Money Supermarket | Charcoal Challenge

Whilst enquiring about Money Supermarket's recent Big Night In competition (which I was too late for, boo hoo) I found out about their latest competition, The Charcoal Challenge*, where bloggers are each given £50 to throw a budget barbecue.

With the amazing weather we've been having recently here in the UK, I thought why the hell not and set about organising it!

I decided to take a trip to Aldi (which, by the way, is a seriously underrated store; the food in there is amazing and so cheap) in an attempt to stretch my budget a little further, and boy did I manage to get a whole load of food. We just had a small family barbecue between the four of us; my mum, dad, sister and I, so although we just spent around £44 of the £50 budget, I thought if I bought any more food we might spontaneously combust.

As you can see from the picture there was so much to get through.

As we already have a prehistoric reliable, sturdy barbecue, I thought it unnecessary to buy another, hence spending all the money on food and a bag of charcoal. We bought everything from salmon fillets and chicken to bread, peppers and bananas; all of which was shoved onto the barbecue bit by bit. 

My dad decided to use the chicken to make his (kind of) famous Tandoori chicken, which, by the way, is absolutely amazing. If any of you chefs out there fancy giving it a whirl then let me know in the comments and I can type up the recipe for you!

The salmon fillets were Aldi's lime and chilli flavoured fillets, which were also extremely tasty done on the barbecue and again I really would recommend giving them a whirl; I don't remember the price exactly but I do remember them being a bargain for the quality!

We also popped some tomatoes, peppers, sausages and paninis onto the barbecue and made a potato salad with the other goodies we bought. Most of the fruit was used in the blackcurrant Pimms.

 Whilst waiting for the food, my mum and I set about picking out the prettiest bits and bats we could find to decorate the table and bench with. We've had the elephant blanket for probably over 20 years, but it still remains one of my absolute favourites. It's probably hideous to most of you but for some reason I love it!

I salute my dad (I never understand why it seems to insult a man's masculinity if they cant take charge of the barbecue?!); the food really did taste as good as it looked. I could have just eaten it all over and over again.

Plus I think I deserve a good pat on the back for that impressive jug of Pimms, no?

I'm quite ashamed to say we almost demolished the whole lot; I think we had a sausage, a couple of paninis and a piece of chicken left over, all of which the dog very happily polished up.

 As if that wasn't enough, for dessert we decided to barbecue some peaches and bananas, and topped it off with some clotted cream (I know, how healthy are we?) and some chopped pistachio nuts.

All I can say is if you haven't tried barbecued bananas you are seriously missing out. Sort it out!

Overall we had such an amazing barbecue; the food was absolutely divine. We finished it off with a shameful performance on my part during a game of Trivial Pursuit. 

Family day, stunning weather and a stomach fit to burst equals one happy Jo!

I'd just like to say a massive thank you to Money Supermarket for giving me the chance to take part! It was probably the best barbecue I've ever had.

Love,

Jo xx

Giveaway | Sephora Buxom The Headliners Collection

I am excited to announce that from tomorrow (Tuesday 18th June), Isabelle from Le Chateau Des Fleurs will be running a giveaway which I am co-hosting, along with many other amazing bloggers!
For a chance to win the Sephora Buxom set shown below, simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

The following is the official competition post from Isabelle, so have a flick through before you enter.

..........

As one of my makeup favs this summer it is time to give away Sephora Buxom The Headliners Collection. You can admit it, you love it and want it like me. Here it is:

This set contains:
- 0.22 oz Amplified Lash Mascara in Loud Black
- 0.03 oz Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick in Sydney
- 0.01 oz Insider Eyeliner in Onyx
- 0.15 oz Buxom Big & Healthy™ Lip Polish in Dani
- 0.12 oz Stay-There™ Eyeshadow in Pug


This fantastic giveaway Hosted by Le Chateau Des Fleurs and is sponsored by these amazing apps:

Fun Clock - Fun Clock is an interactive educational game that will teach you kid to tell time.

