Outfit August reminder

Hello pickles,

Tomorrow is the beginning of Outfit August if you're joining.




Refer to this post for more information.

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

MeMeMe Cosmetics review part 2*

Hiya loves!

Here's part two of my MeMeMe Cosmetics review. Excuse my almost bare face in these photos - I was packing to go away in between taking the shots. It was about 28 degrees and I was melting!

Flawless Face Powder in Translucent

MeMeMe Flawless Face Powder in Translucent

The face powder is a life saver for hot sticky days. I applied it on a day when I had a serious glow on and it absorbed shine and made me feel far less hot and bothered. In the winter months it may be too dark for me, but it suits my tanned skin perfectly at the moment. It has iron oxides, which are an inorganic sunscreen agent, although it doesn't say what level of SPF it might provide. It's enriched with silk and Vitamin E and comes in a heavyweight mirrored compact.

Long Lasting Gloss Polish in Vivacious

MeMeMe Long Lasting Gloss Polish in Vivacious

This nail polish dries phenomenally quickly - so much so I couldn't believe it. I love the colour and it has a wide, fan shaped plastic brush which really helps ease of application. I'm wearing 3 thin coats which dried virtually instantaneously. Love!

Long Wear Satin Lip Cream in Persian Pink

MeMeMe Long Wear Satin Lip Cream in Persian Pink
Look at that shine! In the bullet, the colour didn't appeal to me at all, but once on I fell in love with this. It's enriched with Vitamin E and Shea butter. Wear time for me is about 2-3 hours, which is average for me as I have quite moist lips.
This lipstick is also great. It has a purplish sheen to it which you can see in the tube in the photo above. The lipsticks smell gorgeous, a bit like vanilla and something else I can't put my finger on - I'll call it baked goods.

I absolutely love the lipsticks and nail polish and would say if you're going to try anything from MeMeMe, make it the lippies, the nail polishes or the baked eyeshadows. It's a thumbs up from me!

I'll be doing a couple of proper looks using some of these items in the next few days.

Do you like anything you've seen here?

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

MeMeMe Cosmetics Swatches and review*

Hello lovelies!

Recently MeMeMe Cosmetics contacted me and sent me some items to try out. There are 8 items in total so I'm splitting it over 2 posts, one now and one this afternoon.

MeMeMe are based in Wiltshire and have a female team. They say: We formulate premium quality products that will always be as gorgeous as possible whilst performing at a standard you would find from only the best & most renowned cosmetic houses.

MeMeMe Cosmetics swatches and review
First impressions are that the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. It fills the gap between high end and high street, using simple but quality packaging with bit of artistic flair.

Blush Me in Pink

MeMeMe Cosmetics Blush Me swatches in Pink
The blush is a very finely milled powder which comes in a box with a mirrored lid and brush. It's very similar in colour to my rosy cheeks so it might work better on someone without my very high colouring and freckles. The swatches you see here is the result of heavy swipes of product. The powder is so finely milled it floats off the brush, but if you persevere you won't find it highlights your pores as it's so fine. This would be best suited to very fair complexions and those wanting a very minimal look.

Lip and Cheek Tint in Cupids Kiss

MeMeMe Lip and Cheek Tint in Cupids Kiss

The lip and cheek tint is a very subtle moisturising liquid which also can be used as a stain. It leaves a juicy look on my lips and a very subtle colour on my cheeks. Again, due to my colouring it's too light for me, but will suit very fair people.

Dew Pots in Coral Blossom

MeMeMe Dew Pot in Coral Blossom swatches

The dew pot is a cream eyeshadow which is very similar to my skin colour, as you probably can tell by the swatches above. It evens out any redness and it can also be used as a base for eyeshadow, (it doesn't crease) but my favourite way to use it is as a highlight. It's absolutely fantastic at giving a subtle, dewy glow. If you click to enlarge the photo below you can see the subtle sheen on my nose and swatched on my hand.



Eye Inspire Quad Baked Eyeshadow in Fire Eyes

Eye Inspire Quad Baked Eyeshadow in Fire Eyes

I'm really impressed with these baked eyeshadows. The pigment speaks for itself and I'd buy these in other colourways. I'm going to do a pink and orange eyeshadow look using this quad soon.

My favourite items out of these four are the cream eyeshadow and the baked eyeshadows. I'm really happy to have discovered another make up brand who don't test on animals and look forward to discovering more things from MeMeMe.

Part 2 will be up this afternoon.

Have you tried anything by MeMeMe before?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Pirate Day Hastings 2014 in photos (photo heavy!)

Arrrrrr ye scurvy currs!

