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Journeys Are My Diary

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Lush Halloween Wish List

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Halloween Lush

 

It’s come to that time of year again where I can’t help but lust after the new Lush products. I have been good all year and barely bought any Lush items (I think Valentine’s was the last time and I turned down the offer from Chris on my birthday in May to get a few bits). However limited items are really hard for me to resist and this brings me to my Halloween Lush Wish List.

I’m not a huge fan of most of the shower gels and I really dislike soap – not just Lush, all soap. However I am completely in love with bubble bars and I can definitely go for a few bath bombs too. Here are the items I’m after this Halloween.

From left to right; Pumpkin bath bomb – £3.95, Monster’s Ball bath bomb – £4.25, Boo bath melt – £3.50, Sparkly Pumpkin bubble bar – £3.95.
Bottom row, left to right; Goth Fairy shimmer bar – £5.50, Autumn Leaf bath bomb – £3.75

I also have my eye on a lot of Christmas Lush too so keep an eye out for that wish list!

Wednesday Wishlist – Small appliances

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This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

Its been a while since I did an appliances wish-list which includes steam iron or dry iron and so I figured with the change in weather (believe it or not, many of my items are weather connected) I would share a few of the items I’m really wishing I had right now. None of them are really things that I want enough to go out and grab right now, but many are items that if someone just happened to gift me with, I’d be exceptionally grateful! Groupon Goods are a really great thing to check out if you’re looking for ideas too. I’m a huge fan of groupon in general (we’ve had many a holiday and spa trip thanks to them) but their goods are fab too. The fresh pasta maker in my selection is actually from Groupon!

Small Appliances Wish List

If you hadn’t guessed, my kitchen appliances are red! I have white cabinets and black work surfaces, so all my appliances are red (or at least I’m attempting to have it that way). Because of that, the slow cooker, soup maker, bread maker and pasta maker would all be in red ideally. To be honest, past the colour, I don’t have an awful lot of preference when it comes to a make or brand – just a good price. Believe it or not, I’ve had a slow cooker a couple of times and always ditch it, but this year I think it would be handy for making dinners, especially since I always feel too busy to cook. The soup maker is a similar concept, only I love the idea that it broils the onions (or whatever), then cooks with liquid over time and then you can even blend from chunky to smooth – all with one appliance. The bread maker is something I have already, but sadly mine is broken. I can’t say I’ve missed it massively but it would be nice to replace it. That leaves just the pasta maker and I feel sure this would be yet another fad of mine (especially since I mentioned how I always feel busy so I doubt I would be making pasta) but I would love to give it a go – even just once. I’ve also been contemplating getting a food dehydrator from this URL I found. I’ve heard they’re great for preserving fruits and making healthy snacks, plus they come in various colors and styles.

Then I’m sure there is no surprise that two other items are sewing related. Ever since starting Closet Geek, I’ve lusted over new sewing machines and especially embroidery machines. After watching the Great British Sewing Bee I started to fancy an overlocker. I’m pretty sure I would have no idea how to use it (but that’s what YouTube is for right?) but I’d like to give it a go. I would also love to be able to add embroidery to my sewing designs and so a machine that not only sews but also embroiders would be an absolute dream to own.

Finally that leaves the laptop which you may be wondering if I intend to keep in the kitchen – since it’s red. The answer is no but red is my favourite colour and it’s been a while since my laptop was the colour so it would be fun to go back to that. To be truthful I have no real preference over a new laptop I just know that my current one is dying a death. I’ve had it over 4 years (which is a long time for me) and it has keys come loose and a broken screen on one edge. There’s definitely no rush until it actually dies, but it would be a lovely luxury to upgrade and get a new one.

So these are my small appliances desires. I probably have more to be honest. Next time I might do a large appliances one – especially since our Washing Machine died this week!

Wednesday Wishlist – Disney Store (of course)

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Disney Store wishlist

I tend to find that when I make a wishlist, I babble on about what the things are I want and why I want them. The truth is, I want them because they’re pretty and because they’re Disney. However I’m trying to be really good with money right now and so I’m not buying anything. Some of these items appeared on my last wishlist post and some are new. It’s probably not even everything I’d like. However they are a combination of Beauty and the Beast items (my favourite) and Christmas decorations.

