Celebrating 2000 Blog Subscribers!!!!!!!!!!!!

2000-subscribers

2000 Subscribers?! How the HECK did that happen?!

When I first started Confetti & Curves never in my dreams did I imagine I’d be celebrating a whopping 2000 subscribers of my blog… in fact I still remember the rush of adrenaline when I hit my first 100 followers – I literally couldn’t believe that amount of people would want to check out my little corner of the interweb.

This blog has been such a lifeline & to me for so many reasons; it’s helped me through days I’ve felt totally broken, it’s kept me focused on putting my energy into something positive when I’ve been riddled with anxiety, I’ve made friends from all over the world that will indeed stay friends for many years to come, I’ve worked with some fantastic brands, tested some great (and not so great) beauty products, but most importantly I’ve been SO warmly welcomed into such an amazing online community.

So from the bottom of my heart… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU – not just for hitting the subscribe/follow button, but for hanging around to say hello, checking out previous features, for leaving me the most uplifting & encouraging comments and just being an amazing bunch of online buddies.

SO….. keep your eyes peeled for a super duper giveaway to celebrate as a great big thank you for hanging around… don’t forget you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload too! I’m also on a sprinkling of social media too if you’d like to pop by and say howdy elsewhere (links featured below)

Thanks again y’all for making Confetti & Curves the little online haven that it is!

Cheerio Chums…

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Keeping Up With Karen…

Keeping Up With Karen

Howdy chums,

Arre you all having a fabulous weekend? I done something I haven’t done in a looooooong time this weekend – went on a movie night with the gals. Yep, it was the Belfast premiere of Bridget Jone’s Baby on the big screen and we hit the town for a quiet night of giggles and chatter! How good is it to get out with the gals for a bit? After a yummy pizza, we made our way to the cinema and sat back in our leather recliners and watched in style. I think it’s safe to say our future cinema trips will certainly be VIP style for sure… so a huuuge thanks to Shelia & Kerry for such a fun night out! And yes blog buddies, the movie is a hoot – so if you haven’t seen it already make sure to treat yourself! Erm…. how hot is Patrick Dempsey?! *swoooon* 😉

As for today, I’m afraid it’s at home for me as I’m really battling through a tough run of pains, headaches and complete exhaustion – on a brighter not my appointment with the Rheumatologist has come through sooner than anticipated so I’m clinging on with hope that things may look a little more positive once I’m in his care. This is by FAR the toughest health issue I’ve been through, but I’m fighting it – one day at a time. So thanks to all you guys who are always so supportive and just an utterly fab bunch that never fail to keep my spirits up.

As always, I’ve posted below what’s been happening this week on Confetti and Curves! Don’t forget you’re more than welcome to leave links to blog posts you’d like me to check out too – I don’t always get to see what pops up on my blog WordPress reader so do paste your link below and I’ll be chuffed to pay you a visit 🙂

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Bourjois Smokey Stories Quad Palette

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Monday’s post showcased the Bourjois Smokey Stories quad palette that’s been high on my shopping list for a few weeks now! But was it really as good as I hoped for? Check out my review and finished eye look for yourself… have you tried it yet?

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Using Cream Highlighter To Make Your Eye Shadow POP

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You guys should know by now how much I adore dressing up my lids – so when I discovered a cream highlighter that has spurred a wealth of compliments I had to share it with you guys! It makes SUCH a different to so many shadows – and is perfect for this time of year too! Don’t forget, you can *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YoutTube channel so you never miss an upload 🙂

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My Top Tips On Getting Your Article Published In A Magazine 

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Do you dream of seeing your work featured in your favourite beauty or lifestyle mag? If so then Friday’s re-post of my top tips is definitely something you should check out… writing for a glossy mag could be a little easier to achieve than you imagine!

