The Day I Bought So Much I Couldn't Carry It All

Over the last May bank holiday a friend and I decided to take a trip to Birmingham.  We decided to make a weekend of it so traveled up there by train on Saturday morning, went shopping all day where we quite literally shopped until we dropped and struggled to carry it all.  Then we went back to the hotel to get ready and went for dinner and a night out.  On the Sunday we went to Slam Dunk festival which you can read about here.  On Monday we checked out of the hotel, went for breakfast and looked in a few more of the shops before catching the train home.  I dread to think how much we spent.  But it was a much needed shop!

Another Saturday, Another Shopping Trip

Last Saturday I headed off to Milton Keynes, I wanted to get one thing.  When I left Milton Keynes I was carrying a few bags... Ooops.  I got 5 items, I could have done more damage.

Mini Saturday Haul

It was a Saturday and I didn't have anything planned, in fact it was my first day off in months where I didn't have any plans.  It was nice at first, I had a lie in, I lazed around, and then I got bored quickly.  So I took off to Bicester Village to have a nose around and I didn't go too wild but bought a few bits.

Little (mostly Primark) Haul

This morning I bring to you, the first of it's kind, my very own haul video on Youtube.  Ta daaaaaaaa!!

I ummed and ahhed about posting this and in the end I was like, Maria just go for it.  I really enjoyed filming this and hope that it's the first of many more to come.  Maybe in a year I can look back on this video, cringe a little, and realise how much I have improved.  Because let's be honest, there's room for improvements.  Including the quality - it was great before I uploaded it to Youtube.  What happened?  If anyone has any tips on this please do let me know!

I would actually like to improve upon my public speaking (you know, for interviews and making presentations at work and stuff).  I can be quite mumbly and softly spoken at times and I feel like that this will improve with practice.

Do you have a Primark haul video or blog post you would like me to check out?

Sometimes I like to dress up and go out

All I seem to have done in February is work so when my friends decided to go out for a meal last week I was totally up for it.  I had just been on a shopping trip and was excited to wear my new purchases! I believe this is my first outfit post! So please be nice :)

Payday Haul

Last week was the much awaited payday, it had been a long month.  I was so excited, I needed money and I needed new things!  So on Saturday I headed to the shops.  I only had two hours to spare, but spend I did!

Usually I avoid sales like the plague but I found a few great things in the sales this time!! First I headed to H&M.  I LOVE H&M.

I am building my summer holiday clothes collection already.  This top will look great with my new black, high-waisted shorts.

I found this jumper in the sale for £7.

Next I headed to Zara.  As much as I like H&M, Zara is my absolute favourite.

I love this skirt, it was £9.99, I wore it the other night with my long sleeved black shirt, tucked into the skirt.

This top was also in the sale for £9.99.

These trousers were full price but they are gorgeous!

I then headed to Primark where I bought some leggings and a kimono for my summer holiday.

I went into John Lewis looking for a new nail polish and purchased this OPI polish in Over The Taupe.  I had to get this lipgloss, in Autumn Haze, which was in the sale for £4.50, I LOVE Burt's Bees.

I was in need of a new candle holder and spotted this one in the Yankee Candle shop.  The Candle in this holder at the moment is Snow In Love which I bought in December, the scent is gorgeous!!

Lastly, I went into Homesense.  I ADORE this shop, I could buy the whole shop!! I settled on two items and bought this plate and jug.  The plate was £4 in the sale.

I cannot wait for payday so I can go shopping again!!  Have you found any good bargains in the sales recently?

Monday Shopping Spree

On Monday I went shopping to return two items and feared for my bank account, not knowing if I would be able to resist certain items that I had my eye on. Luckily I was very good and managed to only buy a few items... until my next shopping fix!

I love this shirt from Warehouse.  It will go really well with the skirt I have bought for my work Christmas party.  I realise this shirt is quite plain for a Christmas party but with a large gold necklace I think this will look perfect. This shirt fit so well and felt so nice on, I think that if I don't wear it to the party as intended I will definitely keep this.  Got to love a shirt that suits me so well and feels great on.