Wednesday Wishlist – Christmas in July

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Disney Christmas ornaments

Yes I know, they’re Christmas ornaments and its early to think about Christmas but the Disney Store released their ornaments last week and I just had to make a collection of some of the pieces I’d like! To be truthful I tend to avoid wishlists these days as they only make me want to spend money, but these are the one treat I seem to give myself each year. That said, I missed quite a few I would have liked last year and I hope that won’t be the case this year.

So my top pick on this particular wishlist is Belle (no surprise) and Vanessa. These are two characters I have actually cosplayed as and my top pick when it comes to characters generally. There is a singing Belle ornament too but while I like the fountain scene, I think I prefer the simple Belle version. As for Vanessa, its so unusual to get anything Ursula even, let alone her so I need this!

The other ornaments are definitely all secondary wants. The rose however is probably top of those. Again, Beauty and the Beast themed, I have a love of all things rose themed too. As for the rest, they are to fill gaps in my character themes or just because I like them. We do have Ariel already, but not as a mermaid. We also don’t have anything UP, Chip and Dale, or Jaq and Gus (though we do have Cinderella). Chip and Dale have a special place in my heart right now as they remind me very much of my girls. Finally that leaves Tinker Bell and while I do think we have a Tink decoration already, I love this one especially. I’m pretty sure there is a similar Disney tradition ornament which I would love.

I think a few have disappeared off the Disney Store website already so I may have missed a few I like. In fact, there are a few from last year floating around on Ebay so I may even do a second wishlist with those included too.

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Wednesday Wishlist – Disney Style Books

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I have to admit that I’m super excited about this week’s wishlist, because I’ve been working on it for absolutely ages! I don’t read half as much as I’d like to as I’m always busy sewing or blogging, but if I did, I would read ALL these books I have listed and many more. This week I wanted to show off some of the many Disney/Fairytale style books that I’ve come across over the last few months. Some I’d never heard of before and others being sequels to books I already own or have read.

Disney style books

Disney is one of my favourite topics ever but I love a good spin on it too. Nearly all of these books follow that idea and so hopefully if you’re the same, you’ll like the sound of a lot of these books.

Starting off with Poor Unfortunate Souls, this book has been on my wishlist for a while now. When we visited Florida last year I discovered Fairest of All and The Beast Within, both of which I regretted not buying. However for my birthday the following month, I was lucky enough to get bought both. This third book is about Ursula and honestly she is pretty much my Villain spirit animal. It’s not released yet but I would love to own this book and add it to my collection.

As Old as Time is a similar story, it’s pre-order and not released yet. However I’ve had my eye on Once Upon a Dream and A Whole New World (Chris just bought me this a few days ago) in hardback for a while (they just got released in paperback) and now spotted this Beauty and the Beast Twisted Tale coming out soon. I have yet to read any, but I plan to start AWNW this week!

The next couple of books, Unhooked and Never Never, are both Peter Pan/Hook themed books. They both appeal to me to read, though I’ve heard nothing about them other than reading the information on Amazon. There is one on the next line down called Wendy Darling (and its a Part 1 I believe) and this is the same sort of thing. They all just sound like good books. Finally on this line is a book called Fairest and its part of The Lunar Chronicles series. I currently own Cinder which is by the same author and while I haven’t read it yet, I’m told it’s really good.

On the middle line is a book called Once Again, its by the same as the Twisted Tales but I think it’s co-written. From what I can gather its two stories in one, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Since I mentioned Wendy Darling above, I’ll skip on to Kingdom Keepers. This is a series that I only recently discovered and have to admit I’m thoroughly enjoying. The first book, Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dark, I actually bought for Megan for her birthday, but Lily and I ended up reading as a bedtime story. Once we’d finished, I moved onto Kingdom Keepers: Disney After Dawn. Since we only read one chapter a night, it does take quite some time to work our way through, however Lily was lucky enough to get bought the next 3-4 books for her birthday so we should have enough to keep us going for a while. This particular book I listed is a sort of spin-off series I believe, called Kingdom Keepers: The Return. Obviously we will be finishing our current series, before heading off into that one though.

