I Crackle~ Do you Crackle?

So I'm not sure when crackle polish became trendy... I can't say I've noticed it on people.. but Pie said he'd had fun with crackle... and after deciding I didn't really like the colour of "mellow yellow" against my skin (not all trends are appropriate for all skin tones/body types etc!), I thought crackle might be a fun way to jazz it up a little...

Here's what I used:~

Boot's No7 top coat (I had a £5 off voucher), Claire's black crackle polish (I hadn't seen any at the other stores, and this was £4, so not too expensive if I decided I didn't like the effect), essence colour & go "mellow yellow" (€1.29 from some random store in Cork, good reminder of why I don't buy/like "quick dry" polish..)..

Here's the results:~

I dunno why my hands look like blown up silicon gloves! (just ignore that part would ya?)

So you can see that my right hand seemed to crackle more than my left hand... I used a drier brush on my left hand so it looked kinda streaky when it went on... I used a wetter brush on my right hand, so it looked more like a full coat of black when it was wet...  I think I prefer the left hand better because the right hand looks really gappy...  

I think I want to try it with a brighter base colour next time... like fluro orange or green!! :) 

I'm not sure I'd bother with the white crackle coz I think it would look like you have chipped nails... tho I'm interested about the silver they had as well, but... the jury's still out on whether I want to spend another £4 to satiate my curiosity...

On a completely unrelated side note... I found a "smoothie 2go" container at the charity store on Friday.. and it was only 99p!! Perfection!! I was planning to start drinking smoothies again for breakfast...

I improvised with a coffee cup on Friday.. but the smoothie to go cup has just that extra bit of volume and a lock down lid to prevent any smoothie sneaking out! I love that it has a handle!

These are what I used to transport my smoothies in when I lived in Canada... I used to just cut a little "x" in the top and stick straws through...  

600ml of smoothie goodness & bus friendly!

My bus driver did ask me if I was drinking yoghurt for breakfast tho! :D

Hope you're having a great weekend!!

Thrifting Kitchenware...

A post somewhat dedicated to Mrs Biscuit

Ever since that fateful day when Mrs Biscuit was first to click on that "follow" button on this little ol' blog o' mine.. I have been on a hunt to thrift the perfect biscuit tin to send as a little thank you... (it was so surprising to know that someone out there was reading my ramblings! and someone I didn't even know!! [yet!] I feel like we are getting to be good bloggyBuds tho :] ) - this is how I feel about all "personal blogs" I read.. like I am getting to know a friend a little bit better with each and every post I read..

Here are some tins & jars I've come across in my travels..

 All from Tesco

These are all shiney and new.. and I really like each one for different reasons.. but I kinda feel like it's too easy to just go and buy one to send... do you have a favourite??

Also, with our shared love of thrifting.. I just think it would be so much more fun if I could thrift one... but trying to thrift a biscuit jar is harder than ya think!! Needing to take into account that it will be making a trans Atlantic journey is a major hindrance... then also finding one that isn't all dented and scungy inside is another...

A while ago, I saw a French Moulinex Mouli Grater for £4 at the Salvation Army around the corner from my work, and now I'm kicking myself for not buying it... considering I just found this post selling one for £15.70.. GAH!! but I can be a bit funny about buying kitchenware from charity stores... I usually sterilize anything that I will be eating with or off in boiling water with a bit of bleach.. everything else I wash in hot soapy water regardless...

What are your feelings?? Would you or do you thrift kitchenware???

Playing hookie on a Friday afternoon...

So.. I've done a fair bit of thrifting in the past couple of weeks... I keep meaning to post about it.. but you know the drill... life.. work... being sick..  etc etc.. Anyways.. here's a little summary of all the things I've thrifted of late..  (ok, so I was going to be clever and make some pretty photo collages for you, but I ended up closing something I shouldn't have and I lost a bunch of stuff and just lost all my motivation, so you'll just have to put up with yet another photo bomb post, apologies!) - I promise if you stick to the end, it'll be worth it!! Promise!!!

