feminism, jewellery, life, relationships, wedding

Wedding Wednesday: Why I chose to wear an engagement ring 

ramblingmads

The other day I read a really preachy article (which I don’t have a link to) about why the writer, as a feminist, wouldn’t wear an engagement ring. 

Now I strongly believe that everyone has a right to their own opinion but the tone of the piece and the fact that she was using feminism as her reason really annoyed me. 

I’m a feminist. I believe in equality, equity of the sexes, and a woman’s right to choose what she does with her life and her body. My mum instilled these beliefs in me growing up. 

However, I don’t feel like those beliefs preclude me from wearing my engagement ring. 

I am aware of the original symbolism of wedding rings and the whole patriarchal problematic wedding traditions. But I don’t see the engagement ring on my left hand as a symbol of ownership. 

Nobody, least of all C, owns me. I am my own person, regardless of marital status. 

I see it instead as a symbol of commitment, of a promise to be a team, to stick together, to be a family. I see it as C’s love and mine for him. We’re going to get married, be together for good, legally bound and all that jazz. Not because society says so, but because we want to. 

And that doesn’t contradict my feminism. This is my choice. Isn’t that what women have been fighting for all these years – the ability to make their own choices? 

beauty, beauty boxes, fun stuff, lifestyle boxes, my little box, reviews, skincare

My Little Box – Fresh Start

ramblingmads

This is January’s MLB, better late than never! 

Instead of the standard box, this month is a canvas bag, designed to be reusable. 

Inside are a variety of things designed to help you start afresh in a new year. 

There’s a cute little journal, without dates, so you can start it whenever. 

There’s a cute printed infinity scarf or snood. 

The final lifestyle item is a set of inspirational postcards, suggesting ways to get fresh starts in the different aspects of your life. 

Then there’s the selection of beauty treats. 

Merci Handy Holy Mint Toothpaste – I’ve only had antibacterial hand gel from this brand before and I’m really particular about toothpaste so I don’t know whether I’ll use this. 

Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer Balm – this is a tiny sample of hair mask containing royal jelly and honey.  I’ll hang on to it for a really bad hair day. 

My Little Beauty Boost Yourself Body Cream & Sweet Hand Cream – two items from MLB’s own beauty range. These both snell inoffensive and having had several other skincare items from this range I know they’re pretty standard stuff. 

MLB has decided to scrap their My Little World magazine for good, in favour of things like the inspiration postcards and journal. 

The box is back next month, which is good as the bag is all well and good but required extra packaging to keep it safe.

 

beauty boxes, happy mail, hygge, lifestyle boxes, mental health, reviews

Moi-Meme Winter Wellness Box 

ramblingmads

This box is so luxe- and will with things to give you a boost during the rotten cold winter months. 

I love that each box is personalised and that the team at Moi-Meme do the same with the contents. 

There are five lovely things in the box and I can’t pick a favourite. 

Lola’s Apothecary Bath & Shower Oil (RRP £34 100ml) – this oil (Delicate Romance) contains rose, sweet orange, lemon, geranium, as well as several other skin loving ingredients. You only need a teaspoon for a bath or shower, so this will last a while. Based in Devon, the products are hand blended in small batches for the best quality. This smells delicious and soon so will I.  

Potion London The Beauty Formula (RRP £25 60 tablets – 1 a day) – with 19 vitamins and minerals these skin, hair and nail supplement tablets are developed to promote clear skin, strong nails and silky hair. Stocked in Harvey Nichols exclusively (and online), it’s only been around since July last year. It would be really great to see if these help my brittle, peeling nails. 

Pia Rossini Monroe Faux Fur Snood (RRP £30, available in 7 colours) – lined with soft fleece, this ridiculously stroke-able snood is warm and cosy. There are matching accessories available online. I am wearing this in my living room – the boiler’s broken and can guarantee it’s warmth. Based in Northern Ireland, the husband and wife team cover all seasons with everything from faux fur to beachwear. 


Portico Designs A6 Monogram Notebook (RRP  £8) – this stationery brand produce gorgeous products for brands including Wedgwood, Monsoon and Roald Dahl, as well as their own designs – like these gorgeous notebooks, which come in a range of colours. A 25 year old, Bath based company, their lovely things make brilliant presents. As someone who is always scribbling things down, this arrived at a perfect time.  

Coco Chocolatier Organic Chocolate Bar (RRP  £4.50 for 80g) – Caramel, Hazelnut and Isle of Skye sea salt milk chocolate – an artisan chocolate bar from Edinburgh with really lovely packaging, combining some of my favourite things – sorry I don’t share! 

Are you a subscriber? Do you love these boxes too? 

