London Life

In a mostly un-make-upy post I just wanted to talk about my absolute obsession with instagram.  Agreed, I am a little late in jumping on this super bandwagon but I am in love. So this weekend whilst rambling around the city running various errands and going to the theatre I put the app to work.

{Stunning displays from The Real Flower Company in Selfidges} - {An escalator at Southwark station on the way to the Tate Modern}

{Lip Macaron in Sorbet, Delicious} - {My buddy relaxing on Sunday afternoon}

{A small selection of the tools of my trade (an older image I easily filtered in instagram)} - {Incredible mini cupcakes from LOLA'S}

I will be writing a post about all the brushes I keep in my kit and what purpose each of them has, simplifying them down to a select few that every make-up bag should own!

Do you use instagram? Its addictive isn't it!?  

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend.

A little light reading

As a make-up artist I find that I draw inspiration from anywhere and everywhere.  If I had an endless supply of cash, fabulous books would be my drug.  Here are some I own and one in particular I dream of owning. 

 Vivienne Westwood - Opus / Alexander McQueen - Savage Beauty

Chanel - Collections and Creations / Vogue Living - Houses Gardens People

Basquiat / Carine Roifeld - Irreverent

They are works of art in their own right and look gorgeous stacked on a coffee table, packed full of potential for new ideas.

Do you have any books that you instantly turn to when in need of inspiration? 

I hope you all have a creative weekend.

Setting the tone...Rasberry Mint

1) Stunning interiors inspiration via

2) Laduree boxes are such feast for the eyes (not to mention taste buds) and we can now get them in London! Whoop!

3) How breathtaking is the make-up and styling in this shoot? found here via - oops I can't remember...can you? 

4) This chic dressing table is simply perfect you can buy it here, quote MADEYOULEGEND at checkout for £15.00 off.

5) Alexander McQueen enamel ring.

6) I loved this MAC sugarsweet collection shoot from a few years back and just rediscovered it in my inspiration file.

7) A retired colour from Essie still available here.

8) This Kate Spade "supercalifragilipstick" collaboration with Poppy King is so sweet.

9) What a charming print of the Paris metro found on Etsy.

Talking Points

I hope you guys all enjoyed wonderful new years eve celebrations and rang in 2012 in style.  A new year always gets me in the mood to de-clutter my life and that includes my make-up bag.  Normally I steer clear of prepackaged sets but this one is so adorable.

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It contains everything you need to create a simple cats eye, and to top off its compact cuteness it talks you through the process! Just push the button and you have your very own mini make-up artist to help you perfect the look.  

Two Thousand & Twelve

Happy New Year

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Recycled Glitter

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New Years Eve is almost here and before thoughts turn to 2012 it is time to see 2011 out in style.  I am nail obsessed and always make sure I am sporting a fresh (always red) manicure.  This year I fancy something a little more sparkly.

Never being one to stray from my red tradition, I am currently wearing Fire by Dolce & Gabbana.  Who, might I add make the most amazing nail varnish I have tried in a long time.  I decided to cut a little piece of tinsel from my Christmas tree and arrange the silver strips over my wet nails in a really haphazard way (vertically from cuticle to tip) and then top coat.   The effect? super fun, very shiny, completely in keeping with the season, totally impossible to photograph and free! Recycling at its best.

Do you have any sparkly additions planned for your New Years Eve?

Ghosts of Christmas past

Whilst struggling to come up with a Christmas list this year, which is most unlike me, I started to think about all the things I was so desperate for as a kid.  I used to study magazines and catalogues like it was my job and dream of owning almost all of the items on the hair and beauty pages. Here are a few of my most coveted items, some I got and some I didn't.  If only I could put a couple of these on this years list.

This is awesome.  I would trade in my GHD's for these babies any day. Crispy hearts and stars burned into your hair?  Oh hell yeah!  This was an item I didn't ever get my little paws on.  The disappointment remains to this day.  

The item I did own, and love, was my crimper.  My dream was to have hair exactly like Daryl Hannah in Splash.  I never achieved it but was totally satisfied with a crunchy dried out mess and a poker straight fringe.  Super. Stylish. 

Up next was Tinkerbell peel off nail varnish.  This came from the Avon catalogue and was a show stopping bubblegum pink.  Who knew it was so ahead of it's time, Bo-Po (J-Lo, Li-Lo and so on!) brush on, peel off nail varnish only lasted seven seconds, but these were without doubt the most glamourous seven seconds of my eighth year on this planet.

As for smelling sweet at school, there were two options, So....? and ex'cla-ma'tion.  You can still buy these today, so if you fancy smelling like 92'....

Ooh how about some benders? I excitedly received these one Christmas and they were ridiculous.  Trying to apply a head full of benders to yourself was no mean feat, they were hot, like boiling hot. They were made of a type of rubber that caught every last one of your baby hairs and they never sat on your head without un-ravelling.  Ughh, all I wanted was hair like the girl in the picture. The picture was a lie. 

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This was (is, cough) my dream Christmas present.  My Caboodle make-up case.  Sigh.  This was quite literally my favourite thing I ever owned (aged 9 and 3/4) .  Stuffed full of lip smackers, scrunchies and Bo-Po's I felt like I had arrived, I could finally transport my junk everywhere in style. Now, if only I had somewhere to go...

Oh well, I would grab my Caboodle box add a spritz of Love's Baby soft and get to work on my...

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Fashion Wheel.  Yup, my Fashion Wheel.  In an hour I could whip up a whole collection of knee length a-lines, four tier full length skirts and puff sleeve shirts all entirely on trend, had it been 1976.  Still it didn't stop me banging them out like a Project Runway contestant.  

I hope these have given you some good ideas for your Christmas lists this year, or just a heartwarming three minutes of nostalgia.

What did little you desperately want for christmas?  Did you have any of the above? 

Oh, and if you had the Conair Impressions my eight year old self is supremely jealous!