Bathroom Makeover

I've been living in my house for over 12 years now. In the time that we've been here I've grown up and started to influence the way in which the house is decorated. I live with my dad and sister, with all 3 of us being extremely busy people and so our house has been rather neglected in terms of its appearance. 

  A few years ago I redecorated my own bedroom with the help of my friends and I have also helped decorate my sister's as well. The next room I felt needed to be changed was our downstairs bathroom. It is quite a small room, with only a toilet and sink in it because we have the main bathroom upstairs. 

  So at the end of last year, one day I decided that it was time to remove all of the purple striped wallpaper that filled the room and make the place look a bit more natural and welcoming. I also wanted to incorporate a beach styled theme into the bathroom, but not make it too overpowering. 

Once I had removed all of the wallpaper from the room, which took a rather long time as it was so difficult trying to get it out from behind the toilet, life sort of took over. No matter how often I tried, I just didn't have the time to finish off the half started job. Fast forward 12 months and I've found some time to get the job done. 

Unlike when I removed the wall paper and just left the job, this time I wanted to finish the bathroom completely as soon as I started it. I didn't want this to be a start-stop project and really didn't want to be spending a long period of time doing it either. This meant that I had to be efficient and effective. As the wall paper had already been stripped off it was just the case of repainting the bathroom and then adding the finishing touches before cleaning the entire place from top to bottom. 

At the end of the day the project was finished. I started around 11am and finished around 4pm. In this time I had painted all of the walls in a lovely creamy colour which was not matt white yet not too yellow. Each wall needed around 2 coats and this made sure that the paint was applied evenly and covered each wall so the original paint could not be seen. 

  As the sink was still in good condition, I just rehung the mirror onto the wall and then cleaned the sink out. The small window also allows some natural light in and the colour of the walls make it look much brighter and bigger than before.

To make the bathroom a bit more personalised and welcoming, my sister decided to paint a canvas to be hung on the wall. We found the quote together online and loved it so she painted a beautiful background and then added the quote. It fits in well with the blue beached theme of the bathroom as well and it adds a bit of character to the room. 

Above is a picture showing the bathroom and the wall canvas in its place on the wall. I think it breaks up the wall really well, but doesn't make it look overpowering as it is essentially quite simple, yet effective. Again the features are the same, such as the sink, radiator and toilet roll holder, but they look much better with the new paint. 

This is another view of the bathroom, which just basically shows the furnishings and the paint, as well as the floor which had already been laid a few years ago. It has made the whole room look much brighter and fresher, which was the main aim for this redecoration. 

To add a bit of detail to the wall above the toilet, I added these photo frames which contain inside them photos of dolphins. Not only do they tie in with the theme, but they are also quite personal because we brought them whilst we were on holiday in Tenerife one year so we know that they cannot be brought in the UK. These black frames match the black frame of the mirror as well, so there is consistency throughout the room. 

Finally, on the window sill, to add to the theme of the room I added this small beach hut which brings some character and interest to the room. Again it adds a bit of colour to the room and it matches well with the rest of the features. 

I've really enjoyed decorating my bathroom and I'm really looking forward to my next decorating project, as I know that we want to decorate other rooms in our house.

Crafty Coffee

A few weeks ago, I went into one of the relatively new coffee shops in my town to visit my best friend who works in there. It was the day of the annual carnival and also the first birthday of the shop opening. 

  Prior to three of my friends working there, I had never been inside this shop and so didn't really know what to expect. However, I soon learnt that once you go in, the name of the shop 'Crafty Coffee' is fairly self-explanatory. Unlike other coffee shops, as well as having a drink you can also do a selection of craft activities for an additional cost. The main ones are decopatch, which is similar to paper mache, and painting figurines that are then glazed before you take them home.
   As it was the first birthday, the usual studio fee of £3 (to cover the cost of painting and glazing etc.) was reduced to free, and so you only had to pay for the cost of the thing you either wanted to paint or decorate. After some persuasion from my friend, I decided to give this a go, although I was considerably older than the other children doing the same thing.
    I decided that I was going to paint a cat for my sister. We already have two cats at home and so I wanted this to look as similar as possible to my sister's cat. Once I had selected the cat, it was then up to me to sit at a table, along with a hot chocolate and start bringing the cat to life. I think in the end I applied about 4 layers of paint to this cat, because I was told the more layers the better the colours will come out after it has been glazed. 

