Changes to the blog

With the new google privacy policy taking into effect in less than a week, I will be thinking about what I write on this blog in the future.  It is quite sad as I do enjoy using the blogger platform, but at the same time the new changes bother me greatly.  For example, if I type one day about how depressed I'm feeling, I don't want it logged that I'm a manic depressive and google sending me ads for drugs.  You see why this data harvesting is very concerning for me.

So I will think it over in the next as to if I keep this blog strictly for product placement such as hauls and reviews and eliminate all personality from it?  I guess it wouldn't be that bad, expect that I do like to put in a little bit of me into each post. 

So that's to be determined...

but there is always a compromise.  I've been wanting to incorporate something that is very meaningful to my life into my daily posts .... MUSIC.  Perhaps, by adding music to the end of my posts, you guys can suss out my mood that day without having me write it out so that google can manipulate their ads and try to maximize their profits off of my searches and entries.

So either way, it has been a wonderful year of blogging with freedom, but I guess this is the future of the virtual world.

Taking a bit of a break....

I've gone back and forth about writing this post, and although it's probably of no interest to anyone else but me, I still feel the urge to voice my opinion on here.  It's really funny how there is this (very connected) small sub-world of beauty bloggers and forum groups, where we all have this public platform to voice our opinion about products and of course the occassional drama.  Well the occasional drama has now become the center point of this sub-world, and I am choosing to bow out of it as gracefully as I can. 

I have distanced myself from a certain forum that I use to be quite active in due to a handful of people being disgusting human beings and also being scammed twice.  It's also even more disgusting for me to sit back and have to watch a certain someone (who shall remain nameless) use her blog as a platform to bully and con people.  What is this ugly breed of sociopaths, disguised as nail polish addicts, have I stumbled across? I don't know what weird twilight zone I ended up in, but I don't recognize it and I sure didn't sign up for this crap.  I just wanted to blog and join a forum to discuss light-hearted and fun things.  Not get sucked into this warped world where people think that not getting a nail polish they want is the end of the world.  What bubble do people live in where that's the biggest problem in their lives, and they exert hours of energy into whinning to the whole world about it?  I also don't know what kind of people who chooses friends based on the content of gifts they are given.  Actually I answered my own question, it's the kind of people that I'm staying far away from as possible. 

I'm feeling really disgusted at how shady, spoiled, and cruel that some people in this beauty blogging/beauty forum world actually are.  For all these reasons, I'm taking a bit of a break from my blog.  I need to declutter my brain with all this ridiculous drama.  I need to refocus and ground myself back into reality.  I need to remove myself from this sick sub-culture that I have found myself in. I'm still going to buy my products, and still going to review them here. 

I'm not saying everyone in this community is bad, far from it, I'm just saying that the few bad apples have really spoiled it for me.  I'll see you in a couple of weeks to announce the giveaway winner.  Take care everyone, sorry for this post, but I really just don't want to be associated with a community that thrives off of drama.

Sharing Photos

THINGS I'M LOVING THIS WEEK

Starbucks Lattes

Topshop Vectra3 Studded flats

The snow & my snow fox

Putting my turntables back together

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 11 Bag you want to have

I want to apologize as I'm about to sound like a broken record. LOL!  Today's challenge is to talk about the bag that I want to have.  Well, if you follow my blog, you know that the bag I want to have has not changed in the last year, and I think I talk about it nonstop hahaha!! I know it's annoying, so I'm apologizing right now hahaha.

For those who have clicked for the first time, you will learn what bag I want to have, and if you stick around, you'll hear me talk about it again as well, so I'm apologising in advance too hahaha.

The bag I want is the Rococo by Alexander Wang (BIG SHOCKER)
I featured this bag in a previous challenge post that talked about my ideal outfit.
I want it in either black or grey, with either gold hardware...heck I'll even take silver as long as it isn't rose gold hardware.   I have to have it, but the money gods are not looking favorable upon me these days, so it is all something that remains in my dreams....and have remained in my dreams for the last year.  I've picked this bag up, inspected it at several different stores, and painfully walk away (hahaha, sorry for the drama).  I shall have you one day Rococo!!!! You shall be mine. bwahahahahaah!!!!