Finally on the middle line is another book which I believe is co-written, by Riley Pearson (the author of The Kingdom Keepers) and Dave Barry. There are several books in this series too and again I haven’t read any of them, but given that they are by the author of The Kingdom Keepers, I would definitely give it a try.

Finally on the bottom row is a couple of cheeky additions. Return to the Isle of the Lost is a sequel book to The Isle of the Lost: A Descendants Novel. All I really know of the Descendants is the Disney movie that was on TV last year, which I watched with the kids, but I did buy this book for Lily and we haven’t got around to reading it yet. Given that the first book is good, then we’d probably want the sequel too! My next cheeky addition is actually Once Upon a Time (OUAT) related and though there were several to choose from, this one is my top pick. OUAT isn’t technically Disney but it’s pretty damn close so any book connected to the series is something I want to read.

Finally that leaves three books which I only found today as I was searching for last minute additions. I honestly know nothing about the three picks but the blurbs appealed so I threw them on. Disneylanders and The Disneyland Quest, remind me somewhat of the Kingdom Keepers style book. The last one, is Fairy Godmother themed and is part of a series, some of which Megan owns but hasn’t read yet (The Snow Queen and The Sleeping Beauty). The series is called Five Hundred Kingdoms and from what I can gather, all the books can be read independently.

So these are some of my treasure finds but I’d love to know if you have any other suggestions!

Wednesday Wishlist – Rings and things…

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I may have forgotten to publish this yesterday (oops!)

So recently I’ve found myself looking at rings. And yes, I guess they could be looked at as engagement rings but they are also just pretty rings right? These are some beauties that I’ve picked out which are really spectacular and some that are much more affordable, since now a days you can even get a Sydney custom diamond engagement ring which is a great option for those looking for this. No surprise that they are Disney themed!

Majority of these really nice rings are from places like Etsy or custom design jewellery websites, like those who offer these Sydney custom diamond engagement rings. However some are from places like Hot Topic, Disney Couture and TruffleShuffle. Can you spot which ring is which character, in the case of Ursula, Maleficent, Ariel, Elsa, Rapunzel and the Evil Queen?

My favourite of them all is definitely the Ursula themed ring (black ones on the bottom line) as these are just so unusual. I love the idea of a black ring instead of something silver/gold. A shop called Lakewood Treasures on Etsy is definitely the place to check out if you have a fair bit of cash and want something really beautiful and unique. Other favourites come from Disney Engagement Ring, Gemvara and Razo’s Ring Shop.

Make sure to take a look at this beautiful nickel free sterling silver earrings you can match with your favorite outfits. While gold isn’t really my colour, I do love the Belle rose ring too but that’s more because I love anything Beauty and the Beast. I also used to own the Believe ring pictured, but sadly it wore down to the actual metal because I wore it so much!

What would be your dream ring, Disney or otherwise?

Wednesday Wishlist – Pop Funkos

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As always, I want a whole bunch of Pop Funkos and with my birthday coming up, I’ve started to think about which ones are top of my list. I figured I’d put together a variety options, in case anyone was looking to get me one ;)

Pop Funko Wishlist

 

I’ve tried to group the Pop Funkos somewhat, though it’s still a bit random. The first section is Disney. To be honest I would always be happy with a Disney Pop Funko but there are actually very few I really want. Merida, Alice, Mushu and the Evil Queen are my main picks. Honestly the Queen has been on so many lists now – she’s top.

Next is Harry Potter. I would like Harry, Ron and Hermione (though I have two Harry variants) but they aren’t my top picks. Since Megan has Luna, Sirius and Dobby would be my other choices so far, though I’d love Hagrid too.

