Good In Bad || Motivational Monday

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

As I type this, I have a Zula licking the inside of my elbow (VERY weird sensation) and a Rocket trying to sit on my boobies. I do love these kittens so but they certainly pick their moments. 

Today's Motivation Monday is about finding the good in bad situations. 

Credit

Looking for the positives in a negative situation, I think, is one of the quickest ways to get over something and the easiest way to feel re-motivated to carry on with life. It might seem quite twee and do-gooder-y but have faith, it works. 

I don't think I need to explain this too much as you are all smart Sprinklerinos but basically, if a bad thing happens (no matter how big or small), try to take something good from it. The good thing doesn't have to outweigh the bad (often it can't), but it just has to be there. One little thing that you can say, 'well at least blah blah blah'. 

For example, whilst filming this video the other day, I dropped and smashed a brand new concealer. I was prrreeeeetttyyy pissed but immediately thought, 'Ok, well I won't buy that brand again because the tube is made of thin glass (stupid), if I do, I'll know to be a lot more careful (a lesson learnt) and at least I got two goes out of it and managed to get a shot of it on camera before it went to cosmetic heaven'. As soon as I thought all those things, I didn't feel too bad. 

For all the little things that happen this week, I would like you to try and find a piece of good in them. You don't have to tell them to anyone, you don't have to write it down or make a fuss, just think it, take comfort and move on. 

Also, how did you get on from last week's homework which was behaving well even when people don't show you the same grace?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS- Still being attacked by kitties. 

All About That Bass || YouTube

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

You know when you find a song that you love so much you play on repeat about a squillion times a day? I have one of those. 

I've already tweeted about it a couple of times because I love it so much but I thought that since the video is so pretty (I basically want every single outfit), I would share it here too. 

I told a friend recently that I loved everything about this song and he said, 'I don't like it. She says, 'skinny bitches' something or other in it'. I was really disappointed that he had jumped to such a speedy assumption before looking into it properly and for this reason I'm going to include a copy of the lyrics. Note the three lines following relate to the way even the girls we perceive as 'perfect' ('skinny bitches') have insecurities and that everybody, regardless of their size or shape, is beautiful. 

"All About That Bass"

Because you know
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Yeah, it's pretty clear, I ain't no size two
But I can shake it, shake it
Like I'm supposed to do
'Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places

I see the magazine workin' that Photoshop
We know that shit ain't real
C'mon now, make it stop
If you got beauty building, just raise 'em up
'Cause every inch of you is perfect
From the bottom to the top

Yeah, my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."
You know I won't be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll
So if that's what you're into then go ahead and move along

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass
Hey!

I'm bringing booty back
Go ahead and tell them skinny bitches that
No I'm just playing. I know you think you're fat
But I'm here to tell ya
Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top

Yeah my mama she told me don't worry about your size
She says, "Boys like a little more booty to hold at night."
You know I won't be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll
So if that's what you're into then go ahead and move along

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass

Because you know I'm
All about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass, no treble
I'm all about that bass
'Bout that bass
'Bout that bass, 'bout that bass
Hey, hey, ooh
You know you like this bass

I am constantly hoping to spread the message of self empowerment so and thrilled to see an artist producing this sort of music. 

All About That Bass is available to pre-order HERE. I NEED this on my phone for my Baby Glitter walks!!

Have you heard it yet? What did you think?

Toodlepip!

xx

PS - Would you like to see more 'videos I'm loving' kind of posts? x

Amazing Advertisers | September 2014

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

I’m pleased to announce, it is officially autumn! Hurrah! The fairy lights are on, the blankets are out and I have a stack of films ready to enjoy with my little Darcy. Oh autumn, I do love thee. Before I snuggle down to another evening of mummy time, I must first introduce you to my wonderful September advertisers, they’re a good ol' bunch after all! 

source

Crown Brush

I’ve been a lover of Crown Brush make up brushes for a few years, they’ve never failed to make my face feel soft, happy and beautifully made up. Crown Brushes are super affordable, but also of wonderful quality fit for a princess. I’m particularly a fan of the brush sets which come in handy portable pots for convenient storage on the go, they think of everything those beauties at Crown Brush! If you’re in need of brushes for your face then I would give Crown Brush a whirl, I’m sure you’ll be pleased as punch!

