The Great Indoors... The Bedroom

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I've been busily lusting over home ware items online and filling up bookmarks folders to share some of them with you. I didn't realise quite how many gorgeous things were out there so today I thought I'd focus on bedrooms. With it being so chilly it seems like staying  indoors is the much better alternative to braving the ice and snow, so why not do it surrounded by pretty things?

BEDDING

Personally, I'm a fan of keeping things simple when it comes to bedding and usually opt for crisp white cotton sheets but whilst searching I found some white bedding with a twist and have been converted!

ZARA- I am completely in love with this set with the luxurious rippling silk trim. 

MATALAN- I was pleasantly surprised to find that Matalan had loads of choice when it came to bedding and at such affordable pricing. I love this set with the black satin trim and this reversible stripey set with piping on the edges. 

CUSHIONS

ZARA- As always, Zara Home offers amazing quality products, look at these beauties! The first one  would go amazingly well with the white bedding above. 

H&M- These cushions are definitely on my 'must buy' list, I love mixing up textures with cushions and this grey velvet cushion will be a cosy addition to my bed. The yellow chevron print cushion is a no-brainer, yellow is my favourite colour and this is too cute to resist. 

MATALAN- Along with their Alphabet charity scarves, Matalan also stocks a range of monogrammed goods in their home ware selections, I think this cushion is nice and simple to add to any bedroom (and would go with my L mug!) 

RUGS

H&M- I love the African feel to this printed rug, this would look great in a stripped back room with white or varnished wood flooring. 

IKEA- Ikea has some quirky offerings in terms of floor coverings and I think this folk print would look lovely in a white-walled room. That texture on the grey rug looks pretty unique and would look great in any room. 

STORAGE

H&M- Everyone needs some storage baskets round their room whether it's for electronics (ahem, my many hair straightening, curling, waving, tools), records, magazines or just plain junk! H&M has loads of wire options in a few different colours and this gold bucket shape basket is my favourite. 

IKEA- I love the zig-zag print on this hand woven basket, another 'must-buy' for me.

ZARA- I adore these blue and white hat boxes, and again, I'm showing you my devotion to zig-zag chevron print with this cute wooden box. 

DECORATIONS

H&M- H&M really does have some of the best selection of  affordable home ware around and particularly excels in the 'knick- knacks'  department. As I mentioned in the previous post, I love brass ware at the moment and that goes for any kind of metal home additions, this twisted copper coloured hook is perfect for keys or the back of your door. I had to include the swan pot because we used to have one exactly like it in my family home! I also love this copper coloured glass photoframe and have included this green glass bottle which I think always contrasts nicely with metals.

MATALAN- This mantle clock is so cute! Again, the copper will look  great amongst some other trinkets on a mantle piece or bedside table.

Winter Skincare

I’ve never been huge on skincare but now that I’ve turned 22 I’ve decided that you can never be too soon in beginning to care for your skin and preventing wrinkles, particularly during the winter months.

I’ve been using a Nivea moisturiser for a while now and it really makes a difference to dryness, I tend to have fairly oily skin with a few dry patches and this solves everything without making my face extra shiny. I’ve combined this with a Vitamin E oil from Superdrug which I put over particularly dry areas which really does work miracles and brighten the skin. This year I've also decided to banish the face wipes in favour of this Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which was everywhere last year. It's really light on the skin and you don't need to scrub at your skin to get rid of stubborn eyeliner. 

I’m also thinking of investing in a good eye cream or serum to add to my skincare routine- so if you have any suggestions please let me know!

Hand cream is also a big one and I’ve been trying to make a habit of putting it on, especially during the winter. This Palmer's cocoa butter hand and foot cream is great for elbows and knees too. It’s really thick and so is long lasting on the skin and relieves any dryness.

I also suffer from chapped lips in the cold and love to wear lipstick so this can be a real problem. I got given this Santa lip scrub from Lush for Christmas and aside from tasting amazing it helps buff away chapped skin. I also got this Queen Bee honey flavoured Vaseline which smells great and I LOVE the gold stripey tin. 

Tartan for Christmas

I'm back home for the holidays and whilst here had my usual snoop round the charity shops to see if I could pick anything up for the party season (all my sparkles and winter clothing is still in storage since leaving uni, boo). When I was browsing I saw this gorgeous cream and red tartan peeking out at me on a rail, I pulled on the skirt and realised it was ankle length and a fair few sizes too large. However because of the amazing quality of the wool and the shape it was easy to take in the sides and make into a shorter length on the sewing machine, this was just £3 and I'm going to use the extra material to make a cushion cover for when Becky and I move into our new home in a few months time.

I was particularly thrilled with this tartan pattern because I've always loved F.R.I.E.N.D.S and particularly some of the looks Rachel is seen wearing in the first couple of seasons (first aired in the early 90s). I've always wanted to recreate this tartan skirt look with a cream and red patterned skirt and this skirt is just the ticket! 

I also paired the skirt with this cream velvety top with a flattering sweetheart neckline (also a vintage find- St. Michel) which I also found on my trip to the charity shop for just £1. What did you wear this Christmas? 

Charity Shop Finds II

So yesterday I went venturing out for a snoop in Les Bourgs Hospice charity shop once again to try my luck in finding some new bits and pieces. They had half price (half price at charity shops?!) on all of their woollens and so I made the most of this and stocked up on some amazing vintage finds for the winter. Firstly I found this lovely ribbed, high neck jumper which is also 70% lambswool which I think will definitely keep me toasty when moving to Manchester comes along this autumn! I love the pearl embellishment on the shoulders and the ribbed knit keeps this on trend, this cost just £2!

My favourite find was this absolutely incredible vintage navy wool jacket/cardigan with a black velvet collar and pocket flaps. This is fantastically made and, again, the knit is 100% wool. I love the gold buttons which add a bit of brightness to the jacket and, although a size L, this will look great unbuttoned as an oversized piece this winter. Again, this only cost £2! The velvet definitely drew me to this when I first saw the collar peeking out of a jam-packed rail, I’d say I’m somewhat of a velvet magpie when it comes to clothes which you shall see by my other finds…

This jacket is another unique velvety vintage piece which I snapped up for £6. I think I will take out the shoulder pads as they make the shape of the jacket just a little too boxy on my petite frame. I love the maximalism of this (just love channelling Henry VIII)- the all over gold and burgundy embroidery, the gold knot buttons, and the black velvet background; this is opulence and OTT at its best. Perfect for this seasons winter wardrobe.

Lastly I got this dusky pink velvet (again!) turban type thing which will be great for when I eventually am a grown up with a well-paid job and I go on a skiing holiday. However, for now it might be best for the harsh Northern winters that I’m going to have to get used to and will do as an alternative to some earmuffs. I don’t usually ‘do’ pink (and I don’t think I actually own any pink clothes!) but I got talked into this by my Mum and so we shall see if it actually gets any wear. If not, I’ll give it to my friend Kate who loves a nice bit of winter headgear (I’ll refrain from posting any photos of the woolly pompom headband circa Fresher’s 2k11).

This trip to Les Bourgs was perhaps my best trip yet- all my finds were incredible vintage quality for virtual pocket change. I’m a massive advocate for self-sourced vintage items, my boyfriend would call me a style snob but don’t we all love having a few things hanging in our wardrobes that no one else is going to have? And at such good quality? It’s so true when your grandma says that they don’t make clothes like they used to… ;)