 

Ok, so now that you put up with another post about me talking about this bag, I am going to cut that portion of the post short, and talk about other fun things in random bullet point formats as I'm rushing to do this to meet a 1pm deadline on another project (it is currently 12:35, eckkk!!).

* I'm going to the London IMAT's this Saturday for the first time.  I feel super guilty about going there and spending money that I technically don't have, but fortunately for me, I got a press pass and I feel like it's a waste if I don't go.  Plus, I'm dying to actually see the Hakuhodo brushes in real life.

* I had some business cards made up for free, so I wanted to show you them.  They are just cheeky little cards, nothing fancy or special, but they are funny looking lol

 

*  I've recently been obsessed about learning the history of my country (Korea) after I learned that my country was once split into 3 kingdoms and one of the kingdoms had 3 queens.  That is such a big shock for me to hear for so many reasons.  So I've been geeking out online trying to find out more about the Queens of past Korea.

* I'm embracing myself as in 2 weeks, I will technically have 2 jobs.  Some of you may know that I haven't worked for anyone in the last 1.5 years, and going back to actually working for someone is nerve racking, but it's not in a corporate setting, so I'm very happy about that.  Wish me luck!!!

* Since I'm starting a new job which requires me to be on my feet most of the day, I'm looking for comfy flats and low heel boots...fashionable ones at that, and cheap too.  That combination has been quite hard to find.  So I've spent many endless nights scouring the web for these, any suggestions? Please comment below.  I don't want to spend more than £30 as I will probably required several pairs.

* I have an upcoming interview with this awesome Etsy shop, and special discount to all of Tokki & Oliver's readers - so check back as I'll probably post this up sometime before Friday night.

* I still have a few things left in my blog sale, so please check that out too.  Postage is free within the U.K., and the link for the blog sale can be found on the top header.

* Last but not least, come and enter my giveaway.

Lucky I type fast, it is now 12:44 and I will have 16 minutes to finish something up, so I'm going to say goodbye to you all now.  :) Have a lovely day everyone !!!

Rococo Gold Leaf Dupe DIY

Rococo Gold Leaf is a definite luxury purchase. 

As gorgeous as she is, not many can stomach forking over £22.50

stock image from Space.nk

Gorgeous yes, practical? Definitely not...but then again, when was practical ever drool worthy?

Well, google does come in handy ladies, doesn't it?

I came across a great post by Makeupwithdrawal, she gives a great tutorial on how to make your own gold leaf nail polish so check it out. 

When I was in an arts & craft store today, I couldn't help but notice that these foils come in different colours, and I just thought they would make amazing nail polishes.

(crappy iphone spy pics)

 

I particularly like this one.  Very "fall" themed in my opinion.

So it's definitely worth checking out your local arts & craft shop, and if all fails there is always ebay.

Happiness comes in small furry packages

I talk nonstop about beauty products on my blog, but what I forget to do is talk about what I really love most in life, and that is animals.  In particular, one animal that goes by the name of Oscar or as my mother in law likes to call him "King Oscar". lol.

He is my best friend, my baby, and the one constant thing in my life that can always bring a smile to my face no matter what I'm going through.

Meet Oscar everyone :)

 

About Oscar:

* 3 year old Pomeranian male

possibly American eskimo in there but the vet classified him as a pom

* Loves food

Yes all dogs love food, but his appetite is ferocious

* Playing with my socks 

After the dryer, Oscar is the main reason why I have a billion missing socks

* Is a bit anti-social, 

but he warms up to people after awhile

* Loves to sleep on my pillow in the morning, 

even if it means sleeping right on top of my head :)

I'd love to see your furry friends, please leave a comment about your babies xx

My Spa Experience at Ufford Park Spa

I turned 32 this year and decided that I wanted to pamper myself.  I always said that I refuse to become that woman who freaks out when she gets older.  I have to admit that I am having a little pang of anxiety, but I shook it off and called my girlfriend and we booked ourselves into a night of spa pampering.

