30 November 2013

❄ It's beginning to look a lot like... ❄

(My kitchen Christmas tree last year)
CHRISTMAS!

Aaaaahhh...

Christmas is by far my favourite time of the year...
Christmas trees, lights, carols, food, snow (possibly), family fun, swapping presents, sweet winter scents and, obviously, Christmas blogging!

So I will be doing a Christmas series that you are all able to participate in too! There are loads of these series like #blogmas and #bigblogmasproject going around but I wanted to do my own one because I will definitely won't be able to blog everyday... I'm a busy elf :P. 
So my blogging series will be called #ChristmasBloggers (so original) and if you would like to find out more information on it click here. It's open to all bloggers and only consists of posting once or twice a week! Trust me, it'll be fun :)

So I am getting so overly excited for the Christmas 
season coming up because...

1. The Late Late Toy Show was last night. In Ireland, after that show ends it ultimately begins to feel like the holidays.

2. The amount of Christmas theme videos on YouTube imitate me... Plus the Black Friday Hauls #jealous

3. My Christmas exams start on Monday  (I've been studying, don't you worry) and after them I am definitely going to start decorating my room and parts of my house. Weekend of complete doss, here I come!

4. I've began thinking of what to put on my wishlist... Hehe

5. All the girls in my form in school (eight in total, including me) decided to do Kris Kindle a.k.a Secret Santa and I will also be doing it with my neighbours (four girls). 

Christmas is so close I'm gonna dieeee....

I hope you enjoyed this little post!

What are you looking forward to this Christmas?

 MERRY CHRISTMAS!
  For Now, Jane xox

15 November 2013

❄ My Winter Must Haves! (Warm Woollies and Moisturising Balms) ❄


Ciao principesse!
(That means 'hello princesses' in Italian... I don't do Italian though lol :P)

Today I'm going to show you my winter essentials since it is now winter in Ireland; I know it's still autumn in America and some other places but whatevs :). It has gotten so bitterly cold these days so I though it would be the perfect opportunity to do a post on what I'm wearing this season and what beauty products I love.

Let's hop, skip and jump into this!


The beanie, scarf and gloves are from Penneys and I recently hauled them, but the navy and pink scarf is from Hollister.

This beanie is just ahhhh...
Look how adorable it is! I saw it in Penneys and went all squeamish.
It's so cosy and cute and cool. I lalala love it.

My coat is from Pull and Bear; I bought it with my Christmas money last year and it's super fab.


I'm getting chilly... We need a scarf now don't we?


Ba-bam! 
This scarf is the definition of softness, and I love the way it has a bright pop of pink in the pattern. 



This scarf looks so nice when worn, but it's a tad itchy on my neck. I'll sort that out. Infinity scarves are very fashionable this A/W 13, so maybe get a better quality one that doesn't irritate your neck!


And now gloves!

Where did my scarf go??  haha

Gloves are the best thing, especially soft woolly ones. I only got both of these in Penneys for I think 1.50 euro! Barrrrrgaiiin,which is usual to find in that awesome shop.



Lip balms and hand/body creams are crucial this winter! Unless you live in California or Florida or Australia somewhere like that. Gosh; it's summer in Australia! Weird...

Anyway, the nicer the smell in the balm, the better.
And of course it has to be good quality, so the above are my top picks!

And that's all everyone! I hope you liked my winter must-haves. Now I'm off for a study weekend (ugh), talk to y'all at #tbloggers on Twitter tomorrow at 8!

What are your essentials for the colder weather?





11 November 2013

Autumn/Winter OOTD #3: "Hello Mr. Blue Sky"

 


Hair clip: Claire's



Jacket: Bershka
Blue top: Hollister


Trousers: Unknown


Shoes: Dunnes Stores

-------------------------------------------------------------------

No it was not a sunny day today. It was cold and dull.
I decided to use the lyrics in the title because my outfit was very blue, and since it's winter now and the sky has gotten grey, I thought it'd be cool to use an 'out of the blue'  (see what I did there?) title that's a complete lie. Also I love the song; such a brilliant beat!

So here I am typing this blog-post on my laptop watching the Xtra Factor with wet hair on a Sunday night (I know this is published on a Monday, but I wrote it the night before) and I just had the most perfect bubble bath and pamper session which I will blog about next week or so... Today was good productive and relaxing day.