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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…

Mid Year Diaries 2016 2017

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

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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

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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

Leaf 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

WHSmith Mint 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 

WHSmith Turquoise Butterfly

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

WHSmith Blue

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

WHS Scribble

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

WHSmith Dots

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

Paperchase Tropic

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

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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*

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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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Catch me on:

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My Top Ten ‘Must Read’ Posts For New Beauty Bloggers…

Must Read Posts For New Beauty Bloggers

One of the many reasons I adore blogging is constantly getting to meet new blog buddies – both experienced bloggers and completely new to the blogging community. However when you’re starting out, blogging can be a really daunting process – particularly hitting that ‘publish’ button for the first time. In fact if you’re anything like me it can rev up the anxiety levels and leave you in a state of ‘what the heck have I just done?’ and ‘Oh my gosh I hope nobody I KNOW reads this’ – don’t worry we’ve all been there and done it, am I right experienced bloggers?

So seeing as so many lovely new bloggers have taken the time to stop by Confetti & Curves to say hello I thought I’d share a few of my own ‘words of wisdom’ when it comes to blogging. After all it’s something that has personally helped me cope with anxiety and some really rough days – put your all into blogging and you’ll get so much in return as it really is a fantastic family to be a part off.

So grab your biggest cuppa and check over some of my personal top tips for new bloggers or those thinking of starting a blog anytime soon…

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Starting A Beauty Blog

Start a beauty blog

From finding your blogging topic to creating a catchy name, this post pretty much outlines the bare bones of thing you might want to consider when you’re starting out!

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10 Tips On Growing Your Blog Audience 

How To Grow Your Blog Audience

So you’ve got yourself a brand new beauty blog… now to build a dedicated audience of readers and blog buddies alike. In this post I share some of my top tips for attracting new viewers to your online haven!

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How I Plan & Schedule My Blog Posts

How I Plan and Schedule My Blog Posts

In this post I cover just a few of the handy little blogging tools I use to keep on top of planning and scheduling – trust me, they make a mountain of a difference!

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Are You Battling A Blogging Slump?

Beat The Blogging Slump

Blogging slumps, bluuurgh. Yes, we all have them – even the most famous, creative & professional of bloggers hit bumps in the road. However in this post I share some handy advice that helps to keeps Confetti & Curves as slump free as possible!

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10 Tips For Blogging On A Busy Schedule

Tips For Blogging On A Busy Schedule

Whether you’re a daily, weekly or monthly blogger; commiting to a blog whilst juggling a busy school/work/family life can be pretty challenging. In this post I share some of the things that have really helped me juggle life and blogging without losing too much of my sanity!

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Making Your Beauty Blog PR Friendly

Making Your Beauty Blog PR Friendly

Are you eager to collaborate with some exciting new brands? Then you might want to start off with the basics by ensuring your blog is PR Friendly – if so then take a peek at my check list of handy hints to make your blog a little more inviting to brands & PR companies who are on always on the lookout for upcoming bloggers to collaborate with.

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My Top Five Basic Photography Tips For Beauty Blogging

Photography Tips For Beauty Bloggers

If there’s one skill that blogging has tested me on it’s been photography. Arranging the perfect backdrop for a sassy new lippy can be as frustrating as swatching your new eye shadow palette in gloomy lighting. In this post I share a few of my thoughts on the basic tips I’ve picked up for photographing for cosmetic reviews.

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10 Photography Backdrop Ideas for Budding Beauty Bloggers

10 Photography Background Ideas for Beauty Bloggers

Keeping on the theme of photography I share some of my favourite backdrop ideas when it comes to taking captivating piccies for your readers & blog buddies to gaze over!

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Keeping An Organised Blog

Keeping An Organised Blog

Just because blogging’s fun doesn’t necessarily mean it’s always easy, am I right chums?! However in this feature I run through some of the things that help keep me super organised!

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Things You Need To Do Before Publishing A Blog Post

Blog Post Publishing Checklist

So you’ve composed a killer blog post and you’re ready to hit the ‘publish’ button – but have you checked over a few of the essentials before sharing with the world? If like me you suffer from regular bursts of ‘what fudge was I thinking?’ then this handy little check list might help to keep your future posts perfectly polished.