I heard good things about Ufford park spa in Woodbridge and since it was only 30 minutes away, we decided to give it a go.  This post is going to be a review of the facilities, spa experience, and overall experience there.

My spa experience was purchased from Wahanda.com and included:

* Overnight stay

* 3 hour in Thermal Suite

* 30 minute treatment

* 3 Course dinner

* Full Breakfast

Now if you are looking for a modern contemporary urban spa facility, this is not the spa for you.  It is set in a rural area with country comfort written all over the decor.  So I won't go into the fact that I found the decor outdated, but maybe that is what people like about this place.  It is a Best Western, so of course you will get the 3 star treatment as expected.

Ufford Golf & Spa at Woodbridge Suffolk

The staff were all very friendly, chatty and professional.  They allowed us to check in 30 minutes early which was great.  I was telling my girlfriend that my biggest pet peeve is if the room smells.  Thankfully, everything smelled clean :)  The room had the typical amenities such as a hair dryer (from like the 80's lol), drying towel rack, shampoo, liquid soap and body wash.  I recommend bringing your own toiletries.  We were starving so we rushed to the bar that was open.  It was a ghost town lol

Bar

The food is above average.  I really enjoyed my fresh cod & chips and my friend loved her prawn salad too.  A little overpriced, but usually golf & spa establishments usually are. So I wobbled my bloated ass to the spa area for us to indulge in 3 hours of the thermal suite.  This is when the fun begins!

Thermal Suite

I couldn't bring a camera into the thermal suite, because there was a lot of humidity, and I didn't want to ruin the camera, so unfortunately I couldn't photograph the different rooms.  I'll do my best to describe the suite, because IT WAS AWESOME!

The small pool in the middle of suite has several different jets and two water spouts aka "waterfalls".  It massaged my back, and I loved how it was heated.

There was also two foot spas where you put your complimentary bath salts in, but because there was no jet, you just ended up sitting there soaking your feet.  I was slightly bored with this part lol, so after 10 minutes of sitting there, we moved on.

The sauna was nice, but a typical sauna. But the other features of the thermal suite were fantastic.

The Mineral Grotto was a wonderful steam room infused with minerals.  You sat in the room in comfortable marble tiled curvy seats.  It smelled lovely, and sitting in there for 15 minutes really made my skin glisten and I felt freaking fantastic!

The aromatherapy steam room smelled amazing too, but the seating was not as comfortable as the mineral grotto, so I kept returning to that room.

Now my favourite part of the thermal suite was actually the walk in shower with peppermint mist.  I loved this area.  A light mist lightly touched my skin, and I felt rejuvenated and wonderful.

After the sauna, I highly recommend walking into the other shower feature that has a powerful jet of lemon water coming from the sides.  That was absolutely amazing.

They also had crushed ice available to give you that fire & ice sensation.  Very nice touch.

And last but not least, when you were done pampering yourself, you could grab some water or tea and sit under the man-made starry ceiling lighting in comfortable padded lounge chairs.  Unfortunately, we never got to do this, but it looked neat.

Overall, my favourite had to be the mineral grotto, peppermint mist shower, and the jacuzzi pool.

The thermal suite is well worth the money. Actually, my favourite was the fact that nobody was in the thermal suite but us.  We had the whole place to ourselves :) SUPER LIKE!

I choose a mini 30 minute facial as part of my spa package.  My beautician was friendly and professional.  Her facial was basically like any other mini facial that I have had.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best I had either.  In the middle of our session, the music was interrupted by this horrible interference of some sort and completely broke the ambiance, but that wasn't her fault...shit happens.  She was professional enough to apologize about it.  I liked how the treatment room was dimly lit, but I could tell that it was a renovated hotel room, which slightly bothered me, well I just found it odd I guess.  

The mini facial is basically a cleanser application, exfoliating application, massage with cream and a light day cream on top.  30 minutes is definitely too short, and I highly recommend upgrading to at least an hour really.