Next is Superheroes and the main man, Stan Lee. To be honest there are hundreds of DC and Marvel characters that I would love to collect, especially when Chris started me off with Oliver Queen (unmasked). The new wave of Avenger ones are definitely better than the first wave, though I prefer the Iron Man from 3. Along with all these, Deadpool would be great but I had too many that looked like him (Spider Man, Flash and Iron Man) to add him too! If you want to stay updated on the latest entertainment and pop culture news, you might want to visit sites like The Direct for the freshest scoop on your favorite fandom.

Once Upon a Time has got to be one of my all time favourite TV series and I love the Pop Funkos too. The only one I have so far is Killian Jones (a Captain Hook variant) but I would love his regular version too. Regina is my top pick for OUAT though and she has been on many lists. Snow and Prince Charming would also be a great addition.

Last but not least is the odd one out of Katniss Everdeen. There are actually a couple I would like from Hunger Games (especially Effie Trinket) but Katniss is my top pick and I didn’t have much space left! Megan has her in the red dress and Mockingjay dress (with wings) so I would like this version for my collection).

What are your top Funko picks?

Birthday List Countdown – One Month to Go!

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Today marks one month until my birthday and I thought I would celebrate by sharing a few bits and pieces I would love to receive! Over the next month you might see one or two more of these, as and when I find other things I like. However for now, these are my (off the) top (of my head) items.

Birthday Wishlist - Disney Style

 

It’s probably no great surprise, that everything on my list is Disney. That’s not to say it’s the only thing I like, but its one of the few I’m passionate enough to want to own or collect. Another amusing thing about my list is that it’s pretty much half villains and half Beauty and the Beast!

While I’m not going to explain each and every thing (the list is done on Polyvore so if you click on each item it will tell you where to get it from), I will explain some bits. For a start the Beauty and the Beast traditions ornaments. These Mrs Potts, Cogsworth and Lumiere are all new and I love them all. As you can tell, Beauty and the Beast is my favourite so I would love these to join my collection. The “Belle” necklace is because “Bel” is what I go by so I would actually love this for a duel reason and the cushion, makeup bags etc are just because I like them.

For the villains side, I would really love Regina to add to my Pop Funkos (but I’m pretty sure Lily knows this so fingers crossed this year), also I have the Evil Queen in small but I would like her in the regular size. There are loads of other Funkos I like though so its hard to pick. The Ursula cover book, is the third in a series that I have the other two of. The villains bag I’ve wanted for ages and the colouring book is pretty new and I haven’t spotted it before. Recently I treated myself to the QoH plush and I seriously regret not getting Ursula when she was in store – so connected to that is this old hag plush which I don’t think is technically Disney but I’d like her. Finally that leaves a book called Never Never that’s been on my wishlist for ages (but is still too expensive to buy myself) and some DVDs which I’m still missing from my collection.

I’ll be keeping an eye on other things over the next month so keep any eye out!

Wednesday Wishlist – Artist Spotlight

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artists

For this wishlist I wanted to do something a little different and actually showcase some artists that I really admire. All of these people are artists I’ve found either through going to a convention or on Instagram. All their shops are on Etsy. As I couldn’t find a way to add text to the Polyvore sets, I screen-grabbed and added the words myself. However if you are interested in any of the specific art I pictured, you can find the Polyvore image below and this has the direct links included.

I first found SoCuteCompany at a convention in Lincoln last year. I bought a Beauty and the Beast print but sorely regretted not buying The Little Mermaid one too. Majority of Ellen’s art (at least in her store) isn’t Disney related but it’s all incredibly cute. I’m hoping she’ll be heading to “Geeks” Lincoln this year so I can maybe grab some more of her art.

Artist Abe is someone I discovered through Instagram and though I haven’t actually purchased anything as yet, I do have several of his items favourited. Abraham’s style is quite different from what I would usually go for but I think it works well, especially with the Harley Quinn pieces I have my eyes on. I love the cross-over pieces too and the slight silliness to his drawings.