You may have noticed the message at the sidebar at the top of the page saying that I won't be posting as much since I have exams soon. Well, you see, I might schedule a few soon so you won't get bored. I know you'd miss me! Haha :)

Life's grand. School is fine, although I feel a tiny bit pressurized since exams are coming up, at least there not huge ones! I should chill.
I am so excited about Christmas already. I even have a board dedicated to it on Pinterest. Oh dear.

I'm going to quickly answer four questions from Twitter before I go and leave you. If you'd like to ask me a question (not too personal; ones like the Qs I'm about to show) then comment below or tweet me @queenofquirk.
Here we go!

@Gaby_blogger: Favourite bloggers and youtubers?
My favourite bloggers are at the sidebar (scroll down
a bit if you'd like a look).
My favourite youtuber of all time is MacBarbie07, but I also love Dontneedmakeup (you!), daintysprinkles, thefashionchain,  aliciahere11 and the youtubers below.


@plumandtruffle: Favourite Shop?
Hollister, Penneys, Boots or Bershka. Can't decide!

(same twitter) Favourite Website?
Blogger (duh) but also Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest (can't freaking decide!)

@prepandcotton: Who or what inspired you to start blogging?
I was already blogging when I found fashion and beauty blogs in Summer 2012, and they really got me interested in the fashion world. I decided to join in the hype, and look where I am now! I'm so happy I got inspired by those blogs...

And that's it! :)


I'll chat to you all soon. I hope you are all healthy and happy and I wish you the best this November!

03 November 2013

❤ October Favourites ❤



Hey everyone!
I've blogged a lot this midterm... I suppose that's a good thing though. :)
So it's Sunday afternoon and I'll be back to school tomorrow. But I don't really mind going back since I quite like school, mainly because I get to see my friends. I hope you all had a fantastic Halloween, and if you were off for the week too, I hope you had a nice time. 

Now we can get excited for Christmas!!!

November??? 2013 has actually flown by sooooo fast, it feels like it was New Years Day yesterday!
Woaaaahhh... Anyway, another month gone means a new favourites post! I hope you enjoy! These posts always take me forever to write...

Beauty


Imperial Leather Japanese Spa Moisturising Shower Cream
Imperial Leather are the best for luxury body washes and creams, the formula is always so luscious and rich. This one in particular is super rich and creamy! The scent is so gorgeous and relaxing, perfect for a shower after a stressful day of school/work (and that happens usually).

POREfessional by Benefit
I have raved about this before for many reasons. When applied, it feels so lovely and smooth and makes your skin feels so even. You can put it on under or on top of your make up or on its own, but I love it best when it is on top of my make up; it helps it stay longer (since it is a primer kind of thing). I just love this! I wore it to school quite a few times this October.

Lacoste Touch of Pink Perfume
I got this back in May for my birthday and it is an unusual, strong, captivating fragrance. I've been spraying this non-stop this October; it's perfect for any occasion, but preferably when you're wearing pink... Haha!

Garnier Soft Essentials Comforting Toner with Rose Extract
This is what the name is, comforting. It soothes the skin and wakens me. I know I don't have dry skin but I thought 'why not get something that will keep my skin hydrated through the colder months?'. And this is just the thing. Plus, the smell is perf! I always apply it to my skin after a shower or after washing off makeup, and I did a lot this past month.

Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia
I rubbed this on to my lips every night obsessively during October because it is super moisturising and the scent is amazing (I go on about the scent of products a lot)! I love vanilla, and this will be great for the winter weather, but not as brilliant as Vaseline of course. Vaseline will forever be the Queen of lip balms.

Cosmic Kisses Lip Crayon (free with magazine)
Again, I've mentioned this lip crayon before, and yes it is a gift from a teen mag, but it's not crappy! I've had it for a good while and wore it quite a lot in the past month because I see it as great A/W shade. It's a hot pink, but quite dark at the same time. I've also been loving my Apocalips lipstick/gloss by Rimmel but I think I lost it at my friend's house at a sleepover :(. It's a similar shade but a lot more glossy.

Fashion


My Black UGG boots
I've had these for yonks and I wear them religiously in the colder months. They are super cosy! I love wearing them with jeans or tracksuits bottoms and they're very handy to have.


My A&F White Cardigan
I got this 2 summers ago in the States and it is very easy to style with; fancy or casual, I can pop this on! 
I wore it tons in October. It's perfect for any season too.