After our treatment, we had our 3 course dinner.  The food was above average just like lunch, but the portions were small.  I definitely didn't think it was worth the money that was priced on the menu, but as it was part of our package, I really couldn't fault it.  The waitress was nice enough not to charge me for the diet coke, so I really couldn't complain.  We were still hungry, so we filled ourselves up with a pitcher of sex in the beach ;) lol.

We spent the next morning in the thermal suite for an hour, and shed a small tear when our hour was up LOL!  Check out was super easy, and we definitely enjoyed our night at Ufford.  I would definitely return there again, just to sit in that mineral grotto again hahaha.

Oh you're so vain...

Catch up time!  I finally got a good nights rest.  Thursday was my 32nd birthday, and my friend and I checked ourselves into a spa hotel for a day of pampering.  It was great needless to say.  After 3 hours of sleep, I took off on a shopping trip with my girl, and it was great fun but exhausting.  So last night, in my zombie state, I tried to spend some quality time with my DH who's off to Germany on business today.  I am just recovering and trying to get focused today but the laziness of a Saturday is winning me over.  Instead I have something to bitch about so if you aren't interested in reading that, scroll down to the bottom where the italicized post ends and catch a Sneak peek of haul at the end of blog, along with upcoming product reviews.


(Beginning of rant lol)
I forgot what I was googling when I came across this idiotic thread posted by an ever bigger idiot.  He was moaning about how many beauty blogs there were out there.  I honestly don't understand why the abundance of beauty blogs might bother a guy.  Now, I can see from another perspective how shallow and vain a blog about beauty products might appear.  Vanity has been instilled in our minds that it is the absence of intellect.  Hundreds of years ago, vanity was thought to be the downfall of a idealistic and good natured "gentlewoman", but haven't we come a long way since then?  I laughed as I read this guy (most likely single) go on and on about how he thought we were all a bunch of stupid losers.  Hmmm....maybe I'm a loser, but I'm definitely not stupid.  :)  Maybe he was rejected by a beautiful girl, and he associates his failure as a man to anything physically beautiful or beauty related.  I don't know and I don't care, but what I did care about was why his post bothered me so much?  I obviously took it personally as my blog is considered a beauty blog, but why did it bother me that people out there may perceive me to be this idiotic bimbo because I enjoy talking about beauty products.  Obviously, someone calling me stupid was a lot more harsh than someone calling me ugly.

Perhaps, our society has to accept that the Vanity is no longer a negative thing.  I suggest that Vanity may be something that is essential in the modern day woman.  Maybe being pretty or wanting to look pretty has nothing to do with our intellect.  Vanity is only flawed when you believe that the physical beauty is the most important part of being a woman.  That I can say is one dark side of vanity.  The modern day gal has to embrace that physical beauty is just as important as our minds, and as long as you believe that then focusing on your physical beauty is NOT a horrible thing, nor does it make you an bimbo.  The modern day girl knows the importance of feeling beautiful on the outside sometimes...it makes us who we are...WOMEN!

So back to my initial self evaluating question...do I care that people think I'm shallow because I talk non stop about something trivial as beauty products? I guess it did bother me, but it shouldn't.  Like I said earlier, vanity is only a negative thing when it is all that is what consumes your entire life (as with anything).  The truth is that this blog and anything beauty related only consumes about 25% of my life, and that is a generous figure.  I guess I need to remind myself that I know how to balance my life the next time I am inflicted by self-doubt caused by ignorant assholes out there, who obviously knows jack shit about the complexities of the modern day girl! 



Ok so now that I got that off my chest, here are some amazing products that I was given and also purchased during my birthday.  So just a kind reminder to check back soon if you are interested in reading reviews on:

 

* My Spa Experience at Ufford Spa Hotel in Woodridge Suffolk

* Chanel - Vitalumiere Eclat B30 Beige Sable

* StrangeBeautiful - Library of Camo Nail Polish Volume Set

* Benefit - The Porefessional

* No 7 - Metallic Eye Pencil in Camouflage

* Benefit - They're Real mascara

* No 7 - Bath & body trio 

 and last but definitely not least

* Yardley's Perfumes: Peony, Iris, Lily of the Valley

So come back soon :)

A Huge Thank you and a Happy New Year!

