Boxcitement September Box Review

Boxcitement is a monthly subscription box for stationery, crafts, jewellery and gift lovers.
Each month the Boxcitement team choose a theme and craft the boxes around that idea. This month's theme was Patternista and celebrates pattern. It also happens to be Boxcitement's first birthday so there's a slight birthday vibe going on too.
So, what's in the box?...Well, the short answer is, lots!

I was amazed when I opened the little letterbox friendly box at just how much had been neatly tucked inside. It was like an explosion of colour and exciting goodies!

First up is a selection of crafty bits. There is a pack of four mini greetings cards that have been made using the exclusive Patternista designs. My favourite is the light blue thank you card, it's incredibly cute. There was a large sheet of patterned decoupage paper which has a different pattern on either side. I think I will be more likely to use this as wrapping paper because it's a really useful size. There is also a couple of pretty ribbons to use when decorating gifts or creating something crafty.

Next up were a couple of cute pieces of jewellery. One is to celebrate the first birthday of Boxcitement and is a dinky string bracelet with a mini cupcake bead. I've actually used this as a charm for my planner by shortening the string slightly and hooking it over the rings of my Filofax. The other bracelet is made using a handmade, etched glass bead. Unfortunately, as beautiful as the bead is, the bracelet itself is made using very cheap chain so isn't something that I would wear. Because of this, I rescued the bead and turned that into another planner charm :) The final accessory is a sugar skull shaped emery board in a fab shade of bright yellow. I love this! It's sat on my desk full time now.

Lastly, the box also included a few lifestyle bits. My favourite item in the box is a bright pink and white geometric patterned tea towel. Pretty and practical! I haven't had enough pink in my life since moving in with Tom! Also adding some pretty to the kitchen, is a set of colourful storage labels for our tea, coffee and sugar pots. Finally, last but not least, is a pretty bookmark decorated with the Patternista prints. I'm a big reader so this will definitely get plenty of use.

Over all, I'm pretty happy with this box. I love the variety and as I mentioned at the start of the post, I was amazed by how much you receive, however, there were a few items in the box that I could perhaps do without such as the ribbons and the glass bead bracelet. This is because I don't think they really added anything to the box that wasn't already there so for me they were slight overkill. But, other than this, I think this box was a really strong offering and I'm looking forward to seeing what next month brings!

You can find out all about Boxcitement, see contents from past boxes and subscribe from £15 per month *here*.

Annie xx

Gift Guides- Boxed up and Good to Go

Oops, sorry, crashed out ill after work yesterday so didn't get a chance to post this. Gift Guide numero tres!

Another day, another gift guide. Today we're thinking about those people that perhaps you don't know too well, or you don't have a huge budget for but really want to impress. Pre-boxed presents are a great way to give someone a fab looking gift that doesn't cost the earth. Here's a few choices to help you on the way.

1. For a beauty lover how about a gorgeous Nip+Fab party essentials set?

2. In the cold months everyone loves a big mug of hot chocolate to warm them through. Whittard has some great kits full of everything you need for the perfect cup :)

3. For someone you may not know well, chocolate is a great choice and in my eyes, Hotel Chocolat make some of the best you can buy!

4. Perhaps one of the more male friendly on my list, I think this £10 Famous Grouse hot toddy set is great value...and I've always wanted to own one of those honey things haha

5. Of course I can't do a gift guide without a Lush offering. The 12 Days of Christmas box is a good gift for a couple or someone you know is big on pampering :)

So there we have it, pre-boxed gifts for everyone. Which one would you be happiest to receive?
Annie x

Gift Guides- Gifts that Keep on Giving

Day two of my Christmas gift guides and today I wanted to show you some gift choices that are good for the environment, help support charities and still great quality, well priced and suitable for everyone :)

1. Toms are a great brand who donate one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair that is bought. This gold pair make me smile because everyone knows I can't resist gold and sparkle.

2. This shower radio may look like any other but it is powered by water. Simply attach it to the faucet and you're good to go. This also means that energy is saved by not needing batteries or electricity.

3. Keep Cups are a fab present for coffee lovers. Re-usable coffee cups save tonnes of waste in the form of un-recyclable waxed cups every year. Some coffee shops also give discounts on drinks when you're using a reusable cup so you save money as well.

4. A slightly different option. Fruit trees are an alternative gift choice that when planted out can last for generations and give a fruit yield yearly as well :)

5. Neals Yard is one of the best brands for natural, animal friendly cosmetics (other than Lush of course!) and their Bee Lovely range donates 5% so charities and campaigns that work to save the bees.