Cat Ears from Penneys
When I set my eyes on these I had a heart attack. They're so pretty and glamorous and pretty and did I say pretty? Obviously I bought the ears and you can see the above OOTD here. Since Penneys has such good quality items (sarcasm), they are now broken. For a sleepover last weekend I wanted to be a cat and had to fix my ears, so Mum came to the rescue and glued them together with super glue so I could prance around in my friend's house with them on for the night *thanks Mum*. Of course, they're broken again, but I wore them quite a lot through October when they were in one piece. They are so adorable and childish, which makes me feel hyper (in a good way). Shout out to my cat twin Grace. :) At least they look pretty in my bedroom.


Pairing my tights with denim shorts
This is a perfect summer to autumn transition as the weather isn't too cold, but is still a bit chilly in autumn. Tights under shorts is a fun, carefree look that won't leave you shivering to death by the cold wind. I wore my tights and shorts from Gap continuously throughout October.

Food


Marks and Spencers Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are heavenly. Soft, chewy and succulent. Need I say more?

Music

Make sure to listen to these, you'll thank me!
I have a lot of favourite songs.
A LOT!

Classic by MKTO
This song has a brilliant beat! Love the singer and the lyrics are so sweet. It makes me wanna dance!

Roots by Orla Gartland
Orla Gartland is a beautiful singer and this is her first EP. Plus she's Irish! This song is definitely not everyone's type, but I really like it! The music video is super weird though.

Undisclosed Desires by Muse
This song is super old! Again it's another song that not everyone will like. I rediscovered it one day after recognising it from seeing it on MTV years and years ago. I especially love the chorus in this song, such a unique tune. Love it!

Last Goodbye by Ke$ha
Phew, and artist you know! Thanks to Alex I'm now obsessed with this song, and unusually it is a slow ballad by Ke$ha. It is a terrific song altogether, just have a listen!

Forever by Haim
I recently discovered Haim and now I lalala love them! Their music is so different and cool, especially this song. I think I'm gonna ask for their album this Christmas!

Unconditionally by Katy Perry
I so badly want Katy's new album, it's supposed to be brilliant! It'll again be on my Christmas wishlist. This song in particular is so touching. It is a powerful ballad, and the lyrics really want to make me listen. "I will love you unconditionally" really suits a lot of people's situations *admit it, you're in love with Zayn Malik or a member of 1D*. 

Superman by Joe Brooks
The last song of my favourites, finally!
Thanks to a close friends to get me addicted to listening to this adorable song. Joe is the definition of cuteness, and the tune and lyrics are so sweet. It's quite old, but so what? And Joe is a lot more good looking without glasses, btw, and that's kind of crazy.

Books/Magazines/Movies

The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass
WARNING! You'll see TMI in my favourites for another good while.
I'm reading this on my Mum's kindle, and yes, I'm only at like 30% or something through the book after a month. I hardly get any time for reading during school time, but anywho, this series is magnificent! Cassandra Clare is a super talented writer. When I read it, I want to keep reading.

(Pssst! Last month I forgot to include my movie favourite. And it, of course, was the one and only City of Bones film. Lily Collins was excellent as Clary! See the trailer below!)

KISS magazine (November Issue)
I loved the Halloween looks in this issue and the money saving ideas. Plus, Katy Perry's article. She's my idol! :D

It's crazy to believe that next month it'll be two years since I started collecting KISS. Wowza!

The Notebook
I watched this with my sister and bawled my eyes out at the end. Of course I won't spoil anything for you, but you need to see this classic, spectacular movie. You really do.

Bloggers and YouTubers

Aveen is an Irish 17 year old who writes a brilliant life blog. I love reading her crazy but relatable thoughts; she seems like a really nice person. Plus, she's best friends with fellow blogger Grace, and they made a hilarious YT video which you can watch here. Also, Aveen has an amazing Tumblr, make sure to check it out as well as her blog!

This is a collaboration blog with seven bloggers (Grace, Ony, Aveen, Lemmie, Leah, Alex, and Phoebs) and is super cool. The best thing about it is that it is updated everyday! It really keeps you interested. They do a different topic every week and it's fun to see the different perspectives of each girl. Don't forget to follow it!


Adelaine Morin
Adelaine was in the top 6 of the NYX Face Awards and is amazing at makeup. Her videos are perfectly edited and she's so funny! She's a unique beauty guru in my opinion as her videos are always different to others. She's such a cool person! Watch her tutorial above, it's class!

