Merry Christmas From Me: Urban Decay Naked 3 Giveaway

SCREAM, IT'S NAKED 3!

When I can I like to thank you all for reading Inanity and the Girl, I've been planning a giveaway for a while now to say Merry Christmas to you all and give you a bit of a treat. I know everyone has been eagerly awaiting the new Naked 3 palette from the brilliant Urban Decay, I couldn't think of a better present for you!

So here it is, my Christmas Naked 3 Giveaway, I want you all to have a gorgeous, Christmas and I can't think of a better way than with the new rose hued Naked 3. Shimmering pink, deep matte black with red glitter, rose gold and gorgeous. Those of you with rose gold oversized watches will love this.

All you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions. 

Terms and Conditions

Giveaway is open worldwide, all readers can enter

Rafflecopter will pick a winner at random, I will then check the entry

Winner will be emailed but if you've left a twitter name I'll tweet you too

Have fun and good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Much Love and Luck

Block Out The Sun: Battle Of The Blocks

For those of you who know me at all, you'll know how mad I am about SPF. You have to wear your sunscreen boys and girls, even when it's December. I decided to pit some of my favourites against each other, for those of you who remember my Battle of the Balms this is rather similar only with rather fabulous SPF creams.

First up is Clinique Super City Block SPF 40. This was recommended to me by Katrina from SugahFix who loves the SPF. I have to say I'm loving it, it's tinted so it's like a bb cream/tinted moisturiser. It's lovely and dewy as well. I have to say I've taken to wearing it by itself with a little concealer if I need it and lots of blush. It just seems to make me look fresh which I think is fabulous. You also get the fantastic knowledge that your skin is being protected from the sun with a physical barrier.

Have to say I love it, will definitely be repurchasing. You can wear this under your foundation as a primer, it's rather gorgeous. 

Definite must

Christmas Presents...For Me

For every two presents you buy I firmly maintain you should buy yourself one, it's the Christmas way after all. I've been doing quite well with my presents *smug face* mainly because I knew before I went out to the shops exactly what I was getting everyone. The only person I haven't bought for yet is Himself, I know you could say he's the main one but I just haven't hit upon the one thing I really want to buy him, I have lots of ideas though.

As I've been very productive, although I haven't yet put up my Christmas tree or anything! I haven't even bought Christmas decorations yet! Let's just sidestep that though, I've bought myself a congratulatory present of a rather fabulous pea coat.

I picked it out of this rather fabulous selection of women's military jackets. Guess how much it is? Go on guess...

Well?

It was £37.99 not even kidding, for a coat! I was seriously impressed! I cannot wait for it to arrive, so that I can wear it to the Christmas market with my black boots.

Of course I'm not awful, even though I haven't found his main present I still bought him something. You guys remember onesie-gate as I call it. When we both fought over the One Piece onesie, well I picked Himself up a little dupe from a whole selection of cheap mens hooded onesies from Mary Jane Fashion. I feel like I've been a good missus!

Anyway, what is your way of getting yourself through Christmas?

**

Mad About The Boy: Christmas For Himself

I've said it loads of times, Himself is not that hard to buy for. The problem is we've been together so long that I'm running out of things to buy him. Thankfully there's always gadget things to ensure that Himself is a happy chappy. I find that the fine folks at the big gaming houses keep bringing out new things which for me is fabulous as it means that there's always something that I know he will want. Easy streets right?

So Himself's Christmas list to Santa this year will probably contain the Xbox One, now I have an Xbox 360 so this isn't beyond my frame of reference, but this one is apparently all singing all dancing. I always find that I glaze over a bit around the eyes when people tell me computer specs but this has got my Mr all excited. So maybe Santa will bring it...who knows?

Second up, something that I love and I know he would, the rather gorgeous men's Tag Heuer watch I heart it. Did you all see Brad Pitt modelling it? Be still my heart Mr Pitt. I always think a really good watch is an investment, I was thinking of buying him a lovely one for our wedding day, what do you guys think?

Last up on Himself's wish list is the Sonos system. This gizmo is designed to let you control the music through all of your house.  Each speaker has a built-in modem that bounces your wifi signal around your home allowing it to function independently or as part of a home entertainment surround system.  Watch a movie at home, listen to it in the kitchen, the bedroom, the bathroom or even have each speaker playing something entirely different.  Control a radio station in Buenos Aires, your iTunes collection and the DVD volume all with your iPhone, iPad  Be warned, they are not cheap so you might not want to promise one to every room in the house. 

