Models Own Velvet Goth Polishes ♥

Models Own Velvet Goth - Purple 'Amethyst', Black 'Obsidain' £5 each

I thought I would share my current favourite nail polishes with you all, I have been loving wearing these two polishes over the past couple of months. They last about 4/5 days without any chips and they have such a lovely soft velvety finish. The purple shade has got to be my favourite, it is so vibrant and the sparkles through it are a lovely pinky/purple colour. The black shade matches everything I wear and it looks great with the velvet finish. The bottles these polishes come in are so cool, I love the velvet lids, nice touch!
Have you tried any of the polishes in the Models Own Velvet Goth range?

Let's Get Social ♥

Hello! I thought I would write a different kind of post today, I would say this is another blogging tip post, one of the more exciting and productive tips I could give any blogger, two words.. SOCIAL MEDIA! I have had so many brilliant opportunities arise from social media, such as Twitter, Instagram and Lookbook. 

Twitter

In my opinion Twitter should be every Blogger's wing man (or wing woman?... whatever). Personally, it has been the best way of getting myself noticed and getting some credit for my blog posts, even from the brands I am writing about. If you don't have a Twitter account for your blog then I highly recommend you create one, it takes seconds to set up and once you get going it is so easy to keep on top of. Even if you just post general day to day tweets, witty tweets or just about your latest blog posts, it is a great way to widen your audience and show off your personality to everyone. Since having twitter I have won competitions by simply retweeting and favouriting companies tweets. I have even had companies contact me and tell me how much they have loved my latest blog posts about their products and offered me to review some products for them. 

Just remember to keep a border line, nobody likes it when people keep tweeting and demanding attention to their blog every 5 minutes, if your tweet gets noticed, great, if not, don't give up just keep doing what your doing, you'll get noticed eventually! Another great thing about Twitter is you meet so many lovely people through it, I have become friends with quite a few bloggers recently, it's great, everyone has the same interests and ideas.

Instagram

I don't use my Instagram as much for my blog, I don't have my blog linked in it as nobody from my town knows it exists, however, I still put up most of my blog pictures and have it linked on my blog page. I love it for following my favourite fashion and beauty bloggers and letting you all see parts of my life which aren't just beauty products.

Here are all my social media links, don't forget to add yours in the comments below, I love seeing all your Instagram's and Tumblr's!

Twitter ♥ @shabbychicndtea

Instagram ♥ click here

Tumblr ♥ graveyardsitting

Lookbook ♥ click here

Bloglovin ♥ shabbychicandtea

SS14 Nail Polish Favourites ♥

Hey! I have been so busy recently, mostly work related but now I am on holiday for an  entire week! I am travelling to Ayrshire on Wednesday with my mum to stay with my gran and papa for 3 days (shopping time too, so excited ahh!). 

I thought I would share with you all my favourite summery/pastel nail polishes. I am sure they would look great with a tan but if your like me and you're pale and never tan I think they look pretty good on us too! Each polish took 3 coats to achieve these bright solid colours, they are all super shiny and last about 4/5 days on me.

Swatched from left -right 

Rimmel 'Marshmallow Heaven' Essie 'We're In It Together', Essie 'Go Ginza' , Essie 'Bikini So Teeny', Barry M 'Greenberry'.

What's On My Bedside Table ♥

Hello! I have read a couple of these posts in the past few months so I thought I would share what's on my bedside table with you all too! I don't clutter my table with junk so here are a few simple things I keep on it.

Heart Drawer set - Dunelm

My mum bought me this for my new room, I keep little bits and bobs like jewellery, cotton buds, pieces of paper and little notes in the drawers. I love things like this to keep my room tidy.

 teacup lamp - dunelm

I loooove this lamp! IT'S TEACUPS.. what's not to love. I love how simple but quirky it is, I sometimes keep earrings and rings on the saucer parts.

Dunelm Floral Collection Pen Holder £1.99

I use this pen holder to keep my Clean and Clear facial cleanser and Simple makeup remover bottles in. It keeps them out of the way of all my other skincare bottles and right beside me when I get into bed at night and I want to take my makeup off.

House Candle Holder - Hobbycraft

I love the detailing on this candle holder, it is a nice little decorative object even if you don't use it as a candle holder.

