I live with my husband in a Flat, we rent from a housing assosiation and so we are really not allowed to do much to it. because its a brand new build we are not allowed to put up any wallpaper until after the 1 year inspection. This date has now come and gone and still have not had an inspection.

We could have painted the walls but I have gone more for decorating with lots of pictures and leaving the walls their original color and adding color and texture by furniture and items. all through our house our walls are painted 'corsette' its a crown paint that is unavailable in local stores. (when we leave we have to fill any holes/cracks and repaint, I will find a close and cheap match to the crown paint as I refuse to pay £20-£30 a tin because they choose and unusual color) the bathroom is a matt white. so going through the pictures, the top big one is of my dollsized living room, as i said lots of pictures. Ive added color by keeping most of my furniture dark browns and adding splashed of purple into the decor, such as the rug (which was £50 from the range) and purple cushion covers (£3 a pair from B&M Bargains) I also bout the purple petal lights and a vase to put them in (lights were £6 and the Vase was £5, both from B&M).

To break up the monotony of the halls I bought a set of 5 round mirrors of different sizes (Asda £6, they are more expensive now), and a stunning wall sticker of twigs and birds that I love and it my favorite item so far (B&M £4). I buy a lot of flowers to go around the place, Tulips are my usual favorite but i also like the colored carnations from morrisons as they add a great splash of color to my life! My spare bedroom is just a guest room/wardrobe so to try and cover the wardrobe up as the doors have broken I bought a cheap netting and put it over to form a cover (the picture doesn't really do the look justice). I can promise it is actually really nice and works with the dark net i put in the window and the blue of the bedding and curtains. (the curtains were given to me so I cant tell you prices but the netting was cheap about £5 per pair from B&M).

When It came to my bedroom I decided that I wanted it a little more feminine so I have a little scented floral patterned teddy bear that was a bargain and its so cute (from the works £2) a dream catcher in the corner and a butterfly heart that is one of the most expensive buys, but i fell in love with it (£8 from sainsburys, Ive had the dreamcatcher for years and can not remember where I got it from). The figurine is not normally my style but something about it spoke to me and I feel that it adds some romance to the room (£4 B&M) and finally another wall sticker that states 'Always kiss me goodnight' Which I feel that is perfect for me and my husband as he can be so loving! (£7 the range)

My bathroom was bare and blank and it almost felt clinical when you walked into it, I hated it, so over time I have added a few things, I changed the original shower curtain that was blank white into a spotty/glittery clear one. I added the wall sticker behind to bring some color to the room and due to the white it had to be something quite bright. However it does work, it is the brightest thing in the little bathroom and it draws the eyes from the rest of the plainness (£4 B&M). A candle set that spells LOVE, was picked up after valentines day for a steal and its sweet and girly and adds a touch of fun to the room (£2 TESCO). And finally one of my personal treasures is my little set of multi-colored ducks that sit on the edge of the bath. I fell in love with them as they were different and have never looked back, also good to have if any of my friends or familys children spend the night, bath playtime (£6 morrisons).

I have done lots to my home but these are my all time best little bargains and personal preference, Just to show that expensive is not always better!

FashionVouchers.com are challenging all bloggers to make an outfit for under £100 from one store just go to their website and check out the challenge page Xmas party outfit bloggers challenge, here is the link.

I looked at some different stores within the site and settled on New look, as they tend to do very nice party clothes. I really made this more to my taste and what I would wear, and as its a Christmas themed imaginary party I wanted to stick with gold and giltter as to me this is the first thing that comes into my head when I think of Christmas clothes.

The dress is simple yet reminds me of the season with the gold sequined top and the white flowing skirt (almost like snow). Because I chose such a light dress I wanted to keep the rest of the outfit dark while keeping it all matching. As its a winter outfit I think some tights are a must have and with the glam of the rest of the outfit I kept them plain and almost skin colored. I chose a black soft looking shrug, with a gold clasp to keep off the chills.

For the rest of the outfit, I chose a pair of shoes that I fell in love with, they look decadent and expensive and this is what you want at Christmas. The Clutch purse is also black with glitter set into it and with the gold detail on the stripe I felt that it tied in well with the shoes and shrug.
For the extra touch of glamor I also found a necklace and earring to go with the outfit, the gold hoops are a classic, but with the black diamante set in them, they were a perfect match for the rest of my outfit and the necklace, though not needed is cute and would sit well on top of the dress making the little black heart stand out.

This is just a smart little outfit that I could see being worn to pretty much any occasion around the Christmas season.

Over the last few weeks I have learnt of many amazing brands that I had never seen before. Some I have learnt about through internet clips and blogs other by having free samples and some through friends.

I have to say I always thought that I was quite informed about products, but the last few weeks have shown that I was ignorant to the wonder of the beauty market. Ignorant to so many products, some of which I have started to use as a staple in my life.

