Beauty Sale Finds

I'm not really a sales kinda girl.

I actually hate the sales. They are busy, loud, crowded, hectic and stressful and having a 6 month baby bump makes it all the more necessary to stay away.

So this year, I decided I would check out what some of my favourite beauty and fashion spots had online. First stop - beauty. I decided to be reserved and only checked Selfridges and Space NK (aka the mothership). I thought I would share with you briefly what I picked up and then over another couple of posts, I will share them with you in more detail.

So my first venture online was to Space NK. I have always wanted the gorgeous Laura Mercier bath and body sets but I never really felt like spending upwards of £40 on indulgent bath treats for myself! So when I spotted the Honey Musk duo set - with bubble bath, body creme and honey spatula - at HALF PRICE for only £15...well, it went straight in my virtual shopping basket.

Next, I spotted something from Lipstick Queen. I have never bought anything from Lipstick Queen, but I have heard some amazing things. I saw the Liquid Asset set of 3 lip glosses, featuring a stunning nude, a bright popping pink and a vampy red. Whereas I am more of a lipstick girl, I thought my collection could do with some high quality lip glosses. Again, this set was £30 and was reduced to half price. So in the basket it went! Now considering this is still available on the John Lewis website for full price, this to me was a real bargain.

Next was the Selfridges beauty sale. There was so much in this sale that I actually got a bit bored going through the dozens and dozens of pages. I filled a basket quickly and in the end, I had to do some serious editing. Which...was a real challenge!

I ended up purchasing the Laura Mercier eyelash curlers, a MAC black liquid eyeliner and...my favourite new palette, Urban Decay's Naked on the Run - a limited edition palette from the Naked range, featuring 6 new eyeshadows, a bronzer, high lighter, blush, eyeliner, mascara AND a lipgloss, all in the famous naked colour ranges. This is definitely getting it's own post as I really am in love with it. It was originally £37 and I think I got it for £30 in the sale, which isn't that much of a saving, but as I had my eye on it before the sale, I knew I had to just get it!

The Selfridges beauty sale didn't have as many bargains as the Space NK sale, it had more like a few pounds off each product as opposed to a decent percentage off, but if you have the time to scroll through the many...many pages, you will be sure to find some good deals.

So as I said, more details coming soon, but in the mean time, did you find any amazing bargains in the sales?

Belle x

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaack!

Hello blogging world!

Well, what can I say. I am a very naughty blogger.

I haven't blogged since last summer and I have missed it so much! The reason? Well...reasons really. Where to start? A new job as a Content Editor, raising my toddler Elijah, having my house extended and moving in with my parents for 4 months, moving back in and reordering the entire house, oh, and falling pregnant again! Yay!

So yes...I have been pretty busy and sadly, blogging fell by the wayside, which I really regret but I am on a mission to bring Belle of the Ball back to life again. At least until the new baby arrives and takes away all my free time.

So, please forgive me for my absence. I have missed you and I hope you have missed me too. I will be back very soon with lots of fashion, beauty and life news.

Until then...thanks for checking back in and not forgetting me :)

A Shopping Haul...Not For Me!

Elijah and I all ready for a shopping trip!

So yesterday, Darren and I took our little man out for the first time...to go shopping! We've been given so many amazing presents for Elijah from friends and family, including a whole load of gift vouchers for places such as John Lewis, Mamas and Papas, Baby Gap and M&S, so we decided it was time to treat Titch to some gorgeous new clothes...and toys...and other fun (yes, yes and essential) things.

I never thought I would have so much fun buying things for someone else, but I am now definitely a baby shopaholic! Baby boy clothes are so amazing...they are like mini man clothes, and those are the kind of things we went for. I don't like clothes that are too babyish...just because he's not big enough to fill a newborn babygrow yet does not mean that my little man shouldn't look super stylish. 

We started at Jojo Maman Bebe in Temple Fortune, which is actually a sale shop...swoon!! We picked him up a couple of cute baby grows and swimming shorts for the summer, plus a breton feeding dress for mama!

Here's what I wore for our trip...this was also my first proper outing after giving birth, and it was quite overwhelming. The C section has really taken it out of me, and I've had a stinking cold all week, so I wasn't feeling my best...that and trying to adjust to a post preggo figure...bring on Zumba in 6 weeks time!

The perfect accessory!

Posing with my boy

The ultimate must-have - a Yummy Mummy bag

I went for a black maxi dress and layered over a grey marl top and checked shirt, plus my essential "Claire Belle" name necklace and peace sign necklace, topped up with the ultimate changing bag - the Yummy Mummy bag by Pink Lining. I'm obsessed with it!

After Jojo, we headed to Brent Cross and all the shops we had vouchers for. I wanted to get him outfits he could wear now, as all we have at the moment is babygrows. We got some absolutely amazing things for him, including a pair of gorgeous denim dungarees and yellow cords from Baby Gap, a fabulous hoodie and trackie bottoms outfit from Mamas and Papas, jeans and jumpers from John Lewis and my favourite - as chosen by Darren, a chambray jumpsuit from Baby Gap! Swoon!

We also picked up some toys and other bits and bobs, but, let's be honest, it's all about the clothes.

I've popped a couple of pics of the haul below, and if you look closely, you'll see Titch in the background lording it over all of his new goodies.