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Are you just starting our on your blog journey? Or have you any helpful hints or tips for bloggers you’d like to share? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter:)

Cheerio Chums…

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Until I Met You: Awesome Things About Being A Mum…

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Whoever suggests being a parent is easy is either in complete state of denial or 5 years old & cuddling a Tiny Tears doll. I’m convinced of this not just from my own experience but from also watching my own mum raise 4 children of her own. Okay, so I admit she made it look a little easier than anticipated… even during those days when I’m pretty sure all she longed for was a one way ticket to an undisclosed desert island with a suitcase full of her favourite tea bags & four finger Kit-Kats. Needless to say I adore her for everything she unknowingly taught me about raising a little person of my own. Nothing was sugar coated – she’s real, honest and fiercely protective of “her wee chicks” as she dotingly called us.

Yep, I know – this post seems totally out of the norm from my usual beauty rambles, but having spent the last few days cooped up & recharging the batteries back to some kind of normality it’s got me feeling all smushy about just how much I wholeheartedly appreciate my own little girl. As much as I could sit here and roll my eyes about every tiny little nuisance that us parents put up with, on the contrary I’m reflecting on all the things I love about having a daughter. All the things that make me smile, those little moments your heart captures and you think to yourself “this little person will never truly understand just what they mean to me”.

I’m sure many of you who are mums (or dads) will already get what I mean – there are days that you can literally feel the arrival of countless grey hairs, but then there’s the other days when you just know you’re beyond blessed to have such an almighty purpose in your life. Well for me, today is one of those days… the blessed kind. And so thank you Emma for everything you do; the morning hugs, always telling me I’m beautiful, asking me if I’d like a cup of tea, kissing me on the cheek as you run outside to play in the garden, breaking my mood by erupting into cheeky fits of giggles when I’m angry, making me little hand drawn cards, putting your absolute heart & soul into revising so darn faithfully for your upcoming exams – even though it’s your summer holidays!!! You deserve everything you wish for, not because you want it but because of the patience & strength you pour into working for it. At only 10 years old you’re inspiring your mum beyond measure. I thought I had determination, until I met you.

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 So, what’s your plans for today? I’ll be having giggles galore spending time with my daughter, then afterwards I’ll call my mum and tell her all about it 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Get To Know Me…

Get To Know Me TAG

It’s FRIIIIIDAY…

There’s always a jolly feeling about Fridays, I love it – if only that could be bottled and sprinkled on some of the other days it would be bliss 😉 So the weekend is here, what are your plans? I’m (hoping) to dust off the barbecue and bask in the glorious sunshine – under my parasol of course! hehe Keeping fingers and toes crossed that this glorious flip-flop weather continues chums ❤

However onto today’s shenanigans… a huuuuge thank you to our lovely Laura over at Polka Dot Teapot for nominating me to take part in this fun questionnaire/tag. It’s been many moons since I’ve tackled one of these, so to get back to what feels like retro blogging I thought I’d give it a go. Why not eh? I’ve also nominated a few special blog buddies of my own to take part 😉

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What is your middle name?

Heidi

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What was your favourite subject at school?

English Literature. I had the most loveliest teacher who was both smart and funny – plus, we got to read books for most of the class. What could be a better way to pass an hour?!

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What is your favourite drink?

Overall Coca Cola, however if I’m indulging in a little tipple I’d most certainly opt for West Coast Cooler, which is a very yummy fruit flavoured spritzer!

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What is your favourite song at the moment?

I’m shocking when it comes to keeping up with music trends, though the artists I listen to most would be Ellie Goulding, Lana Del Ray & Taylor Swift. Love a catchy wee tune to warble along too.

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What’s your favourite food?

I looooove Chinese. Noodles with veg are most definitely my thing!

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 What is the last thing you bought?

A pack of heavy duty kitchen rolls. Yes, my spending habits are that exciting.

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Favourite book of all time?

Oooh this changes so often but I reckon pretty much anything from Marian Keyes – in fact I’ve just finished Under The Duvet and it was fantastic!! Hilarious!! She’s the only author that can make me laugh and cry all in one chapter.

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What is your favourite colour?

Although I keep *trying* to convince myself it’s ‘raspberry’ I notice that pretty much everything I buy is white or neutral. I’m clearly colour confuddled.

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Do you any pets?

 A beagle boy called Toby, a Tuxedo moggy called Gomez and a Mainecoon kitten called Boris!