A huge part of blogging that I enjoy is interacting with women all over the world.  There is nothing like zoning out after a stressful day, and chit chatting about carefree topics like beauty products, fashion, dogs, or whatever.

Unfortunately, there is a flip side. I know I'm not alone in this department, and many have dealt with some petty drama along the way.  I guess sometimes we (as women) can be very harsh with each other.  I always say that I want to stay out of drama, but in this little small beauty/nail polish community/tpf/mua/blogging world of ours, sometimes drama just presents itself.  So in hopes to a healthy and drama free 2012, I just want to apologize to anyone who I may have offended along the way.  I'm not that naive to think that I'm perfect, nor that my "frenimes" don't check my blog often.  So this really is my attempt at squashing beef.  In return, I have also forgiven people for insulting or offending me as well.  Time to start fresh and move on.

Having said that, 2011 has been a monumental year for me.  I've quick my well paying job to venture into a new country with my husband and pup and have struggled to continue our business and even start my own small business.  It has been challenging, discouraging, and I think I moan more than I say thanks to those around me who have put up with my whining.

So......the whole point of this post is to THANK and genuinely THANK those who have ever lent me a listening ear (even if we are not friends now) so that I could vent, and for entertaining me by discussing things related to beauty, nails, fashion, what have you.  Your conversations have educated me enough to start this blog and to fill it up with content.  I'm thankful that because of our conversations, I have been able to (at one point or another) put my real life on hold and relax and have a mental break!  Also, wanted to thank those wonderful ladies who were generous to me with their RAOK packages this year. This blog would be an empty shell without the abundance of products that I have been given. 
You ladies know who you are, and I just really wanted to send a big THANK YOU!!!!

Also, I couldn't finish without saying thank you to all my old and new followers.  You guys are the reason that I blog despite having dealt with some nasty drama, so thank you for giving me motivation everyday to continue with this blog!

I'm off to take my luxurious bath, give myself a much needed facial, polish my nails and drink the night away with my guy.

See you guys next year! xoxo

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

25 Ways to Save Money in 2012 for Beauty Junkies

2012 is just around the corner, and with it comes Christmas debt, and new fashion and beauty collections that put us into a frenzy and equal amounts of anxiety on how the hell we are going to afford it. If you are anything like me, you know exactly how this cycle feels...obsession, the acquisition and ultimately the guilt.  So if you are having guilt for splurging way too much this past holiday season, I have put together some tips for the makeup junkie out there on how to save money and stretch your money further in 2012. 

Tokki & Oliver's 25 Ways To Save Money in 2012
(or make your money go further for you)

1. Sign up for e-newsletters and mailing lists - This is the best way to find out when your favourite shop is having sales.  My recommendation is to use a separate email address just for these types of emails.

2. Sign up for money back programs: Quidco, ebates, check your bank for their own money back programs (i.e. Bank of America has Add It Up Program), Boots treat street, etc. etc.  You mine as well get some money back if you're going to shop online.

3.  Clip coupons and vouchers:  Get rid of the notion or "shame" in coupon clipping, it saves you money so your money goes further.

4.  Sign up for reward programs from shops that you always go to: Boots, Superdrugs, Sainsbury, Tesco, Debenhams, CVS, etc... Sure they don't give you a lot of points per purchase, but if you go their often it will add up.

5.  Sell on Ebay, Etsy or Bonanza:  I have been selling online since 2001 and this additional income has helped me a lot!

6.  If you have boxes and boxes of unwanted beauty products, and you don't like the idea of selling them then try swapping.  There are websites like www.makeupalley.com where you can swap your products and it's Free.

7.  Best time to shop is during Beauty events, Boxing Day, Black Friday and other big shopping holidays and shopping events.  Try holding out on that ultimate splurge until these events roll around.  You are bound to not only get your item, but you can also walk away with some awesome freebies too.

8.  Before buying a product, try an obtain a sample. By obtaining a sample, you can avoid spending money on a product you won't like.  Not every company has a generous return policy, so if you can obtain a sample, try before buying.