This wench 'ere be about to show you what happened at ye olde pirate shindig on Sunday through the trickery of 'er picture box! Take orf your eye patch and 'ave a squint!

(Some of the photos are slightly out of focus because my beloved left the camera on manual focus, and I didn't notice because my glasses were steamed up, ha!)

There were a lot of things going on, a lot of which we didn't get to see regrettably due to the heat and humidity of the day.
  • Jack Sparrow lookalikes (who were collecting money for Great Ormond Street Hospital)
  • Grand Parade with Drummers through the Old Town
  • Pirate Crazy Golf Competition
  • Pirate and Craft Market
  • Fancy Dress Competition (open to all including the dog!)
  • Bands in Participating Venues
  • Massive Pirate Treasure Trail
  • Pirate Films being shown
  • Pirate Art Projects

Hastings Pirate Day 2014

There was this lovely Chevy truck parked up near all the Jack Sparrow lookalikes. Amazing.



What a cutie!

Hastings Pirate Day 2014 Jack Sparrow lookalike
I fell ever so slightly in lust with this fella

Hastings Pirate Day 2014

He had the mannerisms of Cap'n Jack down pat

Hastings Pirate Day 2014

Hastings Pirate Day 2014

Hastings Pirate Day 2014





This one holding the grog had loads of personality

The drummers near the lookalikes had made a fantastic effort


Mike having a toss!


Ooh HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.


I took a selfie before we left as I knew my makeup wouldn't last 5 minutes in the heat.


Here are a bunch of Mookie's photos of us. Thanks Mookie!







It was a fabulous day and I'd heartily recommend next year's Pirate Day to anyone who likes dressing up and having fun. It's a truly inclusive celebration. There were pirate dogs, pirates in wheelchairs and in mobility scooters; all ages from babes to OAPs, all sizes, all colours. There were people who wore their normal clothes who just added a weapon or head scarf, people in fancy dress kits, and people who looked like they'd spent months on their handmade outfits. It's a spectacle for the eyes and something I'm thrilled to bits is on my doorstep.

It was such a shame we were only able to wander around for a couple of hours before we headed off to Wetherspoons for a cold drink and some sustenance. The heat, humidity and crowds were just too much.

Thanks for reading!

Outfit post: Two to tango

Hello lovelies,

This outfit is something I had in mind for a very casual day time holiday outfit. Imagine you're somewhere sunny, perhaps doing a bit of shopping before having a lay down on the beach, then walking around again afterwards. I called it two to tango as this outfit is orange-heavy. I'm a wit, I know. ;)



Vest top, Asda
Kimono, Primark
Leggings, Very
Hair crown, Primark
Shoes, old Very
Handbag, Primark

Sorry for the lack of outfits of late. I'm really not wearing clothes, hahaha. I'm usually draped in sheets or towels as it's so chuffing hot in our flat, and the heat is really affecting my CFS. Between the heat and nursing James I'm easily sleeping 12 hours when I'm not plagued by jaw pain. (A new Fibromyalgia symptom for me.)

How are you dealing in the heat, UK folks?

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

TMI to the MAX! Fat and disabled sex

FAT-AND-DISABLED-SEX // WWW.XLOVELEAHX.CO.UK

SOUND THE KLAXON! I'm going to talk about sex. If the very idea of a fat person getting it on curdles the milk in your cornflakes, do move on, there's a dear.

If you're in my family or circle of close friends and don't want to hear about my sex life FER GAWD'S SAKE abort abort ABORT! I don't want anyone I'm going to have to look at in the eye to read this. Please, for all that is good and holy, move on. Gone? Thanks.

OK. News flash. Fat people enjoy sex. Not all fat people, but this one does. I'm also disabled, and I like sex. Not all disabled people will like sex (or will be able to have sex) but I can and do. It's a privilege to be able to enjoy some under duvet tusslin'.

There are many kinds of sex undertaken by people - same sex, opposite sex; involving fingers, tongues, implements both buzzing and otherwise; and good ol' meat popsicle friction. It's ALL good. The sex I have involves vag and cock, as I have a vag and hubby has a cock, so that's what I'll be talking about.

Onto what I've learned. I'll be using many euphemisms as 'penis', 'vagina' and 'cum' make me giggle, even at the age of 40. Don't judge, I am after all English, stiff upper lip and all that. I'm giggling at 'stiff' too.

DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP ABOUT POSITIONS

Don't fall into thinking you have to be able to enact the entire contents of the Karma Sutra in your life time, and that's whether you're able bodied or not, thin or fat. Get to know three or four positions really well and have done with it unless you have a yen to be a sexual gymnast. I don't mind if every centimetre of my vag hasn't been explored in a boff session. Personally, if someone was changing positions every minute I'd want to smack them around the head with a frying pan. I want to achieve a state of nirvana, not feel like my cock-canister is being mapped for the National Geographic. Get in the zone and plug away at it, I say!

ADAPT!

I have a tilted uterus and I've always had to adapt some positions without really thinking about it. In doggie, I do 'head down arse up' so I can get a decent meat injection. (Did I really just type that?!) There are some positions I just can't do because of the way my lady-tunnel lies - like reverse cowgirl. Nope, ain't happening. When it comes to being fat, there haven't been many adaptations to make, I'd say being disabled has posed us more problems. I'll talk at the end about positions that seem to work well for us from the perspective of me being fat and disabled. The main thing to remember is there's no right or wrong way to have sex. Assuming you've been with the person you're getting jiggy with for a while (new sex needs a whole post of its own!) just know they want to be with you, they know what you look like and won't mind a few adaptations if it means you both have fun. A lot of fun! I find well placed pillows or cushions can help out in a number of ways. Don't be afraid to mess up your bed in pursuit of some oh-oh-ohhhhgasms.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO BRING IN THE BIG GUNS

My husband is a liberated fellow who realises that men are biologically programmed to deposit their hot man-porridge and that sometimes I need a bit more stimulation to get there, and sometimes I find it hard to relax. We have a selection of bits and bobs to enhance both our pleasures. Also bear in mind that certain medications can make it hard to get your naughty bits a-tingling. My anti-anxiety meds have made it really difficult for me to arrive at O-Town, and sometimes I feel like I need something which vibrates with the power a pneumatic drill! There's no shame in needing a bit more stimulation than your partner can provide, as after all you're still having sex with them, just with a little bit of assistance.

LAUGH

Sometimes things go wrong during sex and the only thing to do is laugh. When going down on someone the occasional fart might pop out in your face, no matter how hard the other person tries to hold it in, and there may be no dog present to blame it on. Sometimes when going at it like a barn door in a force 9 gale a knob can fly out of the hole it has been drilling, and then there's fanny farts, or queefs as they're called these days. When you think about it, there's a lot that can go wrong during sex and you have to be able to have a good giggle then get right back to it. Plus I'm reliably informed that when a girl laughs during sex it squeezes his pork sword nicely. ;)

OK, positions that work for us.

Missionary - no adaptations needed, but I do sometimes get cramp in my hips and/or pains in my collarbones (from the strain of having someone else's weight on top of me.) It's a case of waiting it out or changing positions.

Missionary with my ankles as his ear warmers - I have my legs up round hubby's neck, and rather than me having to hold my legs aloft (which would cause a lot of pain and cramping) he leans on them and takes the strain off me. The plus for him is he gets to see the in-ing and out-ing - men are such visual creatures.

Doggie - head down and arse up as described earlier. Because my wrists are so painful having any amount of weight on them is excruciating, so I lean on my elbows and that helps a lot.

Me laying with my bum on the edge of the bed/sofa, him kneeling in front - This is great for fat sex as he's not on top of my tummy. Hubby can control the thrust, and can also lift my legs up if I'm getting cramp from being in one position.

Obviously that's all to do with penetrative sex, so for other kinds of manual tomfoolery use pillows to prop up your arms, swap arms if you get tired, and if you're feeling really beat, get them to take over with some self-love for a minute or two so you can shake out your cramp.

Tell me, what adaptations have you made to make your fat and/or disabled sex more enjoyable for you?

If you've read this and you know me in real life, do not mention it, hahaha!

Shop Your Stash - Pirate Day outfit

Hello lovelies,

Welcome to the Shop Your Stash Challenge. This is all about finding a gem in what you already own and creating a blog post on it. This is to let go a little of the stress that comes with being a blogger - even if it is just once a month. Rummage through your beauty products and climb through those clothes draws. You might surprise yourself!

Yesterday was Pirate Day here in Hastings so I wore a lot of old things from my stash.

There are a lot of photos because I love dressing up and felt really good yesterday.



Hat, eBay
Top, old Very
Skirt, old New Look Inspire
Scarf, eBay
Boots, old Evans
Brooch, eBay
Necklace, made by a friend years ago

I went to Pirate Day with Mookie, her hubby and daughter and will have another post coming up separately with lots of photos taken on the day itself.

Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo

A little break

Hiya pickles,

Source

Just a quick note to say I'm going to have a few days off blogging. I'm only making the big 'announcement' as I've blogged every day for so long and I don't want anyone to worry about me.