 Living Doll Los Angeles

Living Doll Los Angeles is an online junior clothing line created by self confessed lovers of fashion for the rest of the world to enjoy! I’ve had a gallivant through the clothes that Living Doll Los Angeles have to offer and I have to say, I’m impressed as pie! The clothes are beautiful, they’re designed to suit gals of all shapes and interests and they’re within reach if you’re on a lower budget, what’s more to love! If you’re in need of a new autumn wardrobe, I’d recommend giving Living Doll Los Angeles a gander.

The What Now Blog

The What Now Blog is the perfect read for those of you who are struggling to wake up your inner motivation or have lost that pep in your step, we’ve all been there! It is designed to offer you positivity in life, to bring balance and wellbeing in work and at home, sounds promising, does it not?! Often people read blogs to escape mundane life for a little while, this blog instead aims to rid you of mundane and inspire you to keep on bouncing. If you love a good blog that can potentially shake you up for the better, then give The What Now Blog a visit, it’ll leave you inspired!

 Charming Threadwares

Charming Threadwares is a little beauty in the world of Etsy, a firm favourite of mine and the perfect place to discover unique goodies for all occasions. Charming Threadwares offers handmade jewellery at affordable prices with some impressive bead work, buttons galore and even a dinosaur or two thrown in there, what more could you need from jewellery? The jewellery is truly unique and I’ve seen a few pieces I would have shipped to my chums in the speed of light, there’s something for everyone and I insist on exploring it for yourself, Pikachu charm bracelet anyone?

A Scottish Lass

A Scottish Lass is written by Laura, a favourite of Sprinkle of Glitter and a returning advertiser, which makes me pleased as punch as I’m quite the fan of her blogging charm. Before I discuss the many wonders of a Scottish Lass, we all must appreciate how beautiful and elegant Laura looked in her 1940’s inspired bridesmaid gown, wowee! As well as making quite the beautiful bridesmaid Laura also blogs about all the pretties you can image, with Mac becoming a heavy feature, which is never a bad thing!! Keep up the good work (and those victory rolls) Laura.

Swell Caroline

Ooh we’ve got another online boutique amongst our midst and it’s certainly got me itching for new jewels! Swell Caroline sells some beautiful classic pieces of jewellery, as well as some fun, colourful ‘out there’ bits. As well as having a variety of glorious jewels to offer, Swell Caroline also sells monogram necklaces which are a lovely personal touch, very Carrie Bradshaw! I do love it when we discover another ‘something for everyone’ boutique, it’s a victory for Sprinklerino individuality!

The Noble Foodie

Warning! Do not read if devilishly hungry and away from any source of food, The Noble Foodie is a blog dedicated to the love of food, and it is stomach rumbling worthy. The Noble Foodie is written by Bridget, a talent in the kitchen and a self confessed passionate about food kinda gal. The best bit? All the food is designed to be good for our tummies, that means no wheat, no gluten and no dairy. Bridget, I salute you. If you’re after an alternative recipe for your favourite meal, or just some kitchen inspiration, then Bridget is your gal! I shall now proceed to stare in awe at all the food on The Noble foodie.

High Street Fit Finder

Oh my giddy aunt I have discovered the clothing shop of my dreams, a website that’ll find the perfect jeans based on your measurements and preferred style, it’s something quite genius. I thoroughly tested out the High Street Fit Finder and I love the concept of using your own shape and size to determine the jeans best for you. I cannot wait to see how High Street Fit Finder expands in future, I give them 100 brownie points for uniqueness and the ability to dress my behind in jeans that’ll flatter my shape and make me feel confident. Hats off!

The Prosecco Diaries

The Prosecco Diaries is a swanky lifestyle blog written by Sarah, a London gal with one of the swankiest blogs I ever did see. The Prosecco Diaries is simply beautiful, I love the unique design Sarah has created, particularly on her ‘About Me’ page, I also love the variety of posts, in particular those which relate to diet and fitness, from the pros of exercise DVD’s to the struggles of sticking to a healthy eating plan, I feel ya! I thoroughly recommend The Prosecco Diaries as the perfect lifestyle blog to add to your collection, it’s a good’un!

