact, I do believe that Majorelle actually trademarked this shade of blue! Of course, many buildings in Morocco are painted blue as it is known to be cooling and also ward off mosquitoes. If youve never been, you must visit the town of Chefchaouen high up in the Rif mountains. It is breathtaking. andnbsp; andnbsp; Anyway - back to nail polish. The applicator on the Bleu Majorelle is nice and wide, ensuring that one sweep of the brush covers nigh on the whole nail. The formula of the polish is enriched with Chilean Rose bush and extract of Corallina to fortify and protect nails. andnbsp; andnbsp; Unfortunately... that is where the good points end, in my opinion. I dont know if it was my particular bottle, but I found the polish really hard to apply. Even after two coats, the Bleu Majorelle didnt really seem thatandnbsp;opaque. Id already applied a base coat and was reluctant to apply more than two coats of the YSL before a top coat. I found that it chipped quite easily too, compared to say, an Essie polish. At andpound;18 I really did expect better. The next day I applied No. 7s limited edition top coat to try and prolong the wear, giving an effect which I thought was stunning: andnbsp; andnbsp; Ive applied YSL La Laque Couture in Bleu Majorelle a couple of times now and have had exactly the same results. Im quite disappointed as Id expected so much from this polish, given its price and pedigree. Im not sure I would purchase another YSL polish, which is such a shame as the colours are magnificent. andnbsp; Have you had any experience with YSL nail polishes? What did you think? andnbsp; Hope youre all enjoying the weekend! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-10062012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-10062012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Lunchtime tipple? It would be rude not to, wouldnt it?! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-mac-feeling-fresh-eyeshadow-hey-sailor-collection/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-mac-feeling-fresh-eyeshadow-hey-sailor-collection/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Hello. Im Carly Sharples and Im a MAC-aholic. andnbsp; I literally cannot just go to the MAC counter and just look. Ive been hooked ever since I made the switch from Clinique, aged about 19. I still remember my first purchase: Oyster Girl lipglass from Frasers in Glasgow. Its the lipgloss that J-Lo wore back in the day, dontcha know! andnbsp; Im not usually swayed by collections, preferring to just pick bits that I find pretty on the day. I now have such a huge collection of MAC make-up that I have the MAC professional make-up box to store it all in! I dip in and out, depending on my mood, the weather and the occasion and just LOVE IT. ALL OF IT. andnbsp; andnbsp; On a recent trip to Nottingham with my sister, I saw this intense green coloured eyeshadow as part of the Hey, Sailor! collection that MAC has launched for summer 2012. MAC say the colours are inspired by the glam of vintage pin-up girls, but to me they just scream FUN! andnbsp; I immediately loved the nautical themed packaging and the fact that the eyeshadow came in a blue pot... after nearly 12 years of collecting MAC products, the packaging is a bit blah in my opinion. So this looked fun and I swatched it on my hand: andnbsp; andnbsp; Sold. It is a gorgeous, yellow-based green - the colour of English grass. It is a frost finish, but as with most MAC frost eyeshadows, this means a shimmer rather than full-on Pat Butcher frosted eyeshadow. It is quite similar in tone to Urban Decays Absinthe, but more of a truer green I think. andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; You could wear this colour with beige or gold; it will suit eyes of all colour. I like to experiment and wore this shade with yellow and light gold. Yes, like a clown. I think it worked though...? andnbsp; I applied MAC Painterly to the entire lid up to the brow bone and covered this with MAC Nylon. I applied MAC Chrome Yellow to the inner corner and blended it out. I patted Feeling Fresh into the contour, making a rugged C shape, and then brought this under the eye slightly. Blended together well and sheered out a bit more with Nylon, the eyelid looked positively tropical and would really compliment the outfit Im wearing here. Black, winged eyeliner and lashings of black mascara finished the look. andnbsp; So what do you think? Do you have any ideas for another fun way to wear this shade? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-mac-nicki-minaj-viva-glam-lipstick/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-mac-nicki-minaj-viva-glam-lipstick/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Ive never had a Viva Glam lipstick before. The shades have just never been my cup of tea. My sister had Lady Gagas offering in 2010, but it was incredibly drying - even more so than MAC Snob! Then there was Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj, but I couldnt justify it as it was so similar in tone to my trademark MAC Pink Nouveau lipstick. andnbsp; I love the idea of the Viva Glam project. The full RRP (minus 20% VAT - pesky government!) goes directly to helping those affected by HIV or AIDS. The Viva Glam lipsticks always come in the standard bullet cases of MAC lipsticks, but with highlights and signatures in red. This makes them stand out in your make-up case or handbag, which when you own a million MAC lipsticks like I do is definitely a plus point. andnbsp; andnbsp; This Nicki Minaj lipstick is a yellow-toned bright pink, so should be flattering on most skin tones. It goes on with a lovely sheen due to the Satin finish, although make sure you wear a lipliner as it bleeds. I think the colour must vary from person to person far more than any other lip colour Ive experienced. On me, this lipstick looks coral! Im happy about that though as the neon spectrum is on trend this summer and this will look fab with my Collide nail varnish by Illamasqua (post coming soon!). andnbsp; andnbsp; Im really impressed with this lipstick. It doesnt dry your lips like the Gaga Viva Glam lippie and has remarkably good staying power for a Satin. Obviously, it isnt as hardy as an Amplified, but lasts much longer than a Cremesheen. andnbsp; The Viva Glam Nicki Minaj lipstick is andpound;13.50 and is sold outandnbsp;online. You may still be able to buy them in store, however. A more subtle, yet similar, shade would be MAC Costa Chic. andnbsp; So there you have it! Philanthropy and make-up all rolled into one brightly-coloured, charitable bundle. Brilliant. andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-stamford/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-stamford/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A town centre with no McDonalds. Or Starbucks. Does such a place exist? It certainly does: Stamford, Lincolnshire. Okay, it has a Caffandeacute; Nero and a Costa. And a McDonalds in an out-of-town retail park. But thats small fry globalisation, right? (Pardon the pun!) andnbsp; andnbsp; With meandering streets and elegant Georgian buildings, Stamford has been the setting for many period dramas. The beautiful Burghley House, complete with immaculate gardens, sits just on the edge of the town. There is so much to see and do that it is easy to lose a day here. andnbsp; andnbsp; Of course, Ive been to Stamford before. Ive been for meals, raucous nights out (drinks are on a par with London pricing!), and every year the husband and I take the munchkins to the Mid-Lent Fair. I also used to live near the town for a short time when my parents first divorced. Id never been just as aandnbsp;touristandnbsp;for the day, however. andnbsp; A fortnight ago, Dad and I decided to go for lunch somewhere a bit different to normal. The sun was shining, it was warm and it was all round a beautiful day for a trip out in the car. Stamford is only about an hour down the A1 from where I live, yet it isnt the first place that springs to mind when Im thinking of where to go. For some reason, my mind always suggests places north of Lincoln like Sheffield, York or Leeds. andnbsp; After having made our decision, we set off on our Daddy-Daughter date to Stamford. Wed heard rave reviews aboutandnbsp;The Georgeandnbsp;so decided to test it out for ourselves. andnbsp; We arrived in Stamford mid-morning, parked up and were amazed to see you could park for andpound;3 for the whole day. Wow. That will only buy you a couple of hours - if youre lucky! - in Lincoln. andnbsp; We wandered around the town centre, popping in and out of all the little, quirky boutiques that the town has to offer. Finally, it was lunchtime and we headed to The George for some posh nosh. andnbsp; andnbsp; I had a 10oz chargrilled sirloin steak with all the trimmings, washed down with a glass of champagne. Dad had the same, minus the fizz. We sat in the courtyard which was wonderfully ambient and the service was impeccable. Highly recommended. The bill came out at andpound;53.30 for two, which I dont think is that bad considering the quality of the food, service and venue. andnbsp; After lunch, we headed to the magnificent Rutland Water. This needs no introduction, so Ill leave you with a selection of pictures I took... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-carlys-chocolate-peanut-butter-cups/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-carlys-chocolate-peanut-butter-cups/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Growing up in Canada, I was a little Hershey monster. I took Reeces Peanut Butter Cups for granted until I moved back to the UK and discovered that a) they were difficult to source and b) British chocolate is infinitely better than American chocolate anyway. andnbsp; In recent years, Reeces Peanut Butter Cups have infiltrated the British supermarkets and I can now indulge once a week while doing the Waitrose shop. Its my treat for on the way home in the car. A reward for surviving another weekly shop with a rambunctious toddler in tow. Well deserved, I think! andnbsp; Carlys Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups andnbsp; Ingredients (for the base) 50g light brown muscovado sugar 200g icing sugar 50g melted butter 200g peanut butter - your preference as to crunchy or smooth andnbsp; Ingredients (topping) 460g milk chocolate 25g butter andnbsp; andnbsp; Method 1. Plase all base ingredients in a food processor and whizz up until the mixture is gloopy. 2. Press mixture into a 21cm square dish 3. Melt chocolate and butter for topping 4. Pour on top of the peanut butter mixture and leave in fridge overnight. 5. Cut into squares and serve! andnbsp; So there you have it. I make this with my two little sous-chefs, aged 6 and 2. Fortunately for me, they love making it and licking the melted chocolate bowl afterwards but dont actually like the finished product! andnbsp; Its mine, all mine... Mwah ha ha ha. Okay, no need for the evil laugh. andnbsp; Im off to London bright and early tomorrow so am posting this a bit earlier tonight. Would love to hear your thoughts on the recipe. Its very similar to one by Nigella, I do believe. If its good enough for Nigella, its definitely good enough for me! andnbsp; C x andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-that-gal-primer-by-benefit/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-that-gal-primer-by-benefit/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Free with this months Glamour magazine was a sample of That Gal by Benefit. This usually comes in an 11ml Pritt Stick style tube and costs andpound;21.50. andnbsp; I was intrigued to try this as apart from a few products such as a blusher, Moon Beam and their Eye Bright pencil (free with Glamour last year!), Ive never really got on with Benefit products. andnbsp; andnbsp; That Gal is a lovely, pinky shade and very creamy. I thought it looked a bit calamine lotion-esque at first! I found that a little goes a long way so the sample has lasted me a good couple of weeks. andnbsp; It contains light-reflecting pigments to help brighten all skin tones and then raspberry and chamomile to sooth skin. I guess you could perhaps then keep it in the fridge for extra punch?andnbsp; andnbsp; I tested this by applying after moisturiser and before foundation, in the same way you would any other primer. I found that it did even out my skin tone and brighten my face, which was the purpose of it. It didnt, however, make my foundation stay on any longer like a normal primer. This is where it important to remind you all that it isandnbsp;notandnbsp;a traditional primer - it is aandnbsp;brighteningandnbsp;primer. This it does well. andnbsp; My dry skin reacted well with the product and I really liked the smell. Besides that, there is really not much else to report. I shant be buying it as I think it is quite expensive and to be honest, I dont really need it. I think when youre still quite young, having too much base make-up on your face can be aging anyway. andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Finally, it is definitelyandnbsp;worth buying Glamour next month (out on July 5th 2012) as there are Balance Me products up for grabs: andnbsp; Balancing Face Moisturiser Wonder Eye Cream Pure Skin Face Wash Rose Otto Intensive Lip Salve andnbsp; At andpound;2 each, Ill be buying four copies of Glamour to get all four samples! Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream was in the latest She Said Beauty Box I received and is gorgeous. Your hands smell like youve been to a spa and they are baby soft after application. I cant wait to try the rest of the range! andnbsp; Back to That Gal - have you tried it? Was it a miracle product for you? Id love to hear your thoughts... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-carrot-red-lentil-soup/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-carrot-red-lentil-soup/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Here is a really tasty and nutritious soup that is so easy to prepare - you can whip it up in minutes, boil and then just a quick blitz in the blender. My family adore it. andnbsp; Carlys Carrot and Red Lentil Soup andnbsp; Ingredients 4 carrots 1 onion 200g red lentils 2 garlic cloves 2 pints vegetable stock Ground coriander (to taste) Pepper Crandegrave;me fraandicirc;che andnbsp; andnbsp; Method 1. Peel and roughly chop the onion, carrots and garlic 2. Sweat in olive oil for 5-10 minutes 3. Add red lentils and vegetable stock and add coriander to taste 4. Rapid simmer for 25 minutes 5. Purandeacute;e to desired consistency 6. Serve with a dollop of crandegrave;me fraandicirc;che and some warm, crusty bread. andnbsp; andnbsp; I hope you enjoy this warm and nourishing soup as much as we do chez Sharples... andnbsp; Have a fantastic weekend and Happy Fathers Day to all the wonderful Daddies out there :) andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-17062012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-17062012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A snapshot of my favourite flower, the rose, from my garden... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-she-said-beauty-box-june-2012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-she-said-beauty-box-june-2012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 After being so thrilled with my Glossybox, I was really looking forward to seeing if the She Said Beauty Box would also live up to my high expectations. It certainly did! andnbsp; The packaging is sleek and shiny and I love the way the turquoise box seals with a magnet. I love these boxes and store my nail polishes in them when Ive used all the samples. The turquoise of the She Said Beauty Box and the pink of the Glossybox look really pretty stored together on my dressing table. andnbsp; Back to the products... there is almost certainly going to be one or two products you are dubious of when you receive a box such as this. There was a couple I wasnt over enthralled with, but surprisingly enough, Ive grown to like them. So 10/10 to She Said Beauty for their June box from me. andnbsp; Heres what I received: andnbsp; Yardley Royal Diamond Eau de Toilette Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser Lets Go Lashes - Flirt BONUS: Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream andnbsp; I liked every single one of these products and may even repurchase a couple. Carry on reading for my verdicts on each product... andnbsp; 1. Yardley Royal Diamond Eau de Toilette andnbsp; I must admit, I was dubious of this sample at first. Firstly, I hate perfume samples as you just cant get a decent spritz to gauge the scent or longevity. Second, I hate eau de toilette as it doesnt last very long and I much prefer eau de parfum. Third, I did wonder what a brand such as Yardley was doing in a luxurious, high-end sample box. andnbsp; andnbsp; My first ever perfume when I was about 10 was Lily of the Valley by Yardley. I used to copy my mum and spray copious amounts everywhere, a habit that has carried through to this day. Now Ive grown up and graduated to more mainstream and luxury scents by companies like Dior, Chanel and Prada, I did turn my nose up when I first saw this tester. andnbsp; Yardley have released Royal Diamond to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and at andpound;9.99 for 50ml it is very much affordable. The scent is ripe with pear and bergamot with a subtle note of honey. Yardley describe it as a delicate, romantic, floral bouquet enhanced with a soft woody and vanilla base. andnbsp; It actually smells very nice. Not at all fogey-ish like I thought it would be. In fact, I would go so far as to say that this could be a very convincing dupe for a Jo Malone perfume! It is light, fresh and floral. While I wont be buying a bottle myself, it is certainly something I would consider buying as a gift. andnbsp; andnbsp; 2. Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream andnbsp; This was by far my favourite product sample in this months box. It is absolutely brilliant. Despite being marketed as a hand cream, it is actually so effective that it can be used on dry patches all over the body! andnbsp; It smells beautiful. Literally like a spa. The scent doesnt last all that long, but you definitely experience that wow factor when you first slather the cream on. andnbsp; andnbsp; So, now for the science. It is completely natural. There are no parabens, sulphates, petroleum, mineral oils, silicones, dea, pegs, propylene glycol, artitificial fragrances or colours. I dont even know what half of those are, but surely its got to be a good thing that this cream doesnt feature them? andnbsp; The Super Moisturising Hand Cream is packed with fatty acids, shea butter and sweet almond oil. Balance Me have then added two renowned skin conditioners: (i) Benzoin, which the Egyptians used to use in embalming; and (ii) Yarrow, which apparently Achilles used to administer to his wounded soldiers in the Trojan War. Adding patchouli, carrageenan gum and kukui nut oil completes the list of goodies in this hand cream, which is 98.8% natural. andnbsp; The cream is of a lovely consistency and soaks in really well, leaving no grease or residue like many inferior hand creams. Priced at andpound;6.00 for 30ml or andpound;14.50 for 100ml, I think it is an affordable luxury now, but will be essential come winter when my hands end up chapped and sore. andnbsp; Its won many awards and Im not surprised. I was so impressed with the Super Moisturising Hand Cream that when I saw that Waitrose stocked Balance Me products I popped their Radiance Face Mask into the trolley along with my weekly shop! andnbsp; Ive still got quite a lot of the sample left (a little goes a long way with this product!) but will definitely be buying the 30ml hand cream when it is finished. Perfect handbag size! andnbsp; 3. Elemis Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir andnbsp; Elemis products always scream SPA to me. I was really looking forward to this sample for recreating the spa effect at home. I got three baths out of this sample and was quite impressed. andnbsp; This bath elixir is from the Elemis Spa @ Home, Body Exotic range and contains patchouli, which is a calming essential oil for weathered skin, cedarwood, vetivert leaves and cocoa butter - essential for skin conditioning and moisture. andnbsp; andnbsp; It smelt lovely, but not especially feminine. I think this is the cedarwood scent coming through that made me think this. The plus point here, though, is that you can justify the andpound;19.00 cost (for 300ml!) by alluding that you will share it with your partner :) andnbsp; Again, this is a natural product and contains no parabens, SLS, SLES, dea, mineral oils, artificial colours and silicones. It really did foam up well though, considering there was no foaming agent like SLS added to it. andnbsp; A bath with this elixir left my skin wonderfully soft. Not red and itchy, which is the effect I am left with after a bath with Radox. I loved the deep red bottle, too. It oozed luxury and looked great in my bathroom. andnbsp; Will I repurchase? Id love to, but would wait until winter when I tend to have more baths. It is still very expensive, so perhaps one to ask for from Father Christmas. andnbsp; 4. St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Moisturiser andnbsp; andnbsp; FINALLY! A gradual tan that doesnt smell of digestive biscuits! Hip, hip hooray! andnbsp; I was very impressed with this gradual tan lotion from St Tropez. It is easy to apply, although it does take a while to dry. It is marketed as a moisturiser as it contains soothing aloe vera, but it did nothing moisture-wise for my extremely dry skin. andnbsp; Nevertheless, it is a good product. The colour begins to develop after just one application. It then fades nicely away, leaving you without unsightly patches. andnbsp; andnbsp; The sample I was sent was medium / dark. Im really pleased about this as if I was to purchase it blind I would have opted for the light / medium. The colour is very natural on my light skin and thus I would continue with the medium / dark. andnbsp; andnbsp; Would I repurchase? Absolutely. It is expensive at andpound;20 but to put it into perspective: its much cheaper than a holiday, more natural and manageable than Fake Bake and better for you than a sunbed. Sold! andnbsp; 5. Lets Go Lashes - Flirt Strip Lashes andnbsp; andnbsp; As Ive said before, I dont wear false eyelashes. My eyes are too small and beady. They are also easily irritated by strip eyelashes. So, in a nutshell, lashes are not really my thing. andnbsp; These Lets Go Lashes are from the same beauty group that owns Nouveau lashes and HD Brows. They cost andpound;8.95 which Im led to believe is quite dear for strip eyelashes. andnbsp; They come with glue, but no instructions for perfect application for a novice like me. There is, however, a comprehensive video on their website which is gives much more clarity than the Eldora lash instructions did. Then again, youd probably expect it for twice the price of Eldora! andnbsp; The Eldora lashes from the Glossybox I gave to my sister as she has big, beautiful blue eyes and really suits mad lashes. I like to stick to mascara and just gloop it on until my eyelashes resemble spider legs. Honestly, I do! andnbsp; BUT. Ive decided that rather than give these away, Im going to give them a try next time I go out somewhere fancy. I think the fan of lashes and deep black colour are beautiful, although I will naturally have to snip them to fit my eyes. Ill let you know how I get on! andnbsp; andnbsp; Bonus: Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream andnbsp; andnbsp; When I first saw this, I thought it was quite a random thing to put in my box. Ive seen BB creams about, but have never been tempted as I have reasonably clear skin and thought a Blemish Balm (BB) cream would do nothing for me. andnbsp; These types of cream are hugely popular in Japan and Korea. Theyre not a new thing - Dr. Christine Schrammek developed the first BB cream in the 1950s to protect skin after laser procedures and surgery, whilst also providing a light coverage. andnbsp; Traditionally, BB cream is a multi-tasker. Its a moisturiser, primer, foundation and sunblock all in one. Ginvera BB cream goes one step further by adding in a blend of antioxidants (like green tea) to help fight free radical damage and help prevent fine lines. andnbsp; I used a buffing brush to apply to forehead and T zone and found that this nude shade suited my skin tone exactly. Ginvera describe it as moisture + nourishment + brightening + even tone skin + SPF 30 / PA ++. Id agree with this. The Ginvera BB cream gave such good coverage that I didnt need any foundation on top of it.andnbsp; The smell was gorgeous. Im not sure whatandnbsp;it smelt of... definitely not green tea... but it was divine nonetheless. andnbsp; The sample was a sachet which gave enough for two good applications. It is andpound;20.00 for 25ml and worth every penny, in my opinion. I will definitely be buying this product. It is available at Harvey Nichols stores across the UK, or online here. Absolutely perfect for those hot summer days (if they ever come?) where you dont want to be plastered in foundation. andnbsp; JUNE 2012 SHE SAID BEAUTY BOX VERDICT andnbsp; I LOVED IT! The brilliance of these boxes is that you can try smaller samples before committing a lot of money on a product. This box featured items (BB cream) and brands (St Tropez and Balance Me) that I would have overlooked otherwise. andnbsp; It represents good value for money in my opinion and I had a great time sampling everything. Im excited to receive their July box now! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; PS - for 20% off St Tropez, use code SSBeauty20 at the checkout at st-tropez.com. andnbsp; You can subscribe to receive a She Said Beauty Box here. http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-london/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-london/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Last week I headed down to London for some sightseeing and shopping. A planned business meeting was rescheduled, leaving the day free. andnbsp; I headed to the Damien Hirst exhibition at the Tate Modern, which was excellent. Will pop a proper review on here within the next week. From there, I walked along the South Bank to the Design Museum. There is a Christian Louboutin exhibition on there at the moment - a must see for me, given my love for his shoes. andnbsp; From the Design Museum I got a taxi to Harrods, where I had afternoon tea and then hit the big department stores: Harvey Nicks and Selfridges. I was in seventh heaven in Harrods, trying on a myriad of bags, scarves and shoes; Harvey Nicks did absolutely nothing for me, though. I think this was owing to it being on sale... I hate sales. Cant stand rummaging. andnbsp; andnbsp; I picked up a new lip balm from Space NK which I will review soon and a few bits and bobs from Zara. Im obsessed with the detailing on clothes at the moment. Studs, buttons, ribbons... just anything that makes a piece more interesting. andnbsp; Anyway, here is what I wore: andnbsp; Jacket: Oasis (Summer 2011) Top: Warehouse Jeans: Warehouse Shoes: Vans (needed comfy shoes for walking so excuse the dumpy legs!) andnbsp; andnbsp; Sunglasses: Tom Ford Necklace: Vivienne Westwood Watch: Michael Kors Bracelet: Primark (June 2012) Bag: Zara andnbsp; This bag from Zara is absolutely beautiful. It comes in a multitude of bright colours and is made from buffalo leather. I loved it so much that Ive now got the larger version in tan; shopper bags are so versatile and there isandnbsp;no need to worry about security as everything is very handily kept in a duffelbag insert inside the bag. Genius! andnbsp; One thing to note if you do go ahead and buy one of Zaras shopper bags is to make sure you spray them profusely with leather protector spray before venturing out in the damp weather. I made the mistake of not doing this in York and did experience some colour-loss as a result. Word from the wise! andnbsp; I think for tomorrows post I will upload some pics of my little trip, so tune in again then. andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; C x http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-south-bank-london/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-south-bank-london/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I really wish I could go to London more often. Not for business meetings or conferences, but as a tourist. There is so much to see and do at all times of the day and night and it is undeniably one of the most culturally diverse and vibrant cities on Earth. andnbsp; I live about two hours away by car. We are dissuaded from driving down to London by congestion charges, parking, petrol prices... you name it. So the only viable option is to catch the train. Lincoln has a direct rail service to London, but it is irregular and unbearably slow. It is best to travel to Newark, about twenty minutes away, and catch the east coast mainline train service down to Kings Cross. This costs an arm and a leg. Probably a vital organ, too. Im not exaggerating when I say that sometimes it is more cost-effective to catch a 50min flight from my nearest regional airport (Humberside) to Amsterdam with KLM for a day or weekend trip. Scandalous! andnbsp; Anyway, when I do make it down to London I make the most of it. This trip was no different - sightseeing, museums, culture, good food, shopping... andnbsp; What I enjoyed most about the day was a stroll along the south bank of the Thames. I walked from the Tate Modern to just past Tower Bridge. The sun was shining, it was warm, no wind - perfect. andnbsp; Heres a few of my snaps... andnbsp; andnbsp; Congregating at the Tate Modern - I saw the Damien Hirst exhibition and will post a review in a few days. andnbsp; andnbsp; View of the Millenium Bridge (which Im assured doesnt sway anymore!) and the City. andnbsp; andnbsp; I really like the contrast between new and old in this photo. The starkness of the uber modern office buildings and City Hall with the historical grandeur of Tower Bridge. andnbsp; andnbsp; City of London Hall. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Boris, but alas luck was not on my side... andnbsp; andnbsp; The eponymous Tower Bridge. andnbsp; andnbsp; Concrete Jungle outside City Hall. andnbsp; andnbsp; A stroll through Butlers Wharf, just nect to Tower Bridge. Yuppie central! andnbsp; andnbsp; Tower Bridge as viewed from Shad Thames. andnbsp; I finished my stroll with a quick peek at the Christian Louboutin exhibition at the Design Museum. More on this to follow... andnbsp; So, there you have it. I hope you like the pictures - taken with my normal 18-55mm lens as I felt the macro would be too burdensome on a day trip. andnbsp; Do you have any suggestions for other fun and scenic walks in our capital? Id love to hear of them ready for my next trip! andnbsp; C x http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-illamasqua-neutral-palette/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-illamasqua-neutral-palette/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I adore Illamasqua. I love the make-up and everything the brand stands for. Non-comformity. Embracing our individualism. Unashamedly standing out from the crowd... I could go on, but Im sure you get the gist. andnbsp; andnbsp; To me, Illamasqua represents everything that MAC did ten years ago. Before it was bought out by Estandeacute;e Lauder and became more mainstream and dare I say it? Yes. Dull. andnbsp; Illamasquas wacky colours are fantastic and the quality is amazing. With each and every Illamasqua product, the colour pay off is incredible. Everything is highly pigmented and lasts. And lasts. And then lasts some more. Their make-up really does not budge all day! andnbsp; andnbsp; Naked Strangersandnbsp;is Illamasquas take on neutral shades. They are most definitely notandnbsp;boring though. Colours are sexy, in true Illamasqua style, with a mandeacute;lange of colours and textures all rolled into one package. andnbsp; andnbsp; The shades swatched above, from left to right are: Stealth, Vintage, Wolf and Obsidian. andnbsp; Stealth: a creamy, matte skin tone. Similar to MAC Vanilla but slightly warmer in tone. andnbsp; Vintage:andnbsp;a beautiful metallic, true gold. Goes on almost brown with specks of gold, bronze and copper. Exclusive to this palette and similar to MAC Woodwinked. andnbsp; Wolf: matte black. I used this as an eyeliner. Creamier and easier to apply than MAC Carbon. andnbsp; This is the blurb from Illamasqua itself: "Embellish your skin with our Neutral Palette; four Powder Shadows that create sculpted highlights and stark contours beyond the modnight hour. Combine textures and express yourself through classic matt shades alongside glistening metallic accents. The endless possibilities well leave to your unbridled imagination." andnbsp; What I would say is that it is a very versatile palette and the andpound;30 pricetag is justifiable. You can wear 2/3 different colours and textures at a time and blend them to get different, natural looks. andnbsp; I used all the shades at once (typical Carly - more is more!) to create a smoky eye. andnbsp; andnbsp; So here is my Face of the Day... not the most flattering picture (I look a bit gormless!) but it shows off the make-up I used well. andnbsp; andnbsp; So here we go - this is how to achieve my face of the day! andnbsp; 1. Apply Ginvera BB Cream all over face and blend with fingers. 2. Apply Estandeacute;e Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover around the eye area with a Boots No.7 concealer brush. 3. Apply MAC Painterly all over eyelid with a MAC 249 large shader brush. Use same brush to then go over eyelid with MAC Nylon. 4. Fill in brows using Jane Iredale Bitty Brow Kit in Brunette. 5. Pat Illamasqua Stealth above browbone to eyebrow. I used a MAC 213 fluff brush for this. 6. Sweep Illamasqua Vintage over whole lid using the same MAC 213 brush. 7. Contour eyes with Illamasqua Wolf, using a MAC 219 pencil brush. 8. Use Illamasqua Obsidian and Japonesque 940 angled brush to line eyes. 10. Curl eyelashes using Shu Uemura eyelash curlers and add lashings of your favourite mascara for length and definition. 11. Apply light blue Rump Illamasqua pencil to inner corners. 12. Sweep NARS Orgasm blush over apples of cheeks then contour with MAC Harmony using an angled MAC 168 brush. 13. Few spritzes of Caudalie Beauty Elixir to set and finish. andnbsp; Voila! This whole shebang should take you 10-15 minutes. andnbsp; What do you think? Have you tried any Illamasqua products before? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-illamasqua-collide-nail-varnish/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-illamasqua-collide-nail-varnish/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Ah. Illamasqua, how I love thee. Ive found theandnbsp;perfect neon pink nail polish, thanks to you! andnbsp; I picked up Illamasquas Collide nail polish in Selfridges and I kid you not - it was love at first sight. A Eureka moment. I *may* have even squealed and clapped my hands a little bit. andnbsp; This colour is AWESOME. It is described as a neon pink satin nail polish and costs andpound;13.50. Quite expensive, but the quality is outstanding.andnbsp; andnbsp; This is a true neon pink. It applies like a dream, although the brush could be a bit wider and flatter for my liking. It dries super quickly so there is no need to allocate a whole evening just to painting your nails and is opaque after just one coat! andnbsp; andnbsp; Seriously, this nail polish is everything I expected YSLs La Laque Couture in Bleu Majorelle to be. I applied two coats and it didnt chip for days. As I said, it is lovely and thick so you could get away with just the one coat if youre in a rush. andnbsp; Im really impressed with the quality of Illamasqua nail polishes. Im really impressed with everything Illamasqua does, to be honest, but nail polishes are one area where you can be a bit crazy and go wild with your colours. Their range suits this perfectly. andnbsp; I now want to snaffle more of their nail polishes; their bright mint gloss, incidentally called MILF, is definitely in my imaginary shopping basket (does anyone else do that, or is it just me...?). andnbsp; Collide is a classy, not brassy neon that you can pull of in the UK on your nails both day and night, or apply to toenails for a bit of a treat. It has a thick, creamy, salon finish and is everything you want in a nail polish. andnbsp; Ive definitely found my favourite ever nail polish... Im in love with neon accessories at the moment - you can tell I am a child of the Eighties! andnbsp; Whats your favourite nail polish brand and colour? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/a-haul-from-kiehls/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/a-haul-from-kiehls/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Last week I went to London for the day. On the way home, I stumbled blindly into the new departure area in Kings Cross. Wow. The cupola is breathtakingly beautiful and that part of the station looks so fresh and modern. It also has shops. Shops that open late. Shops that appeal to a 30 year old beauty/fashion/coffee junkie. It now has a Starbucks, Pret-a-Manger, American Apparel (have I ever told you how much I love neon?!) and... a Kiehls. andnbsp; With half an hour to go before the train, I felt a magnetic draw to Kiehls. Ive heard rave reviews about their products for years. How theyre natural, not fussy, do exactly what they say etc. andnbsp; So here is what happens when Im let loose in a skincare shop...! andnbsp; Ill just give brief descriptions of each product and sum up any postives/negatives Ive experienced up to this point. andnbsp; Creme de Corps andnbsp; andnbsp; This is an iconic Kiehls product and the one I originally went into the store for. At andpound;44 for 500ml, it is ridiculously expensive (I opted for 250ml at andpound;27.00). Kiehls describe Creme de Corps as: andnbsp; Superb all-over body moisturiser of superb quality; Enriched with the finest ingredients known to Kiehls for a rich, elegant skin texture; Continued use for ten days will provide a skin texture heretofore unattainable. andnbsp; Im going to hold Kiehls to this challenge. Ive been using this cream sporadically since I purchased it, but now am going to religiously slather it on daily to see if it lives up to their promises! andnbsp; PROS: Not greasy, no scent, deliciously rich, gives my skin a lovely glow and sheen, moisturises for a good 24 hours. andnbsp; CONS: Very expensive! Also, no-frills packaging. andnbsp; Midnight Recovery Eye andnbsp; andnbsp; This was a more reasonable andpound;24.50 for 15ml, which is in line with other eye-creams of a similar brand standard.andnbsp; andnbsp; I dont really have any wrinkles around my eyes yet - and I would like to keep it that way. So I invest in eye-creams as a preventative, pro-active step in my skincare regime. andnbsp; Heres the blurb from Kiehls: andnbsp; Specifically formulated for the delicate under-eye area to achieve fresher, younger looking eyes by morning by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Formulated with Butchers Broom (what?!), Squalane (what again?!), Evening Primrose and Lavender. Paraben-free, fragrance-free, mineral oil-free. andnbsp; PROS: Not greasy, no scent, has already toned down my under-eye dark circles, feels refreshing when applied. andnbsp; CONS: Packaging could perhaps be a bit fancier for the money? andnbsp; Abyssine Serum + andnbsp; andnbsp; Im really looking forward to using this product as it is billed as a preventative serum, which is exactly what I am after. The 50ml pump cost andpound;40.50, but I imagine it will last a good while as Ive found that so far I only need a couple of pumps each time. I only use it at night as I have a whole different skincare routine in the mornings. What a geek I am! andnbsp; In a nutshell, this product is supposed to minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and defend skin from free radical damage. The active ingredients are abyssine and corallina extract, of which I have absolutely no knowledge. andnbsp; Kiehls say: andnbsp; " Our readily absorbent formula quickly penetrates skin to help diminish the signs of aging and strengthen and defend skin aginst environmental damage. Abbysine, a survival molecule which thrives under the extreme conditions in hydrothermal ocean vents, helps soothe and protect skin. Combined with Corallina extract, sourced from a mineral rich red algae with self-defensive properties, our formula helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while helping to defend skin from free radical damage. Dermatologist tested for safety and gentleness and suitable for sensitive skin." andnbsp; PROS: Non-greasy, nourishing, need less moisturiser afterwards, skin feels firmer after use. andnbsp; CONS: A downside is the plastic bottle. I wouldve preferred glass for the money. andnbsp; Double Strength Deep Wrinkle Filler andnbsp; andnbsp; I was offered this product as a sample, but usually 20ml would set you back andpound;30.00. I havent actually used this yet; Im intrigued by it. Curious. Is it like Polyfilla for the face? andnbsp; The answer to that is NO. Its a cream which you dab onto your wrinkles, furrows or lines before moisturiser. According to Kiehls, it has "two types of Hyaluronic Acid [which] provide double the wrinkle filling power, instantly filling in wrinkles while also plumping and smoothing them over time". andnbsp; Kiehls make another promise here, where they offer dramatic results in four weeks. Ive got a couple of frown lines on my forehead and Im going to try this cream on those and report back. Otherwise, here are the good and bad points as I see them now: andnbsp; PROS: One of only a few genuine wrinkle fillers on the market, has had outstanding reviews by users. andnbsp; CONS: None as yet! andnbsp; One product I also received a sample of was Midnight Recovery Concentrate.andnbsp;Its pictured in the title photo, but I forgot to take a close up of it. Whoops!andnbsp; andnbsp; Anyway. With this, Kiehls promise younger looking skin by morning. A very bold claim! andnbsp; I really like it and will be buying the full-sized bottle at andpound;36.00 when the sample runs out. I was tempted by Estandeacute;e Lauders Advance Night Repair, but this sinks into my skin better and is also 99.8% natural. andnbsp; PROS: Non-greasy oil, quickly absorbed, leaves skin feeling softer, naturally derived ingredients, pretty blue bottle, hygienic with the use of a dropper, will last AGES! andnbsp; CONS: Absolutely none. Im in love. andnbsp; So there you have it! A few more goodies to add to my evening six-step skincare routine. Yes, you read that correctly. Six steps. Im a little bit obsessed! andnbsp; So I will crack on with all these beauties for a month or so and then report back my findings... andnbsp; Have you used any Kiehls products before? Worth the dosh? Or can you recommend any similar products? andnbsp; Have a great weekend! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/bipolar-and-me/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/bipolar-and-me/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Better to be a fruitcake than a plain old sponge. andnbsp; I read that quote in The Telegraph, in an interview with Charles Walker MP where he speaks candidly about his OCD. Sums up my thoughts exactly. Think of how rich and layered a fruitcake is compared to a boring sponge! andnbsp; Wednesday 27th June 2012 is National Bipolar Awareness Day. It is so vital that we break down the barriers and speak more openly about mental health. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of stigma attached to mental ill health. It is hidden away behind closed doors, one of the last prejudices of modern society. andnbsp; It is perfectly fine nowadays to be gay, transsexual, divorced, have children out of wedlock - perhaps even all at the same time, but be mentally ill? Forget it. Game over. andnbsp; There is no such thing as mental healthism. We dont deserve an ism, apparently. Racism, sexism, ageism... even talking unkindly about obesity is frowned upon these days. But mental health? Ssssh. Dont talk about it. Youll be judged. andnbsp; Stiff upper lip and all that. andnbsp; On the surface, I have everything fundamentally and materially that a person could ever wish for. Husband and wonderful family. My own business.andnbsp; A nice car and a lovely house in the country. Handbags and shoes galore. I could go on... andnbsp; I have everything. More than I could ever dream of. But I also have Bipolar Disorder, formerly known as manic depression. andnbsp; Im pretty open with my diagnosis. Ive found it helps me to accept that I have this condition. When I tell people, Im usually met with a jocular "yeah I have days like that too" or looks of complete incredulity and then, disdain. Members of my own close family have reacted like I was now more prone to stabbing them to death in their sleep! andnbsp; My mother apologised. You see, she has Bipolar Disorder too. Im not sure if it is hereditary, but growing up with a bipolar mother and then being diagnosed myself means that being bipolar is the norm to me. Ive never known any different. Thats all I know. andnbsp; It affects different people in different ways. It is an affective disorder, on a spectrum much like autism.andnbsp; Broadly speaking, bipolar is a mood disorder characterised by periods of extreme highs and extreme lows. With the correct treatment and medication, people with bipolar can go on to live perfectly stable and happy lives. Getting the treatment and medication right, however, is a long and torturous process. Sometimes things have to get much worse before they can get any better. Trust me, Ive been there. One in three people with BPD either commit suicide, or give it a good try. BPD ranks seventh on the World Health Organisations causes of disability. Its no laughing matter - it is a serious, life-threatening illness that cannot simply be cured. andnbsp; Depression and mania can be equally dangerous. Ive experienced both. andnbsp; It starts off with not wanting to answer your phone, or reply to emails. Then comes the lethargy. You just want to sleep. Youre so tired. Your brain feels fuzzy and muddled and you can feel every aching muscle in your heavy, heavy body. andnbsp; Then you stop washing. Well, whats the point if youre not going anywhere or seeing anyone? Soon, just the mere thought of washing becomes exhausting. You feel worthless. You feel guilty. You feel like youre a burden on everybody, even the postman as he has to walk up to the letterbox of this sad, pathetic creature who doesnt deserve to receive post. What is the point of getting post anyway? Its not like you open it! Bills mount up. Invites go unanswered. Friends slowly stop calling or asking after you. You become a prisoner in your own bed. Its safe. No harm can come to you there. After all, the whole world is out to get you. andnbsp; Before you know it, you might as well be a vegetable. Unable to speak lucidly or move, it is like God has pressed pause on your life but the rest of the world is whirring away at Mach 10. You wonder if it will ever go away. You get angry. You may even consider ending it all as you are so ashamed of what youve become. Youre in a deep, dark, black place where not only is there no light at the end of the tunnel, there is no tunnel to begin with. A tunnel would indicate progress. Movement. Theres certainly no sense of progress with this depression. andnbsp; You cant remember when you last smiled and meant it. Laughed. Enjoyed something. Even watched TV or a film - you have no concentration. You cant cope with loud noise or music because in your head the thoughts are there, shouting at you. Telling you youre useless and this is your own fault. You have to be picked up out of bed, carried to the shower, undressed and washed and then do everything back in reverse. Then you need to sleep for a couple of days to recover. Youve hit rock bottom. andnbsp; Then one day, something will change. Something so tiny and inconsequential, like cleaning your teeth.andnbsp; It is a huge milestone to a depressed person. Then you might have a shower of your own accord, or put some clean clothes on. You may discover a hobby and become obsessed with it. Mine was cooking and baking. I found this concentrated my mind and gave me some peace from my thoughts. Of course, youre usually even more medicated up to the eyeballs by this point and this new regime of tablets should be starting to take effect. One of the side-effects of any bipolar medication is usually severe weight gain. You dont care, though - you feel better. This is better in relative terms, obviously. Soon, you are able to go out with a close family member without having an anxiety attack. Progress. Before you know it, you can go out on your own again. Wow! How exhilarating. You notice everything. Its like youve been in a coma and suddenly woken up. The green grass. The smells. The cacophony of noise. Its like being reborn. andnbsp; But, thats not the end of the struggle. For someone with BPD it is far too easy to then slip the other way. Mania. Profligate spending, chronic insomnia, racing thoughts, delusions of grandeur... these are just some of the symptoms. For me, it began with a sudden need for less sleep. Then no sleep. I was just so busy. Sleep cramped my style. After sleeping half the year away in a depressed phase, I had no time to sleep now. Id filled my quota of sleep. I had a million and one ideas and not enough hours in the day to fulfil them all. I was brilliant. A genius. How fantastic it was to be me! To cut a long story short, I ended up doing a lot of things that are completely out of character and unusual for me. My husband became a poor spectator on the sidelines, looking on but unable to intervene as I wouldnt listen anyway. I dont go and see my psychiatrist or Community Psychiatric Nurse as IM CURED! andnbsp; I dont need medication. Why wont anybody listen to me? Because I am speaking so fast I am incomprehensible. And I get angry. Very angry indeed. You dont want to cross me in this mood - I will argue until I am blue in the face, and more besides. andnbsp; The husband manages to trick me into seeing the nurse. The nurse looks concerned and the shrink is angry. Apparently, Im not allowed to decide to stop taking my medication myself. Im bored of this chat. Tap, tap, tap go my fingers. Im twitching. Why are they wasting my time?andnbsp; IM FINE! andnbsp; They want me to start taking medication again. Bore off, stop trying to stifle my creativity. Ive got plans. Thats what Im thinking. Im fed up of people trying to spoil my fun and cramp my style. andnbsp; Then they mention the magic word: children. andnbsp; I love my children more than life itself and they are my entire raison detre. Without sounding like a dodgy Oscar speech, I wouldnt be here without them. No, I really wouldnt. I can promise you that. andnbsp; My children deserve a stable mother. That is why I take all my medication and grasp every piece of support Im offered. Im pleased to report that at this moment, I am well and stable. Part of this journey has been accepting myself that Im different. I have a disability. Im most likely going to have to take copious amounts of medication for the rest of my life. At some point I will probably relapse and go through this nasty cycle again. andnbsp; In order to accept my diagnosis, I have had to challenge my own prejudices against mental health. andnbsp; Im a normal person. Im not like them. Thats what I used to tell myself. andnbsp; Now I tell myself that actually, Im not like anybody. Im completely unique and individual, just like every other person on this earth. Everybody has their own battles to fight and bipolar disorder is mine. andnbsp; Would I change myself? Absolutely not. BPD shapes me and makes me who I am. I am fortunate that family and friends love me for who I am, warts and all. My husband even finds some of my bipolar traits endearing! andnbsp; Never judge a book by its cover. Im like a swan; serene and graceful on the surface, but peddling madly under the water trying to stay afloat. Ill get there. Ive got a fantastic support network and am very grateful for that. andnbsp; I am bipolar and bipolar is me. andnbsp; Now Im going to finish off those macarons... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; PS - if you have taken the time to read this very personal account, Id really appreciate a comment with your thoughts! Thank you :) andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-24062012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-24062012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/snapshot-its-all-in-the-detail/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/snapshot-its-all-in-the-detail/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Im really loving all the little details on clothes this season. A ribbon here, a stud there... it makes even the most normal of pieces stand out and be that little bit different. andnbsp; I like to admire the hardware on bags and shoes, so it is no surprise that many of the pieces I have picked up contain studs or spikes. I pair these accessories with something quite soft and floral for a contrast.andnbsp; andnbsp; Have a look and see what you think... andnbsp; andnbsp; Above / Below: Studded and spiked gladiator sandals from Zara. andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Above: Neon pink leather satchel. andnbsp; andnbsp; Above / Below: Blouse by Jovonnista, from Agatha in Lincoln.andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Above: Spiked shoes from Topshop - a dupe of Jeffrey Campbells spiked pumps. andnbsp; andnbsp; Above: Batwing top with studs, from Zara. andnbsp; andnbsp; Above: Cute leopard print and diamantandeacute; hairclip, from Primark. andnbsp; Just a few of my favourite things at the moment. The husband actually thought the neon bag was for our daughter when it came - he thought it was hilarious when I explained it was for me and I would be wearing it with pride! andnbsp; I seem to be forming quite an attachment to leopard print, too. Everyday I have *something* with leopard print on... appealing to my inner Bet Lynch, perhaps? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/these-boots-are-made-for-walking/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/these-boots-are-made-for-walking/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Back to more superficial and fickle posts today after yesterdays blog on my struggle with Bipolar Disorder - catch it here if you missed it! andnbsp; Very unseasonal (or perhaps not, given the absurd weather we are prone to at the moment!), but I have bought myself a pair of chelsea boots from Topshop. andnbsp; Im in love with these babies. The tan colour is gorgeous and unlike anything I already own. The heel height is perfect; the platform makes them easily wearable during the day. They are completely leather apart from the rubber sole, which again makes me happy. Cant stand plastic/pleather shoes that make your trotters sweat! andnbsp; I took my new boots on a hot date around Lincoln. See if you can recognise any of the sights :) andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; So I think my boots enjoyed their little date to the Bailgate in Lincoln. Im going to wear them for the first time tonight to a fundraiser with a pair of denim shorts and the Jovonnista blouse I featured a couple of days ago in my Its All In The Detail post.andnbsp; andnbsp; Have a great day :) andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-party-at-the-grange-spa/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-party-at-the-grange-spa/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; This bloody British weather. I swear it is more bipolar than me! Cannot decide what it is doing. My plan was to wear this outfit with little denim shorts, rather than jeans, but I just didnt trust the rain to stay away. As it happens, yesterday was muggy and sticky and it actually got warmer as the day went on! andnbsp; Enough about the weather. Im a true Brit, cant you tell? We love to discuss our climate.andnbsp; andnbsp; So the wonderful Grange Spa in Pointon, Lincolnshire had a little shindig last night to showcase their new treatments and raise money for the British Heart Foundation. I had a brilliant time and will blog about all their divine new treatments in a couple of days. andnbsp; I wore my studded blouse for the first time and went all matchy-matchy with coordinating nail polish. This colour is beautiful - Lime Cooler by Jessica*. andnbsp; I couldnt decided whether to tuck the blouse in or out, so tried it both ways and by the time I decided to wear it out, it was creased to buggery. Couldnt be bothered to take it off and iron it so I got the hair straighteners on it. Yes, I really am that classy.andnbsp; andnbsp; Heres my outfit choice, anyway: andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Top: Jovannista, from Agathaandnbsp; Jeans: Warehouse Boots: Topshop andnbsp; Sunglasses: Tom Ford Statement Ring: Topshop andnbsp; Nail Polish: Lime Cooler by Jessica* andnbsp; I felt really comfortable in this outfit. I feel it struck the right balance between smart and casual and was loving my new chelsea boots - theyre actually really comfortable! No blisters yet... andnbsp; Bis spandauml;ter, andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; * denotes a very kind gift sent to me for review http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/art/damien-hirst-tate-modern-london/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/art/damien-hirst-tate-modern-london/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A couple of weeks ago I took my Dad to the Tate Modern to see the Damien Hirst exhibition for part of his Fathers Day gift. andnbsp; I was really intrigued; I find Damien Hirst hugely enigmatic. Some stuff I get, others I find completely baffling. andnbsp; Id seen some of his stuff at the Saatchi Gallery back in 2004 (along with Tracey Emins My Bed - bleurgh!) and I think it resonated a lot more with me this time than it did back then. I am guessing this is because the pieces I preferred in the exhibition were Hirsts more recent works. andnbsp; andnbsp; The exhibition had all that you associate with Damien Hirst; various animals in formaldehyde, butterflies galore, skull encrusted with diamonds etc etc. The thought (allegedly) behind these pieces is that we are so desensitised to the issue of death now that it doesnt affect us unless it is staring us in the face. This comes across in this exhibition, however I didnt get that message when I saw a few of his works at the Saatchi. andnbsp; The whole exhibition is pretty morbid. A giant ashtray is filled with cigarette butts (and it reeks!) to signify humans slowly killing themself and then also represents the charred ashes of human remains. Thats my perspective, anyway - others may differ. andnbsp; It did seem, though, that anything Hirst did he then tried to replicate on a greater scale. The glossy spots transpired to even larger glossy spots... cigarette ends in a glass cabinet became a large ashtray... pills in a mirrored cabinet (Lullaby, The Seasons 2002) became diamonds in an even brighter lit cabinet (Judgement Day 2009). You catch my drift? andnbsp; Whether Hirst has pulled the wool over our eyes and made himself a billionaire simply by churning out crap and attracting media attention is subjective. I dont subscribe to this school of thought. My opinion is that Hirst is an incredibly troubled and pained artist, as most of them are. His more recent works really do exemplify this. andnbsp; A great deal of Hirsts more contemporary works contain butterflies. Butterflies are the eternal symbol of the circle of life; after all, how many of us read The Very Hungry Caterpillar as children? Perhaps the use of butterflies is to signify how fragile life is? How beautiful life can be?andnbsp; andnbsp; Who knows. andnbsp; My favourite work of Hirsts at the exhibition was Doorways to the Kingdom of Heaven (2007). At first glance, this looked like three arched, stained-glass windows. On closer observation, you realised it was a collage of butterflies. Completely mesmerising, magnificent and exceptionally beautiful in a traditional manner I thought. Not one of the shock reactions that one normally experiences from Hirst. andnbsp; Overall, I found this exhibition to be well worth a visit. It is on until 9th September and it is best to book tickets in advance, which you can do here. The rest of the Tate Modern is free and it has a cracking cafandeacute; and gift shop to boot. andnbsp; What are your thoughts on Damien Hirst? Overrated? Or creative genius? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog//silent-sunday-01072012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog//silent-sunday-01072012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I live about a mile from the Red Arrows runway... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/the-primark-20-20-challenge/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/fashion/the-primark-20-20-challenge/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Primark. Its like Marmite. You either love it, or hate it. I love to hate it but occasionally I do succumb... andnbsp; andnbsp; A couple of days ago I treated myself to a Primark 20/20 challenge. Pretty self-explanatory: you take andpound;20 and 20 minutes and try and get an entire outfit. A bit like Supermarket Sweep in a bargain, cheap clothes shop...andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Once you get over the fact that most things in Primark are made from synthetic fibres, youre okay. Occasionally, though, you can find some real gems. In the past Ive had lovely, soft cotton pyjamas, cardigans, tops etc.andnbsp; andnbsp; Primark have got some quite nice things in at the moment. I dont tend to follow trends; usually I like to invest in key pieces that I know I will wear (and will last!) year after year. But every once in a while, its good to go somewhere like Primark and have a splurge. Especially when you can splurge and still have change from a andpound;20 note! andnbsp; andnbsp; This time for my andpound;20 I sourced a dress, necklace and sunglasses. The bag and boots in the pics are already mine, from Accessorize (2011) and Topshop respectively. andnbsp; I fell instantly in love with this little skater dress. It is so cute. I adore the print with the love birds, despite not particularly liking brown as a colour. It is much like a shift dress to the waist and then flares out - fab for those of us with hips, bums and tums. An underskirt makes it not so flimsy; the print is on polyester but looks quite chiffon-esque and floaty. andnbsp; It fits well, although is quite tight across the old bust. Being a typically stubborn female, I refused to even *try* the next size up out of sheer vanity.andnbsp; andnbsp; Accessory wise, I think the Aztec necklace works well. To me, it looks like it cost a lot more than it did and will work with other dresses and tops I own. andnbsp; andnbsp; I styled the dress with black opaque tights, tan chelsea boots and a khaki patent bag with a tortoiseshell clasp. This matched my new tigers eye cocktail ring, although I didnt get a snap of that. Another time, perhaps... andnbsp; Dress: Primark - andpound;13 Necklace: Primark - andpound;4 Sunglasses: Primark - andpound;1 TOTAL: andpound;18 andnbsp; Okay, Ive got a confession to make here. I was so efficient in the time part of the 20/20 challenge that I actually managed to get threeandnbsp;dresses from Primark, bringing the actual total to andpound;36.andnbsp; andnbsp; A very ethereal, floaty cream dress with nasty, plastic brown belt for andpound;13 and a loud, proud and floral tea dress in the sale at andpound;5 (PRIMARK HAS SALES?!?! AMAZING.) completes the haul. Inspired by the black and cream hues of Chanel, I will style the cream dress with a gold collar necklace, black belt, black opaque tights and black patent leather sky high stilettoes along with the trusty Chanel 2.55 bag. Havent a clue about the tea dress, perhaps just shove it with some leggings and pretty sandals? Perfect for Sundays. andnbsp; andnbsp; The sunglasses were just a bit of fun, but I actually really like them. The purple is vivid and the lens shape is channelling Tom Ford. They are obviously not the best quality in the world, but for andpound;1 you cant complain, can you? andnbsp; Back to the challenge however. I was chuffed with my bargains, and all the money I had saved by being so thrifty impressed the husband (always a bonus!).andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; We had a rare Saturday night out together and went out for a couple of drinks in Lincoln. A coffee and a glass of champagne whilst people-watching, then home to a nice, strong brew and bed. A lovely evening! andnbsp; Im off to Amsterdam next week and think I will take this outfit, including sunglasses, with me as it will be perfect to wear in this unpredictable weather - Ill just add my cream tuxedo blazer to ward off the chill. andnbsp; What do you think to my 20/20 challenge? Please tell me it is not just my sister and I that do things like this! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/relax-me-beautiful/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/relax-me-beautiful/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Before I start, Im going to point out that this is not a sponsored post, nor have I received any payment for it. I genuinely loveandnbsp;The Grange Spa!andnbsp; andnbsp; Phew. With that out of the way, lets get started. A few days ago I blogged about how I had been to a little soirandeacute;e at The Grange Spa and what I had worn. andnbsp; Speaking of outfits, the lovely Natalie from Agatha got in touch asking if they could use the photos of yours truly wearing my beautiful Jovonnista blouse on their blog and Facebook. I was over the moon to be asked; not bad for a 30yr old mother of two, eh? andnbsp; Anyway, I digress. It was a lovely, balmy evening and there was a jazz band, Pimms, sweet treat canapandeacute;s and demonstrations at The Grange Spa... I was in seventh heaven!andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; The event was held to showcase the new treatments The Grange Spa is now offering in addition to their existing lot. Theyre using Germaine de Capuccini products and the treatments seem good enough to eat. If Turkish Delight, Chocolate, Coffee and Wine dont tempt you... well, Ill have them all instead! :) andnbsp; andnbsp; Here are some of the deli delights on offer: andnbsp; Chocolate Therapy Utterly delicious and perfect for those who adore chocolate! Deeply hydrating and regenerating, this treatment commences with our smooth as chocolate full body exfoliation, followed by the envelopment of our self-heating chocolate body wrap. andnbsp; Caffeine Fix A highly effective draining treatment using coffee, an excellent detox, with firming and shaping properties. andnbsp; Turkish Delight Originating from Turkey, this completely indulgent treatment based on saffron with specialised massage rituals incorporate the use of silks and gentle body stretches, which provides a total release of stress and tension from the back, neck and shoulders specifically - but the whole body experience is truly sumptuous and highly recommended. andnbsp; I am dyingandnbsp;to try the Turkish Delight. I *may* be a tiny bit gutted that I didnt experience Turkish pampering firsthand when I was in Istanbul a couple of months ago and am trying to compensate, but even still - this looks incredible! I saw the trainer from Germaine de Cappucini demo this and is looks ridiculously exquisite. They use feathers in the treatment! The model managed not to laugh... not sure if I could do the same, though! andnbsp; Id love to give you a more in depth description of what the massage comprises, but when I saw the demo I was too busy drooling. What I can say, however, is that this treatment really is something different to your usual body massage. The use of such indulgent materials like silk and feathers coupled with the whole massage experience where even the treatment room is ambiently scented would be just pure bliss, Id imagine. Im not sure what the smell was that was wafting around the treatment room, but it was certainly very relaxing. andnbsp; andnbsp; I came away from the evening with a yearning to go back and try out one of the new treatments and a goody bag. Im looking forward to sampling the royal jelly and Im always a sucker for body lotion, although well see if it is up to the high standard of my favourite Kiehls Creme de Corps! andnbsp; andnbsp; It was lovely to see the owners, Matt and Emma, again and also to chat to Kelly, who did my amazing pedicure. One of the best things though, was that all profits from the event went to the British Heart Foundation - a cause very much close to my heart. Fashion, pampering and philanthropy in one evening.... fabulous, darling! andnbsp; So do any of those treatments take your fancy? Have you visited The Grange Spa yet? If not, WHY NOT?! You must. It is incredible! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-lime-cooler-by-jessica/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-lime-cooler-by-jessica/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 I was over the moon to receive this luscious Lime Cooler nail polish by Jessica*. Part of their new Gelato Mio collection, this pastel-perfect collection is inspired by the mouthwatering flavours of Italian ice-cream. andnbsp; The Gelato Mio range includes the shades Strawberry Shake It, Barely Blueberry, Lime Cooler, Banana Peel, Tangerine Dreamz and Boyz n Berry. Pastels can be notoriously difficult to apply and usually take a good three coats to apply before they are fully opaque. With that in mind, I applied a base coat of Essies White to start. I then applied the first coat of Lime Cooler* and was immediately struck by how thick and glossy it was in consistency. In fact, I only needed two coats for full coverage - amazing! Jessicas Lime Cooler* rivalled Illamasqua Collide for ease and quality of application, hands down. I am seriously impressed. I was soooo impressed, that as you can see I even painted my toenails the same colour. Its not very often I get my hooves out, but I thought this shade was so pretty on the feet that it had to be shared! Jessica nail polishes are usually to be found in high-quality salons, but John Lewis stock a small range, too. You can also buy them online here, where the selection features over two hundred Jessica polishes!andnbsp; What colours take your fancy? C xandnbsp; * denotes a very kind gift sent to me for review andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-illamasqua-fundamental-palette/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-illamasqua-fundamental-palette/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A few weeks ago, I reviewed Illamasquas Neutral Palette (here). Since then, I can honestly say I have reached for that palette every single day (bar one - the Fundamental Palette day!). Im still busy concocting new variations and have discovered a love of brown eyeshadow used as liner - who knew nudity could be so fun?! Certainly not me. Ahem. andnbsp; andnbsp; The Fundamental Palette is from Illamasquas Human Fundamentalism collection, incidentally. I think the ethos behind Illamasqua is fantastic. Its all about being unapologetically who you are, rather than whom society mandates you should be. It celebrates diversity and appreciates an individuals beauty. andnbsp; I find Illamasqua so much more inspirational than MAC these days. Their products are better made, longer lasting and with greater colour pay off. If you visit an Illamasqua counter, the make up artists really do make you feel special and try to broaden your horizons, rather than sell you the latest hot or hip product. andnbsp; andnbsp; As you can see, the colours are certainly vivid! However, anyone who knows me will testify that I am about as subtle as a brick through a window; this palette exudes exactly who I am!andnbsp; andnbsp; I love bright and bold shades on the eyes; well, anything to make them a bit more interesting and a bit less beady, really! andnbsp; Here are the colours: andnbsp; Hype: bright canary yellow matte powder shadow; similar in tone (but not finish) to MAC Chrome Yellow. Surge:andnbsp;liquid metal - a molten silvery pewter. Inception:andnbsp;Bright purple! A Quality Street purple matte powder shadow. Bedaub:andnbsp;Mint green cream pigment. andnbsp; I just had a play about and mixed and matched all the colours together, as you can see: andnbsp; andnbsp; This was quite a subtle way of using the different colours and textures. If I were to wear this for an evening out, I would wing out the purple a lot more and perhaps bring more of the pewter under my eye and as a contour. andnbsp; All the colours in this palette blend really well together and Illamasqua have been quite spectacular in their choice of colours and use of textures. Im really looking forward to trying out new looks with this palette. Using the yellow will make my blue eyes pop, although Ill want to lay off the brown eyeshadow liner then - dont want to look like a banana! andnbsp; andnbsp; So there we have it. An extremely wearable daytime look, Id say. andnbsp; Im going to do a Jerry Springer now and leave you with a quote, from Illamasquas Alex Box: andnbsp; Human Fundamentalism is the unique spirit and fundamental human drive for individuality. Its a belief, a movement and an emotion. A connection with the spirit of the age and its global motifs. You are your own human hybrid, a unique nomad of street cultures and global trends" andnbsp; What that means in plain English is: Get amongst it. Youll not regret it! andnbsp; C x http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/media-articles/balance-me-ren-and-st-tropez-freebies/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/media-articles/balance-me-ren-and-st-tropez-freebies/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; A rather late post today - please forgive me!andnbsp; andnbsp; Mr Sharples has gone away for the weekend to visit friends in Manchester, so Im alone with the munchkins. I decided to indulge in a spot of titivation of our bathroom and spent a fortune in Next turning it from a rather sterile black and white bathroom to... a black and white bathroom with hot pink accessories! Towels, bathmats, soap pots, laundry baskets - you name it, its pink. Im sure Mr Sharples will LOVE it upon his return ;) andnbsp; For todays post, I thought I would share with you some fantastic freebies that come with this months magazines... andnbsp; andnbsp; First up is Red magazine. andnbsp;For andpound;3.90 you can bag yourself a trio of REN products: Vetiver v7 Hand and Body Cream, Active 7 Radiant Eye Gel and Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream. andnbsp; Ive never tried any products by REN, but have always been intrigued when Im in Space NK. Im looking forward to testing these out and maybe purchasing some other things from the REN range if I get on well with them. andnbsp; Also, this months Red is a fabulous read. Ive never bought it before, but am glad I did this month (and not just for the free samples!). Perhaps it is because Im now one of the glorious over-30s that I loved it so much. Its definitely aimed at the flirty thirties, I would say.andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Next up is Glamour, at andpound;2. With this months edition, you can choose from a selection of Balance Me products: Pure Skin Face Wash Balancing Face Moisturiser Rose Otto Intensive Lip Salve Wonder Eye Cream I scoured the shelves and managed to find all four. Im a big fan of Balance Me since trying a sample of their hand cream in last months Glossybox. I quickly used that up and went on to purchase the full-size beast - 100ml of pure luxury for the hands. andnbsp; andnbsp; Im really enjoying using the Balance Me Radiance Face Mask at the moment, too. I find that their products are quite reasonably priced, superb quality, last well and you can pick them up in Waitrose with your weekly shop! andnbsp; andnbsp; Elle are giving away tubes of St Tropez Gradual Tanner with their andpound;3.90 cover price. I was introduced to this product when it featured in a beauty box and rapidly used it all up. The samples available are Light/Medium and Medium/Dark. andnbsp; With Marie Claire, it is a free Avon mascara and Cosmopolitan are offering their readers a choice of three neon nail polishes by Missguided. andnbsp; Neither of those took my fancy, but I will be hunting down a copy of Harpers Bazaar for the Neom hand creams they are offering this month. Again, like REN, this is a brand Ive heard a great deal about but am yet to sample. andnbsp; So thats my round up - Im now off to enjoy the bed all to myself (before the cherubs sneak in, anyway) and have a read of all these mags I seem to have accumulated! andnbsp; Wishing you a fab weekend... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-08072012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/silent-sunday/silent-sunday-08072012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; All nail polishes by Jessica. andnbsp; l-r: Lime Cooler*, Banana Peel*, Milky Way*, Hologram Top Coat*. andnbsp; * denotes products kindly sent to me for review. http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/glossybox-june-2012/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/glossybox-june-2012/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Initially, when I opened Junes Glossybox, I was a tad underwhelmed. Apart from the brush, they all seemed to be small sized samples which you could easily get at a beauty counter. andnbsp; This box was pure beauty-focused, with no skincare or haircare this month. It would have been nice to have more of a mixture, but then beggars cant be choosers, can they? andnbsp; I quickly totted up the value of my box and it came out at about andpound;28, although this did include the alleged andpound;15 brush (not worth that at all... read on!). I thought it was quite unfair that other boxes had more superior products and came out at andpound;42. This really disappoints me, Glossybox! andnbsp; Here is what I received: Glossybox Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush Yves Rocher Sexy Pulp Mascara BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer Agent Provocateur Eau Provocateur Vichy Dermablend Ultra Corrective Foundation Cream Stick andnbsp; Here is my thoughts on the products: andnbsp; 1. Glossybox Serie Exclusiv Pro Beauty Brush andnbsp; andnbsp; Glossybox says: This classic series natural goat hair blush brush gives a supersoft make-up application. andnbsp; Carly says: Hugely disappointed with this. Glossybox reckon this brush should retail at andpound;15... seriously?! That would make it 50% more expensive than a Real Techniques blush brush! andnbsp; Although made from natural hair, it just feels cheap. The hair sheds, too. I guess it was good to include it this month as it can be used with the BM bronzer, but I would have preferred to have seen this as an addedandnbsp;treat - not one of the five products. andnbsp; Have donated this to my little girl for her play make-up. andnbsp; 2. Yves Rocher Sexy Pulp Mascara andnbsp; andnbsp; Glossybox says: An innovative maxi-brush with generous curves for a lash plumping result. 12 hour wear. andnbsp; Carly says: Firstly, why couldnt this be a full-sized sample?!?! Nevertheless, I like Yves Rocher as a brand so was looking forward to trying this out. On first impressions, the wand is big, long and fat. This, to me, insinuates that you are going to get voluminous lashes! It is also a deep shade of black, which pleased me immensely (...little things, and all that!). andnbsp; andnbsp; This mascara was fantastic. I really, really liked it. It gave good definition and length and held the curl well. Id consider buying this when my current stash of mascaras runs low. Until then, though, this is very handy to keep in your handbag or as a travel mascara. andnbsp; 3. BM Beauty Summer Warmth Bronzer andnbsp; andnbsp; Glossybox says: Multi-purpose pure-mineral bronzer. Add a touch of summer warmth to your face. andnbsp; Carly says: Id love to add a touch of summer warmth to my face, but the way this sample is packaged makes it impossible to get a decent dab with your brush! andnbsp; Despite this, it is a lovely, warm colour and will probably use it instead of blusher - if the sun in GB ever comes out to play... andnbsp; andnbsp; 4. Agent Provocateur Eau Provocateur andnbsp; andnbsp; Glossybox says: A new collection of three new feminine, sensual and tantalizing day fragrances. andnbsp; Carly says: I shant bleat on about how much I dislike receiving perfume samples again, for this sample came with aspirators! Being able to spray perfumes rather than daub on gives you a much better perspective of whether that particular perfume is suited to you. andnbsp; This little box had three samples in it: Eau Provocateur Maandicirc;tresse LAgent andnbsp; I liked all of them, to be fair. My favourite was Maandicirc;tresse and this is one that I would consider asking for as a gift for Christmas or Birthday. Im intrigued to see what the bottles look like and see if they live up to the sexy image portrayed by Agent Provocateur. andnbsp; 5. Vichy Dermablend Ultra-Corrective Foundation Cream Stick andnbsp; andnbsp; Glossybox says: Vichys expert camouflage foundation stick for minor to severe skin flaws. andnbsp; Carly says: I was really pleased to see a Vichy product in the box as it is a brand we dont hear too much about in the UK. andnbsp; I thought it was good that the sample gave you six colour bases to choose from - I was Porcelain. The only thing I use concealer for is to cover my dark undereye circles and this product is specifically aimed at problems such as this. Sold! I have quite deep-set eyes, so dark circles are the bain of my life. Any product that claims to cover them up would automatically get my seal of approval. andnbsp; But does it achieve that? It certainly does. It is not as camouflaging as the Estandeacute;e Lauder Double Wear Max foundation I currently use on my eyes, but perhaps this is a good thing. What it does do is cover the circles, but reflects the light too and actually makes the undereye area look dewy instead of caked on. andnbsp; This little sample lasted me about two weeks, so I think if purchased would represent good value for money. Think I will stock up when my Estandeacute;e Lauder is up! andnbsp; andnbsp; Conclusion andnbsp; As I said earlier, I was quite disappointed when I first opened my Glossybox this month. But as Ive used the products, Ive grown to like it. I still dont like the brush, but the other products are good. andnbsp; My favourites would have to be the Yves Rocher mascara and the Vichy Dermablend stick. The good thing about sample boxes like these is not only being able to try before you buy (perhaps saving you some dosh by not buying unnecessarily hyped products), but by broadening your horizons. I dont have ready access to many French beauty brands so products such as the mascara and concealer would not usually pop up on my radar, otherwise.andnbsp; andnbsp; These type of boxes are always so beautiful and well-presented - it is like receiving a gift everytime they come! andnbsp; You can subscribe to a Glossybox here. andnbsp; Have you received a Glossybox this month? What did you think? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/family/goodbye-kitty/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/family/goodbye-kitty/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; My daughter, Freya, is simply beautiful.andnbsp; andnbsp; I know allandnbsp;mothers say that about their daughters, but my daughter really is beautiful. Big blue, almond shaped eyes... pretty pink pillow lips that would give Angelina a run for her money... the cutest little button nose... you get the picture? andnbsp; She will be a knockout when she is older. A stunner. Breathtakingly beautiful. The sort of girl that stops you dead in your tracks, such is her natural, God-given beauty. andnbsp; But by Jesus, does she stink. andnbsp; Aged six, going on 16, her ultimate idol is ME. She helps me choose my outfits, I help her choose hers (Monsoon. No age inappropriate clothing for my little girl - Im a strict Mummy!). andnbsp; She adoringly watches me put on my make-up each morning, spritz my perfume and choose my jewellery and other accessories for the day. andnbsp; She relishes the time when there is a special occasion and I will give her a little makeover to match her Mini Boden party dress. A slick of the faintest pink lipgloss (which has worn off by the time we get to the car - Im shrewd, that way)... perhaps a dab of glitter on her eyelids... maybe some of Mummys pearls to accessorise... even a tiny spritz of one of Mummys [lightest] perfumes to finish it all off. andnbsp; It was all going so well. andnbsp; But then *someone* bought her her ownandnbsp;perfume. Hello Kitty. Freya adores Hello Kitty, so it seems natural, right? andnbsp; WRONG. andnbsp; This perfume stinks like no other. It permeates the whole house. It lingers and lingers - honestly, major perfume brands should get in touch with the makers (in China, naturally) and find out the secret of what makes this eau de stink so long-lasting. andnbsp; I cant even tell you what it smells of, of what the top notes are, of which designer it may or may not be trying to emulate... it just pongs. End of. andnbsp; But Freya? Freya is obsessed with this perfume. She now wears it everydayandnbsp;and has taken to spraying it copiously all over her body, just as she has seen her Mummy do on numerous occasions. Theres no little dabs behind the ears here; she douses herself in the stuff.andnbsp; andnbsp; To school, the supermarket, even to bed andagrave; la Coco Chanel... there is no escaping the whiff of Hello Kitty. andnbsp; In fact, today I even caught my two year old son trying to spray it under his arms like deodorant (emulating parents must start young...!). andnbsp; Enough was enough.andnbsp; andnbsp; Ive hidden it. What a mean, wicked, cruel Mummy I am. There will be tears in the morning! andnbsp; Goodbye, Kitty.andnbsp; andnbsp; Its (not) been nice knowing you... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-illamasqua-nomad/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/nails-of-the-day/review-illamasqua-nomad/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Not a single week seems to go by without me mentioning a product by Illamasqua, and this week is no exception. andnbsp; I am totally, head over heels, in love with their products. The quality and colour pay off is sensational and I get so many compliments when wearing Illamasqua. andnbsp; andnbsp; This colour is described by Illamasqua as a bright jade with a glossy finish. Its not as green as I would imagine jade to be, but is stunning nevertheless. andnbsp; Released as part of their Human Fundamentalism range, Nomad immediately stands out on the shelves. As with all Illamasqua nail polishes, it had just the right consistency and applied with ease. andnbsp; andnbsp; Nomad was opaque with two coats, although I did then use OPI RapiDry over the top to give it an extra glossy finish. andnbsp; andnbsp; I decided to make a feature out of my ring finger, so that has Illamasqua Collide on it topped with OPI Nicki Minaj Save Me as I thought the glitter would make a nice contrast. andnbsp; All in all, another success from Illamasqua. Im intrigued to try one of their nail polishes with a rubber finish now! Have you tried any of their polishes? What were your thoughts? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-a-day-in-amsterdam/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/photography/snapshot-a-day-in-amsterdam/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Hello strangers! andnbsp; Ive been poorly for a few days so Ive been quite quiet on the old blogging front, sorry! Back firing on all cylinders again now, so fear not - there will be posts galore to come in the next few days :) andnbsp; I went to Amsterdam last weekend to celebrate my wedding anniversary with the husband. How he puts up with me, I do not know! Then again, I could say the same about him... ;) andnbsp; We had a FABULOUS time. Weve both been to Amsterdam a couple of times before, so this was more of a chillaxing break instead of a frenetic, lets see all the sights kind of break. We wandered around, ate nice food, sipped coffee and watched the world go by. It was perfect. Oh, and shopping. How could I have forgotten that important aspect?! andnbsp; One disappointment, though, was Jamie Olivers Fifteen restaurant. Although extremely reasonable in terms of price, it lacked atmosphere and ambience and the food was mediocre. Added to the fact that it was a trek to get there, I just was not impressed. I wouldnt recommend it at all. andnbsp; Anyway, I thought I would share with you a few snaps that I took on one particular day in Amsterdam... andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; We actually spent until 1pm on this particular day in Starbucks on Rembrandtplein due to the torrential rain, but I shant complain as one of my favourite activities is to people-watch. I find it fascinating - admiring peoples individual style, wondering who they are and what their story is - all whilst sipping a lovely latte. Divine. andnbsp; Once the rain had eased off we just bimbled around, popping into the odd shop, taking in the odd sight. In the evening we had a stroll through the Red Light District but it was far too busy for my liking. Full of gawping tourists stopping in front of every red window like rubberneckers at a car crash. It was not very appealing. So in true Carly style, we headed to the Radisson for a cheeky mojito, instead. I must say that although expensive, this may be the best mojito I have ever had outside the Caribbean. Impeccably presented and absolutely delicious. andnbsp; We had such a good trip and one of the highlights was being able to wake up naturally in the morning without children demanding breakfast / TV / toys / books at Christ knows what time! andnbsp; As Ive said in a blog post before, Amsterdam is a really convenient place to go for a city break when you live in Lincolnshire. We checked in online, then flew from Humberside - 35 minutes from our house. Forty minutes on the plane later, you land in Schiphol. It really couldnt be any easier. In fact, on the return journey we landed, collected baggage, collected car, drove home and made a brew within 40 minutes. Incredible! Note: that was the husband driving home, hence shaving many minutes off of my drive time - I am more sedate. andnbsp; All in all, a brilliant trip was had. Ive got some outfit and purchases posts to share with you so I will get cracking on that in the next couple of days. andnbsp; Have you been to Amsterdam? What did you think to it? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-amsterdam/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-amsterdam/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I love the classic jeans/top/blazer/heels look... as you probably have already guessed, if you have seen any of my other outfit posts! andnbsp; Last weekend I was in Amsterdam with the husband and needed to choose a day outfit that is multifunctional, in that it needs to be fit for purpose whatever we chose to do. andnbsp; Id actually got a couple of new dresses to wear whilst in Amsterdam, but the weather was much the same as it was in the UK at the time: torrential rain. Thus, a little summer dress and flip flops or ballet pumps was not really appropriate attire! Gutted. I did manage to wear one of my new dresses, a beautiful coral, floral, pleated number, out to dinner one evening so not all is lost. But for the main, I stuck with my staple uniform of jeans, top and heels with a smart jacket chucked over the top. andnbsp; I bought this bouclandeacute; jacket from Zara on Kalverstraat in the sale. I thought the fabric and finish was very Chanel-esque, and loved the stud detailing. It is a very comfortable fit, although has wide shoulder pads which perhaps make me look a tad bigger overall than I actually am. Nevertheless, Im in love with it and will be wearing it to death. Watch this space! andnbsp; The top is a cobalt blue vest from Warehouse. I adore this colour; it is very fashionable at the moment but has been a staple colour in my wardrobe for years. Loose fitting, it is a silk-effect material at the front and then a draping jersey at the back. This means it is ultra comfortable and easy to sling on with jeans for a dressed-up, yet effortless look. andnbsp; andnbsp; Jacket:andnbsp;Zara Vest:andnbsp;Warehouse Necklace:andnbsp;Primark andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; Left:andnbsp;Vintage silver and onyx ring Right:andnbsp;Engagement and wedding rings andnbsp; andnbsp; Nails:andnbsp;Baker Street by Nails Inc. andnbsp; andnbsp; These studded boots from Topshop (link) are GORGEOUS. A deep, black suede with small studs on the toe caps. The zip detailing is exposed on the outside of the boot, instead of being traditionally concealed. I loved that they were called Amandeacute;lie too, as that is one of my favourite films! andnbsp; My feet are a large 6, but I went for a 39 in these as I thought that they might give a bit. Well, after walking the best part of ten miles in them, my feet are ripped to shreds! Serves me right, really! Im sure once my trotters have healed they will be the comfiest boots ever and will actually improve with age and wear... well see. andnbsp; andnbsp; Bottom Bracelet:andnbsp;Links of London Top Bracelet:andnbsp;Gucci andnbsp; andnbsp; Now we are experiencing some kind of summer here in the UK, I need to drag my shorts and dresses back out of the wilderness. Looking forward to posting some more season-appropriate clothing soon! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-revlon-just-bitten-kissable-balm-stain/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/review-revlon-just-bitten-kissable-balm-stain/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; At last! Revlon have released their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in the UK! andnbsp; Im a huge fan of Cliniques Chubby Sticks, immediately bagging myself the shade Pudgy Peony as soon as it came out and using it to death ever since (review - here). So naturally, I was intrigued to see if these Revlon copies live up to the high standard set by Clinique... andnbsp; andnbsp; From left to right, I have the shades Lovesick, Cherish and Honey. Lovesick is an intense fuchsia, Cherish is a frosty baby pink and Honey is a more muted nude. andnbsp; andnbsp; They smell slightly minty upon application, which could be off-putting for some. For me, however, the scent reminded me of Caudalandiacute;es Eau de Beautandeacute; so I found this to be a plus point. Fresh is always good, people! andnbsp; andnbsp; They apply well and the colour lasts ages. Honey is the least pigmented of the three so wears off quicker, but Lovesick is seriously indelible! andnbsp; andnbsp; Lovesick is the closest match to Pudgy Peony by Clinique, so I thought I would compare them. It really depends on what you want from the product, however. Intense moisturisation and a pop of colour? Go for Clinique. Intense colour and a touch of moisture? Go for Revlon. Simple as that, really! andnbsp; andnbsp; Ive just got back from being interviewed on BBC Lincolnshire so just a quick post tonight. Id love to hear what you think of Revlons new product - much better than their Lip Butters, no? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-peanut-butter-cookies/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/food-drink/recipe-peanut-butter-cookies/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; When I say these are the easiest cookies to make, EVER, Im not exaggerating. There are only three ingredients and the method is so foolproof that even my two year old can make them singlehandedly. andnbsp; I was introduced to these cookies by my father-in-law, who makes them to perfection. Crispy, crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth... these cookies manage that all at once. andnbsp; So how do you make them? Heres how.andnbsp; andnbsp; Ingredients andnbsp; 1 can condensed milk 1 jar peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) Raisins andnbsp; Yep - that really is it. No flour, butter, sugar... not needed for this recipe! andnbsp; Method andnbsp; 1. Mix condensed milk and peanut butter together in a bowl. andnbsp; 2. Slowly add raisins until the mixture begins to thicken. andnbsp; 3. Roll mixture into balls and plop onto a greased baking tray. andnbsp; 4. Cook at 170deg for about 15 minutes. andnbsp; 5. Leave to cool and eat. andnbsp; Simples! Three ingredients, five steps. This is perfect for making with children.andnbsp; andnbsp; Have a go and let me know what you think! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/operation-buff/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/lifestyle/operation-buff/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I HAVE PUT ON THREE STONE IN SIX MONTHS. andnbsp; Once a petite UK size 10-12, I am now a snug 14 on the bottom, perilously close to moving up to a 16. I dont particularly look vastly bigger, as thankfully I am quite tall and can carry a bit more weight. But I am bigger. 