These are the top of the Mr's list of goodies, I'm not sure what he'll get, it depends if he's been good. Santa may be bringing none of it! Is Santa bringing any of these to your house, maybe if he is you can come and install our Sonos system if Santa brings it as I have no clue!

Much Love

**

Baby It's Cold Outside: I Get My Snug On

Guys it it freeeeeeezing. I went out today and honestly I could not put enough layers on. For those readers who are in warmer climes, you lucky articles as my mother would say. It is very cold here, when I try shoving the dog out the door in the morning she is very unwilling to go.

I've been bundling up, as you guys all know, every year I like to knit my own giant snood. Last year was two shades of purple, this year I've gone for a multi coloured stripe, it is huge I'm not even kidding, totally massive, thick aran and when I put it on goes from neck to just above my waist. I love oversize accessories so this is totally me!

I've also been wearing my little hat from Accessorize, it has a ginormous bobble on the top, I was really unsure about it. So unsure I asked my Instagram followers what they thought but the consensus has been positive, so I'm keeping it.

I just put a brand new fireplace into our new house which means we have lots of heat downstairs but, I think I might get some cheap rotating halogen heaters for our third floor, my dressing room is up there, and let me tell you folks even with the heat on first thing in the morning it is still cold. It doesn't make me want to strip off! I figure if I blast myself with heat an close my eyes for ten minutes I can pretend it's summer.

With the cold creeping in we've been snuggling up on the sofa (our new sofa hasn't arrived for the house yet) I've bought the most enormous cups for tea, and I've taken to buying different biscuits every night for watching television with. How sad am I right?

Here's a snap of our usual night, us in our jammies curled up on the sofa drinking tea and doing pug cuddles. This is our winter on the run up to Christmas.

What is your winter routine shaping up like?

Much Love

**

Lugging the Luggage: Bridal Practicalities

You know how people say, 'oh you're getting married abroad, I suppose your dress is light so you can carry it on the plane?' Do they not say that to you, well they do to me. My dress is not light and sheath-like, I don't think I'm revealing anything major by saying that, as a dress style it's not me. The problem though is that these people are right, I have to pack my dress and adhere to luggage limits, baggage weight and space issues. I genuinely have no idea how the heck I'm going to do it. You see in a practicality led world I would have thought of this....however, in my world I went in and saw tulle, organza, satins and lace and screamed 'Yay give me it all.' so my dress is not light or simple.

My dress comes in a bag, it's a dress bag funny enough but it still has to go in a case, apparently some airlines are ok with you taking it on as hand luggage but increasingly they're not. This genuinely is filling me with fear, I have visions of it getting lost or my case getting damaged and my dress turning up torn or not turning up at all! There are really sturdy garment wardrobes from Antler suitcases which just fold up, I like that idea if they would allow me to take it on as hand luggage. I may be sitting there in my plane seat just clutching my dress eyeing anyone that comes near it with total suspicion.

I'm not sure what I'll do if it has to go in the hold, I think perhaps in that eventually I should get just a really hard case, they have lovely hard coloured ones, is it bad that I really liked the stylishness of it? Practicality be damned, but I think I merit a special case just for my dress...right? Everyone else is going to get all of my things dispensed over all their cases, sorry folks, I pity the poor sod who gets all of my skincare in their case, I'll bag it nicely for you I promise! I'll even let you use my Clarins. I really hope it doesn't come to that though, I mean it's not very exciting but this is posing a practical problem.

What about you guys? Have you got married abroad or tried to take a giant dress on a plan? Feel free to tell me your luggage horror stories, go on shock me!

Much Love

**

Bridal Prep: What Did You Do?

I always seem to be talking about weddings these days, but it's one of those things that when you get the ball rolling it's really hard to make it stop. I've booked my make up and hair artists in Las Vegas and I'm delighted to be working with them but they've sent me over a list of 'Bridal Prep' in advance of them seeing me on my wedding day. A lot of it was really straightforward, skin prep, cleansing and exfoliating, lash treatments if you're having them, but one sent me a little awry, they also had a timescale for starting your teeth whitening process.

source

I had been thinking about teeth whitening for a while, hearing my make up artists confirm it was par for the bridal course convinced me I should be thinking about it. Have any of you guys had it done for your weddings, are you going to? I've been nervous about it, I've seen all the at home treatments, and I have no idea where to even begin with them. Teeth are one of those areas that I always worry about, especially when I've heard about those using at home treatments suffering from long term sensitivity which I think sounds particularly grim.

I've been thinking about having my teeth whitened by professionals, that way I feel I'll have a better idea of what to expect and also get better results more quickly. I had checked out the MYA website as they offer teeth whitening around the country, any Made in Chelsea fans will know that Louise has her teeth done there. My thinking is this way they can advise me on what to expect but also I won't burn my gums off by accident or something ridiculous which is very me!