9.  MAC, Lush and Origins have excellent recycle programs.  If you return empty containers you can get samples or even a full size item.  This is responsible and beneficial if you shop at these shops.

10. If you have a ton of MAC pigments, try breaking them into smaller sample pots and you can sell them.  This works with any other product that you know you'll never use fully.


11.  Always check end cap of aisles for marked down products.  Sure some items come in damaged packaging, but if the product itself isn't damaged then you could save money money.


12.  Tk Maxx/TJ Maxx has a great beauty section, so make sure you check it out.  You should also ask them when they get new shipment, since that is when they mark down the items already there.  Also, if there is visible damage, TK Maxx is great about offering 10% off. All you have to do is just ask.


13.  Shop Ebay and Shop Victoriously. haha.  Isn't that their motto? But it's true.  You can get some really great bargains off of ebay.  Also, search for "job lots" as sometimes you can get a lot of products for a really cheap price if you get lucky.


14. A friend recently bought a Gosh nail polish at a charity shop for only 50p.  Although, I wouldn't buy lotions and skincare at charity shops since you don't know how long it's been there, but for products that have a longer shelf life, you could really get yourself a steal at charity shops.  Plus, it's for a good cause right?


15. If you aren't stuck on brand names, always look for dupes. This is the best way to stretch your money.  I have been very surprised by cheaper alternatives this year, and I'm slowly starting to see the validity in buying cheaper versions of popular products.

16. If you have a blog, have a blog sale.

17.  Have a swap with other bloggers, or with friends.  Your trash may be some one else's treasure.  You could also sell your items off of your facebook account (but be warned that this is not allowed on facebook; however, thousands upon thousands of people do this).

18.  This is old school, but it works.  Throw your change in a jar and leave it alone.  Do this for an entire year, and you'd be surprised how much change you managed to save.

19.  Before shopping online, google search for vouchers and free shipping codes.  Every little bit helps.

20.  If you have an iphone/smart phone, there are apps that can scan bar codes and search for competitor's prices.  This can help you make an informed decision on whether this purchase is the best purchase for you.

21.  If obtaining free samples and products is something that will help you curb your spending, there are many survey companies out there that offer product testing.  It's a great way to test new products out.  Just be willing to test products and give honest feedback.

22.  Every beauty junkie faces the issues of storage for their massive collection.  There are a million and one DIY storage ideas online, so get your glue guns and put your wallet away.

23.  Gumtree or Craigslist is a great place to find deals and swap with others online.  Just be careful however, as there are a lot of fakes and replicas being sold, but there are of course honest sellers on there too.

24.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to include this, because it really is a pain in the ass.  Yard Sale/Boot Sales are a great way to get extra money in, but it is hard work and you always get hagglers.  I had a weekly yard sale when I was selling off all my goods to move to England, and they were a nightmare! But I was able to raise money and people always showed up for a good bargain.

25. Last but not least, and yes this is the hardest part to do is to NOT impulse buy.  We have all been there, and you feel guilty as soon as you leave the shop.  Think it over for a day or two, if it's something you want and you can't find it cheaper anywhere else then you should return to the shop, but impulse shopping is our enemy :)



So those are my 25 tips on how I stretched my money and saved some money in 2011.
Please let me know what your tips are :)

The Week Before Christmas Rundown

Hello lovelies!

I'm sure everyone is running around getting ready for the holidays, but for those who don't celebrate Christmas, don't worry...Tokki & Oliver is not resting.

I am going to be online probably most of Christmas, so I can avoid the in-law side haha. I know that sounds mean, but it's true.  So I have a few posts for you all to look forward too.

Here's an update:

* If you are on twitter, please follow me @tokkiandoliver.  I am actually getting the hang of it now, and enjoy twittering more. Wow, I never thought I'd say that lol. Welcome to the new millennium Sue :p

* Also, I added some new items to my Blog Sale. The link can be found on the upper right hand side of the header, so go check it out.  All prices are negotiable too and free p&p within the UK :)

* I have a Christmas pressie reveal for you all too. I can't WAIT to show you guys what I got.

