I've told the boring story epic tale of my quest for a pink eyeshadow before, in my review of a Modern Renaissance palette dupe, but before I found that palette, I decided to create a custom palette to add to my Makeup Geek collection. If I ever decide to do that again, someone please stop me, because I'm £45 down and still not satisfied.

I spent days sifting through swatches and reviews to compose my perfect palette, and this isn't it. I thought I'd be reaching for it every day but actually, I didn't plan it out very well at all. There are lots of shades very similar to one another, some shades are much cooler than I expected, and I should have added another brown and a cream for pulling looks together.  I could have bought a much better collection from Makeup Revolution for a fraction of the price.

However, they wouldn't have had the Makeup Geek formula that is raved about in every corner of the internet. Buttery, blendable, pigmented, and in a vast range of colours and finishes, it really is lovely. I'd especially recommend them to anyone who's not so confident with eyeshadow, as they're so easy to blend and build. If you have especially oily lids you'll need a great primer, as mine are moderately greasy and I find that the soft formula does fade and crease quickly, especially the foiled (f).

Top: Confection, Whimsical (f), Petal Pusher, Corrupt, Cherry Cola

Middle: Shimma Shimma, Peach Smoothie, Creme Brulee, Grandstand (f), Barcelona Beach, Vintage

Bottom: Cinderella, Nostalgic (f), Cosmopolitan, Mango Tango, Coppering (MAC), Morocco

I especially love the blush pink Cupcake as it works for both warm and cool looks, and Peach Smoothie is also a great versatile shade. Cosmopolitan is another favourite for its golden/coral duochrome effect but it is pretty similar to Cinderella.

Nostalgia and Whimsical are almost identical, and these are shades I rarely reach for, as they are extremely icy pinky-lilac shades that appear almost white on the eye. In contrast, I was a little disappointed with Shimma Shimma as it doesn't give a strong, gleaming highlight.

I've placed them all in a Freedom Makeup Pro magnetic palette, which is one of my best buys of all time. When most people think of storing single pans their minds go to Z-palettes, but to me they are so flimsy and overpriced, whereas Freedom have offered the polar opposite. The palette actually clicks safely shut and has a full sized mirror. I personalised mine with Pretty Gifted wrapping paper and sticky back plastic because I'm extra like that.

I don't hate the palette, and still enjoy using it, but it isn't what I had expected. Boots, Superdrug, or Debenhams really need to help us British girls out and start stocking Makeup Geek in stores so we can swatch for ourselves!

What shades would be in your perfect palette?

I'm a sucker for those sparkly halo eye looks all over Instagram, but my oily, hooded eyelids seemed determined to put an end to my disco ball dreams. However shiny the shadow, it would either fade off or transfer onto my upper lid, ruining the whole effect.

I'd tried eye primers and pencils, but nothing worked, until the angels sang the hallejulah chorus and chucked Wunder 2 Prime + Behold into my life. It's a little dramatic to say my life changed from that moment, but my eye game certainly did.

Wunder's eyebrow products are hyped as being super long wearing, but I didn't realise that they offered other items with the same promise. In their own words, it is

'...waterproof, transfer-proof and smudge-proof for up to 24 hours. The lightweight, creamy formula dries to a beautiful, holographic finish and creates a crease-free, soft and even base...

I can't say that I've tested their 24 hour claim, nor do I intend to, but I can tell you that both a glitter pigment and highlighter that would ordinarily vanish stayed perfectly in place all day, with no fading whatsoever.  They both looked far more vibrant than they would have without the pearlescent finish of the primer to brighten them, too.

I love that the primer is so versatile and easy to use. Just swipe on, let it set for a second, and apply your products as normal. It doesn't feel sticky or prevent them from blending, but I have noticed that sometimes it can feel slightly uncomfortable on my eyelids, like the skin is more sensitive. However, this is mild and passes quickly, so I'm more than happy to continue using the product, and I'm excited to see how it performs on the lips.

It's part of human nature that we get jealous, but it's still not a nice feeling. Unfortunately, blog world can flare up a lot of jealousy, whether it's being left out of girl gangs, not invited to events, or not receiving the PR package that every girl and her dog seems to be unboxing. It used to get me really down, until I changed my perspective and chilled the heck out.

You're not entitled

Sorry, I've got to drop a truth bomb right now. No matter our numbers, nobody is actually entitled to any of the blogger perks. The only guarantees in blogging are what you put out, not what you get back.

Do you REALLY want it? 