 Kirsten Learns

Firstly it must be said that Kirsten Learns makes my eyes very happy! I love the interaction and design, it’s something different and I’ve enjoyed having a gallivant on Kirsten’s blog, not to mention the photography is some of the most beautiful I ever did see. Kirsten Learns takes you on an adventure through the life of a twenty something married gal who hasn’t quite found her calling just yet and I love it. Kirsten blogs about what she’s learnt in life so far and it is somewhat inspiring to say the least, not to mention quick wit and humour are included! I recommend packing a virtual bag and joining the adventure.

The Peppermint Pencil

The Peppermint Pencil is another glorious lifestyle blog written by fellow cat lover, Anya. The Peppermint Pencil is a ‘little bit of everything’ blog which has taken us on a fair few adventures recently and has truly made me appreciate the beautiful sites that the United Kingdom has to offer, wonderfully captured by Anya and her camera of dreams. Anya has also blogged about another journey she has travelled, removing sugar from her life. You’re a strong gal Anya and I salute you! I am more than intrigued by the concept of following a sugar free diet and I look forward to future posts by Anya of the sugar free variety and more! 

I think we can all agree that the Amazing Advertisers this month all deserve 100 brownie points for being some of the best blogs you ever did see! Have you discovered a favourite amongst this bunch? 

Toodlepip!

xx

Morning Skincare Routine

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Mornings are not my time. If I had my way, I'd wake up naturally at about 7.45am, laze about in fresh white sheets chatting and pondering the day for a while, pootle about on my laptop and then at about 9.45am, meander to the bathroom and get beautiful.

Alas, those mornings are few and far between and it's more likely to be a blur of taking a toddler to the potty, checking emails on my phone as I brush my teeth and sorting through a crumpled pile of (clean) laundry in a desperate bid to piece a respectable outfit together- results vary.

With that in mind, I've always been a beauty addict and grooming is quite the event for me. I like manicured nails, bouncy hair and glowy skin (again, results vary), so I thought I'd take the opportunity to tell you about the products I'm currently enjoying to shmear (mmm) all over my face. Yes?

First things first, cleanse. This is actually the first hurdle I fall at, don't tell the Beauty Bloggers on me. Soooooo, soommeeettimmessss (read : 'quite often actually'), I sleep in my makeup. I know, I know, very bad. I can't help it. I just get really sleepy and can't quite face dealing with it all. Water wakes me up and I want to stay all sloth-like before I get into bed. Also, I'm that girl that falls asleep watching films/TV so it's usually a case of just waking up in bed, closing my laptop and taking my glasses off. Basically, bad Louise, very sorry.

So here we are, first thing in the morning with sad skin and yesterday's eyeliner all over my face. Sexy. My saving grace here is Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm (£36 for 100ml).

To use this product you scoop out a little bit (I use about as much as I would if it were moisturiser) with your fingers, massage into dry skin, the soft paste turns to lovely warm massagey oil, any eye makeup you had on slides off giving you big ol' coal eyes, take a warm, wet flannel/muslin and gently wipe off. If you have a lot of makeup on, you may want to go back over heavy areas (for me this is eyes).

It's super gentle, smells incredible (oh hai jasmine, moringa, cederwood, orange, neroli and rose), leaves you feeling refreshed, contains vitamin E to balance and purify and claims to reduce the size of pores- something I would verify that it does.

I was quite reluctant to stray from my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish but Emma Hardie has pipped it to the post. A little luxe in price but worth it for the enjoyment and efficiency.

Since I have six hundred and fifty thousand beauty products floating around my house, I have been making an effort to use them up and lighten my load. This mini Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic (£5.50 for a mini or £13.25 for 200ml) was left over from some PR samples and, if I'm very honest, I thought wasn't going to be too special.

Wrong. With ingredients like cucumber, chamomile and aloe vera, it soothes and refreshes even very tired skin as well as leaving a 'fine layer of moisture'.

To use toner you tip a little bit onto a cotton pad (I like the flat circle kind), and gently move in circular or swiping motions across cleansed skin. The idea is that it removes anything you left behind (which technically you shouldn't have) and tightens your pores.

I always thought this step was a bit 'emperors-new-clothes', but I have found it's made a difference. It kind of leaves my skin a little bit fresher and younger- and I'm very OK with that.

I have used a couple of different toners in the past but I think I like this one best and will be picking up a big bottle soon. 

Now, the anomaly of the bunch, Origin's No Puffery Cooling Roll-On for Puffy Eyes (£24 for the size pictured).