Get Fun Clock on iTunes: http://goo.gl/rNrBB

Get Fun Clock on Google Play: http://goo.gl/F8msr

Get Fun Clock on Amazon: http://goo.gl/0sjN9

Get Fun Clock on Windows: http://goo.gl/rD2Ed

Kids Animal Piano - Kids Animal Piano includes many popular children songs and funny animal sounds like cat, dog, rubber ducky and many more!

Get Kids Animal Piano on iTunes: http://goo.gl/eFdPL

Learn to Talk More Words - Preschool, Kindergarten Flash Cards - Learn to Talk More Words is an innovative audio flash card application that facilitates early language development in 1 to 3 year-old children.

Get Learn to Talk More Words on iTunes: http://goo.gl/1Lzx2

Hidden Objects Quest 3: Touch of Zen - Hidden Objects Quest 3 features gorgeous zen gardens and ancient monasteries of meditation providing hours of entertainment for the entire family - young and old.

Get Hidden Objects Quest 3: Touch of Zen here: http://goo.gl/Fp5XK


Available for USA and International entries.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

..........

So there we are, simply follow me on bloglovin' and hunt me down on the Rafflecopter form for an entry. Why not give the other co-hosts a peek too?

You never know, you might find your new second favourite blog! (after Painted Glitter, obviously)

Good luck guys, how great would it be if one of us lot won?!

Take one for the team (you know you want to)

Enjoy,

Jo xx

Competition Wins to Date

 Recently (i.e. since about the start of this year) I have become partial to entering a few competitions online in the hope that I might win some goodies.

When I first started doing it, the enthusiasm didn't last long at all. I was wasting my time entering all these competitions and had absolutely nothing to show for it, so my competition entry numbers dwindled down until...

Bare Minerals Golden & Gorgeous set | won on Facebook | RRP £32

...I got my first ever win, and a bloomin' good one it was. A Bare Minerals makeup set!

Once I knew it actually worked and the competitions were real, I started entering a few more again.

I know for a year of entries I don't really have much to show for it, but to be truthful my enthusiasm has been up and down like a yo-yo, and with life and such getting in the way I really don't have the time to sit at my laptop and do it every day.

Anyway, I am so delighted with the bits I have won over the year that I thought I might show you all in one post.

(Apologies for the initially appaling photos, my old camera wasn't great...)

Laura Ashley scarf | won on Twitter | RRP £10

LoveFilm gift card | won on RottenOtter's blog | RRP £29

Vax laminate floor cleaner (exciting stuff!) | won on Twitter | RRP £4.99

Zara voucher | won on Twitter | RRP £25

2 Vitality Boutique tickets | won on Twitter | RRP £16

Sheridan bath mat | won on Twitter | RRP £26

Kiko nail varnish | won on Mollie Muses blog | RRP £3.90 (review here)

So there we have it! My competition wins to date.

I love winning stuff that you wouldn't normally treat yourself to!

Have you ever won any competitions?

What is your favourite competition win?

If you've done a post showing your competition wins please pop a link in the comments below, I'd love to have a nosy!

Thanks for reading,

Jo xx

All Things Beautiful | Natural Eye Makeup Challenge

A few weeks ago, the lovely Beth over on All Things Beautiful posted up her idea of an eye makeup challenge.

The idea is that every other day there is an eye makeup theme and you can submit your interpretation of that theme to be featured on her blog.

The full set of rules can be found here, and the themes are as follows:

Now, I was pretty keen to get stuck into my new MUA Undressed pallette, but being a bit rubbish at eye makeup I thought I would just have bit of a go at one of the simpler themes.

So here is my version of Day 1 - Something Natural.

Stupidly I decided to do this just as it was starting to get dark, so by the time I'd finished I was struggling for daylight to take the pictures.
Idiot.

I used shades 2, 6 and 7 from the MUA undressed pallette to achieve this look.

What do you think?
Will you be giving Beth's challenge a go?

Thanks for reading,
Jo xo

BooHoo £50 Outfit Challenge

I saw this challenge over on Fantasy Fashionista's blog, and seeing as I enjoyed doing my last outfit challenge (link here) so much I thought I would have a go at another!