Mine and Rachel's creations

After I was happy with the way the cat looked, it was taken away in order to be glazed. I then paid £4 to cover the cost of the cat and then had to wait a week for it to be glazed and ready to take home.

 

The finished glazed cat

Above is the final product, after it had been glazed and returned to me. The colours have come out really vivid and bold, and my sister absolutely loved it. The free studio fees also meant that instead of paying £7 I only paid £4 and I had a lot of fun making this, especially because I found it quite relaxing and I got to drink a lush hot chocolate whilst doing it!  

Haul: Makeup, Nails & Clothing

So last Wednesday I went shopping. I accidentally brought some stuff and thought that I'd share it with you!

Although I went shopping not needing to buy anything in particular, as I was walking around I soon started to find some things which just needed to be bought. The shops are not amazing near where I live and there isn't that much variety due to the town centre being quite small, but I still managed to pick up some bargains and some necessities.

Maybelline Volum' Express Falsies Mascara
http://www.boots.com/en/Maybelline-The-Volum-Express-Mascara-Falsies_1150618/ 

Although I didn't really know what I was looking for, I knew that I needed to buy a new mascara as my current one is starting to get a bit old so I took a trip into boots. Instead of buying the same one again, I chose to try out the falsies mascara by Maybelline as my sister uses it and she recommended it to me. It was also reasonably priced at £7.99 so I thought that it was worth a try.  

Barry M Hi-Shine Gelly in Passionfruithttp://www.boots.com/en/Barry-M-Hi-Shine-Gel-Effect-Nail-Polish_1281299/

 As I was walking past the Barry M stand I had to stop to take a look and see if there were any nail polishes which caught my eye. With a bit of money left over from buying the mascara I decided to treat myself to a new nail polish, as usual. The shade that caught my eye this time was another from their 'Hi-Shine Gelly' collection called 'Passionfruit.' It is a really bright red colour and this was the first red that I would have brought from Barry M so I decided to purchase it and it cost £3.99.

  

After visiting Topshop, H&M and New Look I came out with three tops and a skirt. For somebody that didn't need anything I brought quite a lot of stuff. These haven't photographed very well, but I'm still going to show you them anyway!

Green skater skirt from Topshophttp://www.topshop.com

When I went into Topshop, they still had a small amount of items on one side of the shop. I find looking through sale rails challenging because sometimes there are some lovely pieces and at other times it isn't worth the time looking through it. However when I looked in Topshop last week, I found this dark green skater skirt in the sale. It had been reduced from £16 to £10 and thought this was a bargain. Although summer is almost over, I still think that I will be able to get wear out of this during the autumn with tights and I can always keep it for next year!

Baseball style top from H&Mhttp://www.hm.com/gb/product/15933?article=15933-A#shopOrigin=SD

When I went into my local H&M I was slightly disappointed with the stuff that they had in there. I had been in there about a month ago just before I went on holiday and found lots of lovely clothes. However, last week I didn't find hardly anything that I liked and the stuff I liked online wasn't in the shop. I did find this baseball style top in there though and this was something different from what I already have and a total bargain at £6.99. I love the grey marl colour and the maroon coloured sleeves and it is slightly oversized so I can easily team it with leggings or jeans. 

