My Week in Pictures

This week I thought I'd stick with a more personal post rather than a fashion related one. I've really been feeling these lately! They just seem to be coming more naturally in terms of writing fluidity. 

So to begin. Last week I went to my boyfriends sisters confirmation and had a lovely time. I can honestly spend hours with the girls, especially now that they're getting older. We have Kacey (12) who's confirmation it was and she is just the most fun loving and smiley child you will ever meet. And mature beyond her years. Like you should hear the stuff she comes out with, it's amazing. And then there's Melissa (15) who is so incredibly genuine and kind. She always thinks of others before herself and loves everyone so hard. I grew up with one brother so having these two in my life is a luxury and blessing that I will never take for granted. They are just two incredible girls that I love so much. If you read my last post, you would have seen that I joined Slimming World. Well on this day, that took a complete step back as we went to Scotty's Steakhouse for dinner. It's an American style restaurant with killer meals. The Ice Cream pictured below, yes I ate all of it. I REGRET NOTHING!

I am now three weeks into my membership with Slimming World and I am thrilled to be able to say that I have lost 10 pounds with them so far. The classes are fabulous and cater to all ages. The recipes are flawless and so tasty. I am actually really surprised by how many things I can actually have. And not to mention, my Mum made the decision to do it with me. It's really nice having someone who offers a never ending supply of support and a little bit of innocent competition. She's honestly been my rock through all of this and has already taught me so much about what I can actually achieve. I'm reminded everyday by how incredible she is and how there is nothing like a Mother's unconditional love.

I also bought myself a new pair of snazzy trainers. I had my eye on a new bag but I've been eyeing these babies up for months. So considering that I was starting a healthier chapter of my life, I thought that this particular purchase would be fitting for the occasion. They're called the Nike Air Pegasus Zoom trainers and they retail in Lifestyle Sports for 110 euro. Yes they are on the pricier side of shoes but they are so comfortable and cushioned. I feel like Tigger walking up and down the promenade! And well, they're lilac. SOLD!

Hope that you too have had a lovely week!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Let's Catch Up

OKAY! Yes I am so aware that it has been months since I last did a blog post. I just wasn't feeling inspired and I never blog unless it's natural. So here we are, two months later and I am writing to you "au naturale".

London

Oh yeah! I went to London. My whole family live over there and I haven't been in years so when my boyfriend left for America back in January, I took it as an opportunity to go on a few adventures. I got to visit my cousins, see a close friend of mine and see my Godparents. There were countless days of shopping and meals out. And the friends that I was staying with even got me a goodbye gift. I was totally and utterly spoiled and I had an absolutely amazing time. When I graduate, I'll be doing a bee line over there! To see more pictures of my trip, head over to my Instagram account! 

Lifestyle Change

If you've been following my social media and this site, then you'll know that I joined Weight Watchers back in September. I managed to lose a stone a two pounds by the time November came along, which I am still so thrilled about. But as the Christmas season crept up upon us all, I started working more, going out more and having less time to focus on the bigger picture. Then after Christmas, I went on two holidays. So my new lifestyle took a step back and of course, I put on a few pounds. But I think it was what I needed. It made me realise that I do not want to go back to how I was. I enjoyed Zumba, walks on the prom and achieving something at my weigh in every week. I liked weight watchers, but there were'nt a lot of people my own age there and they all seemed to be mothers. So the majority of the group chat was about cooking for the rest of the family which was something I found hard to relate to, as I am only 20 and childless. I looked into other groups and heard about Slimming World. I went to my first class last week and loved it. The youngest person there is 13 and the oldest is 63. There were loads of people my own age there and it was so up beat and positive. Thinking about the future made me excited and I was extremely motivated. Once I'm a couple of weeks into it, I'll do a more in depth post about my journey so far.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Room Decor & Future Plans

Welcome back! Tonight I thought I'd talk about something a little different. I've been posting pictures on Instagram of my new room and everyone seems to love them so I thought I would do a post on my new room, decor, furniture, etc. And to be honest, I think I got all of my furniture at a discounted price so that made the splurging a bit easier. Keep in mind I've also been gradually saving and buying these items since August. 

My Dressing Table
So to begin, I'm going to talk about my favourite item in my room. It's my Victorian dressing table. I think it's fair to say that every girl dreams of having a dressing table. Well I most certainly have any way. This was the first piece of furniture that I bought. I turned 20 back in September and I used the money I got from friends and family to buy the table. It was 200 euro and included the stool and mirror. I got it from Ryans Home Store in Galway. It was flat packed so I was able to fit it in my dad's car and assembly was easy. All I had to do was attach the legs and mirror. The lights, frame and fake flowers are from Next, The illuminated mirror is from Boots (now on sale for 30 euro), the make up brush container and treasure chest jewelry box are from ebay and the silver jewelry box is a family heirloom. It truly is my most favoured piece so thank you to my friends and family who made it possible for me to finally get one! 

