Irregular Choice: Swan Lake Bag

As promised here is a closer look at my latest Irregular Choice purchase, the Swan Lake handbag from the Autumn/Winter collection. You can see it along with my others of this style here if you missed it.

Irregular Choice Bags

Hola chickies! I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the "Black Friday" stuff this week. It wouldn't be so bad if it was a one day event, but the UK seem to have adopted a week or two of offers with a couple of weeks, pre-promotion/warning approach! My inbox has never been so full! By the time I sift through all of those and work out which places are trying to pass off old sale stock as a BF promotion and the genuine deals I may be interested in, there hasn't been much time for anything else. I had a delivery of the most gorgeous shoes and bag from Irregular Choice this week though and managed to get some photos taken (though it was practically dark, even mid-morning). I have more detailed images of the bag coming at the weekend, but thought you'd like to see all my bags I have of that style.  It was even darker this day, so the images aren't great.  Plus it's really difficult to photograph a big group of things I've realised, it always looks messy or not quite right, but at the same time you want them all in the photo because it looks good!

Irregular Choice: Truly Magical

Never before has the name of a pair of shoes seemed so fitting. These shoes are truly magical. Actually the whole Irregular Choice Autumn/Winter collection is this year. I'm torn on picking 'favourites' or even narrowing down my wishlist to any sort of feasible or achievable length! After Tiny Ted (still haven't properly shown you them, have I?), these were the next pair on my list. Though now I have them in the flesh, I definitely couldn't choose between them and the teddies, they are both stunning.

Lancome The O Beauty Set Christmas 2015

For years now, I've bought the Lancome beauty box that comes out at this time of year. With me not being well last year, not getting out, not wearing makeup and the box not being overly exciting (!) I didn't get it. I was itching to see if it had improved this year and am pleased to say, it's brilliant! So I ordered it the second it came online, but it's going to be from Santa, though he agreed I could take photos for my blog and then he'd take it away again until the big day! Thanks Santa!

Paperchase Christmas 2015

Like I mentioned last week, I have a series of Christmas themed items to blog about. Today, it's decorations. I have a deer obsession. You should know this before we begin and not judge me on it! I had a little white glitter figure my sister bought me last Christmas from Paperchase. She came home with a Gisela Graham fluffy one from her work a few months ago (and three for herself-must run in the family) and once I saw them altogether, I requested she get the other two colours for me too and now I've bought several from Paperchase. It doesn't stop there, I just got a Christmas deer cushion and matching towel, duvet cover, cardigan, fluffy handbag....!

Irregular Choice Forest Fantasy Bag

My internet was going unusually slow this morning, so I decided to restart. Bad idea. It started doing Windows updates (which I assume is the reason it was lagging), then when it eventually (like an hour later) finished, it said there was an error and one update didn't complete. So again, I made the mistake of retrying. Another hour and a half, then constant updating/restarting for no joke, an additional 2 hours and it was over! It said it was an upgrade (not update) for Windows 10 which worried me a bit (that I was going to lose everything and that I've always had Windows 10 on this laptop so why would I need the same thing) and certainly it took just as long to install, as when I first got it. Anyway, that's why I'm blogging late, because I've stared at a computer screen and jiggled the mouse around all day and couldn't get on with anything! Frustrating, but worse things could happen. Today I thought you might like to see the Irregular Choice 'Forest Fantasy' bag I bought the other week.

Iron Fist Care Bear Shoes

Remember a few weeks ago, I was styling pieces from the new Iron Fist AW15 collection on The Shoe Girl Styles It? You'll likely recall then, that this season includes an amazing Care Bears collaboration. Yes, those 80's cuddly bears are back and you can find them on shoes, accessories and clothing! Previously Iron Fist had an epic hook-up with My Little Pony, which lasted several years and this new launch is sure to be just as popular with those of us that grew up in that era. I was lucky enough to win one of the new tote bags on Instagram from Purple Heels (more details further down of their latest giveaway). As a reasonable newbie to Instagram, it was my first contest entry, so I was very excited!

Arran Aromatics Christmas 2015

Christmas is creeping up and it feels like one of those years, when it's going to be here before we know it. I'm blaming the mild weather! I have a series of posts of gift ideas and special edition sets, to get you in the mood and provide some inspiration if you're stuck for ideas or feel like treating yourself. Today, I'm reviewing a couple of sets from Arran Aromatics. If you haven't heard of them, they are a Scottish beauty brand, originating on the Isle of Arran (hence the name) specialising in fragrant bath, body and gift items. I can remember (probably around 15 years ago now) buying several of their lavender products in those distinctive apothecary style bottles to take to Germany when I stayed with a friend. I'd wanted his Mum to have "something Scottish" and they were just so pretty. FYI, they went down a treat and survived the plane ride! Anyway the range this Christmas is beautiful, with the cutest packaging featuring nutcracker soldiers with tartan accents. Even the plastic inside has Christmas stockings, trees, baubles etc imprinted-I love little details like that.

Video: Irregular Choice R2D2

I tried to get some photos this week of my R2D2 heels (last day to save 20% today with code FAB20) for Shoesday Tuesday, but the lighting was terrible, so I'll have to re-attempt it this coming week. Instead I put together this video, so you could see how they look on the foot. I'm trying to make more of an effort with my YouTube channel after neglecting it for a long time. I said this last time, but it's much easier with my webcam now and I find these little shoe videos easier to produce, so do let me know if it's the type of thing you'd like me to continue to do.

Swatches: MUA Matte Lipstick

Remember the MUA lipsticks I swatched a couple of weeks ago? Well another two I bought at the time, were these matte lipsticks. Again they cost £1 and they are currently on 3 for 2 and you get a free tote bag, which is even sweeter.

Irregular Choice: Star Wars R2D2

It's been a hectic couple of days with the launch of the Irregular Choice collection of Star Wars shoes. As always I wanted to bring you the photos as soon as possible (the shoes arrived yesterday), but I didn't want to rush the post last night and as midnight loomed, I instead opted for a good sleep (my neighbours throwing a Halloween party had other ideas)! I've been so busy with the blog and bloggy things lately, that I've been going to bed an hour later and getting up an hour earlier, so I've been feeling a bit frazzled. I spoke about the excitement and anticipation of this launch in my last post, which had been building for some time. On the day that turned to worry and stress that I perhaps wouldn't get the shoes I liked and it was also really sad for me, because I'd been invited to the VIP pre-launch, but couldn't go. Day to day I cope pretty well, but there are occasions when I'm reminded of how much being ill totally sucks and of the past 13 years this was definitely one of the hardest things to turn down! The atmosphere that day and also the opportunity to meet many of the lovely friends I've made blogging and sharing our love of shoes, is something you really need to experience in person and not through a computer screen, so I was hugely disappointed (actually gutted) that I couldn't be there and really sorry I had to miss it. That said, it's been lovely to see all the photos from the day and the bag-fulls of goodies you've bought, but hopefully one day we shall meet! Ok so onto the shoes, there was a lot of dithering, but I always knew if I could only get one style, R2D2 were probably the pair for me.  A lot of people agreed and these were one of the first styles to sell out everywhere (just a size 3 left on that link, though keep checking to see if they get returns).