Basic t-shirt with rolled sleeves from H&Mhttp://www.hm.com/gb/product/10458?article=10458-G#article=10458-B

The other t-shirt I got from H&M is just a simple white short sleeved top from their basics collection. I've previously brought a grey top similar to this one and it is so comfortable I wanted a different colour and because I don't have many, I decided on white. What I love about these t-shirts are the rolled up sleeves as it makes the top look more interesting and again was a bargain at £7.99. This is also oversized because they didn't have my size so I think I'll be wearing it with either jeans or leggings and I can easily wear this throughout the rest of summer and autumn. 

Peplum top from New Lookhttp://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/tops/red-peplum-shell-top-_284011360

My final purchase of the day was from New Look. Recently in their sale I brought two peplum tops, a dark plum purple and dark green and I've found these so versatile that when I saw this red one I had to buy it. I don't have a lot of clothes which are red so this is a nice change from the colours I usually buy and I can wear this on either a night out or during the day in autumn. It was also a total bargain at £8.99. 

Tutorial: Monochrome Aztec Nails

Aztec prints and patterns have been very popular recently, particularly in clothes. However a different way to wear the trend could be in the form of your nails. Aztec nails can add something to a simple outfit on a night out or can be used alongside other aztec prints to enhance your outfit. You can even reproduce the same aztec pattern from your clothing onto your nails to create a matching outfit.

Although aztec patterns look intricate and difficult to transfer onto your nails, they are mostly made up of a variety of simple shapes and lines and I've found that you can easily create an aztec nail look in your own home. This tutorial will focus on a monochrome aztec nail effect, but you can change the colours and the patterns used to suit your own style or taste. 

Aztec inspired nails

Before you start, you will need to ensure that you have used a nail polish remover to remove any nail polish that you are currently wearing. I also recommend that you take this time to cut and shape your nails so that they look even and straight. 

Polishes Used: L-R Avon Base Coat, Barry M in Matt White and Models Own Nail Art Pen in Black

To create this look you will also need a base coat, a base colour and a nail art pen. The base colour and nail art pen can be any colour of your choice, but for this tutorial I am using a white base colour and a black nail art pen. I think a dark/light colour contrast works best for this look, because it makes the pattern really stand out. 

Step 1

Step 1: Apply a base coat to your nails. This will prevent the coloured nail polish from staining your nails and can prolong the wear of your nail polish. Once the base coat is dry, apply two coats (depending on the consistency of your nail polish) of the base colour to your nails and allow plenty of time to dry.  Here I am using Barry M nail polish in the shade 'Matt White.'

Thin nib part of the nail art pen used for intricate designs

It is essential that the base colour is completely dry before the next stage, as the nail pen will work better and will not stick to the polish already on your nails. 

 Next, you should get a nail art pen ready to use. The best type of pen to use is one which had two applications. A thin nib at the top for intricate detailing and then a long, thin brush which is used for lines and strokes. The models own nail art pens are brilliant for this job as they feature both and I am using their nail art pen in the colour black. 

Step 2

Step 2: Once the base colour is dry, take the nail art pen and using the nibbed end, paint three small dots at the bottom of the nail, near the cuticles. As you are doing this whole look free hand it may take a while to get the hang of being precise, but practise makes perfect. Don't worry if you find that your line of dots are not straight, it does not necessarily need to be accurate. 

Step 3

 Step 3: Then using the same technique, use the nail art pen to draw three more dots at the top of the nail. If possible, try to align these dots with the bottom dots which you have already drawn to make the nail look symmetrical. 

Thin brush for strokes and lines

Step 4

 Step 4: For the next stage of the nail, you will need to use the thin brush as this will be used to draw the lines. Using the brush, drag the brush along the nail, from one side to the other, starting at the bottom of the nail. Then leave a small gap and then using the same technique draw a line across the middle of the nail as pictured above. 

Step 5

 Step 5: Once the lines have been drawn across the nails, it is time to draw the zig zags which are found just below the top dots. For this stage I usually change back to the nibbed applicator as I can join the lines up easier than the brush. You then need to draw the zig zag in the space between the top line and the top dots.

