Show Us Your Favourite...with Miki's Scrapbook

This is my last lovely guest blogger, and I saved one of my fav bloggers and now a great friend till last! I'm sure a number of you know Miki already, she blogs on Miki's Scrapbook, which is a great source of crafty inspiration, funny websites, great design, snapshots of her life and just some lovely interesting posts. And she is here today to show you some of her favourite websites!

Hello, Chantele's readers! It's really nice to meet you! My name is Miki, I'm an Argentine girl who moved to California for love over 2 years ago. I'm a color lover, a crazy cat lady, a shoe freak, someone who's in a constant hunt for animal patterned clothes. Oh, and I run a blog called Miki's Scrapbook.

When our dear friend asked a bunch of us if we could guest post for her, I got really happy. 

1) because of the reason: congrats guys on your new project and moving! ;D; 2) the topic: "favorites". I have chosen to show you some of my favorite websites, which I thought was going to be super easy, but I have so many it's turning into a hard (though certainly fun) task, haha! Anyhow, I'll try to narrow it down to the ones I love the most and pick a varied selection.

Monkino 

This Swedish girl is the epitome of cool to me. Her sassy, kinda sloppy, vintage style is just as interesting as her art. Yes, the girl's an artist. But I don't think anything I can say will do her blog justice, you'll just have to click the link above and see for yourselves ;).

 

Funkytime

When it comes to free printables and DIYs for parties, I always resort to this blog. I don't check it out very often, but when I do, I spend a lot of time pinning images. It never disappoints.

#colorsorganizedneatly

It was high time someone did this, right? You can thank Emily Blincoe for taking the initiative. 

Pam Garrison

Even though my blog has the word "scrapbook" in it, I'm a very lousy scrapbooker. When I feel like finding inspiration to make collages, though, I usually pay Pam Garrison a visit. She has very complex as well as simpler and very doable ideas.

@caradelevingne

Cara Delevigne's IG is one guilty pleasure of mine; can't deny it. I mean this is not any random model, she's fun, somewhat weird and sure, she looks a bit too exhausting to be around, but there's no harm in enjoying her IG photos once is a while, right? ;p

K, hope you enjoyed this little virtual tour of some of my favorite sites! ;D It's been a pleasure!

May you all have a wonderful week!

Hugs!

Miki

@MikisScrapbook

Thank you so much Miki, and everybody else who has helped me out this month. I hope you all enjoyed reading my guest posts and I will be back soon!

Show Us Your Favourite...with C.S.I Beauty Blog

Hello! I'm L from Cosmetics, Shopping and Intoxication, (CSI) a blog I co-write with M. We write about everything from make up to cocktails, clothes to cakes so feel free to check us out and say hello! It took me a while to think up a favourite post, mainly because I have so many favourites that it was hard to condense them into something readable! Eventually I thought about the fact that I really do LOVE painting my nails, even filing and buffing them as I feel so much more 'done' when my nails are manicured and I find the process relaxes me after a long day or sets me up for a night out! So here is a post about my favourite nail products. My nails are one of my favourite things to do as it's so relaxing. I can do it whilst watching tv and choose to do something nude, glittery or more complicated by adding some nail art. I have a few favourites that help me out so I'm going to share them with you today! 

 1) I do love the Nails Inc files, they're durable and seem to last forever which is great as I've had mine for a good while from a manicure I had and its still going strong! My favourite block to buff and shine my nails is the one from Models Own. It starts its life looking so neon and bright which is what drew me to it initially which you can still see in the pictures but unfortunately fades a little with wear. My nails are easily buffed and feel super smooth after using this and sometimes after using the shine part I do leave my nails as they are without polish, it really is that good!  

 2) Revlon Post Trauma Nail Polish and Calcium Gel Nail Hardener. These products are my go-to polishes for base coats as the Post Trauma one actually sinks into your nails and heals some of the flaking problems. The Calcium Gel hardener helps to prevent nails from splitting and breaking off and the combination of these two products together stops the majority of nail breakages yet isn't too thick for a base coat.

   

 3) Essie nudes are very well known for being popular and it's no wonder when they have such a range! I love Sand Tropez, Fiji and Ballet Slippers. As for metallics my absolute favourite is Model's Own Champagne Gold, perfect for summer, winter, day and night, especially summer nights out on holiday! For neons there is no other colour for me apart from China Glaze, their neons actually glow on the nail and I absolutely love it! My favourites are Pool Party and Turned Up Turquoise! (shown below!)

   

 4) My favourite top coat is again by Essie. It dries really fast, leaves a smooth chip resistant coat and is really good value as it's not as expensive as the OPI or Seche Vite top coats.  