6. Finally, we have FUN, the 4 in 1 product from Lush that can be used as shampoo, shower gel, bubble bath and play dough. 10p from every bar sold goes towards rebuilding an environment where children can have fun in the areas that were devastated by nuclear disaster.

So there's my top pick of gifts that keep on giving. What do you think of my choices? Have you bought any of these goodies as presents this year?
Annie x

Christmas Gift Guides- Little BU Nail Polish Review

Its coming to that time when people are getting stressed about all the presents they haven't bought yet so its time for some gift guides. I have 5 lined up for the next 5 days to help you finish off those slightly tougher to choose presents.

Little BU is a brand that is new to me but when I received an email from their PR company telling me about the brand I was instantly excited. Little BU is a range of nail polishes that are non-toxic, odourless and cruelty free (and 100% safe for nail biters!) designed for future fashionistas who are at that age where they are getting into beauty and wanting to start painting their nails.
I was sent two colours to trial; Alexi* which is a beautiful shimmering red (very festive!) and Sofia* which is a lovely deep purple and I have to say that I have been very impressed.
What first struck me when I started applying little BU was that they really are odourless which is due to them being chemical free and also just how good the coverage is. When I was growing up, the first nail varnishes I was allowed were very sheer, watery and to be honest, enough to stop me being interested in nail varnish for a very long time, however these are more or less opaque after just one coat, and the colours are lovely and bright. I'm not a fan of dark colours so Alexi was my personal favourite of the two but there are 12 colours in the range to choose from so I'm sure there will be something to suit all little beauties.

As the polishes are water based there is no need to worry about spillage's on clothes and counters because the polishes wash out completely which is a big plus in my eyes. I'm in my 20s and still end up with splodges on my duvet pretty regularly (I'm a messy person who needs to learn not to paint her nails in bed). The water base also means that the polish is easy to remove from nails. The PR information I received says that they can be washed off nails easily under the tap however I found the wear to actually be a lot better than this and lasted several days. It was easily removed with a very small amount of remover though.

Over all, I was incredibly impressed by both Little BU polishes as well as the concept behind them and think that they make a really sweet, thoughtful present. When I first received them I was slightly put off by the price; at £9.95 for a 9ml bottle they aren't cheap, but after trying them I can see that you are paying for quality as well as bringing happiness to a young beauty fan who otherwise may not have been allowed to paint her nails and show her personality in that way. You can buy Little BU polishes either from Harrods or iluvlittlebu.com

Annie x

*this post contains PR samples however that doesn't affect my opinions which are 100% honest as always

Stocking Fillers Under £10

That time of year has arrived. Christmas shopping is firmly under way, the streets are filling up, and everyone is stressing over a gift for that person who is just soo damn hard to buy for. It might be that you have a secret santa present to buy, something for your partners sibling, that random friend who you know will buy you something bizarre or you might just need a little top up. But whatever the reason, stocking fillers always come in handy.
I class a stocking filler as a gift costing £10 or less...more of a make weight gift really, or a token (although topshop have gifts costing up to £35ish on their website under the title stocking fillers, yikes!)
So here is a little round up of some of the mini gifts on the market this christmas.

1. How cute is this little raccoon hottie. Pop him in the microwave for warming cuddles on a cold night :) £8 Topshop.

2. For someone up for a party, these Jelly Alcoshots are great. I've bought these before for Daniel so I can vouch for their fabness. £3.99 River Island (£10 from Urban Outfitters so be price wise!)

3. Hot chocolate couldn't be much more festive if it tried, but I think christmas pudding hot chocolate may have just succeeded. It is super chocolatey and mixed with the fruity spiciness you would expect from christmas pudding. £4.50 Whittards.

4. Fabulous Fashion is a sweet add on for any #fblogger, fledging designer or general fashion freak you may know. Full of designer doodles to complete and create. £9.99 River Island.

5. As the proud owner of a Lego LED key light myself, I know people will enjoy receiving one. A good top up or secret santa for a male friend. £8 Topshop.

6. Another option for festive drinking, I think this Hot Spiced Wine kit would be great for almost anyone over 18. The cinnamon stick on the front can be used as well and smells good. £8 Whittards.