Step 6 & finished nails

 Step 6: To finish the nails, using the nibbed tool, go back to the space between the two lines drawn with the brush and then draw some more zig zag patterns to fill in the gaps. Finally, using the nibbed tool carefully paint dots in between the zig zags in between the two lines and then wait for the paint to dry. 

At this point you could add a top coat to preserve the nail polish, however I do not usually use a top coat for this look because of the texture created by the nail pen. 

You can always try experimenting with different patterns and colours. If you have more than one nail art pen you could always paint different parts of the pattern with different colours and make your nails look really unique. 

Current Top 5 Barry M Nail Paints

By far my favourite nail polish brand is Barry M. I love the wide range of colours and the consistency of the nail paints that they produce, which means that I am constantly purchasing more of them. Another bonus is that they are reasonably priced and totally worth the money you pay and they are always bringing out new and innovative paints and nail effects. 

This summer I have been purchasing more bright and vibrant colours to expand my nail polish collection and I've found that there are a few colours that I reach for when my nails are ready to be repainted. I have complied these into a Top 5 and I've found that these cover a range of colours so I always have some choice!

L-R Mint Green, Pink Flamingo, Lychee, Papaya, Prickly Pear

This first nail polish is one from the normal nail paint range by Barry M. This particular shade is called Mint Green and is fairly self explanatory as it comes out a gorgeous light green pastel shade. I always apply two coats of this nail polish to provide ultimate coverage, and it lasts about a week before I feel it's time to remove it because by that time it is fairly chipped, especially on my index fingers and thumbs.
  You can pick this up along with the other Barry M products at places such as Superdrug and Boots in the UK as well as ordering them from www.barrym.com. This product costs £2.99.

The next shade that I currently love is called Pink Flamingo. After recently going on holiday I think this shade looks particularly good when you have a tan, and because it is so bright it is perfect for summer. It is a really girly shade and although I do not wear a lot of pink I find this colour can brighten up a monochrome outfit! Again, I usually apply two coats and I picked this up from Superdrug for £2.99. 

Barry M are always bringing out new nail effects and one that I've really brought into is the 'Gelly Hi-Shine' nail polishes. Recently they've brought out even more shades to this collection and many of them are brilliant for summer because they are a mixture of bright and pastel shades.
  However, I've been looking for a neutral shade for a while and when I saw this on the shelf at Superdrug I had to buy it. This is currently the shade I am wearing and I think it looks sophisticated and it's a nice change from the other shades which I have been recently wearing. It is called Lychee, and is a beige/brown which looks amazing on the nails. The consistency of these hi-shine polishes are slightly thicker than the original paints, but I still like to apply two coats to make sure that I have covered my nails.
  Although each nail polish in this collection is £3.99, they are definitely worth the extra £1! 

Another polish from the Gelly Hi-Shine collection that I have loved is the shade Papaya. I think it is a lovely mixture between an orange, pink and coral nail polish because it is not super bright like a neon orange, but it isn't a really vibrant coral either. It definitely went on my nails lighter than I expected, but I love it because it is different from the other shades I already own. The thing I loved most about this shade is that it didn't stain my nails when I took it off, unlike other nail polishes which are similar to this colour.
 Once again, I brought this from Superdrug but you can purchase these from the Barry M website as well at £3.99.

The final nail polish is also from the Gelly collection and is called Prickly Pear. Within my collection I have quite a lot of purple shades, but these are mostly either metallic or deeper colours such as plums so I thought it was about time I brought a lilac shade. Obviously I went straight to Barry M and found this shade and fell in love with it. It is a little lighter than the picture shows but it is still a lovely subtle purple and I usually apply two coats. I also find that the Gelly paints last a bit longer than the normal nail paints as it was about a week and a half to two weeks before I removed it because of the chips. This shade was brought from Superdrug and retails at £3.99.