Keeping Up With Karen…

Howdy Chums…

How’s your weekend been? It’s been non stop here at Confetti & Curves HQ as we’re now just a few days away from wedding no 1 *EEEP* In other news, I finally managed to find a great deal on some new travel luggage, got creative with nails and spent my entire Saturday evening making cute little ‘Eat Me’ tags for the wedding favours that my sis is currently in the throws of making. Think I may just take the camcorder along and attempt a little wedding type vlog 😉 Could be fun, right?

As for today I’m taking it easy and recharging the batteries! If you’re doing the same and fancy a bit of blog reading whilst you’re doing nothing then why not check out the fun shenanigans that’s been happening on Confetti & Curves this past week – don’t forget to leave a link to any blog posts you’d like me to check out too!

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The Nail File: Bridal Nail Art Designs

On Mondays post I showcased a few of my recent bridal nail designs – there’s everything from glitter, freehand to stamping. Why not check them out and let me know which one you like best! Don’t forget you can follow my nail studio, Liquid Glamour, on Facebook too by *Clicking Here*

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Ten Gorgeous Mid Year & Academic Diaries

Ooooh I do love a spot of stationery shopping, don’t you?! Especially when it comes to picking a brand new mid year diary *excited air punch* So after browsing for what seemed like hours I painstakingly whittled down my top tem choices to suit all budget… perfect for back to school or a new organisational treat to schedule all your exciting blog posts in 😀

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First Impressions: The L’Oreal Brow Artist Kit

You know me ladies… always on the hunt for pocket friendly purchases – particularly ones that claim to get my brows looking tip top. How could I resist? So this week’s chatter is a first impressions of the much acclaimed L’Oreal Brow Kit. Is it really as good as the reviews suggest?!

Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss a future upload!

As always, thank y’all so much for the support, comments, re-tweets, shares, likes & just darn right loveliness. You lot really are an awesome bunch. Do feel free to pop a favourite link from your blog in the comments below for the rest of us to check out, otherwise do stop by & say a quick hello!

Cheerio Chums…

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Ten Gorgeous Mid Year & Academic Diaries…

It’s that time of year again gals… when school bags are filled with shiny new goodies & mama’s (like me) get a chance to enjoy the silence of an empty house, as our off-spring tootle back to the classroom. But’s it’s not for that reason that I get super duper excited – it’s also the time of year I go diary shopping *excited air punch* Yes, I am indeed one of the many that opts for a mid-year/academic style planner. As always the decision is a toughie from hours of browsing through a multitude of utterly gorgeous designs and layouts.

However fear not indecisive shoppers, as I’ve scoured the interweb to bring you a selection of some of the sassiest little organisers you’ll be proud as punch to plan with. So get yourself comfy and let’s take a peak at my mid-year top picks to suit all budgets…

Kikki K Mid Year Mindful Colouring Diary

It’s so important to remember to take a mindful moment to pause and refocus. Take the opportunity to do just that with this unique Mindful Colouring Diary. With yearly, monthly and weekly pages, it’s so easy to get organised. Write down all of your thoughts, to dos and reminders on-the-go and use the mindful colouring pages to inspire you to live your best life.

Current Price: £24.00 now £19.20

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Busy B Floral Academic Diary

Trying to balance two busy lives? You need an organisational genius. And hey presto! Here it is. This clever diary lets you manage two schedules side-by-side, turning your thrillingly busy life into a brilliantly organised one.

Current Price: £9.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Tiny Me Personalised Mid Year Diary

Tinyme Personalised Mid Year Diaries are the cutest way to get organised. Plan your next adventure, book in milk and cookies with friends or document your extremely deep musings…

Tinyme Personalised Mid Year Diaries start from 1st July 2016 and continue through to 30th June 2017.

Personalised diaries come in 2 different sizes and allow you to select from 3 different internal layouts.

Current Price: £19.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Mint Green Lace Diary

Elegant and stylish, this polypro mid year diary with a white floral lace design will add a touch of class to your desk or bag and keep you organised and up to date for the academic year. Diary runs from 27th June 2016 to 27th August 2017. Features include sturdy polypro covers, soft pink wiro binding, soft pink elastic closure and a mint green inner paper lining. Includes a plastic wallet so that you can keep your receipts, tickets and to do lists in! Also contains personal information page, blank timetables, yearly calendars for 2016, 2017 and 2018, yearly planner, international and useful information pages, deadlines and exam note pages, address and note pages.