You know where I am, wearing my snood and eating chocolate.  

 

adventures in post, books, crafty stuff, fun stuff, happy mail, lifestyle boxes, stationery

Fun Stuff in this week’s post 

ramblingmads

Crafty Creatives #paperhaul this is a great box for stationery nerds like me. Every month you get a themed box of notecards, stickers or washi tape, notepaper, a notebook and postcards or wrapping paper. 

I ❤Homes #happymail box is a monthly box full of lovely little bits and bobs. There’s a theme and always a selection of things for you, your home and gifts. 

Prudence and the Crow send out a vintage paperback and other book related goodies including library cards, stationery, tea, sweets and stickers in pretty printed envelopes. 

books, fun stuff, tag posts

Rapid Fire Book tag 

ramblingmads

E-book or physical book? – Physical, let’s get physical. 

Paperback or hardback? – both, although paperbacks hurt less when you drop them on your face. 

Online or in-store book shopping? Book shops are my crack but I do use the old interwebs as there are no bookshops near me (and Smiths doesn’t count).

Trilogies or series? – Depends on the book, some writers need a series to develop the story, others not so much.  

Heroes or Villians? – unreliable narrators. 

A book you want everyone to read? – Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman.  Damn does she perfectly capture teenage girls and their crazy. 

Recommend an underrated author? – Tamora Pierce. Go, read everything she’s written. Do it now.  

The last book you finished? – Too Close for Comfort – not the best thriller I’ve read but ok. 

Weirdest thing you’ve used as a bookmark? – A dollar bill.  

Used books: Yes or no? – yes. 

Top three favourite genres? – Fantasy, crime thriller, literary fiction. 

Borrow or buy? – these days buy, but only because my library card won’t let me in and the librarians are now all robots. 

Character or plot? – you need both. 

Long or short books? – totally depends on the story. 

Name the first three books you think of – Danny the Champion of the World- Roald Dahl, The Bees – , The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stephenson. 

Books that make you laugh or cry? – Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books – I can’t read them anywhere public, I laugh until I cry. 

Our world or fictional? – Fictional – our world is a mess and I need an escape. 

Audiobooks: yes or no? – I have an Audible account, I should really use it more…

Do you ever judge a book by its cover? – of course, we all do, whatever we claim. 

Book to movie or book to tv? – No.  Although Series of Unfortunate Events the series trumps the movie. 

A movie or tv show that you preferred to the book? – this has not happened. 

Series or standalones? – depends on my mood.  

Please join in and let me know in the comments if you’re playing. 

beauty, beauty boxes, glossybox, make up, reviews, skincare

Glossybox Edible Edit

ramblingmads

For a box called the Edible Edit in conjunction with comedian Bella Younger’s Instagram alter ego Deliciously Stella, there’s not even a tube of fruit pastilles inside. 

Instead there’s a range of beauty products (mostly skincare) which contain Edible ingredients, just don’t take a nibble.  

Nip & Fab Kale Fix Moisturiser – with kale, watercress and almond oil to enrich and protect skin and aloe vera and shea butter to soothe and smooth. 

The Balm Meet Matt (e) Trimony Single Eyeshadow – in an aubergine (eggplant for my US readers) shade this teeny, tiny sample shadow is velvety soft. 

Vitamasques Manuka Honey Face Mask – Korean sheet masks were a big thing in beauty last year and it looks set to continue as a trend. This one is infused with the most expensive honey you can buy to nourish and love your skin.  

Unani Illuminate Milk Cleanser – full of natural skin loving oils to purify and protect your skin as they remove make up. 

Hairon Zero Crease Hair Tie – not entirely sure how these fit the theme but there you go.  I actually hate these hair ties, for some reason they get snared and tangled in my hair, so my sister will be getting these.  

This will be my last Glossybox for a while as I need to save a little money and use up my stash, which is getting out of control. 

adventures in post, art, crafty stuff, fun stuff, lifestyle boxes, reviews

Box of Lame 

ramblingmads

I keep seeing bloggers sharing their Box of Lame snaps on Twitter and Instagram, so I took advantage of That Lame Company’s post-Christmas sale to pick one up and see what all the fuss is about. 

I have to say I’m impressed by the speed of delivery – two days after ordering  (on a bank holiday) and it arrived. 

I was a bit disappointed by the packaging, just a plain brown box. But I guess it’s what’s inside that counts. 

Wax melts, Yankee candle, tree decorations, candle holder. 

Tea bags, sweets, hot chocolate reindeer and marshmallows. 

Art prints

Budget notepad, resolutions worksheets

To do list, motivational postcards. 