7. Finally, it wouldn't be christmas without a Lush gift. Winter Wonderland is a great one because it contains two products perfect for a little christmas pamper. Snowcake soap has the ultimate festive scent and Dream Cream will keep skin protected from the winter chill. £6.96 Lush.

Annie x

Show Your Support

Beauty may be the at the forefront of what I write about on my blog, however, jewellery and fashion are also a big part of my life. As is supporting charity and raising awareness for people who need it so when Catherine asked me if I could post this article on Three Little Buhos I happily agreed.
Annie x

Jeweller Pandora is the latest company to go good and team up with a charity, its charity of choice, The ABF soldier’s charity. Together they have created the BRITISH ROSE charm for Pandora’s extremely popular and fashionable charm bracelet range.
The stunning Pandora British Rose charm, with its red enamelled petal details and sterling silver encasing is a great way to celebrate, honour or remember a soldier in the British army. 15% of the £40 retail price is donated directly to the ABF which amounts as a small help toward the annual £7million it needs to continue supporting soldiers, veterans and their families both practically and financially. With this figure set to rise to as much as £14million by 2015 following a 30% increase in applications from soldiers you can see exactly why they need your help.
ABF - The soldiers’ charity has 68 years experience of success and support for veterans from both World Wars right the way up to soldiers in active service currently posted in Iraq or Afghanistan. Pandora are a relatively young company in comparison, aimed at the younger market that designs, manufactures and markets hand-finished jewellery. Despite the differences they have, both ABF and Pandora have a very important thing in common, taking pride in what it does and aiming to be the best at it.
This modern and current partnership aims to increase awareness of the charity in the younger market in order to keep the charity moving forward for years to come. There is no easier way to remember someone than by looking down at your wrist. This delicate piece of jewellery is enough to show you care even if you don’t know anyone in the army, enough to make other people think “maybe I should be doing something too”. Join celebrities like Joanna Lumley and Lorraine Kelly in our quest to raise awareness and remember those who do not complain about the risks they put themselves in, they do not let the dangers they face stop them, as for them they are simply doing their job.

17 Fest of All Kit

Hello,
As I mentioned yesterday, today Ima tell you what I think about the Fest of All Kit which is a little bag of goodies you get free when you spend £6 of 17 products at the moment. I'm not sure how long the offer is on for but it's well worth a look in Boots if you're near one as the kit is pretty fabby.

The kits are all the same so there's no worry that someone will get a better set than you do which is something I like. It always annoys me when there are different colour combinations on offer and I end up with colours totally unsuited to me.

When you open the box you're greeted with a package wrapped in pretty green tissue paper which I thought was a nice touch. When you open this you find the contents; a black kohl eyeliner, a lasting fix polish in the colour "tropical island" and a handbag sized tube of Instant Glow wash off bronzer. Two of the three products are full sized which is a good offer I think.
The eyeliner is a lovely soft pencil which effortlessly gives a nice lot of colour even along the water line. I wore it to work today and it held up well as well in a pretty hot and humid environment.
I haven't given the bronzer a proper trial yet as I've been working a lot and I don't tend to go out of my way enough to bother with tanning just for that! I have tested it on my hand though and whilst it looks scarily dark when coming out of the tube, once rubbed in it gives a very soft colour which gives a nice glow and a fairly natural look.

The nail varnish is a really pretty colour for summer. The formula is pretty good too, I managed to gain opacity in just two coats which dried nice and quickly. The colour is a lovely corally orange which contains a very subtle glitter than is only really visible when the light catches it or in fairly bright light when it twinkles nicely. I was also happy to see that the colour is true to how it looks in the bottle because I'm sick of buying fab looking nail varnishes that look completely different on the nail. I can't comment on longevity as I was only testing this for now and can't wear nail varnish at work but I'll find out for you when I get the chance.

Over all, I was really happy with this set, especially as a free gift where you only need to spend £6 to get it. I will use all of these products so it was well worth the money. Like I say, I'm unsure how long the offer is on, so I'd recommend snapping up your set as soon as possible before they're gone. What do you think of the kit? Are these products you'd use?
Annie x

100 Follower Giveaway!- CLOSED

Hello,
I hope everybody is enjoying this lovely sunny Saturday. I treated myself to a fab new pair of shoes ready for the summer which I'll show you sometime soon.
I'm so excited that today I have reached 100 GFC followers. I know blogging isn't about the numbers but it's so amazing to know that people enjoy reading my blog. Thank you so much for showing me support, I love writing my blog and I've got to know so many lovely people at the same time.