Current Price: £8.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Amelie Turquoise Butterfly Academic Diary 

This elegantly designed mid year diary from the Amelie collection is perfect for noting important engagements and plans in style! The hard back turquoise covers feature a pretty pattern of colourful butterflies complete with teal foiled detail. This day to page diary runs from 30th June 2016 to 31st August 2017. Features a jazzy pink zig zag inner paper lining as well as a pink ribbon page marker, so that you don’t lose your place! Also contains a personal information page, blank timetables, yearly calendars for 2016, 2017 and 2018, yearly planner, international and useful information pages, deadlines and exam note pages as well as address and note pages.

Current Price: £9.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Vintage Blue  Academic Diary

Plan your year ahead in this stylish vintage blue mid year diary! The soft linen covers feature an elegant striped blue and white china effect pattern. This diary runs from 30th June 2016 to 31st August 2017. The day to page layout means that it can be used as either a journal to store your thoughts or simply as a diary to note your appointments. Features include a stylish blue paper inner lining as well as a coordinating blue ribbon page marker. Also contains a personal information page, blank timetables, yearly calendars for 2016, 2017 and 2018, yearly planner, international and useful information pages, deadlines and exam note pages, forward planner as well as address and note pages.

Current Price: £10.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Scribble Slipcase Academic Dairy

This eye catching A5 diary which features colourful graphics and a protective plastic slipcase filled with white scribble catchy words is sure to make planning your year ahead more enjoyable! This week to view mid year diary runs from 27th June 2016 to 27th August 2017. Features include stylish rounded corners as well as an inner turquoise paper lining. Also contains a personal information page, blank timetables, yearly calendars for 2016, 2017 and 2018, yearly planner, international and useful information pages, deadlines and exam note pages as well as address and note pages.

Current Price: £9.49

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Kraft Gold Spots Academic Diary

Keep track of your appointments and exciting plans with this stylish gold foiled spotty mid year diary on kraft. This day to page diary leaves plenty of writing space for your daily activities. Diary runs from 30th June 2016 to 31st August 2017. Features include a sturdy board cover, a pale gold ribbon page marker and kraft inner paper lining. Also contains personal information page, blank timetables, yearly calendars for 2016, 2017 and 2018, yearly planner, international and useful information pages, deadlines and exam note pages, forward planner, address pages and note pages.

Current Price: £9.99

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Tropicowl A5 Diary

This cute and very practical A5 diary will help keep you organised. The flexible plastic cover features colourful owl characters on branches with the ‘2016-2017’ printed at the top. It contains a 12 month academic year diary (July 2016 – July 2017) in a week to view format as well as monthly calendars in handy lists, blank timetables and blank pages for notes and contacts.

Current Price: £8.00

*Click title for link to webstore*

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Slogan ‘Ziplock’ Vinyl Mid Year Diary

This cute and very practical mid year diary will help keep you organised. The vinyl sleeve style cover features a silver foil ‘Two Thousand and Sixteen – Seventeen’ title in a cursive font and is printed against a pretty watercolour-effect background.

It contains an academic year week to view diary (June 2016 – July 2017) as well as monthly calendars, year planners, blank timetables and pages for notes and contacts. The handy zip-lock wallet at the back and card slots on the inside covers finish it off nicely.

Current Price: £7.50

*Click title for link to webstore*

Can you guess which one I picked? What one’s your favourite? Whatever your thought’s I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by to say a quick howdy lovelies 

Cheerio Chums…

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Depotting Solo Eye Shadows…

If by any chance you’re an eye shadow junkie like myself, it’s more than likely you’ll have a stash of mini solo eye shadow pots scattered amongst your make-up collection. However, thanks to beauty space saving essentials such as the Z Palette range, it’s totally achievable to tidy up your hoards of solo shadows by carefully de-potting the pans & storing them in one handy place. No more rummaging through masses of individual singles *woo hoo*

But before trying this out for yourself here’s a few extra tips to help get you started…

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1) Depot your stash in batches, that way you can get everything done all at once.

