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Posts tagged Birthday
25th Birthday Haul
1On Valentine’s Day I turned 25, and though I felt unwell (for the third birthday in a row!), I had a great day. Charles treated me to a lovely breakfast in bed of Belgian chocolate waffles, hot tea, and fresh orange juice. We then went for a long walk around Bradgate Park with my family, and had lunch at a tea room, and in the evening we had a pizza party with amazing chocolate birthday cake!
I was lucky enough to receive lots of cards, a few Highcross and Amazon vouchers from friends and family, and some gorgeous gifts, so I thought I’d do a little haul post to show you some of what I got.
My mum gifted me this watch, and it’s absolutely stunning. I love the marcasite detail and I’ve been wearing it every day since I got it.
My two main presents from Charles were these Kate Bush themed necklaces. The first one is from her official website, and features lyrics from one of my favourite songs, Cloudbusting. I actually saw this when I went to see Kate in London last year, but couldn’t afford it at the time. I really wasn’t expecting to get it for my birthday, so was so happy when I opened it! The second necklace is made of silver and was personalised just for me. I love it.
Charles also got me this awesome Game of Thrones t shirt. I can’t wait to style it for an outfit post in the coming weeks!
My dad gave me a few bits for the house, my favourite of which is the Moroccan lamp. It’s made of metal and is lined with purple fabric, and gives off a lovely ambient glow. It now takes pride of place on my living room fireplace.
Much to my delight I get quite a few books every year, and this year was no different. Charles gave me ‘A First Book of Nature’, and ‘An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth’ by my space hero, Chris Hadfield. The rat training book was from an old school friend, and my sister gave me ‘Wreck This Journal’ and ‘The Pocket Scavenger’, both by Keri Smith. I can’t wait to start filling them in!
All of the above were parts of gifts from my old school friends, who I celebrated with last night at my favourite restaurant. There was a definite rat theme to their gifts this year!
And of course, no birthday haul would be complete without an abundance of chocolate!
Last but not least, my talented mum made me this super cute heart wreath. She crocheted the flowers herself, and decorated them with buttons. This now adorns my bedroom door and it looks right at home.
Naomi x
Birthday Haul
7
7 years
by Naomi in Hauls
Last Friday was my birthday, and I was lucky enough to receive lots of lovely gifts from my friends and family – some that I’d asked for, and some that were a complete surprise! So, as promised in my birthday outfit post, here is a little haul post for those who are interested.
Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty / The Usborne Book of Drawing, Doodling and Colouring / I Am Pusheen the Cat / Batman: The Killing Joke / Cornucopia at Home: The Cookbook
Look Beauty Glitz & Glam Nail Set / Sleek Blush By 3 in ‘Pink Lemonade’ / John Galliano EDP
Dreamcatcher Scarf / Batman Socks (they have capes!!)
Ratty Photo Album / Treats for my girls / Rat Calendar / Custom Made Rat Necklaces by Solstice Mini’s (I’ll be reviewing these separately soon!)
The Great British Bake Off Muffin Tin and Sandwich Tins
Graduation Photo Frame / Pink Notebook / Batman USB Stick / Uniball Gelstick Pens
Lumpy Space Princess Plush
Lots of Chocolate! (I actually got 4 boxes of Milk Tray but one of them was polished off before I took these photos…)
My mum got especially crafty for my birthday this year. She actually crocheted the blanket you can see in the photos above, as an extra special gift, and she even made my birthday card by hand. With a heart and rose theme as it was Valentine’s Day! Look how beautiful it is…
Oh and I’m also waiting on an amazing necklace from my dad that I plan on styling in an outfit post asap, so keep an eye out for that.
Thanks everyone for my gorgeous presents 
Naomi x
What I Wore: Birthday Dress
4Yesterday was my birthday, and my fiancé and I went out for a lovely birthday/Valentine’s lunch at one of my favourite bars. It might have been freezing cold and chucking it down with rain, but I was determined to wear the beautiful black jersey maxi dress that my mum gave me as a gift, so I layered it up with tights, my Primark faux leather biker jacket, and my Fraas stars & skull wrap.
M&Co Black Jersey Maxi Dress / Primark Faux Leather Biker Jacket / Dr Martens Grace Denise 8 Big Eye Boots / Fraas Tonal Stars & Skull Wrap / Juno Black Patent Grab Bag / Primark Tights and Gloves
This wrap is my go-to piece to add a splash of colour to any outfit, and the great thing is it’s reversible, so you can alter the shade to suit your mood. The combination of pink, orange and purple is really pretty, and the stars and skull pattern is right up my street. It’s made of high quality wool too so it’s beautifully soft and warm; perfect for this time of year.