To Say thank you to my followers, I've put together a little giveaway for you.

I'm giving away these lovely goodies to one follower. Included is two Bourjois nail varnishes, a Nivea lipgloss (one of my favourites!), a Superdrug deep cleansing face mask, a 17 ombre eyeshadow palette, a Body Shop two tone eyeshadow palette and a cute heart shaped topshop ring.

The Serious Bit:

To be in with the chance of winning these goodies you need to be a follower of my blog using google friend connect, I will check :P

For one entry you need to leave a comment on this post telling me... your favourite drink (mines strawberry flavoured fizzy water :) ), your GFC name and what you love about Three Little Buhos :)

For one extra entry can follow me on twitter and tweet "@AnnabelleJohn I've just entered Annie's  fab 100 follower giveaway on Three Little Buhos. Enter here: http://annieshomemadeheaven.blogspot.co.uk"

I'm afraid this giveaway is open to UK residents only and I will be running the giveaway until midnight 22nd May so you have 10 days to enter :)

Good luck,

Annie x

Yummy Chocolate Slab

Hello,
I hope you've all had a lovely day with your mummy. We did presents this morning then went into town and bought lots of make-up and have just finished a fabby roast dinner. Its been a special day :)
One of the gifts I gave mum was this yummy homemade chocolate slab. I love making these and they look amazing when they're done so I thought you might like the method :) They make great gifts and are always appreciated!

The ingredients are brilliantly simple.
3 100g bars of dark chocolate (I use basics chocolate because I'm cheap like that and it still tastes great, but you can use any brand)
2 100g bars of white chocolate
yummy things to put on the top. I used sour cherries, dried apricots and mammoth pecan nuts. Other good choices would be smarties, raisins, malteasers or almonds.

1. Prepare your toppings so that they're all ready to go when your chocolate is ready.

2. Melt the dark chocolate. You should really do this in a bain marie but I'm a cook that likes to cut corners so I always melt mine in the microwave. Just make sure to stir every 30 seconds.

3. Spread the chocolate in a tray lined with grease proof paper (DO NOT forget the paper, you will end up chocolate deprived as the slab will stick to the tray in a horrible manner)

4. Melt the white chocolate in the same way and use a spoon to swirl the two colours together in a pretty spiral pattern.

5. Chuck on your toppings in an artistic and visually appealing manner and then if you have any, sprinkle on a little edible glitter and chill in the fridge until set.

Voila! Pretty, no?

These are such great fun to make, and so pretty. This version cost me just over £5 to make. Where as you can buy similar slabs for £12-£15 meaning you not only make a fab, personal gift, you also save yourself money at the same time :)

What did you treat your mother to this mothers day? Have you ever made a chocolate slab?

Annie x

Free Things :)

Hello,
I'm finally home after leaving for work at 9.40 this morning! Bearing in mind that it is now 10.28 in the evening, I think we can safely say that it's been a busy day.
Before settling down for the night to sleep for as long as is possible, I wanted to remind you about my little giveaway to celebrate 50 followers. So far, I have to say that I'm surprised how little interest there has been in the giveaway because I thought everyone loved free things! If you've missed the details, here is a photo of what I'm offering.

We have a cute pair of yellow button earrings, a ribbon and button rosette brooch and a little ribbon and button flower bobby pin, the combined worth of which is just under £10, I also have a small surprise beauty product gift to slip into the package for the winner to make things that little bit extra special :)

To enter:
All you have to do to be in with the chance of winning these pretty little gifts is follow my blog either using Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin' and leave me a comment either on this post or on the original giveaway post letting me know that you have done this.
The competition closes at midnight on Thursday 15th March and I will announce the winner on Friday 16th.

Good luck,
Annie x

Mothers Day Gift Ideas

Hello,
I hope everyone has had a good Monday. As we know, it's mothers day this Sunday (18th March) and it isn't always easy to decide what to treat your mummy with to show her how much she means to you so here are a few ideas to give you a bit of inspiration.

1. Benefit stock some beautiful gift sets. This "confessions of a concealaholic" is my favourite and includes some of their best selling products.

2. Hotel Chocolat offer a brilliant range of luxury chocolate gifts. This gift set comes inside a pretty jewellery box and is exclusive for mothers day.

3. Jewellery is a classic gift choice and this gold bracelet from Fabulous makes the perfect treat for your mum.

4. Since first trying the limited edition Chocomania collection from The Body Shop I haven't been able to stop raving about its brilliance. This wonderful gift set holds each full sized product from the collection and is guaranteed to make your mum feel special this mothers day.