* I am working hard at organising some guest blog posts from several bloggers ranging from beauty to fashion related topics, so continue to check back

* I also have an interview with our very own Amanda from NerdLacquer coming up soon as well.  Super excited to find out about the woman behind this amazing new nail polish brand that has won many hearts already.

and last but not least....

I have a favourite products of 2011 post coming. I'm going to split it between beauty products and nail polishes, so stop on by to see what really WOW'ed me in 2011.

So make sure to stop on by, even just to take a peek this week and throughout this holiday season.  Hope you are all well, and Happy Holidays to you all and don't kill your family during this season either (oh wait, I think I need to take that advice too :p).

xx

Wrapping up gifts for under £1 & How to wrap a gift tutorial

This year I had to skimp pennies where I could.  I am a huge person for packaging, but I decided to save money on packaging, and focus more on the gift as my funds were a bit limited. 

I use to also have a pretty nice collection of wrapping paper, ribbons, and scrap booking embellishments to make pretty packaging, but of course had to unload all them before moving here.

So I do miss it, but I decided to share what I did this holiday season to wrap every one's gifts for literally under £1 (actually 64p to be exact)!

First let me show you how I wrapped up my own pressies. OK I know I'm a freaking nerd, but this helped me to not use my Christmas gifts before Christmas.

Will reveal contents on Christmas day

The materials I used:

Brown packaging paper that I had laying around

Holographic ribbon and mini bows 50p for a large set from the Card Factory

The silver wrapping paper was just an old birthday wrapping paper that I had just inside out :)

Now as far as wrapping other people's presents.  I will do a quick tutorial and overview on how I wrapped up my father in law's Christmas pressie for LESS than 14p!

(luckily he won't see my blog so he doesn't know what I'll be getting him haha)

This is actually going to be a step to step tutorial on how to wrap pressies.

A lot of people tell me that they are horrible wrappers, but maybe they just weren't shown.

Here is an easy step to step tutorial on wrapping gifts.

First, you need:

1. wrapping paper (obviously)

2. Scissors

3. Clear tape

 

Next, Place item on the wrapping paper and make sure that each end has about and inch to 2 inch left so you can fold the ends.

Oh and this gift wrap cost 14p at Asda :)

 

Now once you guessed about how much paper you need, cut around it.  

You don't need the whole strip, 

 

Now just take the long end and fold the paper over your gift and tape it down.

 

See don't worry about getting a perfect edge, just fold it to create a straight edge like this...

Then Tape it down to secure it

 

Now we have to fold the ends.

This is the part that a lot of people have trouble doing, but it's easy peasy.

Fold the paper down like this...

 

Then slightly tuck down one side

 

and fold the ends as such to create an even edge

 

Then basically secure down with tape

 

Do this to both sides and you are done!

Super easy right?

Now that was the simple part.

So next I wanted to embellish the gift up to make it more festive.

And this is my end result.

 

So I basically made a bow out of the same wrapping paper

(If you want a tutorial of that, please comment below)

I took an old Christmas card laying around and cut out the photo, and outlined the photo with the same ribbon that I used to wrap my Christmas gift with on the first photo.

Cost me less than 14p to wrap, because I have plenty of paper left. Now that's called saving money :)

So if you have any left over cards laying around, start being creative.

You don't have to go out and spend a lot of money on gift bags and tissue paper, you can save loads of money by DIY at home and getting creative.

Hope this helps with your upcoming Christmas wrapping :)

8 more days to Christmas! YAHOO!

Twitter anyone?

I'm finally posting more on twitter, so stop on by, follow me so you can hear my nonsense ramblings updates on what I'm doing and what I'm blogging about :)

Follow me at @tokkiandoliver

http://twitter.com/#!/tokkiandoliver

xx

Welcome to my New Camera: Samsung WB700

This post is making me giggle, because I had to take photos of my new awesome camera with my crappy iphone lol. However, from this post on, all my photos will be taken with my new camera.

Thanks to my awesome brother who listens when I b*tch about silly things like not having a proper camera for my blog, I have a brand new camera.  I can already tell a huge difference in the photos, and I am really happy.  I wanted to be able to provide better pictures, not just for artistic purposes, but for the integrity of this blog.  Plus, you guys deserve at least that much!