My Bedside Locker and Mirror
The next two items on my list was a full length mirror and bedside table to match my dressing table. I know, a challenge right? But for some reason the universe was working with me when it came to presenting itself with things that I was thinking of. I found my mirror and table in a shop across from Claire's Accessories in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre in Galway. They were both reduced so I got the table for 89.99 and the mirror for 39.99. They're both very classic and have the same detailing as my dressing table so how could I not? The lamp on my table was 22.99 from B&Q and my jewelry dish was 5 euro from Dunnes Stores. The books at the bottom are a gradual collection from over the years, but mainly bought in Easons.

My Bed

This was something that I didn't have to spend a lot of money on because we already had the bed in the spare room. I use to have one of those bunk beds with the desk underneath so this was a seriously long overdue change. I got my quilt and pillow covers from Penneys/Primark for 11 euro as well as the thin throw for about 20 euro. The fur throw on top was a bit pricier however. It cost around 80 euro from the Paul Costelloe collection in Dunnes Stores. But my boyfriend had won a voucher at work and was kind enough to take me shopping for things I needed for my room, so the throw was one of the things I chose to get as it gets quite cold in my room in the winter. All three of my cushions are from B&Q. I bought them all on sale for 11 euro. At the end of my bed are two bean bags that I bought from Aldi for 21.99 each. I use to have a futon seating area in my room for when I had friends over but had to get rid of that to make room for my table. These were a perfect find and tie in so nicely with the theme of my room.

Storage
To be honest I haven't done much in terms of storage yet. I still have my wardrobe unit and there are draws under my bed where I store my bags. Something I did reuse from my old bed was a shelving unit that was built into the bunk so I just unscrewed it and it now acts as a stand alone shelving unit in the corner of my room. I have some pictures and my candles on the top shelf. The baskets I have throughout the unit are all from Penneys/Primark. They came in a set of two for just 8 euro each so really how could you go wrong?

What's on my wall?
So first of all, I got my paint from Next and the name of it is Powder Pink. I cannot remember how much it was because we're talking about back in August here, but I think I paid about 40 euro for two cans. The wall stickers were also bought in Next and these were 23 euro. I still love them! My Grand Central Station picture was bought in Dunnes Stores for 30 euro (bought with the voucher). The "Fashion Ave." sign was a present from my best friend brought back from New York. The three Vogue illustrations were 3 for 5 euro in a small shop called "Love Vintage" out in Clifden and I just bought the frames in the pound shop. And lastly, my "Shannon" painting was done by a street artist in Venice when we were over there on holiday when I was about twelve. I think we paid something like 12 euro for it then just got it framed.

Bits and Bobs 
The vase in the corner of my room was 25 euro from the Paul Costelloe collection in Dunnes (also bought with the voucher). I love the illustration on it! Above, is my crown chain hanger which was something ridiculous like 1.20 in Deals. On my window sill I have a frame from the Carolyn Donnelly collection in Dunnes for 8 euro. I then have a little treasure box that was given to me as a gift from my boyfriends brother and his girlfriend. I know it's from Dunnes but not sure on the price. I do love it. It's quite deep and can really store quite a bit. The final thing on my window sill is a little owl. I call him Herbert. He was 7 euro from Next. Lastly, there's my little chandelier that cost me just 11 euro from Next. It was on display and they were taking it down so I got it for a discounted price. WINNING!

Future Plans
The only things I have left to get for my room is a new rug and a headboard for my bed. But they're not major. I'm still shopping around. I also want to paint my shelving and wardrobe units the same cream colour as my table and mirror but that's really more of a Spring/Summer project so we can have the windows and all open.

I hope you enjoyed this read! I had a lot of fun writing it.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Beauty News and Reviews: The Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream

Today is a bit of a speedy review on something that I think is the most talked about beauty product of 2014. Yes, the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour cream. Now, I have been hearing about this cream non stop from Youtubers, beauty bloggers and various magazines. I left it for a while because I usually wait to see how long the hype lasts around a product. Well after over a year of reading about it and considering that it is still being discussed, I took the plunge a couple of weeks ago. 

One major factor that was stopping me from buying it was the price. It usually retails at around 26 euro but I bought mine in duty free for like 21 euro, I think. I suffer from extremely dry skin and my lips are constantly cracking, even in the warmer months. Those of you who suffer from this will also know that it comes with the frustration of lipstick just not looking good when you apply it. 

After using it for over three weeks now, I can't imagine my life without it. After two days of regular application, there was a drastic improvement. My lips have not felt dry or cracked since I've started using this product. There is a specific lip version but I've heard through the grape vine that the regular one is actually better. And it's a multi purpose product as it can be applied to any dry areas on your skin. Now that I know how good it is, I would pay double the price because it really does guarantee amazing results!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

Be Lovely with Loverly

Afternoon everyone! So who here likes weddings? Well, I for one adore them. My Pinterest is full of wedding DIY, dresses, cakes, you name it! So last week when the amazing Carolyn from Loverly got in contact with me, I was only thrilled to help her out with the launch of their new collection.

First of all, Loverly is a one stop shop for all your wedding needs. From the initial plan making to the dress itself. It also has some serious secret tips on how to make your big day as stress free and enjoyable as possible. Loverly is the place to go if you're in need to things to hire, trinkets to buy or plans that need to be made. It truly is the new way for planning a wedding. 