5. A mirror may seem like a strange choice for a gift, but my mum has recently re-decorated her bedroom and pretty accessories like this are a useful gift as well as being really pretty.

6. You can't go wrong with a good chick lit, and Loves me, Loves me not is a selection of short stories from some of the best selling romantic novelists in the UK. A must have for any book loving mum.

7. I was so excited to find this new Calvin Klein fragrance, Sheer Beauty in Debenhams over the weekend. It has a beautiful citrus scent and a dainty pink bottle. The perfect fragrance gift.

So there are my top mothers day picks. What are you thinking of buying your mum this year? Are you going to do anything nice together on sunday? We're either going to go to Wagamama's with my grandmother as well or I'm going to cook my lovely mummy a nice meal :)
Annie x
ps, enter my giveaway *here* to win some pretty little prizes.

A Few Beauty Favourites

Hello,
Today I've been busy cleaning, tidying and putting together some fabby blog posts for the rest of the week both for Three Little Buhos and Sugar and Spice. I love a good productive day and I have more tidying planned for this evening :)

Recently I have been really big on beauty and have really enjoyed painting my nails, cleansing, moisturising, buffing, plucking, tweaking, preening etc etc and I thought it would be nice to share with you some of my favourite beauty bits at the moment.

I cannot get enough of this Garnier BB Cream in Light. It makes skin look beautiful and works well to keep skin looking good long term.

 Batiste XXL Volume has helped me out of many hair related disaster days. It does as it says and gives great volume. It also works well when you're styling big volume up-do's.

 I love Calvin Klein perfumes and CK One Summer 2010 is my very favourite. I wear this scent almost every day and it makes me feel warm and happy :)

 Brush cleanser is an uber important make-up staple if you regularly use brushes to apply bits and bobs. Mac Brush Cleanser is a great one, it works fast with no hassle and removes all grease.

 My number one indulgence. Molton Brown products are so wonderful, and the warming eucalyptus bath and shower therapy has always been my favourite. After a long day, there is nothing better than a good soak using it.

 Have you ever used a rapid dry spray for nails? If not then you need to! They are the best! I'm rubbish with not smudging my nail varnish but since my mum bought me the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails I've used it religiously AND it works!

I get rubbish, dry lips during the winter so instead of using lipstick each day I use Vaseline Rosy Lips which tints them a pretty pink, keeps them soft and stops the chapping that I am so prone to.


What are your beauty must haves? Do you use any of these products? If you do, what do you think of them?
Annie x

Large Quantities of Lovely

Hello,
Today has been great. Proper girly shopping trip with my mum where we both bought so lovely bits and pieces (maybe I'll post a photo of my goodies tomorrow)
I was incredibly lucky this valentines day, and my wonderful fiance bought me some cute little presents, and I love them all and just had to show you their fabbiness.

How cute is this flamingo cookie cutter? I can't wait to try this out and then cover the resulting cookies in BRIGHT pink icing. I hope the leggies and neck don't burn :S

I was lucky enough to be given a bunch of beautiful light pink roses. We couldn't find a vase and so had to display them in a cocktail shaker, but in a way I think that made them look all the more cute. I love roses, they look so pretty as they start to open like this one.

I was oh so excited to receive this ring. Its a beautiful handmade silver toe ring from Little Red Robin that I fell in love with last month. Daniel got it personalised to say "mugwai" which is his pet name for me (for those who don't know, here a photo of a mugwai, they're the cute little creatures that turn into Gremlins. Dan calls me mugwai because apparently I'm "cute and cuddly and make little noises") My photo doesn't really do the ring justice, it's gorgeous, made of silver and shines beautifully. I'm wearing it on my little finger while the weather is cold. Check out the Little Red Robin website for other beautiful jewellery.

To go with my my lovely new ring, Daniel tracked down this adorable bunny ring bunny that I pinned on pinterest a while back. I love him, he sits by my bed holding my new mugwai ring, my engagement ring and a couple of vintage finds. I thought it was so sweet of Daniel to go to so much effort to find me a present that he knew I would love.





I love all of these gifts and I am so thankful to Dan for being so generous and treating me so brilliantly. That man is my world :)

Have you been given any lovely, thoughtful gifts recently? What did you get for valentines day?
I hope you're having a great weekend :)
Annie x