Christmas preparations | researching gifts and decorations

I know we all hate to admit it but Summer is on its way out and Autumn is slowly creeping up on us. With that in mind, as the season is changing, christmas is the first thing on my mind. Ever year I tell myself to start prepping for the holidays early enough so I can be organised and not totally broke by the end of December. So, I've decided that as the weather is getting cooler, I might as well start now. With my trusty sewing machine by my side, I am ready to face the run up, to the thing we call Christmas.

Over the next 4 months I will be regularly updating you all as to how I'm doing with the progress of gift planning and decoration designing. The first step for me is to do some research on Pinterest, as we all know Pinterest is the home of all things creating, making and decorating, so naturally it is my first option. I have found some fantastic ideas on here and a few favorites that I though I would show today. 

Sewing is probably one of my favorite things to do around the holiday time, so I found this cute and simple tutorial on a sleeveless jacket, perfect for the cooler weather. (Via burdsstyle.com) As sewing clothes is so versatile this would be an amazing gift anytime of year, which is why I can easily prepare and make this way before the holiday season. 

Another option you can do before the Christmas season are these monogrammed mugs filled with hot chocolate goodies. (Via handmadeandcraft.com) Anything with a long shelf life would be ideal to make now. Hence why in the post you won't find any baking tutorials, only because by the time Christmas comes around, that amazing gingerbread house you made will probably be uneatable and have an unpleasant stench to it. Not something I would recommend for the start of September!

Last but certainly not least are these cute little 'pop in the bath' tea bags. (Via mayamade.blogspot.com) As a proud lover of Pinterest for many years now, I am surprised to say I have never seen or thought of something as unique as this! An easy diy for the people out there who are only good at hand sewing. I love the fact you can switch up this gift by filling it with anything that the recipient likes. For example, lavender for the person who stresses a lot or oats for the person with dry skin. It can be changed accordingly which Is great. Perfect for the bath loving person in your life.

So, grab your needle and thread and let's get this Christmas preparation going! 

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Summer outfits | 2015

Since this glorious sunny, warm weather has appeared here in the south of England. I have been really enjoying floral prints and lace pieces! So, I thought I would  show you all some of my favourite and most worn summer outfits. 

1) Rose printed playsuit; H&M

Being in love is an understatement for this little lady. Being a bigger girl on my bottom half, I find it can be a little difficult pulling off short items of clothing on a day to day without looking a little inappropriate. Hence why I'm so obsessed with this playsuit.

It is long enough in the body to cover all my bits and bobs, the shorts are baggy enough so it doesn't look my legs are suffocating by cloth and it features an amazing floral pattern. You really can't go wrong. 

I love the tie up neckline, which I find very flattering for my shoulders and decolatage area. I really enjoy the fact it isn't see through like most white pieces and it also sports two very practical side pockets. So really all round a winner! Here I have partnered this playsuit with a pair of simple strappy black sandals from New Look and a simple gold bangle which is also from H&M. 

2) Beige and black lace dress; Wantthattrend

When I am feeling a little more girly and wanting to pop on a dress, I always grab this one. Once again, it is made of light coloured fabric but it is thick enough not to be see through. So it isn't too inappropriate as work attire.

It also features a simple lace detail at the bottom, which makes the whole dress look a very elegant. I also find large pleats in the skirt really flattering for my hips and the clinched in waist makes my hourglass shape more apparent. 

Here I have paired it with my favourite matching necklace which I received for my birthday and the same shoes and bracelet from the previous outfit.

3) Jamie jeans and lace cropped top; Topshop

When I'm not in the mood for anything fancy and just want to then some jeans on, I always grab these. These pair of jeans are my current go-to trousers that just goes with anything! I'm obsessed with the rips in the knees which makes the whole outfit a little edgier. I have matched these bad boys with a simple which lace crop top from last years Topshop premium range. I'm in love with the scalloped edges around the neckline and bottom area and above the elbow sleeves to hide any upper arm nasties! To add a little jazz to this outfit I also popped on some leopard print slippers which are from Asos!

Hope you enjoyed this summer outfit post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Trend report | Capes over coats

Happy new year everybody, and I must say that I'm disappointed in myself for not blogging any sooner but my life has been a whirl wind this past month with moving to sort out and being totally immersed with my work. But I'm back on schedule with my daily routine and I'm happy to say I'm able to fit in blogging Monday to Friday still!

Enough about my life, as I'm sure you all want to read what I have to say about a style staple - capes. Now by the title I do mean it both physically and litterally. Capes have been a huge staple this past autumn/winter in many high fashion wardrobes including fashion magazines and blogs. People have been obsessed, and yes I am too. They are a  timeless classic that can practically go with any outfit. But the problem I've had is the British weather, it can be unpredictable and when that wind hits, you are chilled to the bone. So I have discovered an amazing revelation that will keep me stylish in my cape yet super warm in my winter coat. Combine them, winter is all about layering it up so when you see that little pop of collar poking out of the top of the Cape, I reached a whole new world of fashion! I've been really enjoying wearing my M&S boyfriend coat with a plain unbranded woollen Cape thrown over the top, it looks classy yet warm. And I'm happy to say I've found my new clothing staple, a great way to mix it up is wearing a tartan Cape over a simple black leather jacket, so chic. 