When I see people open huge boxes of Revlon's entire new collection, of course I'm lime green jelly. But then I ask myself whether I really am, and often the answer is no. I'd love the thrill of opening the box, but I'd struggle to store and wear 36 lipsticks.

See the bigger picture

Of course a blogger's stats do come into it, but so do things such as their location, and relationships with PRs. To give an example, a few of my friends were invited to the opening of a bar recently but I wasn't, and that's partly because I'm not based in the same city. PRs and brands are obviously going to look for people who tie in best with their brand, and once they have worked with that blogger, they will keep them in mind for other opportunities that will suit them.

Be better not bitter

If all else fails, use it as motivation. Look for the things you can do to boost your blog and contacts. Have you labelled your posts, joined blogger groups, politely emailed brands, and checked for broken links? Try to see every occasion as an opportunity to be even better.

How do you deal with jealousy?

Birthdays usually lose their shine as you get older. The excitement you felt as a child, that kept you awake the night before, is dulled, and it just becomes a sign of getting older for most people. Maybe I'm just a big kid, but birthdays still feel so special to me, and my 23rd was one of the best yet. 

It's not all about the presents, I could have received none and still had the most wonderful day, but I was gifted some really lovely things. If you enjoy this sort of post I also shared what I got for Christmas and my last birthday.

BOOKS
Lancashire Life is one of my favourite magazines, and I'll enjoy leafing through this issue with a cup of tea and a marker pen to circle places to visit. Rock and roll.

My mum's oldest friend hasn't actually met me since I was a baby, but a little birdy must have told her about my blog and she very kindly bought me Blogging Made Easy. It's written by bloggers for bloggers, and covers absolutely everything, from catchy titles to SEO, in a nice chatty tone.

The Male also bought me a book I'd spotted on Instagram and fallen in love with- Alli Koch's How To Draw Modern Florals. I adore her clean lines and simple style, and the book makes it so easy to learn, with step by step tutorials and practise pages. I'm really looking forward to having a go. 

FOOD

All my loved ones understand that I'm always thrilled to open edible presents, so this year I unwrapped mint cremes, an After Eight Easter egg, toffee popcorn, my favourite vegan sweets from Goody Good Stuff, and a jar of maraschino cherries! The pub used to put them in my lemonade when I was little, so when I saw them in the supermarket I told my mum how much I love them, and now I can jazz up my mocktails at home.

LIFESTYLE
I asked for this chopping board in IKEA, not because I've suddenly become Nigella, but because the patterns in the wood make it the ideal blog prop! I really like using natural elements and textures in my pictures, and the mango wood is so unusual.

This little monkey (now named Harry) was also from IKEA, by way of my sister, and there was definitely an animal theme running in her presents. She gave me a bedding set with colourful cacti cats on it- truly the definition of weird and wonderful! 

A few years ago I gave her tickets to go on an alpaca walk, and this time she returned the favour with a llama walk. It's such a lovely present as it gives me something to look forward to after my birthday, and we'll spend the day together with our new woolly pals.

What would you like for your birthday?

We all like to get creative with our 'corners of the Internet' and there are plenty of small businesses to help you do that. Whether you want prints and props or logos and layouts, there are lots of talented makers ready to meet your needs and get your blog looking its best.

Stock Image

£3.96

Melanie's shop is like a gift shop for bloggers! As well as offering some beautiful floral prints she has lots of stock photos on sale, including flat lays and blogger favourites such as succulents and cute notebooks. Some are themed by colour, which is a really good idea. I think the best way to make the most of your purchase is to use a stock photo to accompany every post in a certain series, to really tie them together.

Watercolour Textures

£1.80

Alice was totally the inspiration behind this post. She has a brand spanking new shop and very cleverly designed watercolour set to use in scrapbooking and blogging. If you haven't got a photo for a post but still want an eye catching picture, just download them and add some text.

Alice also has some gorgeous prints of vintage cameras that would look so effortlessly chic in any home or make a great blog prop.

Floral Logo

£8.79

I'm a total sucker for this sort of floral design, I love the colour palette and the flowers themselves are beautiful, as is the calligraphy. They make a very trendy and feminine logo, perfect for a wedding or home blog, and when Heidi has personalised it with your text you can use it for business cards or a blog header. She has tonnes of gorgeous designs available.