 5) Lastly I have jumped on the bandwagon of the Bourjois Magic Nail Polish remover pot. It took me a while as I just didn't believe it but eventually picked it up in a deal and couldn't believe how easy it was to remove nail polish! I'm forever carting a bag of stuff up and down the stairs when I want to do my nails whilst watching tv with my mum and this removes the need for me to bring cotton wool and risk getting remover over the leather sofa suite (eek!). Not only is it easy and pretty much risk free it doesn't smell too badly either which is a bonus! Hope you've enjoyed my 'Favourites' post. I could have gone on forever and included glitters, but I feel that's a whole other post as there's so many possibilities! Thanks to Chantele for having me and M guest post on here whilst she's busy setting up her company and moving, what a mammoth and brave task! If you liked what you've just read come and find me over on my blog, thanks for reading :)

 L xxx

@CSIBeautyBlog

Big thank you to L, I am totally off to find that nail varnish remover, sounds awesome!

Show Us Your Favourite...with One Little Vice

Just to let you know I have now moved home (hopefully successfully and without too much stress!) And am now more than likely delivery some of the 5000 leaflets we have had printed! So as I am still a bit busy say hello to Angelica of One Little Vice!!

Hello! I'm Angelica and I write a beauty blog called One Little Vice. Chantele has been kind enough to let me write a guest post for her this month and today I'm going to be sharing with you three of the best smelling products to use when you shower! Scent often drives me to purchase products I otherwise might ignore, and it definitely influences the products that I choose to repurchase. Each of the three products I'll be talking about today have been repurchased based not only on their scent (as mouth wateringly delicious as each one is) but also because they're lovely products all round. In descending order of preference (and, ironically, price) let us begin.

First on my list is L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil. This is a product that has been much raved about and not without reason. It was my first foray into the shower oil world and quite honestly it has transformed my entire beauty regime. I suffer from dry skin, with the occasional bout of eczema, and as a result I have to moisturise very regularly which can feel particularly time consuming on my busier days. When I started using L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil last November I found that it really helped keep my skin hydrated and I didn't need to moisturise as often. Couple this with the fact that it has the most delectable almond-y, verging on floral, scent which I can't get enough of, this shower oil has become Holy Grail status to me and I can't go a week without reaching for it. A 250ml bottle (as pictured) lasts me about four months which somewhat justifies the £17 price tag. All I can say is that you need to smell it before you knock it and if you have dry or sensitive skin then this is something that you should definitely give a try!

The second product to make it on my list is Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush Fresh & Foamy Body Wash. At £6.50 this is a much more affordable option but the scent and feel of the product is miles away from L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil. Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush range smells like lime and sugar, intensely so. When I first stumbled across it (originally in the form of a body scrub) I couldn't believe how much I liked it as citrus scents are so not 'me'. But it is so moreish. I wanted to lather myself in this scent daily and when I discovered the Body Wash I had to have it so that I could realise this modest ambition. I'd definitely recommend trying it yourself as it is really wonderfully zesty and does a great job of waking one up in the morning or refreshing you before a return out into humid summer weather. Additionally, it doesn't dry out skin and that ticks another box on my checklist.

The last product that I want to share with you today is The Body Shop's Banana Conditioner. If you don't like banana then this may not be the product for you, but if you like honest to goodness fresh smelling bananas then this is something you'll want in your shower arsenal. I love it. I've used the shampoo in times gone by but I'm trying to avoid using SLS on my hair so now I only repurchase the conditioner. On top of having a really nice scent it is also a lovely product. It isn't too heavy so doesn't weigh hair down but offers a good level of conditioning that you can get away with using every time you wash your hair. My deepest conditioning treatments tend to take the form of hair oils that I use after my shower when my hair is still damp, so whilst in shower a medium level of conditioning (which this offers) is perfect. It leaves hair shiny and soft but, sadly, only with a waft of the banana scent, although this is probably for the best as on hot summer days that fruity scent might well become sickening if it lingered. Overall, a fantastic product that I thoroughly enjoy and would recommend, especially as it doesn't break the bank coming in at £4.50.

So there you have it, those are my three favourite smelling shower products. Each of them has much to recommend it as well as the scent but my goodness if you're led by your nose then you may just fall in love with these before you even use them!

Thank you to Angelica for that I also love Soap & Glory items as they smell amazing and are so good for your skin. I'll be back soon!!

Show Us Your Favourite...with Missy In The Mirror

I hope you have all been enjoying my guest bloggers this last few weeks. Don't worry I still have a few more to come and then I will be back in July! Today's post is another beauty based one for all you beauty lovers out there. Say a big Hi to Shruti from Missy In The Mirror Blog!

Hi everyone! 

I am Shruti from Missy In The Mirror and Chantele was nice enough to allow me to be a guest author on this amazing blog.

Drugstore mascaras are great but sometimes it’s fun to try out new products and there are some cracking high end mascaras out there. These are my 3 favourites. 