So I hope you enjoyed my first edition post of a 'trend report' and I am wanting to do these more often so if you have any suggestions or ideas please feel free to leave me some! Have a lovely rest of the week and make it your week!

Post soon, 

Love Danielle xoxo

Hair dying routine | How I go from brown to bleach blonde

Just as a quick disclaimer before I start this off I wanted to say that in no way am I professional hair dresser and I am not qualified to do this. So please do not go by my word but go by the instructions in the box. This kit does use bleach and peroxide which will burn and scald your skin if used improperly. I have someone to help me to apply it as it makes the application process much easier. If you are under the age of 18 I do recommend you ask permission from your parents or guardian, as you are under the age limit of use. If unsure about application please see a specialist who will do it properly and it will be much safer on your part. Anyway enough of the legal stuff now onto the tutorial!

The bleach I like to use is the Bleach London Total Bleach kit which includes a disposable bowl and brush, two packets of powdered bleach, a liquid peroxide and plastic gloves. I start off by poring all of the bleach powder into the bowl and then slowly add the peroxide, stirring as I do so. After about 5 minutes of mixing, the consistency should be of thick cream with no lumpy bits. I then comb through my hair to get rid of any tangles and then apply the product all over my re-growth in small sections. 

Before -

During -

After evenly applying it to the treated areas I let it sit on my head for around 30 - 40 minutes checking it every 10 minutes at the progress. I then do my shower routine as normal by washing it out of my hair with two or three shampoo washes. Once finished I towel dry my hair and apply the Bleach London white toner to any areas that are a little yellow still which is usually my whole scalp, keeping that on for a good ten minutes and then once again washing it off. I finish off this routine by applying a conditioning mask all over my head and leaving that on over night. 

I like to keep this lovely blonde colour as bright as I can so I do like to wash my hair once a week with a purple shampoo and using the repairing mask as my conditioner. 

And that's about it! It pretty easy to get light coloured hair from brown but if you are dying your whole head I would recommend you buying two or three boxes of bleach depending on the length and thickness of your hair. These kits are around £10.99 each and you can buy them at your local Boots store or alternatively you can purchase them online! 

Hope you enjoyed this hair tutorial and I'll be back tomorrow for a new post!

Post soon, 

Love Danielle xxx

Autumn rose | OOTD

Now that the weather is truly miserable, it's about time we started to wrap up and make our selves ready for the winter weather. I've been really enjoying the dark autumnal colours with a pop of something bright thrown in! 

Coat - New Look

Top - Next

Disco Pants - American Apparel

Loads flats - Topshop

Head band - Tu (Sainsburys)

Necklace - Primark 

Lipstick - Mac (All fired up 'matte')

Hope you enjoyed!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

A few of my favourite things

It's been quite a while since I updated you on my current favourites, now i won't make this a November favourites as I don't have enough of each specific genre to show you. But I do have a few bits and bobs that I've been loving and have been making me happy!

First being this beautiful turquoise set of teardrop studs that I purchased as a pack of 3 from Topshop they were originally £10.00 but they were on sale for £3.00! Amazing, for such an elegant looking piece.

Next being my new Autumn/Winter scent. The Ghost eclipse fragrance, I have run dry on my sample size so I had to go out and purchase a full size bottle. RRP: £24.99

Lastly being the lipstick I have been adoring over the past few weeks, it is by MAC and it is called All fired up. It is a beautiful true to colour dark fushia pinky and it applies matte (yet moisturising) and amazingly opaque! RRP: £15.50

That's all folks, only a few bits to show you today! Hope you enjoyed today's mini post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Bath tub hair washing | Routine

When it comes to choosing between showering and washing my hair or a relaxing soak in the bath, the choice can be difficult to make! Especially when it's gotten to the point that 4th day hair isn't acceptable but you need to soak away the day you've had! 

So I have found the best way to combine the two while still being comfortable and able to have silky shiny hair too.

I start off my running some hot water to about half way up the tub and then cool it down to a point where it is still hot to the touch but not so hot that it will scaled you head, like a normal bath would. I then take the best 'hair washing bath product' to plop into the bath and it is the Lush Ickle baby bot bath ballistic(RRP: £1.95 each). It's a great bath bomb that makes you feel like your having a luxurious bath but also won't mess your hair condition up when you dunk the back of your head in. 

You then want to proceed with your normal hair routine with wetting your hair down, shampooing and conditioning ect but then rinsing it in the bath water, and don't worry, your hair won't get greasy even if your rinsing it in the same water each time.

So that's it, pretty simple, I think the best tips I can give you is use the Ickle baby bot bomb and keep your water at about half way point up the bath so when you Submerge your body, the bath water won't go tipping over the edge. Also this is a great bath routine for children too, as the bath bomb is sensitive enough to use on baby's! 