Just recently I've been reminded how damaging stress is for people with long term illnesses - even a little bit of stress. I'm struggling to deal with our recent ups and downs. The good news is James is recovering well from his vasectomy, but the amount of extra care he needs is wiping me out because I was already running low on mojo. I didn't even get dressed today - I wore a sheet all day. (Impromptu toga party!) The flat looks like it's been burgled and I can't say to hell with it as Mookie, her hubby and daughter are staying over with us on Sunday so I need to attack it on all fronts.

I'm not going to churn out 'filler' content for the sake of it so it's best I have a bit of a rest and come back with something to say.

I'll also be stepping away from blog-related social media slightly so I can have a break.

Have a fab rest of week/weekend.
Leah xoxo

New beauty: eco cleansing pads, Clinique, ELF & Makeup Revolution

Hello earthlings!

I've been a bit of a naughty bugger the last couple of weeks - I've shopped my feelings away. It's funny that I've noticed whenever I feel particularly crappy I tend to buy make up more than clothes. Here's a round up of my new beauty purchases.

NEW BEAUTY ITEMS FOR JULY JUST ME LEAH

Firstly, I've been meaning to buy some eco friendly (and purse friendly) cleansing pads for AGES. I get through about £2 worth of cotton wool a month and was sick of throwing money into the bin, so I bought these washable cleansing pads from Love The Planet.

LOVE THE PLANET WASHABLE CLEANSING PADS

They're £6.20 for 5, and come with a wash bag so you can pop them in the washing machine. Each pad is about palm sized and is very thick. They're very soft on my face. How I use them is I use one side for removing cleanser from my face, and the other side to wipe toner on. Because they're so well padded nothing comes through from the other side. When I've finished cleansing and toning, I wash the pad out in cold water to help remove any stains then squeeze dry, before popping it in the bag ready to go in the machine when all 5 are used. Rinsing them immediately in cold water removes all stains, even mascara and eyeliner. I use the darker coloured ones in the evening to take my make up off and cleanse, and the lighter coloured ones in the morning when there'll only be a tiny bit of dirt coming off my face. I bought 2 packs of 5 as I cleanse and tone twice a day.

You'd think that putting toner on with the pad would be a lost cause and the pad would soak up all the liquid, but that doesn't appear to be the case. I think I'm using less toner than usual as cotton wool is more absorbent.

You can also get them in white here. I've used and washed them already and they wash and dry great. I'm going to save loads of money using these. Highly recommend!

*******

I bought 2 copies of Glamour so I could get some Clinique freebies. I don't buy cruelty free products where I can help it, but I will use magazine freebies as I'm not directly supporting those companies with my moolah.

GLAMOUR MAGAZINES FREEBIES FOR JULY
I got the chubby stick in Woppin' Watermelon and there's not a lot of colour to it at all. Not worth the hype as far as I'm concerned. It didn't feel particularly moisturising at all and barely shows up on my quite pigmented lips. The moisturiser comes highly recommended by my friend Rachel and I did try it, and it made my skin very soft. It smells nice too.

*******

ELF had a 51% sale so I bought a few bits.

ELF 51% SALE

I've tried everything except the glitter primer and will have up a post shortly with my thoughts and swatches of the swatchable items, but I really like everything.

*******

I also had a cheeky little Makeup Revolution order from their I <3 Makeup range. They've basically done a very cheeky thing and have erm....emulated Too Faced's chocolate scented palette and heart shaped blushes (at a fraction of the cost.) The packaging for both is so cute that's what I bought. Yes, I'm a total sucker for cute packaging.

MAKEUP REVOLUTION CHOCOLATE SCENTED PALETTE
Again, I'll have thoughts and swatches up soon, but I'm really impressed with both these items, and MR's customer service, as my first blush was in smithereens when it arrived and they sent me out a really well packed replacement a few days later.

That's all from me, so expect some more detailed posts about these items coming up in the next week or so.

BTW, my Outside My Comfort Zone is due today but because James had the snip yesterday I'm playing nurse and will get my post up in a couple of days when he can fend for himself again.

Thanks for reading!
Leah xoxo

Outfit: Oversized paisley

Howdy!

I hope this finds you well. Today is V Day in our household. Vasectomy day is here. I have a post planned after James has recovered discussing the process for anyone out there who might have any questions. That can keep until he's recovered, and let's hope it's as painless as possible, because that man of mine is a grade A wuss! Bwahaha.