Apparently, I can even have it done in my lunchtime, it's three ten minute laser whitening sessions which is no hassle at all. Why did I think it would be weeks of gum shields with yuk tasting goo in it? I like the sound of that, really no hassle at all. I'm thinking it's something I may put on my list before the wedding, yes the list is getting very sizable but it's next to no hassle at all and is going to make all the difference.

What do you think guys? Did any of you get your teeth whitened before your big day? Did you do it yourself? Is it scary?

Much Love

**

The Bridal Diaries: 147 Days To Go

Days To Go: 147

Date: 27th November '13

Mood: Mulling

Glasses of Wine: None (more's the pity)

Angry Moments: Surprisingly None

Second Thoughts: None

I BOUGHT MY WEDDING DRESS!

I thought I'd start with the big guns, yup I bought my dress. I went with my mum and my two bridesmaids to award winning Perfect Day last Friday. Those of you who read my last Bridal Diary will know how nervous I was about the whole thing. We arrived fresh off the train, the girls asked me about the date of my wedding and proclaimed I was cutting it fine, who knew 5 months was cutting it fine?

So we went into the bridal room and my dress helper Karen went off to start picking things for me to try.

She came back with acres of fabric and beckoned me in, I stripped down to my tummy control pants and strapless bra (hot) to step into the first of many dresses.

The initial process was narrowing down what kind of style I wanted. I tried on the all lace dresses first, I gotta say for my hourglass shape they really didn't suit me, I was a bit square like in them. It became a bit of a dress procession, I swear I've forgotten so many that I tried, but in reality I only tried on eight. Once we'd got the right style of dress I tried on the rest in the same style. 

One that I tried on in particular was a big hit with the bridesmaids and my mum. It was vintage in some aspects but I just didn't like it. Everyone else was delirious about it, but I didn't like the style or the detailing and it just wasn't my dress. I tried on a few more, if you asked me what they looked like I couldn't have told you as they became a white blur at one point. It got to the moment where I was fast running out of things to try, I decided to go back to the one that everyone but me loved, in case it needed a second try. So I tried it again... It still wasn't doing it for me. 

Finally I'd tried on everything sample wise in the store that would fit me in the style that suited me. Karen my dress helper had a hard think and eventually emerged from the dress closet (stuff of dreams full of white tulle) with one last dress to try. 

She had said she didn't know if I'd like it but she just remembered it. My mum I distinctly remember pulled a face as it went by, not a good start. I was pretty sure I was going to be leaving empty handed. So I got into the last dress, it was about a million miles away from anything I thought I would ever pick. Totally the opposite. I came out to everyone and there was a collective silence, then we got a veil and suddenly it was like bang here's my dress. 

I know everyone says you cry or you just know, I didn't get that, but then I'm such an indecisive person it doesn't really happen like that for me. The longer I looked in the mirror the more I realised I really liked it, it was so different from what I had wanted that it took me a while to think 'is this my dress?' By that point the bridesmaids and mum were on their feet adjusting things and looking at parts of the dress. Everyone loved it, including me. As I stood in front of the mirror I had to imagine what my dress would look like fitted to me, the sample was a little bigger than I was. It dawned on me, rather than hit me over the head, that it was my dress. As I stood there and liked (for once) how I looked in it, I felt like a bride, I have a bit of delayed reaction at the best of times, it actually only hit me the next night. I bought it, and my veil.  It was a strange sensation. You're in the dress for such a short space of time and then you don't see it for months, and it's such an important dress.

I made the mistake of googling the dress later to remind myself. I saw it on a model and i thought 'but I don't like that, have I just bought that dress? But I don't like that dress' it's hard to say but it doesn't look like that on me, which makes no sense I know, but I'm taller. It made me freak out a bit because I'm looking at this dress that I've just bought that has cost a bloody fortune and I don't like it. All I can see are all the things that I never wanted in a dress and they're all there. Freak. Out. I chatted to my bridesmaids and my mum and they're like 'no it looks different on you' and the thing is, it does look different on me, how I don't know, can anyone explain that?

It's strange, even though I had quite a few things to try I'm filled with doubts I wonder if I should have tried on more? should I have had some massive reaction? Should I have been more firm about sticking to what I thought I wanted? It was beautiful though, just so different and my veil is again completely different to what I thought I wanted. 