2) Figure out how your going to organise your palette before you de-pot & don’t forget to jot down the brand/shade. Being super organised will save you time & confusion in the long run, particularly if you’re working with lots of similar shades.

3) Always be sure to take your time when removing them from the pot to avoid damaging your shadows… the bigger the pan the more likely the product is to crack with leverage.

4) Don’t attempt to de-pot cream or baked shadows as these usually don’t come in pans.

Hope you’s all find this weeks video a handy one, it’s certainly something that’s been on my to do list for quite some time! Goodbye messy solo pots, hello organised palette *happy sigh*

Don’t forget to stop by and say a quick hello, and do let me know if you’ve any tips for depotting your shadows too, we’d love to read them in the comments below! Thanks for watching 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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Ten Amazing Diaries for 2016…

“Hello. My name’s Karen and I’m a stationery addict…”

Yep, self confessed and not a damn bit sorry for it. As much as technology and all it’s virtual wizardry is appealing to the masses, for me there is nothing better than good old fashion paper & pen when it comes to scheduling ahead. Very little else makes my heart skip a few beats with utter happiness than when I’m shopping for brand spanking new stationary – ESPECIALLY if it’s anything to do with planning or organisation.

However as the dawning of a new year approaches so does our need to indulge in a few ‘planning essentials’ *wide grin spreads across face*  Of course a new diary being the epitomy of my 2016 shopping list… and if you’re anything like myself that will quickly extend into new pens, new desk calendars, new wall charts, new mechanical pencils, new highlighters, new little note pads that sit neatly beside the telephone… yada yada… you get what I mean!

So today’s glorious post *happy sigh* is my top 10 pick of thee cutest and handiest little diaries on the market – as always there’s something to suit almost every demand, style and budget. The hardest decision I have to make is simply choosing which one to buy for me *Eeeeep*

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Busy B Floral Design Diary

Such a clever, fun & chic planning companion… each week-to-view spread features a weekly planner opposite a page for notes and lists –  brilliant for taking care of the big stuff, and the little details. Features include a grid layout overview of each month of the year, letting you pop in appointments or events for quick reference on the go. Printed on quality paper with a soft card cover and colourful ribbon marker. It’s the perfect size for popping in your handbag. There are pages to keep a note of important numbers and contacts, a handy pen loop and elastic closure to keep everything together and a handy storage pocket every 3 months for all your bits and bobs. There’s also lots of perforated lists at the back of the diary for notes you need to scribble down and take away in a hurry. Currently £8.99.

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Kikki K: Leather Watermelon Diary

Love the feeling of staying organised with this super cute watermelon 2016 Diary. This stylish 2016 Diary includes weekly and monthly views as well as stickers to decorate. Keep track of all your important information including Addresses and Expenses with the specially designed pages. Currently £24.00

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Paperchase: Nordic Nights Diary

This beautiful diary from the Paperchase Nordic Nights range will help keep you organised all the way through 2016. The linen cover is printed with an adorable woodland animal design and a silver 2016 title. Inside, there is a day to a page diary for the whole of 2016 giving you lots of space for all of your plans and appointments. It also has 2015 – 2017 calendars, a year planner, pages for contacts and websites as well as handy information like unit conversions, world times and international dialling codes. Finished with a navy blue ribbon page marker. Currently £12.00

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Letts: Ladydate Gold Diary 

This bright metallic Gold coloured A5 diary comes with a pencil inserted down the spine. It is a week to view Sunday start format with gold foiled page edges. The diary contains a 16 page information section and has space for notes and addresses with the London Underground map. Currently £14.49

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Kikki K: Be Brave Time Planner

If you love all things pretty, peach and feminine, this 2016 Time Planner is for you. Take it with you on-the-go and use the front pockets to keep all of life’s little essentials and important pieces of paper. Keep track of your schedule, make notes and love having all of your important information and reminders safe in one place.