Wet weather also calls for trusty boots and a waterproof bag, so I wore my Grace Denise floral Dr Martens to colour match the scarf, and this stunning Juno patent grab bag from Where Shall I Wander. I used to only ever use shoulder bags, but lately I’ve really started to appreciate classic, structured handbags like this one (although it does come with a detachable shoulder strap). I absolutely adore the contrast of gold on shiny black, and for patent it’s pretty classy looking.
Another thing I love about the bag is how it fastens. It zips along the top but also partly down the sides, so no water can get in whatsoever, but when it’s unzipped it expands so it’s really roomy, with one main compartment and three little pockets. I use it to carry my camera around with me as I don’t have to worry about it getting wet.
If you want to see what I got for my birthday, check back soon for a little haul post!
Naomi x
*The Fraas Tonal Stars & Skull Wrap and Juno Black Patent Grab Bag were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*
F&F Paper Doll Party Looks – Part 2
1
7 years
For the second part of my entry into the #FFPaperDollParty styling challenge, I have put together four more looks for the party season. I’ve had so much fun dressing up my personalised paper doll with the peel off clothes that came with her, so I hope you enjoy seeing the outfits I’ve created for her!
December Birthday Party
Everyone has that one friend or relative with a December birthday, and I actually think it’s quite nice to get away from everything Christmas-related for one night, so for a December Birthday Party I went for this pretty Rose Print Shift Dress. It isn’t overly festive and could easily be worn at any time of year, so would make a great wardrobe staple for 2014.
Night In
Whether you’re lazing around watching TV, having a girly evening with friends or playing board games with the family, a festive night in is an absolute necessity at this time of year. If you’re not going out you don’t have to dress up, but you can still look good whilst being comfortable by teaming a gorgeous camisole with a pair of cosy leggings.
Night Out
For a night out this black Tuxedo Playsuit would be perfect. The classic cut and satin trim are really chic, and teamed with your favourite heels, a cute clutch and some statement jewellery you’d be effortlessly party-ready. The red version is also really eye-catching if black isn’t your thing.
Bar with Boyfriend
If you’re heading to a fancy bar with your boyfriend for a few drinks, these Leather-Look Trousers and Sequin Sleeve Jacket are classy and smart, but also have a bit of an edge, especially with just a pretty basque underneath! The Sequin Sleeve Jacket is easily my favourite piece from F&F’s partywear collection – it’s stunning, and so versatile.
Which look is your favourite?
Naomi x
Big Birthday Giveaway WINNER
3Last month, to celebrate my 23rd birthday and my blog’s 1st birthday, I launched my Big Birthday Giveaway. I teamed up with Lookfantastic to offer one lucky winner a highly sought after Urban Decay Naked Palette, and the time has finally come for me to announce who will be receiving this amazing prize!
The response to the giveaway was incredible and by the time it closed it had received more than 2000 entries from all over the world! So, thank you so much to everyone who entered – I really appreciate your support, and thank you too to Lookfantastic for donating the palette.
Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The WINNER of my Big Birthday Giveaway is Entry No. 94, which belongs to…
Chrissie Lea
Congratulations Chrissie! I hope you enjoy your prize. Please contact me at with your address to claim your prize.
Once again, thank you so much to everyone who entered – I wish I had a prize for all of you! If you still want the Urban Decay Naked Palette, it is available here from Lookfantastic for £36.00, and for a limited time, if you buy 2 Urban Decay products you will receive a free Supercurl Mascara.
Keep an eye out for another exciting giveaway coming soon!
Naomi x
Valentine’s Birthday
9Yesterday was not only Valentine’s Day but my 23rd birthday, and I was lucky enough to have the day off work to celebrate! As is tradition, I woke up early to open my cards and presents, and in the afternoon I went for a lovely lunch with my family and partner, Charles. After lunch, Charles and I walked into town for a wander round and to see the Richard III exhibition at the local museum, before heading home for birthday cake and a game of Balderdash. It was a relaxed day, but I enjoyed it as I got to spend time with the people I love, and I was given some amazing gifts which I am extremely grateful for! Here are a few photos from the day…
I was lucky enough to receive everything on my Birthday Wish List this year, and more! Everything I was given is very ‘me’, and I have quite a few fashion and beauty items to review for you, including Layla, Miss Sporty and Barry M nail varnishes, Sleek Lipstick and Real Techniques make up brushes. There was also a strong owl theme in my cards and gifts this year… My mum even bought me a packet of owl print toilet roll as a joke! Haha.