Random Favourite!

Candle in "Sea Breeze" bought in Penneys
Penneys have loads of nice cheap candles that smell just as good as Bath and Body Works (but maybe aren't as good quality). I bought this one back in the summer but haven't burned it until last month. It doesn't really smell like a sea breeze when burned in my opinion, but there's calming sensation when it's lit.

And that's it!

I'll be doing a Q&A soon (if I get enough questions) so if you have any burning questions for me (not too personal), then leave them in the comments or tweet me @queenofquirk.


01 November 2013

Autumn/Winter Collective Haul + OOTD #2: "Back to Black"



 Hello hello hello.
It's the 1 November which means we can finally look forward to Christmas!
Yipeeeeee!
Over Midterm I have bought a few bits and bobs for the Autumn/Winter time and I'm super excited to show you! The reason I have today's OOTD included is because all of the items in it are part of the haul (excluding the necklace, which I bought in the US).

And no, I was not going to a funeral today.

As a coincidence, most of the things I have bought are black, so I decided to collaborate the black clothes together to create a fashionable look, since black is in trend all year round, tbh. I hope I don't look too gothic (I doubt that since I'm wearing a floral headband in these photos)! Haha...


Let's get on with the haul!




Hairband and Jumper from Penneys/Primark:
Yesterday I was browsing around Penneys and I thought I should get another jumper/sweater for the upcoming colder weather and spotted this black one for a tenner. Black is such an easy colour to style with; it almost goes with everything! It's a great basic.
The hair accessories in Penneys are to die for, and I spotted this adorable floral one (more detail in first photo) that is incredibly suitable for the fall/winter time. I have a similar floral one that has brighter colours, but it's better for the warmer season. So I had to get my hands on this beauty!


Jeans from Bershka:
Bershka is such a fab shop for jeans! They are so comfortable. 
I don't have any black pairs so yesterday I saw these and tried them on and fell in love! They have super cool gold zips which I forgot to snap a photo of, silly me. Again, these can go with anything and are such a handy colour of jeans to have.



Fake Doc Martens from Dunnes
I was in Dunnes Stores with my mum and sister just doing a random shop when suddenly... BA-BAM! These hotties caught the eye of my sister. She bought a pair too along with a gorgeous leather jacket. I really needed them; I don't have any pairs of shoes like these (my shoe wardrobe mainly consist of Uggs and Converse)! They're so stylish and can add some 
rocker chic to any outfit!


Click here to see my dripping blood nails in more detail!



Denim style crop top from Bershka
Yes! Something not black!
My sister picked this out for me while I was in the dressing room in Bershka and it really suited me in my opinion. I love it so much! I can't wait to show it to you on me in a future outfit.



Woolly Warmers from Penneys/Primark
Ireland is a chilly country in winter (usually) so of course I need these!
The hat is the cutest thing, isn't it? Can't wait to wear it...
The gloves are a perfect fit and are so cosy, as well as the snood/infinity scarf. Get colder already Ireland!!!


Candle from Penneys in 'Mulberry Spice' (I think)
This smells delicious to me, although it's not a scent everyone will love.
It's so winter-y and autumnal (as everything is in this haul). I will have to get a little container for it; perhaps a Christmas one? Maybe it's too early. I'll see.


So...? For Me Body Fragrance
This scent is so for me...
Haha, see what I did there? But it really is! It really smells like something I should spray on myself (that sounded odd). It's a very girly fragrance; perfect for a freshen up after P.E or the gym.


Batiste Dry Shampoo in Wild
You should probably know by now that I am obsessed with Batiste.
I haven't finished my other dry shampoo yet but I decided to buy this one before it runs out because it is an AMAZING smell (a lot of scents in this post). I am terrible at explaining fragrances; it is hard, but this is just gorgeous. And as always, Batiste is brilliant for those days when you don't wash your hair or, again, after a sweaty workout at the gym. I advise you to get it if you don't like greasy hair...

And that's it!
I hope you enjoyed this haul/OOTD but before you head off, I want you to tell you something... I went to the gym today!

Yes I know I'm not 16, but I went to a special teen supervised gym session in the local sports centre with my friends and it was super fun. Some of the cardio was difficult and tiring, but I tried my best!
It's on every Friday so I'll think I'll make it a regular thing...
Would you like to see a fitness post in the future? Tell me below!

Have you bought anything cool recently?