Featuring both monthly and weekly calendar views for 2016 there are also pages for Addresses, Birthdays & Anniversaries, Shops & Restaurants, To Do List and Expenses. Use it every day to manage your schedule and as a reference for all your important notes and information. Currently £30.00

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Go Stationery: Watercolour Hearts Diary

A stylish and practical full year 2016 diary in a week to view layout, with durable polyprop covers. Part of a range of matching stationery including notebooks. Designed and made in the UK, manufactured by Go Stationery. Currently £5.00

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Kikki K: Pink Cute Diary

Up the cute factor with our new gorgeous pink 2016 Weekly Cute Diary. With a pretty, fresh design and featuring stickers so you can customise your look, you’ll love adding a touch of fun to each and every day. Currently £16.00

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Country Wisdom & Folklore Diary

The perfect diary for you if you care about nature, love British folklore, myth, legend, superstition and want to be green. It features seasonal information, the Wheel of the Year, sunrise/sunset and moonrise/moonset times and traditional things to make, do and see. It’s packed full of stories, useful snippets with beautiful original illustrations and plenty of space to write-in all those important appointments. Just a few of the things you can find out about include: Natural Magick, Elf Shot, Hobs, Hobthrusts & Hobmen, The Ashen Faggot, Chapbooks, Turf Seats & Bowers, Vervain, Meadowsweet, Nightjars, Swallows & House Martins and Leek & Caerphilly Tart. So, if you’re looking for a craft item to help you celebrate the passage of the year, then this could be just what you have always been looking for! Currently £12.00

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Blue Field Memories Diary

This cute week-to-view mini diary promises to put a smile on your face whenever you stop to plan your busy schedule. It includes handy stickers for highlighting special occasions, events and appointments, a 2016 & 2017 year at-a-glance calendar, contacts and notes sections, plus a pink ribbon bookmark. Currently £7.55

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Livework: Som Som Diary Scheduler

The Som Som diary is a cute and well made scheduler. This diary features dated 160 pages separated into the following sections to help you plan for the 2016 year. The Som Som diary can open up to 180 degrees and will not break apart thanks to its super-strong perfect bound spine. This diary is a top pick scheduler for writing, gift, planning or articles and more. How cute are the little eyes?! Currently £13.34

What a handsome bunch of stationery delights! What’s your favourite? Have you invested in a New Year diary yet or is it still on your wish list? Maybe you’re a digital diva who prefers to keep her busy schedule wrapped up in a virtual planner? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello 🙂 Wishing y’all a fabulous weekend – only 1 more week to Christmas!!!!!! *EEEEEEEP*

Cheerio chums…

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My Make Up & Beauty Storage Tour…

If there’s one thing I adore treating myself too (almost as much as make-up) is storage… ESPECIALLY when it’s for stashing my beloved beauty items in *happy sigh* Being a fan of cooing over other beauty blogger & YouTuber storage videos/posts! I’ve been meaning to film this for a while, but as I’ve recently orchestrated a huuuuuge clear out (in the hope that Santa might help replenish the stock level *hehe*) what better time to show you guys around my little cosmetic corner?

As I’m sure you’ll figure out pretty rapidly, I’m slightly obsessed with Ikea. Okay so I might not be the biggest fan of wandering aimlessly around a never ending showroom in search of a loo roll holder, however when I’m on a mission to unearth the best bargains in beauty storage I’m one very focused gal on a mission. If you’re considering revamping your cosmetic storage then I’d highly suggest you take a trip over… in a rather large vehicle!! If you’re anything like me you’ll be returning home with shelving units and desk chairs strategically placed to test your boot space to the limit. However (if also like me) you prefer to avoid the hustle & bustle of a weekend then aim for a weekday morning to really lavish in the solitude to uncover your anticipated purchases. I personally find Tuesday mornings to be the quietest 😉

Anyways, hope y’all enjoy this week’s video guys, don’t forget to pop over to my channel by *clicking here* where you can subscribe so you never miss an upload! *excited air punch*

What’s your favourite storage items? Are you an fan of Ikea? Whatever your thoughts do let me know in the comments below – we do love a good beauty storage chatter here on Confetti & Curves.

Cheerio chums…

What’s In My Work Bag?