I fancied a kind of relaxed around-the-house look this day, but not so relaxed I have crisp crumbs in my bra and hair like Beetlejuice. Although to be fair, I DO have some wild hair in these photos as it was a very windy day.


I bought the top from Everything 5 Pounds months ago. I've actually stopped visiting 5 pound websites as the urge to think 'Oh, it's only a fiver!' then slap on a few more things to make the postage worthwhile is a false economy.

Top, Everything 5 Pounds
Leggings, M&S
Shoes, old Evans
Chain bracelet & necklace, Sister Vintage (on hiatus for the next couple of months.)
Wooden bracelet, old ASOS

These leggings are a size 24 and my bum is definitely not that size. Thank you fashion gods for stretch. Try things and you never know your luck!

I picked out a bag to wear with this outfit, padded it out so it didn't look sad and empty, then totally forgot to use it. D'oh! It's giving me side eyes from across the room.

I have an almost Amy Winehouse amount of eyeliner on in these photos. It was one of those days where each mistake called for a thicker line, until almost my whole bloody lid was eyeliner. This turned out to be a bad move later when I read this Buzzfeed post about a dog's last day on earth. Cue snotfest and mild Alice Cooper face. HAVE TISSUES READY. No, seriously, even if like me you think 'I'm not going to cry.' Tell me you didn't cry and I may need proof you're not a cyborg.

What else have I got coming up this week?! Some pretty new make up from Makeup Revolution, some eco (and purse-) friendly washable cleansing pads, and s'more clothes on my person.

Have a great week, and I'll let you know what kind of state my husband's testes are in soon. I bet you're all dying for that update! Bwahahaha.

Leah
xoxo

My weekend - Mookie's birthday, the beach & outfit

Hello lovelies!

I didn't schedule a post for today as I had a lovely relaxing day yesterday and an early night last night.

On Saturday hubby and I went to Guildford to help Mookie celebrate her birthday with her family and friends. We went to the White House pub in Guildford, which we've been to before. We sat on the balcony outside overlooking the river and the lovely willow trees. It was a really hot day on Saturday, so the cooler evening air was a bonus as the night went on. All of Mookie and Mike's friends and family were friendly, and we felt at ease with everyone straight away. It was lovely to see fellow blogger Abi again, and to meet Mookie's Norwegian friends Marianne and Heidi.

You can click on any of the photos to enlarge them if you wish. 

Abi, Mookie and I//the birthday girl//Abi and I

In the car on the way there//loving my new tache//in love with the Russian look!

Gender swap//Abi makes a handsome dude//the special one

Mookie, Mike and Mookie's lovely Norwegian friend Marianne//brave Mike kissing Mookie with her Keith Lemon moustache on//birthday cake!

Myself, Abi and I having boobie grabs in the car park//one last tache shot - how it made my nose itch!

Mookie and Mike had provided props like wigs, hats and stick on moustaches, which were great fun and caused much merriment. I loved my moustache and thought what a handsome man I'd make, hahaha! We had a few drinks, some lovely food and lots of laughter. We had a quiz all about the birthday girl, Mookie opened her presents, then we had cake. Our props - especially the stick on moustaches on us girls - got us some attention from the other pub-goers, but as usual when a group of people are out having fun, it kind of rubs off on others and causes a few good-natured comments. One of the happy people got my ovaries all in a flutter. He looked like a less beardy Ricki Hall and was quite the treat for my eyes. As a married lady I don't go out of my way to look at other men, but when one falls across my radar I'll have a discreet peek when James is at the bar or in the loo. 'Ricki' was sparkly eyed, not at all up himself, and didn't blanche at the sight of a bunch of loud fat girls wearing moustaches, hahaha. The eyes totally did it for me, I love the sense of mischief you can tell from someone's eyes. Swoon! Moving swiftly on...

Abi had kindly brought a boot load of clothes, bags and shoes with her for myself and Mookie to look through, so I came away with the deerstalker hat (pictured above), a lovely green M&S bag, some M&S wet look leggings and a lovely purple cardi. Thanks Abi. 

On Sunday my brother came down to visit as he needed a bit of pc help, so we gave him some tips then went to Tesco for some nibbles and went to eat on the beach. It was a lovely afternoon so I took my cardigan off for a while to get some Vitamin D. People with chronic illnesses like Fibromyalgia tend to lack Vit D, and although I don't lay around in the sun baking for hours, half an hour out in the sun after the hottest part of the day has passed makes me feel a little better in myself.




I'm wearing:

Dress, JD Williams
Leggings, Pink Clove
Cardi, Bonmarche
Shoes, Primark

What did you get up to this weekend?
Thanks for reading.
Leah xoxo