This is a really fun cheerful box of goodies. I haven’t bought anything from That Lame Company before but I definitely think 2017 will contain more purchases.  

beauty, beauty boxes, lifestyle boxes, make up, my little box, reviews

My Little Christmas Box 

ramblingmads

Look how festive this box is. With its green ribbon and candy cane. And it’s jam packed. 

There’s a Kanako art print with a message from the artist, My Little World magazine and loads of lovely treats. 

My Little Beauty Smokey Eye Duo – smokey eye make up has moved away from the greys and deep colours to these softer tones. Haven’t really had a play with these yet but I do quite like them together. 

Gingerbread candle – cinnamon and ginger are some of the smells of Christmas so this ties perfectly into the season. 

Cuff bracelet – gold tones with a hint of festive forest green.  I quite like this, it looks good next to my new velvet dress. 

Courrèges Hyperbole perfume – This perfume shares it’s name with one of my favourite words. It’s not a particularly heavy scent (although that might just be because I have a cold and can’t smell anything properly!) 

Kusmi Tea Tsarevna blend tea – this Russian blended black tea with orange peel, liquorice, vanilla and spice to give a whiff of Christmas. 

Tiptree Salted Caramel sauce – hands off! This is mine! I think this will be the perfect addition to my Christmas Day dessert. I love the mix of sweet and salt in this sauce and since I’m not having Christmas pudding (yuk!) I will add this to my sticky toffee pud instead. 

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Flipbalm Juicy Watermelon – I love lipbalm, especially in the winter months when my lips feel very dry and prone to cracking.  Plus this is a really cute pot. 

beauty, beauty boxes, birchbox, make up, reviews, skincare

Birchbox Merry & Bright 

ramblingmads

This month’s Birchbox has arrived. Instead of the classic box they’ve sent a pop top style box, which they claim can be used as a keepsake box. However it is smaller than the usual box and I can’t really work out what I’d keep in it. 

Inside are five beauty items – they tie into the colour scheme rather neatly. 
💋Ciatè London Fierce Flicks Eyeliner (fullsize RRP  £15) – felt tip style eyeliners are my preferred kind, mostly because I can’t quite handle gel and I have never managed to get a decent line from a kohl pencil. 

💋Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara (RRP £23) – I’m not entirely sure what makes this specifically a smokey eye mascara but there you go. 

💋Benefit Cosmetics Benetint  (RRP £24.50) – teeny tiny Benefit samples I’ve had a few. I used to love benetint but I haven’t used it in years. 

💋Leighton Denny Nail Polish in Just Perfect (fullsize RRP  £12) – this is a really baby pink polish which I really don’t see getting used. Which is a shame as these are good quality polishes. 

💋Amie Skincare New Leaf Deep Pore Exfoliating Polish (RRP £5.95) – this uses rice proteins to exfoliate away dead skin cells rather than nasty plastic beads so yay. Plus this range gets on well with sensitive skin – I just wish it was a bigger bottle. 

This box was a bit mixed, it’s nice that the colours all tie together and I will definitely get some use out of most of the contents which is nice, especially considering the very hit and miss year Birchbox has had. 

beauty, beauty boxes, glossybox, make up, reviews, skincare

Glossybox December 

ramblingmads

The seasonal Glossybox has arrived all white and gold. 

Inside are five fullsize products. 

MDMFLOW Semi-matte lipstick in Vamp – subscribers were invited to pick their choice between two shades for this month’s box. I went for this plum shade over the nude option as I quite like a statement lip. Wearing glasses means no matter what I do with my eye makeup it doesn’t really show but a bold lip pops  every time. 

Essence Light Up Your Face Luminizer Palette – other bloggers have said that Glossybox used to be packed full of high end cosmetics – well now it’s full of budget options like this. Essence is stocked in Wilko and this is £3. It’s also really too dark for my skin. If I used this, my face would just look dirty. 

Collection Cosmetics Define & Perfect Eyebrow Powder – another budget choice and another that seems aimed at someone else. This is just frustrating. I’ve told them I’m blonde and that includes my eyebrows but no – more brunette products. Having said that this is a nice slim brush but the rattling noise it makes worries me. 

Lipcote – my mum uses this to secure her lipstick but I found it unpleasantly tacky last time I used it. But I am going to try it again as I think I eat an awful lot of lipstick. 

Revlon Nail Enamel in Valentine – an old school vampy red polish in Revlon’s iconic bottle. 
This box was a bit hit and miss. All the products are fullsize and I like the colours of the polish and lipstick but the rest is a bit ‘meh’. Hopefully next year there will be a better mix of items, and not just the cheap end of the range.