Anyways... Friday last week, work was fairly quiet so Kym offered to let me leave work early... being a nice sunny afternoon.. she didn't have to tell me twice!! I took the opportunity to go to a charity shop around the corner from work which is only open Thursday 4-7pm, Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm (or something similar which isn't overly conducive shopping hours..) I managed to pick up:

These two cute purses for £1 each.. I figure I would pay for than that for just the chains & clasps, so even if I take the purses apart it was a good bargain!

These 3 tops for £1! I love tank tops for summer to layer underneath things, and I tend to destroy mine coz I wear them so much, so I figure this was a good deal.. I wasn't overly taken with the purple top on the hanger but I liked the buttons... But after trying it on.. the top's quite cute and I have a love of purple, so we shall see if that remains whole... :)

And this cute jug for 60p!! I've been looking for a little milk jug so this fits the bill perfectly!!

I decided to carry on through Grassmarket to get to the library, I stopped in a little antique and curios shop and found a brooch pretty much exactly the same as the one in this post.. and they wanted £18 for it!! Ha! I was well chuffed at my £3 find!!

Here are some views of the castle through some of the Wynds in Grassmarket!

I saw this lovely lady in the shop window of another curios shop, it had fantastic stuff.. it was all just rather pricey... :(

These are the books I picked up from the library... We had been leafing through "High Heels and a Head Torch" while at the pub in Aviemore, and it peaked my interest, so I thought I'd give it a go.. so far it's proving well entertaining..

I walked past a moody St Giles on the Royal Mile

This chair was discarded outside a flat.. If only I could upholster, I woulda bought it home and recovered it... I really like this style of chair.. but alas... my upcycling skills aren't quite there yet!!

Here are some curtains I picked up in my lunch break a couple of weeks ago, I'm not sure what I want to turn them into yet.. but I saw a cute clutch upcycled from some curtains a while ago (can't seem to find the post at the mo) so I was inspired... :)

Last weekend, I went thrifting with the mister to try and find a table to house my sewing machine... we didn't find a table... but we found Papa Smurf!!! He was a bit dirty and a bit ragged, otherwise I woulda bought him home... :)

I also picked up these shelves which shall house some crafting/sewing things once I get my "craft corner" set up somewhere... 

AND... the reward if you are still reading... Look at THESE cute things!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bag!! I think the cat tin will house my new hot glue gun... and a Marie Claire cookbook for some more cooking inspiration!!

A close up of the cat tin because of it's amazing kitty cuteness!!

Thanks for making it through this really long post, I loved sharing my awesome finds with you!!

As a reward if you are STILL reading.. here are some pretty pictures of a moody Edinburgh from North Bridge... 

Thrifty Thursday & Pamper Evening & General Friday

I added another 5 blogs to my google reader on Friday because of this ... I find myself adding blogs to my google reader every Friday because of it... I love discovering other people in BlogLand!!

I really really really want a sewing machine..

Thursday I went thrifting while I was out getting my lunch.. I came out with two amazing bargains!!

This cute duvet cover which I want to turn into some pj bottoms.. I have enough material for some long bottoms and some little shorts.. hooorah!!

Is this not the cutest fabric EVER!?!

Also this bolt of Ikea fabric which I want to turn into a dress for Summer... I love wearing yellow, it's just so bright and cheerful!!

So if you imagine the middle line running below the bust and  having the lines running straight down a front panel... DRESS!!

The mister and I went for a pamper evening on Thursday which was great fun.. the mister got a hair cut, a mani & a facial... I got a mani, pedi, facial and massage... I had picked up a coupon for the mister for V day, he had made mention that it would be quite fun to go together, and wouldn't you know it a couple of days later, the spa ran a voucher for girls as well... all in all, we had a fun evening, not entirely sure I am in a rush to go back to the salon though..

Midweek Thrifting and Pampering FTW!!!