The first is the Diorshow Extase – it’s fabulous mascara with a wand that is fat with teeth in a circular spiral. It’s the one all-rounder mascara that I have found. It volumises and lengthens. I love it. You can find it here for $28.58 or here for £23

The second is the Estee Lauder Sumptious Bold Volume Lifting mascara – it’s a great mascara which really separates your lashes. It NEVER clumps! Amazing. You can buy it here for $22.00 or here for £20

The last but certainly not the least is everyone’s favourite Benefit they’re Real mascara – this mascara has thin fibers that make lashes look so long you wouldn’t believe it! If you can only get one, get this one. You can buy it here for $23.00 or here for £19.50

Which are you favourite mascaras? What do you guys think about coloured mascaras (non-black) – Yay or nay?

Thanks for reading!! 

Shruti x

Twitter

Thank you Shruti for the great post. I know a lot of the South Wales girls have the Benefit Mascara thanks to Benefit donating them to the last bloggers meet goodie bags and I must be honest I really like it too!

Show Us Your Favourite...with C.S.I Beauty Blog

For all you beauty lovers out there I have a guest post today you are going to love! Say hello to M from C.S.I Beauty Blog and she is going to show us her favourite summer lipsticks. (Just a hint, I am swooning over her first pick as it is totally up my street and would be perfect with my 50's summer dresses)

Hi I'm M and I run a joint blog with one of my best friends called Cosmetics Shopping and Intoxication. We are primarily a beauty blog but write about a variety of things. As the weather seems to be brightening up a bit and hopefully summer will be here soon I thought I'd share my favourite lipsticks for summer! I'm a huge bright lip fan, I do occasionally wear a nude but I prefer brighter 

colours on my pale complexion. 

 

These are the lipsticks I grab most for during the summer months! Nothing like a bright colour!  

 First up is a lipstick from Bourjois. Is the Rouge Edition in shade 15 (Rouge Podium). This retails for £7.99. It's a really soft red lipstick. It can be built up for a stronger red lip but if you only use one coat it gives a really soft more natural hint of colour.
 

Next up is my current favourite bright pink. This is another Bourjois Rouge Edition in shade 07 (Fuchsia Graffiti). This is an amazing super pigmented blue toned pink so perfect for making the teeth appear whiter.

 

This is one of the nudes I have been reaching for lately. Mac Sheen Supreme is Fashion City. This retails for £14.50. This one is perfect for summer as it's a moisturising almost glossy finish lipstick. It's a great soft orange nude shade for anyone who is unsure of orange tones.

Mac Cremesheen in Fanfare is one of my favourite easy to wear lipsticks. This retails for £14. For me this is on of those your lips but better shades. It's a soft rose pink with slight yellow undertones to make it quite a warm shade. I tend to reach for this if I can't be bothered to think too much of what lipstick will go best with my eye make up. It's so easy to wear, it's also a great texture, very pigmented but glides on.

 

YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Shade 27 Rose Paris. This doesn't come across well on camera. It's a very bright coral shade with definite pink and orange tones to it. This looks amazing with a tan. I do find the colour is so strong I can't wear it through winter. Which when it costs £23.50 isn't ideal but the texture of this lipstick wins me over. It literally glides onto the lips and is completely opaque in one swipe. It's also not soft in the tube so can be a handbag lipstick. I also love the packaging!

The packaging has changed on these since I purchased mine. I personally prefer the bright blue packaging as it's easy to spot in my lipsticks but I do understand the change. This is the 17 mirror shine lipstick in Peace. In the tube it looks almost neon pink but when swatched and on the lips gives a gorgeous sheer wash of colour. I find this colour so wearable and gives a beautiful pink subtle wash to the lips. These retail for £4.79

 

Lastly is Kate Moss Matte Collection for Rimmel in the Shade 110. These retail for £5.49. The pigmentation and quality of this collection is amazing. The colour is so strong and while being a matte lipstick isn't overly drying on the lips. It has a texture to the lipstick which reminds me of the YSL Rouge Volupte. It's a coral red shade that really brightens up the look. So there are my favourite shades. 

What shades do you prefer in summer?

Love M xxx

@CSIBeautyBlog

So girls what is your opinion. Which lipstick are you loving right now? Are you a bit of gloss girls or more into the bright colours. 

Show Us Your Favourite...with Little Nomad

Good morning all! I have another awesome guest post today from the super sweet Nina from Little Nomad Blog. I was lucky enough to get to meet Nina at the last Cardiff Bloggers Meet and she is really lovely so I am so happy to have her here guest posting on my blog. She is very similar to me in the fact that she is an avid reader, so here is a post about her favourite book!

Reading has always been one of my favourite things to do.  As a child I used to hide books under my pillow and read them with a torch after my parents put me to bed.  I always felt like a super sleuth but they obviously knew what was going on when I could barely keep my eyes open the next day.  They let it slide, I guess they were happy to know I enjoyed reading that much.