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Favourite perfume?

Has to be DKNY. Beautiful, fresh and very distinctive.

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Favourite holiday?

I find that really hard to narrow down as every holiday I’ve been on has been special for different reasons. However I’ve whittled it down to a few:

Portrush: This is where we went as children every year with mum & dad. So many happy memories with my siblings… just a regular seaside town with amusements & souvenir shops, but as kids we thought it was amazing.

Disneyland Paris: Again another family holiday & the first time my gran travelled on a plane. Paris was freezing cold & eye-wateringly overpriced but it was worth it for the experience.

Ibiza: My first ‘girls only’ holiday. Needless to say we stayed away from the notorious San Antonio. A whole week of feeling totally chilled out, shopping at hippy markets & enjoying cocktails on the beach. Amazing.

The Lake District: Our honeymoon spot. The sun shone for all 7 days we were there and only started to rain when we were getting ready to drive back home! What a week sight seeing in gorgeous rural England.

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Are you married?

Yep, and very happily at that too 😀

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Have you ever been out of the country, if so how many times?

Just a few times on holiday, otherwise I’m a home bird.

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Do you speak any other language?

A teeny bit of French… but that’s dating back to GCSE so it’s beyond rusty now.

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How many siblings do you have?

I’ve two fantastic brothers (Curtis & Kirk) and my lovely little sis Leah!

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What is your favourite shop?

Boots. Or pretty much anywhere that sells makeup for me to gawp at for a few hours.

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Favourite restaurant?

Blue Chicago. It’s a rather funky American diner that sells the yummiest burgers and an awesome choccie fudge cake!

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When was the last time you cried?

This afternoon… I tend to hit low points and get so fed up trying to cope with chronic pain and how life altering it’s been. It’s tiring and wears you out every single day in so many ways.

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Favourite blog?

There’s just too many –call me a whimp but I just can’t choose. You’re all amazing!!! 😀

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Favourite movie?

Sex And The City – I NEVER get tired of catching up with the gals!

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Favourite TV Shows?

I’ve such a bizarre eclectic mix but… The Undateables, Ghost Hunters, Street Outlaws & Keeping Up With The Kardashians (don’t judge… it’s my guilty pleasure!) and Canal Journeys. Yep, I’m being totally serious.

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PC or MAC?

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’d love a MAC!

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What phone do you have?

Wait for it…. An Apple iPhone 4. Yes I’m one of the few still using them but it works like a charm and I’m oddly attached to it. That little phone has been through a lot with me!

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How tall are you?

5ft 11” bare foot

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Can you cook?

Abso-fricken-lootly.

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Thanks again to the lovely Laura over at Polka Dot Teapot! My nominee’s are:

Traci Ann Loves

Galit – Coffee n Notes

Emma – Puddleside Musings

Icy Sedgwick

Anne – Doves & Roses

Jo – Pores For Thought

Rachael – Helpless Whilst Drying

Chanelle Hayley

Sangeetha – Lifestyle Bites 3

Country Girl Em

& YOU!!!

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Just to be clear there’s absolutely no pressure whatsoever ladies – in fact for me, this was just a breath of fresh air & fun as it’s been soooo long since I’ve published anything like this! So if the Get To Know Me Tag sounds like your kinda thing then why not give it a go. We’d love to check it out!

Wishing y’all a fun filled weekend & I’ll see you all Sunday for a quick catch up 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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10 Things I’ve Learned About Beauty Blogging…

10 Things I've Learned About Beauty Blogging

There’s an old Chinese proverb which states ‘The journey of a thousand mile starts with a single step’. Isn’t it beautiful? These words have always rung true throughout the many journeys I’ve been on, some of them great and others not so much. But after stumbling across this little proverb over the weekend again it’s made me reflect back on a few journeys I’ve been through, am still going through & those yet to come. One of the most inspiring journey’s I’ve been on is blogging. Not only has it helped me manage my anxiety immensely, but the fun I’ve had and the friendships forged have been totally unforgettable. So with that in mind today’s post is simply a light hearted reflection on a few of the things I’ve learned since taking my first ‘virtual’ footstep with Confetti & Curves almost 3 years ago…