Is this common? I did have to laugh though because afterwards I was like 'no-one cried it mustn't be that nice!' And my mum was like 'I was trying not to cry, Claire said 'I was trying not to cry in case I set your mum off' and Paula was saying 'I didn't want to cry in case I set everyone off' hilarious but true.

So there we go, dress is bought, I seem to be looking at other dresses though, like is that it then? There's so many beautiful dresses out there, they just all don't look like that on me.

So what can I tell you? nothing. Only that it's totally different to anything I would have ever picked. That's all....

Tell me about your experiences!

Much love

Pants

The Bridal Diaries: 154 Days To Go

Days To Go: 154

Date: 20th November '13

Mood: Panic Ranging From Mild To Severe

Glasses of Wine: None (not through choice)

Angry Moments: A Couple

Second Thoughts: None

Can we all just end the lie right here and now? Magic pants/Tummy holdy in garb/spanx whatever you wanna call them, make you look fatter or make me look fatter. They are not designed for anyone with a bit of meat on them. If you're slim and have a bit of a tummy, no problem but if you've got some evenly sprinkled weight, you put these on and they push your belly to your waist thus removing your shape and making you a giant oval. Or my favourite the pants, they're tight yes but then they give you a giant muffin top! What's that about? No me and shapewear do not go well together. Apart from a good boned corset, you know where you are with a good boned corset.

The rant of course is for a reason, for the last year I've put it off and watched on as others moved forward but this Friday, I am going wedding dress shopping. I have an appointment at the award winning Perfect Day. I am scared, very scared. I was chatting to a learned friend who had asked me what the ultimate fear was. Good question right?

The ultimate fear? I guess is just hating how I look in everything, having to stand in front of the mirror and just disappearing into my own insecurities. Or being the fat girl crying in the dressing room, not good. When I'd disclosed this he'd said to me I needed to take control, things don't just happen to you, you have a part in them. I don't want to be crying in the dressing rooms, I want to be standing there going 'wow I look fabulous I never want to take this dress off'.

It's nerve wracking, well it is for me. I've been trying on shape wear, desperately trying to find 'good bras' it's all quite stressful. It's the day where you have to look your absolute best, the wedding, the photos, the big day. Stress.

That's where I'm at right now folks.

What were your bridal experiences like?

Much Love

Dawniepants

Sleigh Bells Ring Are You Eating? Sainsburys Christmas Launch

Hello lovelies,

I apologise this will be about Christmas, now if you can't take it by all means scroll on through, it's all ok, I know some of us are a little sensitive to mentions of Christmas before December. I was asked if I wanted to come check out the Sainsbury's new Christmas range. Um yes, naturally, mulled wine, mince pies and fancy cheese. Sign me up and hand me my stretchy pants.

I love the Sainsbury's Christmas Launch in their West Belfast store as everyone is always so lovely, and genuinely excited about the products, they're also really knowledgeable. Last year of course Sainsbury's got me hooked on manchego cheese dipped in honey then coffee, surprisingly a total taste extravaganza. This year I didn't know what it would be!

We got to see the new range from Gok Wan, modeled by the talented staff of the store which is full of gorgeous festive dresses and plenty to satisfy fans of his lines. I got a chance to have a quick look around the clothing line and there's some gorgeous camel capes, beautiful Christmas jumpers and some amazing jammies. You know me I love a good set of jammies.

For this Christmas launch I got to try the totally yummy mulled wine, I have to just say, fabulous for a cold, made me feel miles better when I'd had a glass or two. Yorkshire puds, marmalade sausages, truffles that looked like Christmas baubles, and my total favourite Wensleydale cheese with salted caramel and fig, dear me but it was immense, me and himself nearly finished a whole slice of it by ourselves with a glass of red. I have to say if it's in store when you're there, try it! It is amazing! It's my total star of the whole launch. I was in store the other day but it wasn't in the cheese counter yet! So when you're next in you must try it!

I also had a chance to try this little tin of cookies out, isn't it gorgeous? I love anything tea pot related so it's very up my street. A mini chocolate chip cookie and a cuppa, very much my ideal night! Those are my new atomic style 50s cups, do you all like them?

This is a complete side note but I bought this when I was in store, this frosting kit is amazing. It's so hard to get properly big nozzles, in kits they're always too small and unhelpful. These are gigantic nozzles for rose frosting and all kinds of twist frosting. I have to say if you bake at all these are an absolute bargain, one of the things that often ruins cake decoration is a nozzle that's too small, bigger the nozzle the easier the decoration. I've paid £8 per nozzle in the past for these sizes, so that's a bit of a tip from me!

Thank you so much to the lovely staff of Sainsbury's who were fabulous hosts.

Much Love