Random things

I always keep my notepad and this months company mag beside my bed for quick reads or if I need to write down a blog post idea. I always have my phone here too when I am watching tv, my Instagram is shown on it, my username is magickruby if you want to follow me. I have also been trying out Superdrug's new Superberry Mud Mask, I loove the smell of it and I like how the berry seeds are the exfoliating part of the mask. It makes my skin feel smooth and soft after I've used it, I am enjoying using it every now and again when I want to relax.

I know I don't have the most exciting bedside table in the world but its everything I need! I hope you enjoyed reading. xo

Blogging Days ♥

hey hey hey! I felt like having a chit chat about blogging and how I keep myself and my blog organised and how I get my motivation to blog! Please comment your blogging tips below!

Note keeping & being organised

I've had a mad obsession with stationery since I was about 5.. I don't know what it is about it but I just need about 100 notepads even if I don't write anything in them. If I see a cute notebook I will buy it, if I see a pretty pen I will buy it and if I see any reduced stationery at all I will buy it. Am I the only one? Surely not. But a key point to blogging is keeping notes and lists. Lists of blog post ideas, lists of your favourite products throughout the month for 'monthly favourites' and lists of products you have seen on other blogs and you are desperate to buy (this is usually my biggest, never ending list). I also recommend you type up lots of blog posts for the following week and schedule them for when you are at work/school. This is a good way of keeping your blog active.

Inspiration

I love reading beauty insider magazines from different companies such as Liz Earle which comes through the post every month, I love reading about new products and reading the descriptions of popular products. I am subscribed to Company magazine which at times I think could be a bloggers best friend. I absolutely love every aspect of this magazine, it has fashion, beauty, social media and of course blogging sections which are so interesting to read. Zoe from Zoella is going to be on next months front cover so keep an eye out for that one! Company also do an interactive weekly edit app which is only 69p, each issue, from the app store and is now available on iPad WOO! Tanya Burr is this weeks cover girl!

Social Media and Apps

I love using Twitter and Instagram as I feel like everyone is having a big chat with each other. If you don't have a twitter for your blog then I highly recommend you create one. I have found so many lovely bloggers from Twitter and I love the #bbloggers chats we have every Wednesday and Sunday at 8pm (uk time). It is a great way to get your blog out there and known, it has definitely helped me. 

Bloglovin, Polyvore, Tumblr and Pinterest are all great apps to have on your phone, ipad or tablet to help you get into the blogging mood. I use all of them regularly. Bloglovin is brilliant to have on the go to catch up with your favourite blogs. I use it every day and I find it so much easier than using the blogger home page! Polyvore is fab for making collages for Instagram, Twitter or even your blog. I created my Valentines Day Wishlist using Polyvore. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post and I have given you an inspiring insight into how I blog and I hope you find some useful information from this post! xo

Sunday Catchup - Busy Week!

Hello everyone, it's Monday tomorrow WOOHOO -_-.. 

This week for me has been SO busy, I had been working for 7 days straight until Tuesday and then I had  my first driving lesson since last September on Wednesday, which was so good! It looks like I will be sitting my test sooner than I expected. I've been driving since last year in my car with my dad who has been teaching me everything because I lost all my confidence with my previous instructor (who couldn't even drive properly!) On Saturday I went to the city with my boyfriend because he needed to get a suit for his Gran's funeral next week which is very sad :(, but we got some clothes shopping in too. I had to get back to my town in time for starting work which was very tiring. Today I was working from 11am-3pm. Then my brother, boyfriend and I went to the field in front of my house and rolled tyres down it (LOL, I am nearly 18 but iiits fine..) we then finished off the day by going to a river at the bottom of the field and skimmed stones across the water, the weather has been so lovely!

1 - Where the tyre we rolled landed! perfect! haha

2. On the way to the river

3. The river, so quiet and calm <3

4. About to go out driving last week, was bored waiting on my dad! 

1. My looovely mixed berry fruit fromM&S

2. Starbucks breakfast on Saturday with James

3. Reading the new Company mag in the sun, the daisies made a love heart shape?!

4. Washing my car on Friday, my dog Ruby was obviously helping!

How has your week been? (:

Week Summary

Hello everyone! I hope you have been having a good week, Friday tomorrow so I'm not complaining! I am currently listening to a dance radio station on Spotify, Deadmau5 - Ghosts 'n' Stuff (magic tune if you're into that kinda stuff! I have a major love for Deadmau5).