I was also very stuck in my ways, If I found something that worked I would stick to it even if it was not 100% perfect for me I would not strive to find something that is perfect. My arrogance has been washed away and I now spend hours on the internet looking for testers to try and looking at the newest items that are out and I can honestly say that I cant wait for new things.

I have bough Benefit porefesional and a liquid eyeliner to try due to reviews, I need to save up my money and buy a Urban Decay Naked 1 palette, and I say need because this is how I now feel. These items are no longer wants, they are needs!

Thank you to everyone who has opened my eyes to what is available.

So I already mentioned the amazing John Lewis Press event, and this is part of the same event but I have decided to dedicate it on its own. I have to say that I loved the shoes, for anyone who reads this and knows me they know that I love glitter and shoes, so when those two things combine they make my day!

The fashion choices were stunning and most of all I loved the Black figure hugging dress with silver glitter (yes glitter again) over bust and shoulder area. I also really liked the pink, silk almost wrap around style dress that was elegant and beautiful.

The best bit was certain items in hanging balls (I only have a pic of a shoe) that just added a real element of fun to the whole section. It was really nice that the mannequins were placed so that I could walk right the way around them and get a good overall view.

Once again John Lewis has not disappointed, and If I was thin enough to wear these clothes then I would break out my credit card and buy them tomorrow.

On Thursday I was invited to my first ever pr show thanks to a very good friend. What can I say about the whole event apart from the fact that it was amazing, a fantastic showcase of what John Lewis has to offer. I would highly recommend getting a catalogue or logging onto the website and emerging yourself in the spectacular choices offered.

It was all about Christmas stock, I am a true lover of Christmas and was very excited to be part of this event. There were also members of each department on hand to talk about anything that you wanted including YSL and NARS. I am a complete stickler for homeware and spent a lot of my evening looking at the beautifully decorated trees and the layouts of throws and pillows. A toy section, Including a new furby, was also featured.

Everyone at the event was helpful, friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere was just electric and everyone I met from Directors to bloggers were lovely. If I had infinite riches I would probably spend all my money in John Lewis.

I had my first try of Estee Lauder sensuous nude perfume, which I had a sample of and have used a lot since, the initial smell is very much like talcum powder to me but after it settles I can smell hints of blueberry and sherbert. I also have a few samples to try including YSL's Touche Eclat foundation, but will be reviewing them at a later date. The new Andy Warhole collection for NARS make up range is simply stunning, the design is sleek and the quotes on the mirrors are inspirational.

The homeware is very modern and Chic and the lack of bright colors is perfect for me, There were very traditional options from pinecone candles to silver star ornaments and on the other end of the scale, very oriental style choices of little dolls and cherry blossoms.

John Lewis is filled with items that are beautiful and stunning and give me inspiration to create a better looking home, I will definitely spend even more hours looking around the next time I am in Cardiff.

I love ebay and spend quite a lot of my time on it. Especially with the run up to Christmas, I have ordered a lot of Presents for friends and when I was getting married it was my go to shop. You can find some real bargains and I just love the thrill when you find something to bid on that is a good price.

Most of the time things are at least a few pound cheaper than in shops and that includes delivery to your door! As I am inherently a lazy cow this works out well for me, plus Its a lot easier to find a range of items that can suit your needs, all under one roof.

I love to go shopping as well though, esp when im looking at things for my home. Ever since I got my own place, half of money spent is on the home, instead of just on myself or my husband.
I wish I could say what I bought on Ebay, but I dont want to give away my gift ideas to the people I have bought them for. The last thing I bought for myself was Benefit Porefessional, Just awaiting on delivery and then can start to use it, I love new make up items.

On a day to day basis, any of these can be found in my home. The most permanent is the glade discreet in Exotic fruits - I have it by my front door so its the first thing you smell. I love this scent as it is fresh and clean and gives my home a fruity smell so when you first walk in you feel at home.

Clean Cotton and Pink Sweet pea are my go to frangrances for my home, they are both very clean and fresh smells and as you can tell there is a general theme in the scents that I like. Its the same in my perfumes I mostly like fruity and fresh, not a big fan of the sweet or musky but there are a few exceptions. Life would be dull without exceptions. Clean Cotton and Pink Sweet Pea are both just lovely and give the place a nice smell without being overpowering.

The Winter berry, Cranberries & Frost and Black Cherry are my Autumn/winter choices, They all conjure up memories of Christmas, Cold mornings, Cooking and these are things I love.

Sparkling snow is my Christmas favorite and I don't buy it often as I want to keep it a special smell. The same goes with the Bahama Breeze, I use it in the summer, but only on rare occasions when I want the place to smell more special, almost tropical.

So that is what I use around my house, Any of the about I would recommend, but it is all personal preference. I have a friend who loves vanilla, and its lovely when I go to her house and come out with a sweet smell, but its not what I like where I live.

Out of all the above my top 3 are Black Cherry, Sparkling snow and Cranberries & frost. Funny how my favorites are all winter ones, well I do love winter.