I bought this at Heathrow airport before a long haul LAX flight to replace the (much more affordable) Simple Roll On that was lost in the great Louise-Left-Her-MakeUp-On-The-Aircraft debacle of NYC. I get around haha! I bought it kind of in a haze and if I had to make that choice again, I think I would question whether I needed such a product for such a high price tag.

In hindsight, I was excited in duty free, have a deep trust in Origins (my skin loves that brand) and the packaging was pretty.

The idea of this product is that you roll the cooling metal ball under your eyes, it calms redness, puffiness and helps brighten dark circles. Whilst it certainly feels very lovely (especially on an aeroplane), I'm not 100% sure I need this in my life. However, since I paid a lorra dolla for it, I'm going to use it up and enjoy it whilst it's there.

Not a bad product by any means, just one that is only temporary in my routine. 

The final step of my morning skincare routine though? Swoon. Let me introduce you to Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturiser (£34 for 50ml - the size shown).

This soft, non greasy, a-little-goes-a-long-way, delightful smelling (oh hai lychee, watermelon and rose) beauty is a new staple for me.

It soothes and quenches my normal to dry skin, wakes me up (a big plus for this tired Mama), sinks in wonderfully, allows my makeup to settle well and keeps my skin happy all day. It feels gentle the sensitive areas, I've had no breakouts at any point in the month and I think has softened fine lines near my eyes (but this could be my upped intake of water and the better sleep I've been having lately).

All in all, I love it and will be repurchasing- high praise indeed from a gal who has a box full of beauty samples to delve into!

--------------------------

So there you have it, my very basic but very-happy-with morning skincare routine. As with everything in my beauty life, I like to switch things up and play around but this little set up has been going strong for a few months now and I feel really very comfortable in it.

I would love to hear what you're doing at the moment and if you will be making any changes for Autumn/Winter? Also, let me know if you have tried any of these things and what you thought of them.

And finally, well done if you made it to the end of this post! It was a beast! Haha!

Toodlepip!

xx

Behaviour || Motivational Monday

Aloha Sprinklerinos,

Did you all have good weekends? I gave a speech about YouTube at a convention for my Dad's work. It wasn't my usual audience (hello huge room full of over 50's men) but it was still quite fun. Then, I headed over to Sloane Square where Miranda Sings was performing and filmed a super hilarious collab with her which will go up soon! Yay!

This week I wanted our Motivational Monday to focus on behaviour. 

Image

This last few weeks and months have been really challenging for me on a personal level. I will talk more openly about them eventually but for now, just know that I have been really struggling with my emotions and with trying to stay upbeat and to remain focused on positivity. I think for the most part I am managing but yanno, there are days when I just feel really cross at the world or at people or at myself and it's not ideal. 

As a result of feeling so hurt or cross or sad, I have found myself wanting to lash out at people. I've, at times, taken an, 'I'll show you!' attitude and for the people who I have felt haven't been kind, I decided I would be unkind in return. Now, by 'unkind in return', I don't mean like poisoning their morning coffee, I mean like not putting a kiss on the end of a text message or saying, 'fine' in a really harsh tone. Yes, it's true, I'm a complete lame-o. 

I spent a week feeling like this. No kisses on texts, lots of 'fine's and I didn't feel good for it. I didn't feel like the winner or like I had gained control of a situation. Instead, I felt like I had just let myself down and wasn't representing the Louise I want to put out there .

When I saw the image above, it struck such a cord with me. 

It doesn't matter what other people do or say to you, you can still be kind back. Being a good person to them in those situations does not mean that they won or that you were somehow less than them. It means you were true to yourself and that you are stronger than feelings of sadness or anger. It means that despite adversity, you can still continue to be the person you want to be and that you are not controlled or influenced by other people's negativity. And that makes you a winner in my books. 

This week, let's focus on our own behaviour. 

If your boss at work is in the grumps and taking it out on you, that's their problem to deal with. You can still get on with your tasks with a smile and a glad heart. If someone at school/college/university throws a snidey remark your way, you don't need to retaliate with a similar one, you can choose to ignore that and show them love. Often the people who are mean or unkind need the most love and care because it shows them a better way to be. 

I'm going to remind myself of this message every day this week and hope that it encourages me to make good choices in my behaviour towards others and as your homework, I'd love for you to do the same. 

Have good weeks my gorgeous Sprinklerinos!

Toodlepip!

xx