I really like this gold headband from New Look.  Head bands aren't usually my thing, but I really like the leaf design, and wearing such a plain shirt I feel like I need to go big on the hair and accessories.  This could also be worn at a summer festival to keep back that minging stray hair,

These days I love buying sports gear as much as I like purchasing other clothes.  How things can change!  I bought these both from Sports Direct.  I am still on the lookout for the perfect sports bra so if anyone knows where I can get one... let me know!

Since the 5p carrier bag charge has been brought into force in England, I seem to actually buy less stuff! I refuse to buy a bag, what's the point when I am sitting on a gold mine of them at home.  I try to take carrier bags shopping with me, but sometimes I run out and sometimes I end up buying more stuff than expected, then there's those unexpected spontaneous shopping trips where I don't even bring any bags!  Personally, as annoying as it is, I am all for the carrier bag charge if it is going to help the environment.  For the last few years I have rarely taken a bag from a supermarket, I would always bring my own, so why can't it be the same for other shops.  But if it's going to stop me from buying as much then it's certainly a bonus for my bank account, maybe not so good for business though.

Finally, I thought I would show you the outfit that I have planned for my work Christmas party.  I bought this skirt a few weeks ago from Warehouse.  It was love at first sight and it fits perfectly! It complements the small bit of weight I have lost in the last few months.  This is the skirt that I have been trying to find a top to go with but finally think I have it.  Now I am on the lookout for gold sparkly shoes, a hand bag to match and a suitable gold necklace.  You can never have too many sparkles and gold at a Christmas party, right?!

Saturday Shopping Spree

Sometimes, I will go shopping and won't see anything that I want.  I hate those days.  Sometimes I will go shopping and will want everything in every shop.  My bank account hates those days.  Saturday was one of those days.

I had gone out shopping with the purpose of finding a top to go with the skirt I bought a week ago for my work Christmas party.  However stupidly enough I didn't bring the skirt, I saw loads of tops that I liked and wanted to buy every one of them in case they went well with the skirt.  After buying two tops I realised this was a stupid idea and managed to limit myself, planning to go shopping again on Monday with said skirt.  I did get a few bits and bobs though.

I absolutely love this top from New Look! It looks even better on.  This is the style of top I was looking for to go with my skirt, however my skirt is black and gold and this top is black and silver.  That being said it just about goes.  However I have only tried this top on twice and already loads of the sequins have fallen off. For the price I paid for this I don't expect the sequins to fall off so easily, I haven't even worn it out yet! It also has bits of thread hanging off it, and the hem doesn't look straight.  Even though I am in love with the look of this top, it will be returned.

This top is also from New Look.  I wouldn't usually wear a white top, so I like that it is different to what I would normally wear.  However it doesn't quite go with the skirt I have.  I would definitely keep this top if my bank account could allow it, but I have no occasion to wear this to so sadly I have to return it.

I found a candle shop! Snow In Love is my favourite smell out of these, I could sniff it all day! This candle holder goes perfectly with my spare room that I am doing up.  I can't wait to show you all pictures of my new home that is just about finished!

Sunday was hair dye day, this shade of red goes perfectly into my hair.  I was not planning on purchasing Hand Food but I walked past it in the shop, and my hands have been a little dry since the weather got colder.  I have not bought this hand cream in ages and I forgot how much I love it!!

I love this Tea Tree water from Lush.  I had run out months ago but hadn't gotten around to getting a new one.  I also thought I would try Ocean Salt, I have used it once so far and love it already.

My last purchase was this crop top from Topshop.  I originally bought it to go under the black top from New Look, which I am now not going to keep but I have decided to keep this crop top as it wasn't too expensive and I have clothes that this top would go with.

So today is Monday and I am out shopping again, let's see what I will find this time!

Home Bits and Bobs

When I was younger, my Mum used to drag me around Dunelm, and I would hate every minute of it.  It used to baffle me why on earth anybody would want to spend their time looking at material, and curtains, and bedding etc. I just couldn't get my head around it, how boring.  Now the tables have turned, I love Dunelm.  The other day a friend and I were discussing curtains, then we stopped and realised we were getting excited about curtains, and realised that's what our parents do.  Is this us growing up?!
Since moving into my new home in May, even before I moved, I had a picture in my head of what I wanted my home to look like.  Now that picture is slowly becoming a reality, my house (or flat in my case) is becoming a home.
Yesterday I was looking at the Dunelm website and they had a cracking sale on, so after work I drove over to Dunelm, to discover that the sale was only online (apart from the odd duvet set and plate).  At least I still managed to pick up a few bits.