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Hoarding becomes normality…

No, really it will. Say goodbye to your trusty little zip-up makeup bag and hello to a room dominated by skyscrapers of muji drawer sets and decorative Ikea plant pots crammed with makeup brushes. Of course that’s ONLY the cosmetics… your bathroom shelves, bedside cabinets, kitchen table and handbag will become a breeding ground for skincare, moisturisers, lip balms…

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There’s no such thing as free time…

If you’re a busy little blogging bee who hits the ‘publish’ button multiple times per week then the likely hood is that your free time is spent scrawling down post ideas, making mental notes of points to mention, scouring beauty magazines, responding to PR companies, replying to comments, attempting to keep up with social media, recharging your camera batteries, cursing the lack of natural daylight, typing into the early hours of the morning – oh, and juggling your job/life/kids/family commitments into the mix too 😉

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“But it’s for the Blog”…

Payday should be everyday when you’re a beauty blogger with a wish list as long as a fresh loo roll, but it aint, so funds needs to be juggled with care and the mightiest of resistance to splurge. However there’s always that delicious moment when birthday & Christmas rolls round and you’re handed cards filled with gift vouchers for your favourite beauty havens *happy sigh* In the mean time you’ll keep convincing yourself that every item you pop in your basket is all in the name of beauty blogging. What a selfless trooper you are! 😀

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Nothing gets used until your camera says so…

And I mean absolutely nothing. The thought of applying a fresh tube of lippie before it’s been photographed almost makes the eyeballs in your head roll back in horror. And heaven forbid an eye shadow pan gets disturbed or a new makeup tool gets used BEFORE it’s had a photo shoot.

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There’s no such thing as “Just popping in”…

Are you serious? When was the last time you actually ‘just popped in’ to any makeup store? When you’re a beauty blogger avoiding the makeup aisles is virtually impossible. We have miniature magnets entwined into our DNA that simply doesn’t permit us to casually dander past a wall of beauty goodies but instead be drawn helplessly towards them. We’re goin’ in and we ain’t coming back out until our forearms resemble a patchwork quilt of many many many colours.

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EVERTHING gets critiqued…

Even things your friends and family treat themselves too , you’ll more than likely find yourself saying “Ooh, very nice, but you really should try…” Oh yes, you become obsessed, not only with your own stash but also with the stash of others too. Not to mention the almighty moment of “YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS… No, really you HAVE to, I insist, in fact let’s go RIGHT NOW and buy it for you. Yes NOW!” You become delirious when you find a mascara that does what it promises or a drugstore lipstick that puts your favourite Mac to shame.

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The guilt, oh the guilt…

Oddly enough I had this very conversation with a blog buddy quite recently, when we were discussing the waves of quilt from the very thought of not posting. It’s remarkably amazing just how much effort goes into maintaining a blog, including sticking to a routine. Sadly many of us often get swamped into feeling pressured to fulfilling that day in day out. Remember, we’re only human, we need our blog breaks, holidays and time away to recharge our batteries. Blogging should be fun, breaking the guilt is tough but it has to be done to realise that there’s a life to live away from the laptop too.

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You’ll have an all year round need for fairy lights…

Your new slogan will be ‘fairylights aren’t just for Christmas..’ as you’ll soon discover that there’s an all round yearly requirement for obtaining that perfect background bokeh effect to woo the eyeballs of your readers with. Yes, your room will partially resemble Santa’s grotto 356 days of the year… 366 if it’s a leap year. Just saying.

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Lighting becomes your enemy …

Summer time is a blessing but winter is just a plain old pain in the virtual arse cheeks. With gloomy grey skies and sunlight disappearing faster than your patience cares to admit, you’ll possibly find yourself timing your photo shoots to day-light perfection as you huddle eagerly beside your biggest window… until you spend your entire savings on ring lamps powerful enough to flood light Wembley Stadium.