Hey Beauty Buddies…

I was invited by the fabulous Fiona over at Fiona’s Wonderland to participate in her exciting new ‘What’s In My Bag’ blog series. Of course being a huuuuge fan of these fun features I jumped at the chance to participate! I must admit it was also a darn good excuse for a thorough clearout… anyone else’s bag literally swarming in receipts?! *sigh*

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For those of you who fancy popping over to check out the interview style post live on Fiona’s blog (or maybe even get involved in the series yourself) then do take a trip over & check it out.  Of course being my usual ‘YouTube Wednesday’ feature, I couldn’t resist attempting a corresponding ‘What’s In My Work Bag’ video to compliment all the action over at Fiona’s!  So all’s left to do is get the kettle on & press play as I talk you through the contents of my work bag!

What’s your absolute handbag essentials? What can’t you leave the house without? Whatever your thoughts, don’t forget to say a quick hello in the comments below!

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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*10 Steps To Make Your Wardrobe Update Easy Peasy

Hello lovelies,

Happy Monday! I hope you’ve all had a fabulous weekend? I’m mega excited with today’s feature as the gorgeous crew from LookBook Store guest post by offering their top tips on updating your fashion essentials for the new season! Time to sit back, relax and discover how you can organise your upcoming wardrobe essentials…

With the changing of the season comes the need to update our capsule closet must have’s. Yes, you’ve read it right, so let’s take these simple steps on how update your wardrobe this season:

Step # 1. Take an assessment of your existing wardrobe

            Nope. I’m definitely not talking about school assessment. But the very first thing to do before updating your wardrobe is to assess the clothes that you already have. You might have one or two pieces on your closet that you’ve completely forgotten. Believe me, assessing your wardrobe might be a little tiring on your part but it’s so worth the effort.

Another thing about assessing your closet is you’ll have a time to reorganize your clothes!! This can also help determine what colours you need to update your winter wardrobe or what fashion failures you’ve stashed away at the back!

Step # 2. Mix and match

A single piece of clothing can be a lieutenant to an army of fashionable outfits. The best example for this is a simple white top.

White Lace Top

For instance, a simple white top can be fabulous by adding a chunky cardigan.

   Oversize Open Front Cardigan – Pink

Or pair it with some jeans for a more casual look. And for a business-casual ensemble, take it up a notch by adding a coat and blazer.

 

Asymmetric Fit-and-flare Blazer – Grey

 

You can also pair your white tee with a pencil skirt for an office look.

Faux Woolen Pencil Skirt

Or, wear it with some leggings for a funky street style.

Check Mate

There is absolutely NO fashion limit for a white tee.

Step # 3. Create your own personal look book

Take some photos of your new outfits to keep track of your clothes. Not to mention, taking pictures of your outfits can help you figure out which ones can be paired to create different ensembles. Plus, you can experiment with your picture perfect angle.

 

Step # 4. Add a belt

You might haven’t realized it yet but a great belt can be a thin line between dull and fab. So it makes total sense to buy a good quality belt this season such as this one…

 

Smooth Plate Stretch Waist Belt

 

Step # 5. Statement Accessory

            What’s nice about statement accessories is that it can work well with casual jeans, and they can give an oomph to your office outfits too!

 

Sweet Braided Necklaces

Step # 6. Patterns

             Never be afraid to wear patterns this season

 

Geo-Patterned Sweater

Step # 7. Leggings under dresses and skirts

Add a more playful feel to your dresses and skirts by wearing leggings underneath… it’s also a great way to stay cosy on those chilly days!

 

Hollowed Floral Leggings – Grey

Step # 8. Add a vest

A faux fur vest adds sophistication to any of your outfits by giving that sassy rock-chick look.

 

Faux Fur Long Vest

Step # 9. Add a blazer

Blazers are by far one of the most versatile pieces you can ever own. They’re casual-, cocktail-, work-, school-, and date-friendly.

Double-Breasted Faux-Wool Coat

Step # 10. Sweater

Aside from sweaters being perfect for these cooler months, another reason I love sweaters is because they can be paired with skirts, shorts, pants —  whatever!

Cozy Winter in Pastel Colors

There you have it… top tips on how to update your winter wardrobe in a jiffy and without breaking the bank!  Do you have any other steps that you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to read them so get sharing on the comment’s section below.

A huge thanks to Stephanie & her team over at the fabulous LookBook Store for getting in touch… if you haven’t already checked it out then do pop over for some fun fashion browsing 🙂 

Cheerio Chums!