I thought I would share my week with you through my phone camera roll and instagram pictures, you can follow me on Instagram if you like. It's private but I accept basically everyone, apart from spam accounts haha! my username is in my description. I hope you like these pictures, they aren't superb photography but just a general summary :) I hope you all have a good weekend! xo

Strawberries! - Company Mag arrived! - Magick enjoying the sun - studying for theory test.. should have sat it by now, I'm so lazy!

Nails! (Essie - 'Lights') - watched Part 2 of Breaking Dawn, first film I've ever cried at! (I'm ashamed), the ending was just too cute, LOVE this cereal to munch on through a film - Bowling with friends - Cath Kidston Mag arrived.. want it all:(!

February Favourites ♥

Hello everyone, I hope you have all had a good month:)! I have been ill most of the month so mine was pretty rubbish haha. I hope you enjoy reading about my favourites this month! 

How cute is this owl! It is a lipgloss which opens from the underneath, it smells like strawberries and I love it! I don't know where it is from because it was a gift in a set from a lady I work with. 

Max Factor Clump Defy mascara is so good, the wand is curved which I love, it has rubber bristles which make my eyelashes separate and even out and the actual mascara is definitely clump defying, it goes on smoothly and makes my eyelashes stay up all day, without feeling like there is lots of product on my eyelashes.

This Ted Baker hand cream was part of a gift set from Boots, It smells amazing, it has rose, sandlewood, raspberry, vanilla and shea butter in it. It makes my hands smooth and soft straight after use and it doesn't feel greasy either.

If you have been following my blog and Instagram for a while you will know that I love Company magazine, especially this months issue! This was my first issue in my new subscription and I was so pleased with it. The new spring trends are so pretty and pastely. I loved the beauty pages as always but especially these ones featuring Cara! If you aren't subscribed then you really need to! The magazine costs £2.50 but they have an offer the now for 12 issues for £12! Which I was pretty gutted about as my subscription I paid for last month was 6 issues for £12.. but I am still pleased with my offer as I am saving money and I got a free gift too!

Hello my name is Natalie MacDonald and I am addicted to The Sims 3.. I have been ill with the cold (which still hasn't gone away *grr*) which means I have been in bed a lot so I have been playing this on my laptop so much more and now I am hooked! It is such a good game and I am so tempted to buy some expansion packs.

I wrote about this Herbal Essences hair mask in my ombre hair care routine, I love it and the smell of it! It works so well with my ombred hair and is definitely improving the condition of my ends.

This is my favourite item of the month! I got this 9ct white gold necklace from my boyfriend James for Valentine's day and I am so happy with it. The chain it came with is very very thin so I am scared to wear it as I have snapped 3 necklace chains he has gave me already! So I am putting a thicker chain on it for everyday wear and I will use the thin chain if we go somewhere nice :).

Have you enjoyed any of these products? 

Company Magazine

I usually don't buy many magazines because I think most of them are just full of utter crap, I am not a person who is interested in reading about about who stole who's cat and about everyone's sex lives. But I had decided to buy Company magazine before they changed their new look last February and I didn't really enjoy reading through it, it seemed very typical and boring. Then they changed their cover and the entire style of the magazine, I instantly was drawn to it on the magazine shelf in the supermarket. I bought it without realising it was the same magazine that I had read a few months previous. I love Company magazine now and I have had to buy it every single month, since March last year. Absolutely everything in it interests me. They write about beauty, makeup, fashion, blogging, tutorials, nail art and they always have interviews with young and interesting people, it has no silly 'real life' stories and 'awkward' to read stories. I might just be odd but I love the fact I can leave company magazine lying around the house without worrying if any of my wee cousins pick it up and read something they shouldn't. I am going to subscribe after this months issue as I think it is easier than trying to find it in a shop in my town (which seems to be the last to get any magzines!).

This months issue is £2.50 and in some places £1.25 so I suggest you go and pick one up before they all disappear! 

What do you think of Company magzine? : )