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You’ll become besties with people you’ve never met…

This is by far the best bit, the community spirit. When I started beauty blogging my misconceptions were that it would be a ferociously bitchy place full of ‘Makeup Experts’ just waiting to correct your every damn opinion. How wrong I was. In fact, it’s the total opposite. I’ve met people that will remain friends for the rest of my life, people who have built my confidence, encouraged me, supported me and even spent the time selflessly promoting my little corner of the interweb.  These are the people who lift you up on the crappiest of days, they’re the ones that make you feel  a very special part of one big cheery internet family. Thank you ❤

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What have you learned from beauty blogging? Do you relate with anything mentioned? What’s been your favourite or most challenging thing about blogging? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick howdy!

Wishing y’all a fab day ahead 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Behind The Blog featuring Simply Sorcha…

Simply Sorcha

If there is anything certain in the universe, it’s that Ireland is undoubtedly swarming with glowing pink bodies today (appearing semi-radioactive) from what can only be described as the mini heatwave which descended upon our bank holiday Monday. What a scorcher it was as back gardens & beaches were crammed with budding barbequers relishing in the sun rays, enjoying their burnt hot dogs & cider. I on the other hand was inching around the shade – wilting like an extra from Bram Stokers. Needless to say an Ikea parasol is the most life saving investment I’ve ever purchased, and if you’re pale skinned you’ll more than understand 😉 On a slightly different note, my new summer sandals arrived and they are THEE comfiest things I have EVER worn. Seriously, they really are! *happy sigh & happy feet* 😀

Ooh talking of happy, I’ve yet another cheery blog buddy to introduce y’all to today as the gorgeous Sorcha from Simply Sorcha joins us on the virtual sofa for a quick chatter about life behind the scenes of her ‘oh-so-chic’ beauty & lifestyle blog. With a love of cosmetics, a sprinkle of wanderlust, fun features and a talented flair for writing, Sorcha’s blog is certainly not one to miss out on so if you haven’t already check it out then get over pronto & check in 🙂

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In only 5 words describe what readers can expect from your blog:

Lifestyle, beauty, honesty and fun!

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What inspired you to start blogging?

As clichéd as it sounds, it was my love of writing. I used to write all the time, I previously had a travel blog and also wrote short stories. But lately I’ve just been writing for work, and not for myself, so in January of this year, I made the leap and began blogging again.

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Tell us about your blog name… what made you decide on it?

Simply Sorcha, is ‘simply’ about me. My life, my loves, my interests, my experiences, my travels, and anything else happening in my life that I think people would like to read about. I deliberated for weeks trying to come up with a name that covered everything I wanted to write about, in the end it just made sense to name it after myself!

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Do you ever suffer from Blogger’s Block & if so how do you overcome it?

Absolutely. It happens quite regularly and usually if I’m a bit stressed out. I second guess myself a lot and wonder if I’m just boring people, or whether my posts are even interesting. I’m sure most bloggers experience that every so often. But when I’m having days like that, I try just think about what I like to read in blog posts and go from there.

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What’s your favourite post to date? 

Ah… That has to be my wedding photography post, Wedding, Photos, Love. https://simplysorcha.com/2016/03/03/wedding-photos-love/

I got married last December so I shared this post when we received our photos from our photographer. It is my most-read post to date with over 2000 views, yay!

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Describe your everyday clothes style:

Hmmm, casual chic maybe? My staple daily outfit usually consists of a jacket of some sort, a top or blouse, skinny jeans and ankle boots. But I do love glamming it up for a night out!

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What are your current top 3 beauty items?

This changes all the time, but currently my favs are:

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

Charlotte Tilbury Retoucher Concealer Pen

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick

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How do you like to relax & unwind after a stressful day?

By soaking in a long, hot bath with a great book and a glass of red.

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Describe your ideal Saturday night:

Going for dinner with my hubby and/or friends, chatting and drinking the night away.

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What do you do to relax?

I’m really into meditation and mindfulness so I try to switch off and meditate as much as I can. I also love nothing more than putting on my PJs and slippers, and curling up on the couch with one of my favourite movies.

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Everyone has their bad habits, what’s yours?

I’m a complete stress head, even though I try very hard not to be!

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What’s your most cherished childhood memory?

Trips away with my family in summer – it’s the simple things.

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What was your favourite school subject?