Now having been established for three years, they have just launched their first ever bridesmaid collection! They so kindly asked to to help introduce the Eva Franco collection for Loverly and I was only delighted to help out. I know that what I'm about to say is a serious cliche, but I'm okay with that. I am beyond obsessed with weddings. I think that every girl subconsciously thinks about what their own wedding will be like during many points in their lives. I know for me, my debs was a huge "oh that would be nice for a wedding" sort of occasion. There was one girl there with the most beautifully cut dress. Just the fit, the style, the fabric. Oh my goodness it was gorgeous. In my mind, I was picturing it with a veil, a mauve band around the waist and instead of it being a charcoal colour, it was a beautiful crisp ivory shade. Even thinking about it I get excited...... 

Getting asked to be a bridesmaid is a serious honour. It's the bride's way of letting you know that she trusts you enough to help make her big day as special as possible and that she values your opinion. As of recently, I've been working part time in a bridal shop. I deal with bridesmaids mostly. And when they come in, you can see how much the bride relies on them. And it really is quite lovely. I think that this collection has the perfect amount of romance but is also very contemporary. 

But before I get down to the critique, here are a few photo's from the new collection.

Let me just start by saying that I love the meeting point between traditional and modern. The last coordinate crop top and skirt ensemble is exquisite. I could imagine it to be perfect for a beach wedding with a floral crown or something similar to what is in the picture above. It is just such a elegant piece and could so easily be worn again. I know that it's not to everybody's taste, but I adore the blush pink lace and bow detail dress. I'm a serious girly girl at heart so this ticks all the boxes for me. The lace material has such a lovely liquidity to it and the colour is a subtle nod towards this seasons popular coral shades. This dress falls under the "Pretty in Pink" collection and it is without a doubt my favorite! The colour is gorgeous, the fabrics used are both unusual and classic, they flow and let's face it, they're absolutely stunning. The navy strapless dress that can be seen in the first image above, is a beautifully tailored fit. The lace bodice is divine and this style is very wearable. This dress in particular is from the "True Blue" collection which I think would be perfect for Autumn and Winter weddings.

I've had a look at the prices and compared them to the materials used. Seeing that the fabrics are of excellent quality and considering the amount of detail in many of the pieces, they're a steal! I've seen other bridesmaids dresses that were not as carefully made as these, and cost a heck of a lot more. Another thing that I love about the collection is that they're gorgeous bridesmaids dresses, but could all be worn again with a little bit of styling. The team at Loverly with the help of Eva Franco have managed to tackle this seasons most popular colours and make them look even more incredible. It's predicted that subtle tones of pink and bold navy colours will be this season's most popular palette and with the help from these beautiful dresses, they most certainly will be!

Want to see the entire collection? Click the link below!

Eva Franco for Loverly

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I hope you guys enjoyed this post and that I did the collection the justice it deserves!

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid or offered any freebies to say these things. All of these opinions are my own.

Oh Look! We're in Germany!

So about four weeks ago, a friend of mine rang me to see how I was as it was the night before my boyfriend left for America. We got to talking about my best friend, Jean, who is currently living in Germany and how much we missed her, etc. We knew that another friend of ours was going over to visit her at the end of January so we made the impulse decision to book flights that evening. But we all decided that we wouldn't tell Jean that myself and my other friend were visiting too. She was only aware that one of us were going. So we had to keep it from her for weeks. We talk everyday so not being able to tell her about how excited I felt was so difficult! But that moment, when we walked up from behind her on the train platform, is truly something I will never forget. There were tears and then the "why didn't you tell me?" questions. It was just so amazing to be able to surprise someone you love that much. 

Well we spent a total of 5 days in Hanover. It is such a beautiful city and the shopping! Oh my god the shopping. I was not prepared. The food was also delicious. My favourite day was without a doubt our last one. We went to the zoo and ice skating. We really made a day of it all. So below are a few pictures of the trip, some outfits and what I bought.

Dress: Littlewoods Ireland, Boots: Simply Be

Top: Penneys, Pants: Zara, Duster Coat: New Look, Boots: Simply Be

Dress: A German shop that I can't remember the name of...

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Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo

My Gel Nails History

So this evenings post is a quick one. Over the last year, I have received so many compliments and questions over my nails. I've been getting gel nails on and off over the last year and a half. They're my little piece of luxury every month and they always make me feel a bit special (pathetic, I know). The lady who does them for me is so incredibly talented and can literally do anything. Her attention to detail is incredible and no matter how long her day has been or how tired she feels, each set is equally as perfect as the last. Her page can be found HERE and she regularly uploads pictures of her latest creations so that you can choose from them. After going to her, I can't imagine anyone else doing them. Here are a few pictures of he nails I've gotten done over the last year!

Be sure to check her out on Facebook if you're interested in having some fabulous fingers!

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid or offered any freebies to write this post. I wrote it because this woman is genuinely amazing at her job.

Much Love,

Shannon.

xoxo