 

Now this challenge hosted by www.fashionvouchers.com involves creating a whole outfit for under £50 using BooHoo.com.

 

I found this one seriously tough...I mean I couldn't even afford a handbag for goodness sake!!

 

Anyways, onto my entry...

 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

 

TOTAL: £49

 

This dress is just beautiful. Simple, feminine and classy, it can very easily be dressed up for a night out or dressed down for a day at the office. At just £15 you really can't go wrong.

 

The necklace adds a bit of interest to the rounded neck, and along with the sky high heels helps to toughen up the look, giving it that bit of an edge.

 

(The heels also have Louboutin-style red soles...what's not to love!)

 

 

So there we have it! My bargain £49 outfit.

 

Why not have a go yourself? It's a lot harder than it looks!

 

Entries must be in by the 30th September, and the winners receive a £50 BooHoo voucher each! Click here for full details of the competition.

 

Good luck!!

 

 

Thanks for reading,

Jo xo

 

 

 

 

Autumn/Winter Passion for Fashion Entry

A few days ago over on Hanne's blog I saw her post on money supermarket's Passion for Fashion challenge, for which they are asking bloggers to create five different outfits for different occasions, with each outfit adding up to under £200. So I thought I would give it a go!

I absolutely loved swooning over all of the autumn/winter goodies available, so here are the outfits I came up with...

Party

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

TOTAL: £110.50

The metallic style of this outfit is perfect for the inevitable Christmas and New Year celebrations. The dress is a great buy at just £25 at the time of year when money is tight, and the grecian style is a piece that will always look classy and flatters most body shapes.

Metallic shades come back year after year, and the nude accessories can be worn across all the seasons; such a glamourous outfit.

Casual

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

TOTAL: £188.50

As with metallics, check shirts are fabulous wardrobe staples that keep cropping up in the winter months. The sleeveless look of this shirt gives it that bit of an edge, and the shorts are a fabulous transitional piece that can be worn with tights to keep warm in winter, or without in the warmer summer months. The studs bring it them up to date and bang on trend.

And who doesn't need a pair of Converse? Practical and stylish, they will help get you through the horrible winter weather without sacrificing on the fashion stakes. And they are shoes that will last.

Outdoor

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

TOTAL: £186

Practicality is always the key with outdoor wear, but that definitely doesn't mean you have to look like you got dressed in the dark.

Jeans have always been a great wardrobe staple and the slouch jumper will give that effortlessly stylish look whilst keeping you warm under the lovely yet practical gilet. The rucksack gives a cute twist to the outfit, adding a bit of interest whilst being able to hold all that useless junk us ladies refuse to leave behind. Considering the chelsea boots are leather, they are such a good purchase at just £40 and will get you through that horrible snowy period in style.

This laid-back look is perfect for the more outdoor type of girl.

First Date

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

TOTAL: £130.99

Now I'm not sure about everyone else, but I love burgundy for the colder months. It's such a lovely, rich colour that makes any outfit look that bit more expensive, whilst suiting every age group.

This skirt is another great transitional piece; although it is floral and floaty, the muted colours mean it can easily be worn throughout autumn if styled appropriately. And it's fabulously flirty for that all important first impression for your date!

The watch and rings add a bit of glamour to finish off the look beautifully, and the clutch bag is a pure steal at a mere £8.

Officewear

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

TOTAL: £194

This outfit has another great floral item but again with those colours that work from summer to autumn. The dress adds a bit of fun and something different to the usual dull office attire, whilst the blazer keeps it smart and appropriate without breaking the bank. The wedges look professional but the height also keeps it sensible for a long day at work.

It is an outfit that can easily be carried on into the evening for a few after-work drinks.

So what do you think of my outfit choices?

If you have already done this yourself, link me your entries - I'd love to see them!

If you haven't yet taken part but fancy having a go, just follow this link for more information.

The overall amazingly lucky winner receives £1000 and an iPad!

Thanks for reading,

Jo x