One of the books that has always kept me company is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë.  I read the abridged version of the novel when I was still in primary school and the story stuck with me for the rest of my life.  When life gets tough and I need to escape from the real world for a little while I dive into Jane's world.  As a character I've always loved her and she's been a literary heroine of mine.  I have multiple copies of this novel and nearly always take one with me on my travels.  There's something about this book that just comforts me and inspires me, and every time I read it I find something new to love about it.

Nina

the little nomad 

@the_littlenomad

Now I must be honest, although an avid reader I really can't deal with classics so have never read Jane Eyre, but maybe one day I will try and tackle it myself!

Don't forget to enter my Amazing Fashion or Photography Book Giveaway

Show Us Your Favourite...with Antares: Alpha Scorpii

Hey guys I've got you another great guest post today, please say hi to Maryna from Antares: Alpha Scorpii. She is incredibly lucky to be living in Asia at the moment so has written about her Favourite place to shop in Chiang Mai

Every city in Asia has enormous amounts of markets, and Chiang Mai is not an exception. Night Bazaar, Saturday night market on Wualai Road, Sunday walking street market, food markets at Chiang Mai Gate and Chang Puak Gate, university market, Thanin market… You name it – I’ve been there.

But my favorite place to shop is Chinatown. Because there you can honestly find anything – every possible type of fabric, local silks and Hmong textiles, tons of studs, beads, tassels, ribbons, flowy dresses and comfy shoes, temple figurines, sewing machines, handmade soaps, lipbalms and shampoos, buckets and buckets of fresh flowers.

You can get there by walking on Thapae road or Chang Moi road from the old city to Mae Ping river and you will never miss it – huge Chinese gates, tons of flowers and dozens of stalls with fresh fruit. Chinatown includes hundreds of small shops, a couple of temples and two huge markets – Warorot (clothes, fabrics, ceramics) and Lam Yai (fresh produce, fish, seafood, fruits and flowers).

It’s not only the best place to shop, but also to spend time with girlfriends – picking fabrics and hobby supplies, drinking cold fruit shakes and finding thousands of ideas for DIY projects. I can’t wait to return there again and again – I want to buy a few meters of silk blend fabric to turn into beautiful dresses, when I return home, to Kyiv.

Here's what I picked up during my last trip to Chinatown - beautiful Chinese brocade and a few kilos of studs

Maryna x

Having spent a month in China myself I really can say the markets are amazing! Seeing all Maryna's pictures here and on her blog just makes me want to return even more!

Don't forget to enter my Amazing Book Giveaway, still a few days left to enter!

Show Us Your Favourite...with A Pretty Place to Play

Got another amazing guest blogger for you today, and it's another great travel post. This time Bethan from A Pretty Place to Play is going to show us all her favourite places to visit in New York.

Hello fellow Daisy Dayz readers! I was so excited when Chantele asked me to share my favourite thing!

  

My favourite thing is a trip to New York City! Nothing beats waling up in the uber cool Ace Hotel, grabbing a delicious cup of Stumptown coffee to go and strolling the buzzing streets of the big apple in spring.

 

Because I love New York so much I thought I would share just a few of my favourite places in the City:

 

Bryant Park Reading Room - an open air library that is a little oasis bang in the centre of Manhattan

 

Bryant Park Reading Room

The High Line  - the ultimate repurposing project, The High Line is a disused railway track converted in to a community park and walkway meandering several stories high through the West Side from Gansevoort Street to W34th Street (between 10th and 11th Avenues) (and past DVF, a supporter of the project).

 

The High Line

The Staten Island Ferry - I like a bargain, and this is one of my favourite NYC freebies! The ferry takes you on a journey past Lady Liberty and gives a great view of Lower Manhattan. Departing near Battery Park, it is the ideal place to reflect after a trip to the 9/11 Memorial.

Staten Island 

Grand Central Terminal - this place is so pretty you would never guess it is a railway station! Drop by to bask in its unexpected beauty, and if you like you can pick up an Apple product.

 

Grand Central Station

Walk through Central Park to Columbia University - technically not one place, but that is semantics! Take an afternoon to stroll through this beautiful park and observe New Yorkers at play. Drop by the Alice in Wonderland statue to hang out with Alice and the Mad Hatter, and remember Lennon for a moment. Get some exercise by hiking up to the wide streets of Morningside Heights and check out Tom's Restaurant where you can pretend you are in Seinfeld.

Alice in Wonderland Statue

 

Bloomingdales - deco opulence is having a moment, and Bloomies has it in spades. The lovely store design is complemented by a great range of lux products, charming assistant and offers for international visitors.

Bethan xxx

A Pretty Place to Play

I am so jealous of Bethan, I would totally love to visit New York and see all the amazing sites she saw. Thank you for the post!

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