Payday beauty treat: 3 for 2 on Maybelline

Maybelline The Volum Express Falsies in black drama

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24 Hour Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Hydrate

I intended on going to Boots just for the Falsies mascara, but low and behold they saw me coming and quickly threw up the 3 for 2 signs. I can't resist. Ever. I picked up one of the colour tattoo eyeshadows that are a creamy gel consistency. I'll give this a whirl one day next week when I'm at home, I'm a little particular about wearing new products to uni or work before I've given them a test run in the comfort of my four walls. 

I also picked up one of the much coveted Baby Lips balms. I settled with Hydrate after spending a while deciding between that and Cherry (I love anything cherry) but my lips just can't hack these cold windy days much longer without them just falling off. I've heard mixed reviews about these so I'm looking forward to see what I think for myself! What do you guys think of them?

New shoes

from left to right: eBay studded boots, White Converse All Stars, ASOS Revolution boots, Nike Free Run 2, Primark Platform heels

This is quite a bad habit I seem to have going on at the minute. In the space of a month my shoe collection has grown by 5 new pairs. I've obviously justified them all, I mean, I do really need all of them.

I went from having no trainers in my wardrobe to having two. Me, little girly Lindsey, now owns a pair of Converse and a pair of Nikes. The Converse are easily justified as a Christmas present, I don't feel guilty one bit for those. As for the Nikes, I've joined the gym and I didn't exactly have any appropriate footwear beforehand. 

The studded boots had been in my eBay watch list for a lifetime and as I slowly got sick of wearing the same pair of flat shoes to work everyday I decided to order these. Now I'm sick of wearing these. Problems, problems. They have been sharing the work load with my ASOS Revolution boots more recently though. I managed to bag these with 20% birthday discount back in January.

The tip of the iceberg caught my eye in Primark last week as I was passing through, in the form of those beautiful platforms. I popped back in on Monday and the lovely chap got me a brand new pair from the stock room. I could have kissed him!

What shoes have you been eyeing up recently?

Flannel shirt

H&M dress

Primark shirt

ASOS boots

H&M bag

Topshop hat

Topshop necklace

Let's face it, a check flannel shirt is an essential in every girl's wardrobe, whether it be for lazy days or to dress it up. We all need one. Fact. I'm still torn between all the pastel shades of the new season and the greys and dark shades still lingering from winter. Even though it kind of is still winter. I seem to get it in my head that as soon as new year hits, spring automatically follows. We haven't had any snow to contend with yet so I won't hold my breath. 

Since my handbag isn't very practical when riding a bike - I almost fell off trying to balance it off my shoulder, I decided a backpack would be more practical. Not something I'd usually go for, but I love it. I feel like a little grungy teenager again with a backpack thrown over my shoulders.

What gems have you been finding in January?

The Sunday Post: Visual Merchandising at H&M

I understand these photos aren't the most visually stimulating but the last few weeks I've finally been able to dabble in the visual merchandising side of a H&M store. This aspect of the store has been something I've wanted to do for well over a year now and just before new year I was allowed to rematch the A area (the first thing you see as you walk in the store). 

This was the first of the spring collections, and featured a lot of mustard yellow and stripes. It was to die for really and an absolute dream to make outfits with. I was so nervous, like you know when you want something so bad that you worry that one tiny slip up and you'll ruin the whole thing. It's only a job but I get like that, it's all or nothing with me.

I then went in to work one night after the store was closed to help rematch the accessories. There was a few of us there to help and I was given the bags to sort out. I struggled to make them look tidy when there was just so many and such little space.

On Tuesday I turned up and was asked to rematch the sports department. It's pretty small, but H&M seem to have given the sports collection a bit of TLC recently and the new stuff is great. I put all the brightest, newest stock at the front and tried to arrange the rest into some sort of order. 

Payday Beauty Treat: All things Soap & Glory

Soap & Glory 2-in-1 Mask & Peel

Soap & Glory Night & Flight Moisture Miracle

Soap & Glory Vitamin C Facial Wash

Don't you just love everything about Soap & Glory! I couldn't resist the £5 off their skincare range that came in my Yule Monty gift set. It runs out on the 21st I think, so if you haven't used yours yet, what are you waiting for! At first I thought the voucher was for all Soap & Glory products, then settled for their make-up range before actually asking and finding out it was skincare.

I've never tried their skincare range before and didn't have any of these products on my wishlist. I stood pondering over the skincare counter for a good 15 minutes before settling on these three products. I opted for a mask, a moisturiser and a cleanser. I'm excited to try all three of these, starting with the night cream since I've ran out (it also smells like the apricot flavour fromage frais yoghurts). The other two I will slip into my skincare routine slowly, maybe I'll use a different face mask this Sunday night.

The Sunday Post: Turning twenty one

I had the most wondrous birthday last Sunday as you can probably tell by all the teethy grins in the photos. I'm not really a birthday person even though I made sure nobody forgot, I'm more of a Christmas sort of girl, but nonetheless, I was still spoilt rotten. 

My day started with card opening and a few presents. We headed straight to Frankie & Benny's for breakfast where I had pancakes, bacon and maple syrup. This combo is a no go, don't do it. Just because the American's do doesn't make it cool, or tasty for that matter. After a quick detour to Halfords for bicycle accessories (and a quick strop because the children's spotty helmet wouldn't fit on my crystal skull) we then headed to Mum and Dad's.  

I had a lovely presents from Mum, Dad and my sisters and also Dan's Mum and Dad but my favourite was my bicycle. Dad had to make a few adjustments to my bicycle seat, which is now as low as it goes and I'm still on my tip toes. I took it for a quick spin, nearly fell off, and returned it safely to Mum and Dad's conservatory until I picked it up Thursday.

We went for a meal in the evening to a pub nearby that although Dan and I loved it there my parents hadn't been. Our meals were polished off with birthday doughnuts. What a perfect end to the Christmas holidays with all my favourite people!

Late to the party

H&M skirt

H&M jumper

H&M jacket
River Island necklace

Ebay boots

I shot these on Boxing Day just before I headed out to work, and I'm not quite sure why it's taken so long for me to upload them. I mean it's a pretty bland outfit, but on Boxing Day it was just a case of get up and throw on something that looks reasonable together.

The Sunday post: New Year at Pritchard HQ

Me and Dan decided after last New Year that we wanted to welcome in 2014 in front of the London Eye again, but given the weather recently we decided not to risk it, especially after my sister and I nearly got stuck there just before Christmas. New Year at my parents house seemed much more cosy. I didn't get many snaps but I thought I'd share a few with you. Our midnight firework was seriously disappointing but at least I got to take the top half of my Missguided co-ord for a spin (the bottom halves don't currently my Christmas sized bum). 

I also just realised this is my first post of 2014, and it's my birthday! I didn't just realise that, but I thought I'd share anyway. I've hopefully got something major in the pipelines but I don't want to say anything until I know for definite. But please keep your fingers crossed for me! Happy New Year!