Charles surprised me with this absolutely beautiful silver necklace which says ‘Everlong’. Everlong by the Foo Fighters has been my favourite song for years, and when Charles and I got together it became ‘our’ song, so when I saw this I very nearly cried. I love it so much and I’m going to treasure it forever!
I’m a massive fan of Batman, and Charles’ mum and sister baked me this amazing Batman cake. The bat is made from dark chocolate, the icing is vanilla and chocolate buttercream, and the sponge inside is coloured green and purple like the Joker. How cool is that?
We are currently decorating our hallway and the walls were completely bare yesterday, so I decided to write a little note on the plaster for future generations to find one day when I’m old and grey.
Seeing as I had a casual day, I decided to wear a casual outfit for my birthday. I settled for a pink dress top with romantic lace sleeves and purple skinny jeans, both from H&M, and my trusty purple Dr Martens. Oh, and my Everlong necklace of course!
And true to kitty form, my cat Moth loved playing with all the wrapping paper and gift bags!
What did you do for Valentine’s Day this year? Did you get anything nice from your loved one?
Naomi x
What I Wore: Birthday Celebration with Friends
3
8 years
Next Thursday (Valentine’s Day) is my birthday, and yesterday I went out with four of my closest friends for an early celebration meal. We went to Prezzo for pizza and cheesecake, and had a good old natter, as we always do! I decided to dress down for the evening as we weren’t doing anything too fancy, but I managed to combine polka dots, skulls and bright lips – three of my favourite things!
This is the make up look I went for (apologies for the badly lit photos!)…
Products Used:
Avon Magix Face Perfector
MUA Professional Matte Foundation in Soft Sand
Colortrend Perfect and Hide Concealer in Light
MUA Pressed Powder in Shade 1
MUA Mosaic BlusherModels Own Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black
e.l.f. Studio Cream Eyeliner in Black
Bellapierre Lash Building Mascara in Black
Sleek Pout Paint in Port
And here is what I wore…
Dress – Store Twenty One
Leggings – Primark
Boots – Deichmann
Bag – Primark Oxford Street
Necklace – Avon
Naomi x
Bewitchery’s 1st Birthday!
7Yesterday was Bewitchery’s first birthday – a whole year since I started blogging about beauty, fashion and lifestyle! When I first started this blog I never thought it would become the success that it has, and what started out as a hobby has become a big part of my everyday life. I would be lost without my little blog now, and looking back over the last year I can really see how my blog has evolved.
I would like to thank every single one of my lovely followers for supporting me and helping me get this far. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am, but I’ve had a lot of fun doing it and I can’t wait to see what this next year will bring. So whether you follow my blog as a WordPress subscriber, via Twitter, Facebook, HelloCotton or Bloglovin’, thank you so much for reading what I have to say, and for commenting on my posts. You all rock! The interest I’ve had from beauty and fashion companies has also been beyond what I ever imagined, so thank you too to those who have asked me to review products and write for them – it’s been a pleasure and will continue to be so!
To celebrate my one year blog birthday, I am hoping to host a giveaway soon for all of my readers, so keep an eye out for that.
Here’s to another exciting year,
Naomi x
Birthday Wish List
4
8 years
Evening all!
Firstly, I would like to apologise for my elusiveness lately. January has been an incredibly busy month for me but it seems to have dragged on forever – I’m sure many of you can relate to that feeling! On top of starting back at work after Christmas, I had an important assignment to do for my Master’s Degree this month, so I spent most of my evenings researching, writing and editing, hence my lack of blog posts. Luckily, I handed the assignment in yesterday so I’ll have a bit more time on my hands now (although I do have a dissertation proposal to complete…), so expect to see a lot more from me during February!
Hopefully February will be a bit more fun than January has been. On Sunday my fiancé and I are going to London, just for one night, but we have a lot planned. I will be taking my camera on the trip so expect a rather photo heavy post when I get back! Also, Bewitchery turns one year old on the 7th of February, which is very exciting indeed. The main event in February for me though is my birthday! On the 14th of February I turn 23, and (fingers crossed) I won’t be working that day, so I am going to spend the next couple of weeks planning fun things to do! Birthdays for me are mostly about surprises, cake and having a nice time with my loved ones, but I do have a few things on my Birthday Wish List this year, so I thought I would share them with you here…
Dr Martens Grace Denise 8 Big Eye Boots
If you’ve read this post, you’ll know that I’m a Dr Martens fangirl, and I have been lusting after this pair for months now. I recently noticed that they were in the Schuh sale, so I dropped a massive hint with my dad and I think these babies will be mine in two weeks time!
Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish
I know I’m extremely late to the hologram polish party, but I really love the look of Layla’s hologram range, especially this Ultra Violet shade.