Kettle, Dunelm

How awesome is this kettle?! I was in desperate need of a new kettle, and this duck egg green is totally my colour.  Who knew you could get kettles in such funky colours?  I absolutely love this!! You can get a matching toaster and I was so tempted, but I don't eat toast, so what's the point.  Yes, I get excited about things like kettles and stuff now, don't look at me like that.

Lamp, The Range

I was looking for a lamp for my bedroom and fell in love with this one, it's super cute.  It's perfect as it matches my curtains.

Dragonfly solar panel fairy lights

These fairy lights are actually meant for the garden, but why not put them inside too.  The metal bar that they are wrapped around came with the flat, supposedly to stop me falling out of the window, so instead of removing it I thought I would put it to good use.  I was actually looking for bog standard plug in fairy lights, but then I came across these solar panel lights and loved the look of them.  The solar panel box has been in the window all day, and as you can see the lights work fine.  This is a very deep window so I am going to add a seat at some point.


I can't wait to have my flat decorated and furnished perfectly, exactly the way I want it.  It's almost there and I can't wait to show you!

Recycling The Christmas Dress

It's been a while.  January became a boring but busy month for me with working loads, going to the gym a lot (sticking to my New Years aims) and doing lots of things but somehow don't have any interesting stories to disclose.  Since this blog is supposed to be about my exciting adventures, I took some time out, which I know is not the best thing for such a new blogger but there we go.

I went to a wedding yesterday.  When I found out about this wedding my first thoughts were:  A wedding, in February, what am I going to wear?!?  Thus I got searching for a nice dress to wear that I wasn't going to completely freeze in.

Being unsuccessful in the dress shopping I started to panic a little and the day before the wedding (yes, I am normally this disorganised) I happened upon the dress I wore to my work Christmas party.  Perfect! I will probably never wear this dress again so it gives me a chance to get some wear out of it and no one will know it is my recycled Christmas party dress!  Apart from anyone who may read this.

I teamed this Warehouse dress with blue shoes from New Look and a bag to match from Dorothy Perkins which was reduced to £7 in the sale.

Of course as it's February and was absolutely freezing I dug a grey coat out of my wardrobe which I purchased from Topshop many years ago.  This went perfectly with the whole outfit.

I am not used to wearing heels and the thought of wearing heels all day filled me with dread (almost).  So I bought am emergency pair of flat shoes from New Look, for later on in the night, in case my feet became too painful.

There we have it.  A winter wedding outfit.

Whilst I was shopping I had a browse in House of Fraser and fell in love with a pair of shoes which were reduced to £39.  I bought them as a possible wedding shoe until I found the blue shoes in New Look.  I am not sure whether I will keep these House of Fraser shoes.  They are so pretty and nice, but I'm not sure when I will wear them and they look like an absolute killer on the feet!!

What do you think?

Mmm New Clothes

Does anyone else have the problem of going Christmas shopping and spending way too much money on themselves?!

Well I just had to buy a Christmas jumper from Primark.  Then I got carried away in Primark and bought a Christnas hat and socks.

I decided to look for a dress to wear to my work Christmas party.  Instead, I fell in love with a playsuit in Zara and decided that as there are a few birthdays coming up, me buying the playsuit was completely justified, because it's not like I don't have a million other outfits that I could wear.

I also bought some make-up, as well as the Christmas presents I set out to buy.  I am now scared to check my bank balance.  Ooopsie.

Iron Man

I have been trying to save this month but I decided it was time to treat myself to a new phone case and have found the perfect one!  I purchased my new Iron Man phone case from Blue Banana but you can get it from other places including ebay and Amazon.

Now I don't have to be embarrassed by a filthy, pen-stained phone case and this one is so me!

Bargain Buys

Recently I thought I would treat myself to a few new clothes seeing as I now have a job and have not really treated myself to anything yet.  I usually like looking at the Boohoo sale, yes the sale. I may be earning money now but I still have to save.  There were so many items that I wanted to buy, but eventually I narrowed it down to something affordable, and was super excited when I received the package in the post.

Have you discovered any good bargains recently?