So there you go...a haul post, just not for me! As soon as I am back in the shopping mode for myself, I will do a haul post of my own, but for now, I am loving buying clothes for my gorgeous little man. Enjoy x

Not bad for Eli's first haul

My favourite purchase of the day - a chambray jumpsuit from Baby Gap

What I've Been Up To Recently

Sorry for the long absence...The last couple of weeks have been manic. I've finished work, ready for maternity leave, had my baby shower, Darren's birthday, lots of writing, seeing friends and family, obsessing over Beyonce at the Super Bowl half time show and basically doing as much as possible, as the countdown to Titch's arrival is now just over 3 weeks! How has that happened?!


It's been a really busy but fun couple of weeks and getting everything ready for Titch's arrival is exhausting, but enjoyable at the same time. It feels like I'm playing house, or we're playing mummies and daddies...weird!


Anyway, here is a little round up of what I have been up to recently. How has your last week been? Been up to anything fun? Enjoy x

Decorating Titch's room

Baby Jonah meets Great Grandma Rose for the first time

Celebrating Darren's birthday at my favourite restaurant - Banners in Crouch End

Mmmm...mammoth Greek salad and garlic chips at Banners

Hanging out with my gorgeous nephew

My baby shower cake

Baby shower spread - including surprise cupcakes from my besties in LA

Amazing present from one of my best friends, Tola

Bump at 36 weeks

The best wallpaper ever - at The Breakfast Club in Shoreditch

Red Velvet cake in Brick Lane bakery

Dad and Darren putting the cot together

Lusting over more cakes in Spitalfields Market

Snow Day

Sorry for the long absence! Blogger has been playing up and I haven't been able to upload any pictures :( Thanks to some bloggers who were also experiencing problems, I discovered that the problem didn't exist if using Google Chrome...so now I am and ta da...problem resolved!

I've also been busy becoming an aunty this week! My brother and sis in law had their gorgeous baby late Wednesday night - a beautiful baby boy called Jonah. I am already so obsessed with him and am planning on spoiling him silly. Here's a pic of the amazing new addition to our family.

Jonah Lewis

So if you are a UK resident, you'll have probably been stranded at home in the gorgeous snow all weekend. Darren and I decided (well, I wanted to and I dragged Darren) to go for a walk in the snow, as there really wasn't anything else to do.

We walked to our local park, which was full of people sledding down the snow adorned hills. It was so beautiful and the snow was falling constantly, so we took advantage and took some bump pics, as Darren is always saying we don't take enough. So dressed in my sparkly Topshop maternity jumper, the only coat which still does up over my bump, my favourite hat and my Dior snow boots (bought for £10 from the Dior sample sale when I used to work there) I posed for some bump shots.

Here are a few pics of our afternoon in the snow. Have you been out enjoying the snow today? Enjoy x

loved this kid's matching neon sled and hat - so SS13! 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

...A Primark Christmas actually!

I decided to visit the new Primark on Oxford Street the other day to get myself a Christmas jumper...and one for Darren of course.

Once there though and after having a mooch around, I emerged with an armful of gorgeous festive inspired goodies. From socks and underwear to scarves and accessories to jumpers and leggings, there is so much fabulous Chrissy gear that I really had to restrain myself not to go too OTT!

That being said, I still managed to spend about £40...a fortune by Primark standards. I picked up a couple of matching festive jumpers (yes, I do intend to be one of those couples with matching xmas jumpers!) some cosy slipper socks, slippers, a snood and matching mittens and some fair isle print leggings. All ready for it to snow now.

Here are some pics of my haul. Have you been to Primark recently? What do you think of their Festive collection? Enjoy x

Me in my new xmas jumper! Soon to be published...hubby in matching jumper!

Fair Isle print leggings £7

Reindeer slippers £3

Reindeer slipper socks £4

Fair Isle fingerless mittens £3

Fair Isle snood £4

The matching set together

Santa Claus jumper £12 (men's section)

Close up of jumper (I got Darren the same one...yay!)

Halloween Fashion Must Haves

It's that time of year again - the nights are drawing in, the days are getting colder, the clocks go back, leaves are falling from the trees and Halloween is almost upon us (which mean's it's also almost Christmas! yay!)

I love a bit of Halloween fun - we always stock the house with sweet treats for kiddies Trick or Treating, some years we dress up and go to costume parties and this year I am seriously thinking about creating my own pumpkin Jack O Lantern.

Just because it's a time of year to dress up in spooky costumes, does not mean you have to look like a scary old witch! This season, the glamorous gothic trend is all the rage, and looking dark and decadent is "So hot right now."

With that in mind, I've done a little round up of some of my favourite Halloween inspired pieces on the high street, to get you in that spooky frame of mind - I know we still have 5 days to go, but start planning now if you have a big Halloween party to go to - or if you just want to get into the spirit.

Do you think this little lot are tricks or treats? Are you planning anything fun for Halloween this year? Enjoy x

Lace maxi skirt Topshop £48

Lace panel dress Miss Selfridge £52

Jewelled leather gloves Boohoo.com £18

Platform boots Boohoo.com £30

Snake ring Boohoo.com £10

Feather capelet Topshop £85

Ghost tee Tea & Cake £20

Mesh trim slip Topshop £35

Skull nail wraps Nail Rock £6

Cat headband Miss Selfridge £4

Tassel jacket River Island £40

Cat tank River Island £20

Extreme Cardigan Miss Selfridge £52