Real Techniques Core Collection
I’ve been after a decent set of make up brushes for a long, long time (my current set are falling apart), and lots of you lovely beauty bloggers have recommended Real Techniques’ Core Collection. I’ve done some research, and they really do look like a quality set of brushes, so these are now on my list. They pass the cruelty free test too!
Real Techniques Starter Set
Because my eyes deserve fabulous brushes too… And they’re purple!
Kate Bush T-Shirt
Kate Brush is my hero, and has been since I was tiny, so this t-shirt is perfect for me. The design is just so pretty!
Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Smother
This is one of Sleek’s newest shades in their True Colour Lipstick range. It’s an extremely pretty pinky purple colour (it’s actually a bit darker in reality than it looks in the picture), and every time I go to Superdrug I can’t resist swatching it on my hand.
Naomi x
Kindred Sole – Shoes for the Soul!
11
8 years
by Naomi in Fashion
Ladies, allow me to introduce you to an exciting online shopping experience and the only shoe shop you will ever need – Kindred Sole. Kindred Sole is run by two lovely girls named Beth and Lizze, who both recently graduated from the same university that I used to go to, and who decided to follow their passion for shoes and set up business together. Kindred Sole sell their large selection of shoes exclusively online, in a wide range of sizes, and specialise in seeking only the best, high-quality footwear from talented new designers, as well as established brands. Whether you’re looking for a new pair of warm boots for the winter, a gorgeous pair of killer heels for a party, some pretty sandals for a sunny holiday or some funky flats for the office, Kindred Sole will have a unique pair perfect for you.
Earlier this week, Kindred Sole kindly sent me a pair of shoes to review so that I could experience their amazing shoes and service for myself, and I wasn’t disappointed. Yesterday morning there was a bang on the door and I was presented with a nicely packaged pair or brand new shoes. Needless to say, I was very excited, and also massively impressed with Kindred Sole’s quick delivery. The company aims to please its customers and they go out of their way to provide fantastic customer service by offering FREE, trackable next day delivery on all orders within the UK, and they also offer Saturday and worldwide delivery.
The shoes I received were these – a pair of Mel Tangerine Bow Caramel Shoes. Aren’t they beautiful?
Mel is a Brazilian company and these Tangerine Bow Caramel Shoes are made of recycled PVC and are Vegan friendly. As a Vegetarian myself I was pleased to discover the ethical nature of these shoes, but my happiness didn’t stop there…
As soon as I opened the box and saw the shoes inside, I was instantly taken by how cute and stylish they look! The bright, glossy yellow colour and large bow detail on the front are so fun and playful, and the shoes have such a nostalgic essence of childhood about them as they are reminiscent of the plastic jelly shoes that all of us 80s/90s kids used to wear. However, Mel’s shoes are rather more grown up!
The shoes are lined with a soft, cushioned sole, so they don’t make your feet sweat like some jelly shoes do. Rather, they are VERY comfortable. When I first put them on I actually couldn’t believe how amazingly lovely they felt on my feet, and they’re also warm and waterproof so your feet can still look pretty even on cold days.
Mel Tangerine Bow Caramel Shoes look fab dressed down with skinny jeans, or even teamed with a girly dress and tights for an Autumn evening look. They are available here from Kindred Sole for just £31.99, which is a fantastic price for such a high-quality pair of on-trend shoes, and they also come in a lovely nude shade. However, you could get them even cheaper if you take advantage of Kindred Sole’s Birthday offer…
On 31st October Kindred Sole celebrated their third birthday, so as a special thank you to their customers, new and old, they are currently offering 33% off ALL shoes, which is an extremely generous discount! The offer runs until Sunday 4th November, and can be used by entering the code ‘HAPPYB33‘ at the checkout. Amazing, right?
To get you in the shopping mood, here a few of my favourite shoes and boots from the Kindred Sole website…
Ugly Duckling Hand Made Shoes
£59.99 (£40.19 with discount)
Beyond Skin Sirene Peacock Glitter Shoes
£130 (£87.10 with discount)
Redfoot Folding Patent Black Welly Boots
£29.99 (£20.09 with discount)
Love From Australia Tibetan Cupid Caramel Sheepskin Boots
£189 (£126.63 with discount)
Redfoot Cheryl Damson Fold Up Shoes
£34.99 (£23.44 with discount)
I hope you enjoy your vibrant Kindred Sole shopping experience! To keep up to date with all the latest Kindred Sole news, you can follow them on Twitter and on Facebook. They are currently running a Facebook competition to win your favourite pair of shoes from their website, so get liking!
Naomi x
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