Hope you enjoyed! Ps, DIY coming up next week and it's Christmas themed! Stay tuned!

Danielle xoxo

The BIG chop | hair transformation

After months of debating weather to chop off my long dead ends, it was finally time to let go of those translucent whispy bits and go for more of a classy do. Not a 'I have long hair but lots of split ends' look. So 2 weeks ago I went in for the trim, my hairdresser only took about an inch off so it wasn't too bad. But then I had myself booked in for ANOTHER cut and a cheeky colour last night and boy do I feel like a whole new woman. I had another 2 inches cut off my hair to around my collar bone and had a treatment put on my short locks, and I love the out come. Even though it's a lot shorter than I'm used to, it gives me more of a sophisticated look and it's so much easier to style! 

So at the end of the day if you know your long hair needs a good chop, take the plunge and trust me, you won't regret it! If it's in really bad shape like mine was, ask for a treatment shot at your hairdressers, it'll cost a little more but it'll give you amazing bounce and shine! 

Wondering who did my miracle work? A lovely lady named Karen who is the shop owner of Glo Tanning, hair and beauty in Bitterne, Southampton. Give them a call on tel:+442381780890. 

Hope you enjoyed my little hair blog post!

Post soon!

Danielle xoxo

Casual Autumn | OOTD 🎃

Autumn is finally here, so it's time to get your jumpers out and go get a pumpkin spiced latte. I've started to warm up my outfits by wearing a longer plain tops and rolled up checkered trousers to make look a little more casual. The jewellery I'm wearing seems to bring the outfit in nicely and also gives the hard wear on the bag a finishing touch. I love rocking a side braid so when I can wear it I will, it's my go to hairstyle this year and the waves in my hair make the look seem a little more chic and natural. Obviously uncomfy shoes are a no go for me so these faux swade loafers are perfect for keeping you cosy and comfortable during the fall season.

Outfit description -

Trousers - Bank 

Long sleeved top - Next 

Shoes - Bank

Bag - Primark

Watch - Accessorize

Necklace - Newlook

Nails - Can Can by Ciaté

Lips - Rimmel Kate Moss in 107 Matte

Hope you enjoyed this autumnal post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Manicure Mondays | Simple Summer

Sometimes just a simple bold colour is enough to get me in the mood for summer, lately I have pushed my pastels aside and gone for more bright bold colours that just make my nails look healthy and glossy. One of my current fave polishes is the Sally Hanson salon complete manicure in Shrimply Devine 520 (rough name) beautiful colour. It's a very bright almost neon medium pink with red undertones. Two coats of this bad boy, and it's completely opaque, you could even get away with one! As usual I applied my amazing top coat Save the nail by Nails inc wet look top coat as my sealer and it's usually doesn't start to chip for a good week and a half! Not only that but it has beaten Seche Viet as my #1 top coat!

I love the bright and glossy combo of this, and it's deffinatly a colour I will be wearing a lot more until autumn arrives and I can rock out my dark shades! 

Buy Sally Hanson complete salon manicure in Shrimply Devine 550 (£6.99) Buy here

Buy Nails inc save the nail wet look top coat (£6.95) Buy here

Hope you enjoyed this mini post, don't worry I am back with a bang so expect a lot more beauty, fashion and life style posts from me!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo

Get Wii fit with me - Week 1

So for the past week or so I've been trying to cut down on the junk food, start eating more healthy and working out more. Now for about a month now my weight has ballooned up to 12 stone, which is for my height and age (6ft and 19) pretty bad, now it's more that I'm uncomfortable in my own skin being a little heavyer than it is looking fat and since I've rediscovered my old wii board I thought it was about time I got down to my comfortable weight and feel better in myself. So far I've been pretty good, I've documented my workout and here's how I've done on my first week.

Before I started anything I decided to bite the bullet and weigh myself first thing, I was shocked at the outcome but I felt more motivated to work out, so I guess it's a good thing in the long run! So since last time i put on 9lb so not a happy bunny by this point and I gave myself a target of losing a stone in 3 months, that's a pound a week! 

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday - I started off by really enjoying the more of the cardio/fat burning work outs, so I did a few of them and did a few sit ups for good measure in each day, and by the middles of the week I was obsessed with the hoola hooping and dance step.

Thursday, Friday & Saturday - having a full on work out at the start of the week, I decided to take it a little slower and gave yoga a go, to my supprise I really enjoyed it, it relaxed me and made me feel like i really stretched all my muscles so great for in the morning.

Sunday - As we all know I am still a dancer and I usually get dedicated most Sundays to do rehearsals for my dance company which I do for 6 hours, so I obviously count that as a good work out.

I've been eating really well this week too, snacking on a lot of fruit and drinking a whole lot of water and hopefully if I keep all this goodness up I may even loose the weight I want which is around my hips and thighs!

Hope you enjoyed my work out post!

Post soon,

Danielle xoxo