English! Hence why I love writing so much I think…

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What’s your dream job?

To be a published, successful author.

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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I would love to be a full time, professional blogger, and also have a family.

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What top 5 things are on your bucket list?

Oh there are just so many things on my bucket list but my top five would have to be:

Travel Australia

Buy a Chanel Handbag

Visit The White House

Write a book

Buy a house

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What’s your biggest achievement to date?

N/A (Only because I can’t think of what to say here!)

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Who inspires you?

My parents. They have an incredible work ethic and are the most generous people I know.

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Do you have a favourite inspirational quote?

I’m totally obsessed with quotes, there’s nothing else like one for a bit of inspiration. But I think my favourite would have to be:

‘For what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be what you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again’. – F. Scott Fitzgerald

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What top tips would you give to someone who is thinking of starting their own blog?

Given that I’m new to the blogging world I still have a lot to learn myself, but social media has really helped grow my readership and followers. So I definitely recommend setting up as many social media accounts as possible and really engaging with your followers.

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QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS:

Tea or Coffee = Tea

 

Coke or Pepsi = Coke (Diet!)

 

Messy mayhem or Super Organised = Super Organised

 

Cute kitten or Playful puppy = Cute Kitten

 

Night In or Night Out = Night Out

 

Heels or Flats = Heels

 

Lip Stick or Lip Gloss = Lipstick

 

Rock Chick or Pop Princess = Rock Chic

 

Paperback or E-book = Paperback

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Contact Sorcha:

Blog Address: simplysorcha.com

Facebook: facebook.com/simplysorchablog

Instagram: instagram.com/simplysorcha

Twitter: twitter.com/simplysorcha

Pinterest: pinterest.com/simplysorcha

Snapchat Username: imsimplysorcha

Thanks so much for stopping by & of course do say hi in the comments below… we adore a good chatter here on Confetti & Curves

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Keeping Up With Karen…

Keeping Up With Karen

Haaaaaappy Sunday chums 🙂

Well, it is here as it’s a bank jolly holiday weekend which can only mean a cause for celebrating one thing = an extra lie in with no alarm set *happy sigh* Though, these days as much as I try my darndest to revel in another few hours sleep I seem to find it really hard, particularly as I’m up from 5am every morning, so waking at 8am feels like I’ve wasted half a day already! Needless to say I’ll be knuckling down to test out a few of my new acrylics and glitter powders… oooh what excitement for a magpie like me 😀

However before I even contemplate moving a muscle it’s time to take an hour to absorb myself in some blog buddy catch up with the help of a big mug of milky coffee. Slllurrrrp. However, if you’ve a recent blog post you’d like to share then pop it in the comments below, I’d love to know what some of you guys have been up to this past week or two so feel free to drop me an update! Talking of which, here’s a quick recap of what’s been happening on Confetti & Curves the last few days…

 

My Top 5 Favourite Nude Lipsticks

My Favourite Nude Lipsticks

Mondays post saw me take a rummage through some of my more subtler shades of lippy as I picked out my current favourite nudes *ahh hmm* There’s everything from MAC to Makeup Revolution in this lovely lot so there’s something to suit every budget! So if you’re on the nude for a staple neutral shade then this just might be the post for you… shopping list at the ready gals 😀

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Behind The Blog featuring Honey In A Gold Pot

Honey In A Gold Pot

Our first Behind The Blogger of the week was the lovely Stefhanie from Honey In A Gold Pot as she takes us on a quick peek behind the scenes of her super stylish beauty and lifestyle blog. This gal is everybit as sweet as her blog name so if you’re on the look out for a fabulous new blog to feast your eyes upon then get yourself over & check her out!

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Product Fails

Product Fails

Time to raid the empties stash as I make myself comfy for a quick chatter about what beauty buys have ended up as fails. Don’t forget, just *Click Here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss a future upload!

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Behind The Blog featuring Coast To Coast With Alexis

Coast To Coast With Alexis

Thursday post featured the gorgeous Alexis from her beauty and lifestyle blog Coast To Coast with Alexis as she stopped by for a quick chatter about life beyond blogging. If you haven’t already checked this gal out then make it a priority to get yourself over and hit that follow button – she’s fabulous!