Blog Post Planner Printable

£2.64

Ooh mama did we hit the mother lode here! This fab little shop offers cute blog planning printables in a range of designs, plus really smart media kits that are sure to impress, and even affordable e-book or magazine templates.  I especially like this blog post printable as it allows you to get your ideas down without missing any important extras such as keywords and links to include.

Blogger Template

£8.80

One quick search and you'll find hundreds of templates ready to dress your blog up. What particularly drew me to Jessica's shop was the ease of use. She offers free installation, a demo, and you can even customise the colours and fonts of your template with just a few clicks. They have been designed to make things look fantastic and respond quickly for both you and your viewers. There are social media buttons, share buttons, and comment logos including to keep your readers fully engaged.

What's on your blogging shopping list?

All images and credit belong to shop owners. 

Happy birthday to me, I'm turning 23! In honour of this momentous occasion, here are 23 riveting facts you might not have known about yours truly: 

1. I was 2 weeks late for my due date and I've been late for everything since.

2. Roald Dahl was a huge inspiration of mine as a kid, and partly why I love writing

3. My favourite animals are orangutans

4. When I was little I wanted to be a toad farmer (we lived next to a big pond and I'd be out with my net in all weathers)

5. I have a red ukulele that I can't play for toffee

6. My favourite drink is still pink lemonade

7. I collect old postcards 

8. As I got older I wanted to be a west end star, but I can't dance

9. There's a scar on my chin from when I wrestled a shark fell off my microscooter.

10. I wish I could meet Freddie Mercury. Oh, and Alan Carr!

11. If I had a superpower it would be morphing

12. I have a really good memory for tiny details. Can't recall GCSE maths for the life of me, but the sweets I had on my first holiday, and all my friends' parents' names? Got it on lock.

13. A TV show I watch again and again is BBC3's Cuckoo

14. I have a birthmark shaped like a pinecone

15. I don't want to go to Disneyworld but I love reading about the food

16. My favourite places are grey British beaches

17. When I was tiny I fancied Tinky Winky and Milo from the TeleTubbies. I guess purple is my colour.

18. I'm scared of blood, water, spiders, and the dark

19. I talk, shout, and sing in my sleep

20. My favourite holiday is Christmas because I love that it brings cosiness and happiness to winter, and people tend to be kinder to one another

21. I own over 170 nail varnishes

22. I don't really like watching films or going to the cinema

23. My favourite bands are Bastille, Lord Huron, and Fleet Foxes 

There are only a few things that help my anxiety, and art is one of them. There's just something about crafting and creating that soothes the soul, but when you're starting out it can be hard to know what project to start, or what materials you'll need. Luckily, Crafty Creatives subscriptions can send you a box every month with a complete project inside, making it so much easier for you to get making.

I'm very creative, and even I gasped when I opened my box* and saw this month's project. I'd never thought of making a Spring wreath! I was even more impressed when I opened the package and realised just how much is packed in every box. In addition to the foam base, I received tonnes of pom poms, 3 full skeins of coloured raffia, a full pack of pipe cleaners, a wheel of pins, and more besides. They certainly don't skimp on materials, meaning you'll have some left over for your craft collection.

I was especially pleased to see the pins in the box. Not only do they allow you to test out your designs, they hold pom poms on much more securely than household glue. When it's time to retire your wreath you can simply unpin everything and recycle it all. I was really impressed that Crafty Creatives had thought this through and included the pins.

Among the materials is a simple card introducing the project and how to share it, but interestingly there are no instructions or guide. I appreciated Crafty Creative's approach because it encouraged me to use my imagination, have time away from a screen, and removed the pressure of trying to follow steps or pictures exactly. For those who would prefer guidance, there is a link to a Pinterest page for inspiration.

The boxes would make really wonderful, unusual gifts for any crafters in your life, or anyone going through a tough time. I really did feel calm and relaxed while making the wreath, and I believe that anyone would benefit from crafting. Focusing on wrapping it neatly and arranging the pom poms gave my mind a focus, and I was rewarded with the completed wreath to decorate my door and make me smile. There was no mess or preparation involved and I didn't even need scissors or glue for my design, I simply started straight out of the box.

I'm really impressed with Crafty Creatives. I love that they think of everything and obviously put a lot of care and effort into making a box that's fun, easy, and rewarding. The subscription costs £15 a month with £3.20 posting and packaging, and they're worth every penny in my opinion. Each box gives you the enjoyment and relaxation of crafting, a finished product to display, and plenty of pieces to keep crafting.

What is your favourite craft?

*my box was gifted for review, this does not affect my opinions or honesty.