25% bigger, in fact. andnbsp; Its time to do something about it. andnbsp; My weight gain was caused by overeating and lack of exercise. However, I do have an excuse! I take a drug called Quetiapine / Seroquel for my bipolar disorder, which is renowned for weight gain. Excessive weight gain. Weight gain so severe it can cause you to put on 1lb per day. Indefinitely. I guess I should be grateful that my own weight gain amounts to a mere 1/4lb each day. Actually, no. Thats awful! A burger sized amount of fat sticking itself to my body EVERY SINGLE DAY! andnbsp; Well, its got to stop. andnbsp; Quetiapine is a very successful anti-psychotic mood stabiliser, but it basically stops your metabolism. So what goes in, stays in. People who take quetiapine are at huge risk of developing diabetes, due to the overwhelming urges and cravings for sweet, sugary treats. This is combined with the bodys own diminished ability to process glucose. To a sugar fiend like myself, this is a worrying thought and another reason to launch Operation Buff. andnbsp; So what is Operation Buff? andnbsp; Operation Buff came about when I realised that if I continue with my lifestyle, I will soon be a size 16. Then an 18. Then a 20, 22, 24... who knows where it will stop? The health implications of being bigger scare me. The wallet implications of buying me new clothes for each impending size terrifies the husband. Simply not taking quetiapine is not an option; after all, it is better to be fat and sane than skinny and insane! andnbsp; Operation Buff is not rocket science. Ive rejoined the gym and Im going to try really hard to watch what I eat, for the first time in my life. Simples. We eat healthily as a family, but I am a keen baker and cakes, cookies and coffee are my downfall. andnbsp; Im not expecting to lose much, if any, weight until my prescription changes. My goal is to try and stop further weight gain and feel healthier overall. I went to the gym for the first time tonight (adorned in fancy new, larger gymwear) and half an hour of cardio nearly killed me! Im going to try a few classes this week and see how I get on with those, too. andnbsp; To shame myself even further, and to spur me on, Im going to let you know my exact weight and measurements. Then, hopefully, I can report back in a month or so and we shall see how my mission is unfolding... andnbsp; Arms: 30cm (circumference) Waist: 89cm Hips: 108cm Thighs: 62cm andnbsp; Weight = 77.5kg / 12st 3lbs andnbsp; Normal weight = 9st 3lbsandnbsp; andnbsp; Id love to receive some motivational messages, or hints and tips on how to make Operation Buff more effective. I think this is one of the scariest and most daunting tasks I have ever undertaken! andnbsp; Wish me luck! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/banish-those-dark-circles/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/banish-those-dark-circles/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; I have dark, undereye circles so bad that my poor eyes looked bruised, sans make-up. I devote huge amounts of time, effort and money on finding a cure. Getting plenty of beauty sleep and drinking plenty of water (in my tea - oops!) doesnt shift them, nor do all the lotions and potions I apply morning and night. I have quite small, deep set eyes and I guess the dark circles are just part and parcel of being me. andnbsp; A couple of weeks ago, I popped to the Laura Mercier counter for a tinted moisturiser (seriously good!) and the lovely make-up artist gave me a mini makeover. When I looked in the mirror, not only did I have a flawless complexion but I had NO SHADOWS UNDERNEATH MY EYES!andnbsp; andnbsp; Incredible. What had he used? I needed this magic product in my life! andnbsp; Well, I nearly fell of the chair when I was shown this eureka-moment product... A red concealer. Yes, you read that properly. A RED CONCEALER. This neutralises the blue undertones and leaves your eyes looking, well, normal! Genius. andnbsp; andnbsp; Ive been using it everyday since and am still in total awe. No more cakey, yellow toned concealer under my eyes, thank you very much! Touche andEacute;clat? Pah, no thank you!andnbsp; andnbsp; Laura Mercier Under Eye Perfecter in Mauve/Rose, you have made me very happy indeed. Ive been using it with Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder patted over the top, for extra oomph. With crushed pearls in the formula, this would make a great highlighter due to the luminosity, but I have simply added it to my arsenal of products in the war against dark circles. andnbsp; Eureka! I have definitely found it. And Im sure we will be friends for many years to come... andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/blog-365/silence/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/blog-365/silence/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Silence. andnbsp; andnbsp; Muffle the wind;Silence the clock;Muzzle the mice;Curb the small talk. Cure the hinge-squeak;Banish the thunder;Let me sit silent.Let me wonder. andnbsp; ~ A.M. Klein andnbsp; I love this poem. It is so evocative and succinct, describing perfectly how my brain craves some peace and quiet amidst the loud hustle and bustle of life. andnbsp; Ive been rather antisocial for a while now, which is completely unusual for me. Life has carried on as normal, but Ive just not felt particularly chatty. Ive yearned for my own company and my own space. At first I thought I may have writers block as Ive not blogged, tweeted, texted or written. But this problem also translated to the spoken word. In conversations with my nearest and dearest I have felt rather disembodied; where my mouth was moving but my heart and mind werent there. Ive absolutely no idea why! andnbsp; I have been instagramming though (CarlySharples - follow me!) and a picture tells a thousand words, or so they say. The point is here, that I could still be social without actually saying a single word. Brilliant! andnbsp; Today, I felt the urge to write again. andnbsp; Nothing profound has happened today; it is a day much like any other. But for some reason, I suddenly feel like saying something. Anything!andnbsp; andnbsp; So Im back now. andnbsp; Stay tuned! andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; PS: I was really heartened by the messages and comments received whilst I was radio silent. Many thanks to those who took the time to think of me - I really appreciate it. andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-skulls/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/what-i-wore/what-i-wore-skulls/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; Despite being thirty years old, I still like to dress like a teenager whenever I think I can get away with it. Also, despite now being a size 12-14 (see my previous blogpost on Operation Buff), I still like to wear leggings whenever I get the chance. Who doesnt love an elasticated waist, right? andnbsp; These leggings and the dipped hem top are both from Topshop and came to a grand total of about andpound;35. Brilliant value for a new outfit, in my humble opinion. I styled them here with my Vans for extra teenage-ness, but when I have worn this outfit since Ive worn my Nike Liberty-print Dunks (post to follow - they are incredible. Ive posted photos on Instagram if you cant wait... find me: CarlySharples). andnbsp;Of course, the trainers clash spectacularly with the leggings and are almost headache inducing, but I kinda like that. andnbsp; andnbsp; The men in my life hate skulls, thinking they bring bad luck and are generally ugly. I completely beg to differ. I love skull accessories and would love to own an Alexander McQueen skull print scarf one day. Until I do, I shall make do with these leggings. They are made from a soft cotton and are completely opaque, thankfully. Wearing a dipped hem top gives extra coverage over the derriere anyway!andnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; The bag is probably one of my favourites from my Mulberry stash. Ive built up quite a collection over the years (thanks to a generous husband and Daddy!) and this one is a limited edition Bayswater. It is patent crackled leather and goes with almost everything. Its unstructured, unlike most other Bayswaters, so adds a nice, informal slouchiness to outfits. andnbsp; So there we have it - my attempt at being emo (*cringe*). Such an easy outfit to throw on; Ive worn it on the school run, out and about and just on casual days at home. Yes, Ive been stared at, but I just dont care! andnbsp; Do you have any outfit choices that you consider to be bold and brave? andnbsp; Bis spandauml;ter, andnbsp; C xandnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/chanel-je-taime/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/beauty/chanel-je-taime/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100 andnbsp; From one extreme to another: my last blog was on my regressive fashion tastes at present... this one is rather more grown up and sophisticated. andnbsp; Chanel. andnbsp; How can you *not* be seduced by the beautiful monochrome double-C logo?! Im certainly a huge fan. I coveted a classic flap bag since my early teenage years and have been fortunate enough to collect a few other pieces over the years.andnbsp; andnbsp; The easiest, and cheapest, way of buying into the Chanel brand is to invest in some of their high quality make-up. On my wedding day, I did my own make-up from a kit laden with soft and natural Chanel goodies. Since then, Ive been quite a fan - especially when it came to their magnificent Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks. andnbsp; andnbsp; For some reason, however, I had never owned or tested out a Chanel nail polish. I sought to rectify this on Saturday, initially popping to the Chanel counter to buy Frenzy (a taupe/beige/nude shade).andnbsp; andnbsp; The husband was taking me out to dinner at The Old Bakery in Lincoln that evening and I had the perfect outfit lined up, but was in need of a more season-appropriate shade to lacquer up my nails with.andnbsp; andnbsp; As soon as I saw the selection, I was immediately drawn to Vertigo. Cool toned, and described as a mix of slate grey, mink brown and deep plum, it was the perfect compliment to the black and white dress I was to be wearing later on. This description really doesnt do the polish any favours though - it is far more enigmatic, with an underlying bronze and rusty red shimmer. andnbsp; It applies smoothly and thickly and you could get away with one coat if you are in a rush (I opted for two, plus a slick of Seche Vite for full opacity and shine). It looks much more gunmetal to me than slate grey in normal daylight. In sunshine, however, you can really see the depth of the colour with the shimmer flecks shining through. andnbsp; Vertigo is from Les Essentials de Chanel Fall 2012 collection, along with #559 Frenzy and #561 Suspicious. Chanel are releasing this into their permanent collection as well, so there is no need for a mad dash out to get your mitts on one. I do highly recommend the beautiful shade and the outstanding quality of the polish though. Ive always been put off as Id heard that Chanel polishes are not very hardy. That is certainly not my experience with Vertigo. Yes, it is expensive BUT I can guarantee that at present, there are no other nail colours out there like it. You really must see it to appreciate it in all its glory! andnbsp; Wow. That was quite a gush about a nail polish!andnbsp; andnbsp; Im not finished with my praise yet, however, as I was also swept away by a Rouge Coco lipstick from the Fall 2012 collection: #45 Caractere. andnbsp; andnbsp; Rouge Coco is Chanels interpretation of a classic creme lip colour, inspired by the life and legacy of Coco Chanel. They provide a rich wash of colour, yet are still extremely moisturising. This lipsticks contain Chanels Hydratendre Complex which hydrates and softens for a healthier and fuller finish to the lips. andnbsp; The Rouge Coco that I picked up is called Caractere. Chanel describes it as a rose brown, but I would say it is far more plummy than that. It has a subtle, micro gold shimmer that transfers evenly and wears well, so you are not left with glitter all over your face. andnbsp; andnbsp; The colour is very much on trend (gah, I hate that phrase!) with the berry spectrum shades being fashionable for AW12. I couldnt give two hoots about this, though - I bought it because it was a stunning shade. Very autumnal and would be universally flattering, in my opinion. It is very natural, yet very elegant at the same time. I wore it to the meal for the first time and it lasted well and made me feel very sophisticated (I am a girl with a great love of bubblegum pink lipsticks, unfortunately). andnbsp; andnbsp; I think this will be a staple in my make-up routine over the next few months, and it will give me great pleasure whipping out a beautifully packaged Chanel lipstick. The casing of a Chanel lipstick is almost as beautiful as the shade contained within! andnbsp; And so we move on to the final product of my little spree (I am so weak-willed and can never leave with just what I went in for!). Chanel Rouge Coco Baume is a hydrating and conditioning lip balm. Again, it has the classy Chanel lipstick styling, with that satisfying click when it closes. I hate dipping my fingers into lipbalm (or actually, anything) so this lipstick balm really appealed to me. andnbsp; andnbsp; It is a pretty ice white colour, with no scent. It leaves lips so soft when used on its own and Chanel recommends using it under lipstick. Ive actually been using it over lipstick as I think it adds a nice sheen to the lip and seems to make the colour last longer. It is excruciatingly dear for a lip balm, but worth every penny in my eyes. Much better than the By Terry Baume de Rose (which I also own) that comes in with little change from andpound;50! andnbsp; andnbsp; I felt completely spoilt and pampered after my little spree - but thats the point, right? andnbsp; The meal we went for at The Old Bakery was sublime. I had three courses plus cheese and port... fatty. We dont go out that often so you have to make the most of it! The food was to die for and represented good value for what it was. The tastes and textures melded effortlessly and the whole dining experience was relaxing and comfortable.andnbsp; andnbsp; All in all, a very good day. Chanel goodies and a date with the hub = perfect.andnbsp; andnbsp; Have you tried any Chanel nail polishes? Any colours you could recommend to me to expand my collection? andnbsp; C xandnbsp; andnbsp; andnbsp; http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/the-german-question/ http://www.carlysharples.co.uk/blog/travel/the-german-question/ Sat, 18 May 2013 09:25:18 +0100