What I won

I was lucky enough recently to win this amazing prize through a twitter competition. I retweeted a competition tweet from @davelackie and later on went on to twitter and noticed a tweet saying I had won. 

I love Lancome and was so excited I couldn't wait to get it. I also found it kind of funny how I have just moved back from Canada and then win something from there. It was even sent through the courier company I used in work over there.

Anyway more about the prize. It all came in the cutest makeup bag for a start and a lovely note. I also got a little travel cocktail shaker too, this thing is adorable and can see it being used a lot in the near future, I do love a nice cocktail. Everything is so cute and travel size, I have a strange fascination with travel size products which is probably because A all he traveling and moving I have done over the past few years or B the fact that I like to carry my life in my handbag and travel size takes up less room. 

Heres what's in the makeup bag.

Bi-Facil Double -action eye makeup remover 50ml

Rénergie Lift lifting and firming cream 15ml

Visionnaire advanced skin corrector 5ml (love this stuff I'm already a huge fan)

Color Design Lipstick 329 Love it (cream)

Color Design Eye brightening all in one 5 shadow & liner palette 301 Mauve Chérie

Hypnose Custom volume mascara in black 2.07ml

Surprise Baby Shower

My sister is due a baby next month and so I wanted to throw her a surprise baby shower. I've had great help from my mam and sisters organising it all. 

The theme for the party was afternoon tea so lots of cakes, treats and bunting. Since she will only find out the baby's gender once it's born I tried to keep it as natural as possible. It may have turned out a little girlier then I had first thought it would but it's very much my sisters style and pretty so I knew she would like it.

The decorations.

Bunting is from dunnes stores (multicolor) and starbuys (flowery) and cost less than €5 for both.
I also got the 3 paper pompoms in dunnes Stores for about €3 and the bigger white one in Ikea.

The yellow babyshower banner I got in Mr.Price as well as the purple babyshower balloons, paper plates and the guest badges. I headed to ikea again to pick up some fabric for a tablecloth, I wanted something floral and I knew I had seen the fabric there before. I got 2 meters for €12, while I was there I also got some flower napkins and pastel ribbon. 

For the balloons I got a disposable helium tank in Argos for 27.99 which blew up 30 of them. I am not the biggest fan of them so I got my sister to blow them up for me and another to arrange them all. I got the clear balloons in Tescos for about €3 and the coloured ones in starbuys for a couple of euro.

The invitation.

I made these myself at home but printing out my invitation on card from the art and hobby shop and used some patterned cardboard as the surround, I used different colors like pink, blue, yellow and green and mixed and match them with coloured envelopes like a pink invite in a blue envelope.

Prediction cards.

I found a template for the surround online and added in my details on the inside, then changed the size before printing and again used the card that I used for the invites. I also added the date of the shower to the bottom of it. After the shower we had a little peek at these the messages where lovely and we will wait and see if any one got the right predictions. 

The food.

As the theme was a tea party I wanted to keep the food to small bites. 

I made baby shower themed mini cupcakes, macarons, finger sandwiches and a small chocolate and buttercream cake topped with fresh strawberries.

 My sister Siobhán made gluten free rock buns and gorgeous chocolate truffles and my sister clodagh made chocolate covered strawberries. 

Áisling really enjoyed the surprise and couldn't believe we had all kept it from her this whole time. Everyone brought her such lovely gift, I don't think any of us expected so much they ll so great.