So I am new to this camera, and also new to cameras in general.  So I have a lot to learn, but I hope you guys enjoy the new photos :)

 

I really like the sleek black casing (obviously) and the big window to see the photos with.

It's a bit high tech for me, but I'll learn how to use it fast.

So Merry Christmas to me!

What camera do you guys use? Let me know, as I'm always interested in learning about new cameras and new features. 

Let the Christmas countdown begin!!!!!

5 days of Carribean Bliss

There is something about traveling that makes me feel so alive.  I just spent the last week with my family in Florida and in the Caribbean, and I don't think that I've ever had a holiday like this before. 

The travel back to the UK was grueling, but the thought of seeing my husband and my darling little puppy gave me the strength to make the 24 hour of journey with less than 2 hours sleep.

This was my very first cruise.  I did the normal google searching on cruising tips, and reading about other people's experiences.  So, I decided while I was on the cruise that I would do a review as well.  Cruising is not at all like going to a resort, and I definitely wish I knew someone who would have told me some of things that I experienced while I was on this trip.

Before I mention some of my top cruise tips, I just want to say how much I enjoyed my trip, and I can't wait to go on one with DH.

Tips & Observations

(for Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Sea Cruise Boats)

 

*  If you have even the slightest motion sickness, make sure you bring medicine.  As a first time cruiser, I really felt the movement, and it took at least 2 days to get use too.

* Be ready to get use to a small bathroom.  As these boats are trying to maximize the amount of people who board the boat, they definitely utilize space, and therefore, the bathrooms are tiny, especially the showers

* While some people smuggle liquor into the boat, if you aren't ready to get in trouble, just make sure that you are ready to pay a hefty liquor bill at the end of your cruise (the boat has a cashless system, and supply a card that you use to open your door with and to purchase anything with).  I recommend drinking the drink of the day as it is usually bigger and cheaper than just ordering off the bar

* Purchase all your souvenirs on the last day of the cruise.  I'll make sure I do a haul post on what I purchased soon.  The sales can go all the way up to 50% off on the last day of the cruise.

* When you dock at the ports, make sure you take small bills.  The vendors only take cash, and be sure to haggle.  Don't accept the price that is listed there.  I was able to score my parents some magnets that were normally listed as 2 for $10 for 5 for $10.  So don't be shy, it may not be customarily in American or  British culture, but in lots of cultures, haggling is the natural part of shopping.  But don't be rude about it ;)

* Make sure you watch out for your towels.  If someone steals your towels or you misplace the pool towels, you will be charged $25 per towel. Eck!

* Be ready to pay up to $15 per day for gratuities.  You can prepay before you board, but for those who don't, make sure you don't skimp on the tipping.  The staff really go out of their way to make your trip pleasurable, and it is customarily to tip them.  There is a suggested tipping guideline and it doesn't hurt to tip a little more 

* If you are an early bird, try to watch the sunrise.  It is absolutely gorgeous...that was my favourite part of the trip

* Look around while you walk up and down the stairs.  The boat has some amazing original artwork.

* The cafe is 24 hours where you can get coffee, tea, water, pastries, and small sandwiches.  The coffee is very good.

* The cupcake shop is overpriced, but the cupcakes are cute and not too bad. 

* There is a pizza shop that is open until 2am, but it's not very good to be honest.

* The spa is very expensive, but they have daily deals, so make sure you take advantage of the offers.  There is also a 15% gratuity that is already placed on your bill.

I spent a lot of time on the 12th deck catching the sun rays and staring at the ocean.  There is something meditative and relaxing about it, and I absolutely loved it.

I will never forget how gorgeous it looked to see the sun rise, or to feel the sea breeze through my hair.

Sun rising over Haiti

sunset

sunset

The boat - and some random guy in my way lol

Really loved the surrealist artwork throughout the boat

 

I highly recommend cruising with Royal Caribbean for their numerous activities, great layout of the ship, excellent customer service, and great food...heck, just go to feel the sea breeze through your hair :)