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Sweet Endings, Embracing Change & New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Fridays post was a bit more personal than my usual beauty ramblings as I updated you guys with a few changes that’ll be happening over the next few months. Time to move onward and upward with a couple of exciting new challenges and projects…

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As always, thank y’all so very much for the abundance of 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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Sweet Endings, Embracing Change & New Beginnings…

New Beginnings

Like I mentioned in yesterdays intro, I’m a bit of a weirdo when it comes to change. Even if it doesn’t necessarily affect me it takes a long time for me to adjust. It’s bizarre, right? Of course that can be limiting as I quite often avoid embracing new things simply because I wallow comfortably in routine; anything different to that feels like a wild threat determined to disrupt my mental karma. Naturally, copious tea drinking commences… aren’t I glad it’s nothing stronger?! *rolls eyes* Maybe it’s down to my erratic anxiety levels or maybe it’s just the fact that I get comfy in the same old spot for too long. Whatever the reason, I feel it’s time to move on and instigate a few little changes of my own.

At this point you’re probably thinking ‘what the fudge is she whittling on about?!’. Okay, here goes a bit of a back track story… In October 2014 I launched Confetti & Curves. At the time I’d literally gone through the mill with mental health issues – if only you guys knew the struggle, it was real & it was frightening. But without dwelling on the gloom and doom, blogging picked me up and took me out of the darkest depths of what I was battling. It helped me cope immensely. I spent night after night chatting to new blogging chums… most of whom have become friends I’m yet to meet. It’s been lovely, thoroughly lovely in fact, and I’d highly suggest blogging to anyone battling their own inner demons as it can be such a healthy & creative distraction.

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In November 2014 I wanted to give something back to the blogging community, albeit it nothing major but it was my own way of positively drawing attention to the bloggers who were unknowingly helping me through such a tough time in my own life, hence Behind The Blog was born.

Over the past 18 months (Eeeek! I can’t believe it’s been THAT long!!) literally hundreds of bloggers have featured twice a week, joining me on my so called ‘virtual sofa’ to chatter about their own little corner of the internet. Learning about others in the blogging community has proven that regardless of skin colour, religion or location we can all be surprisingly similar in many ways… or totally different but still enjoying the company of each other.

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I can’t begin to tell y’all just how much I’ve enjoyed hosting this series. It’s been a treat getting to know so many of you a little bit better alongside the added bonus of some great online friendships blossoming through it. But it’s time to move on. It’s not that I’m fed up or tired of introducing all you lovely lot, it’s just reached a point where I’d like to explore a few new opportunities as well as take the time to read more blogs and put as much as I can into becoming self-employed again. Woo hoo! It’s exciting, right? Of course I’m by no means saying that I’m giving up blogging – absolutely not!!! I’ll still be regularly typing away but merely phasing out the commitment of Behind The Blog every Tuesday & Thursday… which in turn will help me free up some time. In replacement, maybe I’ll re-blog a few of my older posts that new readers might find helpful or simply post a little inspirational feature. I’ve pencilled in a few new series for later in the year that I’ve been itching to work on but simply haven’t gotten the time to tackle – again easing off the Behind The Blog commitment for a while will help me work on creating those exciting projects with some really interesting people! Projects I know you guys will LOVE.

I know some of you are in the process of submitting your Behind The Blog interviews already, and that’s fine, I’m still scheduling as normal. I also know some of you are keen to jump on board, so with that in mind this is my last invitation (for the foreseeable wee while) that I’ll be putting out for any requests. So please get in contact pronto if it’s something you’re also interested in participating in.

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So if you’re in the process of returning your interview or if you’re eager to get involved (before I begin to wind things down a little) then get in touch via my contact page. If you’re new and would like to read more about it then you can *Click Here* to check out all the information a blogger could need 😉

As for those who have already taken part THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! You guys have been an inspiration, a daily source of encouragement, great online friends and the best medicine for days when even mumbling a few words has been a difficult process. You’re all super-stars in your own right and I cannot thank you enough for allowing the rest of us into your world ❤

Cheerio chums…

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