Meagan from Dashes of Color is one of the most lovely sellers I have met on Etsy. I originally discovered her when her Instagram page liked a picture on my Closet Geek Instagram and I was nosy enough to go looking at her page. The first art I bought from her was a Peter Pan and Wendy custom piece for Amy‘s Christmas present, which she was kindly sent along with a Rapunzel pic. I later asked her to paint a custom Briar Rose and Belle painting which I now have on my dining room wall. She is happy to do any custom pieces, her prices are so reasonable and she’s lovely to boot. What more could you ask for?

Silvia from SillyLunastorta is again a lovely person to deal with. Originally I discovered her art at MCM Birmingham Comic Con, when I bought a Luna (Harry Potter) bookmark for my daughter Megan. I don’t know if I ever would have remembered to look up her Etsy if it wasn’t for the sad fact that Megan’s bookmark actually got torn at school. Luckily Silvia had signed the bookmark art clearly and I was able to google her. Though the original bookmark was no longer for sale, there was another Luna that I purchased in replacement. However Silvia did actually offer to specially print the old style for me, in order to replace it. Majority of her work that I like is bookmarks but she has lots of other stuff too. I wish she did more prints and postcards as I’d definitely add a few to my collection.

Elisa owns a store called aasilee and her work is truly beautiful. She is another person who I discovered through Instagram and everytime she posts a picture I go and check out her store again. I really would love one of her custom pieces but sadly I can’t really afford it at the moment. However her prints are really reasonable and I have my eye on a few. (I actually made my first purchase after writing this post, so I’m pretty excited about that!). Majority of the store is Disney themed and this is just perfect as far as I’m concerned.

Last but not least is Amanda who owns Hungry Designs. I discovered her store through Instagram and have been dying to order for a while. Amanda has been preparing for Supernova for a few weeks and her Instagram has been such a tease for all the new items she would be stocking. However I patiently waited till this week for them all to be listed (after the convention) and made my first ever order on Monday. Again a lot of the Hungry Designs art is Disney themed but there is Harry Potter, Labyrinth, Harley Quinn and other great fandoms. The thing I love the most about Amanda’s work is that its not just prints and postcards you can get, but also badges and earrings. She has a 35% discount code (SUPANOVAAPRIL) on at the moment so it would be a great time to give her a visit!

There are a few other artists that I own pieces from, but they either didn’t have anything in their store that I currently wanted, or their store was closed. I would recommend also checking out KavonIllustration, Siodoodles, rowansm and LoveAshleyDesigns.

Artist Spotlight

Wednesday Wish List – Valentine’s Special

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Valentine's Day

 

I’m not a massive fan of Valentine’s Day as for the most part I know it’s just a commercialised holiday. However I’ve always seen it as a day to show everyone that you love them, not just a boyfriend, husband, partner etc. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always bought the girls a gift, as well as my partner – now this year, we’re all buying each other gifts and having a romantic family meal for 4 in the evening. The following day is affectionately known as Galentine’s Day – a day to show your female friends that you care and although I’ll be a day late, I might well get my best friend’s some gifts too!

Anyway, despite the fact I don’t think I’ll get any of these gifts, I figured I’d share a few bits I’d like to get. Starting at the top is Lush. There aren’t many Valentine products I’d like from Lush this year, having previously tried both. However the Unicorn Horn bubble bar was a firm favourite last year and I’d like to give Lover Lamp bath bomb a go too. Next is a Disney Tradition – I have a whole ton of these but Minnie with a heart? Seems like a good one to get for V Day! Of course my wish list wouldn’t be complete without a Pop Funko and who better than Hook? If I had to pick someone to spend my imaginary Valentine’s Day, Captain Hook from OUAT would definitely be my top choice!

Next up is Ferrero Rocher, in a heart shape box of course. These are one of my favourite chocolates and even though I know Chris has bought some for the girls, I secretly hope I have a box too! Since we’re spending the day together as a family, a board game would be a great idea. I love Ticket to Ride and since the new United Kingdom version was released just before Christmas, I’d love a copy of this. Finally, last but not least, some Haagen Dazs. Strawberry Cheesecake is the big recommendation for Valentine’s Day this year but I’d happily take any flavour! Bailey’s has always been my all time favourite and I’d love to give Salted Caramel a try too!