Hi, my name is Victoria

Pinched from Daisy.. who pinched from Kim.

Never in my life have I been: to Australia. Or to Ireland. Or on drugs!

The one person who can drive me nuts is: my boyfriend. At times I think he has sent me insane! :)

High school: was great, then I got bullied and I hated it, then I kinda liked it again. I was voted the 2nd best looking girl in my year - what an achievement! ;)

When I'm nervous: I either eat nothing or eat everything in sight.

The last song I listened to was: Priscilla Ahn - Find My Way Back Home.

If I were to get married right now my maid of honour would be: my sister.

My hair is: recently back to its natural colour, recently trimmed, has recently acquired a fringe, and doesn't feel too bad for a change!

When I was 5: I loved going to school and was probably more intelligent than I am now. (Joke. I hope.)

Last Christmas: was lovely. I always enjoy Christmas. I'm hoping this year will be better as last time I was temping and the fact I didn't have a temp job straight after Christmas was hanging over me.

I should be: a stone lighter and a little bit happier, but oh well :)

The happiest recent event was: being successful in applying for a house. Not just any house - the best one we had looked at by a mile!

By this time next year: I have no idea what I will be doing but I like that.

There's this girl I know that: is lovely, kind, generous, and my best friend - but never takes my advice :)

I like you when: you leave happy comments on my blog and don't judge me or say nasty things just because you can be 'anon'.

The world could do without: animal cruelty and peadophiles.

Most recent thing I've bought myself: food from M&S including houmous and sushi, and some clothes/shoes from Primark.

Most recent thing someone else bought me: a Creme Egg.

My middle name is: Claire

The animals I would like to see flying besides birds are: all animals - then they would never get run over or hurt because they could fly away and poop on our heads.

Once, at a bar: chances are I was probably wasted.

Last night I was: watching Supersize vs Superskinny and eating a cream bun.

There's this guy I know who: has the ability to drive me crazy and make me laugh till my sides hurt at the same time.

Tomorrow I am: going to work then relaxing at home knowing I have 4 days off for the Bank Holiday weekend!

Tonight I am: staying in with my boyfriend, blogging a little and listening to the newly acquired She & Him: Volume Two.

My birthday is: 3rd February.

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Monday summary (good news, feeling the burn & Ebay love)

Good day to my readers, new and old! I hope you all had a good weekend. It was nice to see some sun (even if it was a bit nippy in the shade) but have you heard?! We're due for snow this week! I really hope not. I can't take anymore snow! We have surely had enough this year to last a lifetime!

I have some very exciting good things to share this week.. drumroll please..

1) Remember I said we were waiting to hear feedback from our application for a house? The gorgeous place with the walk in dressing room and en suite in the master bedroom? We were successful! Yay! I am really excited to have more space for us and the pooches. The only downside is having to move our things but my Dad has offered to hire us a van and help out! Thanks Pops.

2) I am still going with the 30 Day Shred and I feel fitter than ever - BUT boy oh boy it is tiring. Yesterday I made the mistake of doing it with the heating on and I thought I was going to pass out.

3) I have found the most amazing dressing table on Ebay - and it's in Leeds. I hope nobody else wants it and that it can be mine. It's shabby chic and fab!

4) I have had a trim and my split ends have disappeared. It feels pretty good I must say!

5) Friday and Monday = Bank Holidays. Yippee! 4 day weekend.

What are your good things this week?

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Trip to Primark...

I popped into Primark yesterday for some work shoes and came out with a little more than intended! Oops. The first thing I spotted was this lovely floral boob tube which I wanted when it first came out but unfortunately there were only shelves and shelves of size 10s or 18s. I spotted a size 12 by itself yesterday so I grabbed it; it will be perfect for Summer with leggings or jeans and a little cardigan over the top. It was £5 I believe. Bargain! I love the little buttons.

I spotted these two long sleeved tops and thought they would be perfect for wearing with skinny jeans and pumps or Ugg boots. I always struggle to find something simple to wear on "dress down" days at work and these are spot on. I asked my boyfriend which top I should wear today and he said the grey and white striped one. Apparently he's not ready for the red one yet which made me laugh - it's very different for me he reckons! :)

The red top has lovely gold buttons on the shoulders and was about £4. The grey and white top was £2.50 and fits really well and has cute ruched shoulders which add a nice bit of detail.

I was on the hunt for a new pair of pumps and the ones I really wanted were black and quilted, with a gold chain detail at the front. Unfortunately they only came in a 'wide fit' and they were far too wide for my feet. So instead I got this lovely floral sequined pair which were £6. They look really nice with skinny jeans and they're a great fit.

Finally, this is what I went in for to begin with! I wanted a pair of shoes for work with a small heel. I'm bored of wearing pumps everyday but I can't cope with high heels for work because I do a lot of running around up and down stairs, so this pair are just right. They were £9 and they are available in a few different colours. They also have some with a higher heel which come in some adorable pastel colours!

xx

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Share the Love: Galibardy jewellery

As mentioned here and here I won a Cheshire Cat ring from Galibardy and it's so adorable! This got me thinking.. "I bet the website is full of other goodies that I like!" And yes it is. I wish I had never looked; I want to buy so many things!

My wish list:

Click here to visit the website. Enjoy!

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WLC - week 11: update & photos

This week's challenge is to share some photos that inspire us. I admire lots of different celebrities and their figures; some very slim, some curvy. All the photos below are of celebs working out in some way as this is what helps to inspire me the most.

I am still doing really well with the 30 Day Shred. I'm on day 10 so I'm nearly ready for level 2 and I feel ready for it but I'm scared of what's to come! I wish I had taken some 'before' shots to compare the difference because I have had noticeable changes already, but hopefully in my future outfit photos I will look slimmer! (I hope!)

All photos borrowed from The Skinny Website

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Giveaway winners! Please check to see if you have won

Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter my giveaway - I didn't expect so many comments! A HUGE "hi" to my new readers!!

Best of luck to you all.. here I go! *toodles on over to random.org*

Prize #1 (a bottle of St Moriz)
Beauty & Fashion Devil

Prize #2 (Naked shampoo & Aussie conditioner)
Ashley - All Things Amazing & Fun

Prize #3 (Barbie eyelashes & Cancer Research goodies)
Shortnails

Prize #4 (Barbie facemask, Soap & Glory hand cream & nail file)
Wendy - Fashionable Heart

Could the 4 winners contact me at pinkbubbles123@yahoo.co.uk with your blog name, full name and full address. Thank you!

Keep your eyes peeled for another giveaway coming soon!

xxx

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Monday summary (house hunting, countryside rambling & a piglet!)

HAPPY MONDAY!! Did you all have a good weekend? We viewed a house on Saturday which I can easily say is my dream home; downstairs loo, master bedroom with en suite and walk in wardrobe, 2 other bedrooms, enclosed back garden, high spec kitchen.. I can safely say if we are unsuccessful with our application then I give up house hunting because, not only is it hard work, I know I won't find anything as perfect as that house. If we stay where we are we have been told we can decorate so that is pretty cool :)

My 5 good things:

1) I am officially obsessed with shredding! Click here to find out what the hell I'm talking about :) I feel so fit and I hope I can keep going. I have lost half a stone since I last weighed myself but my weight has been very up and down over the past few weeks so what I need to do now is keep the scales heading down in the right direction!

2) We either have a perfect house to move into or we can decorate our current place; we can't lose! :)

I love this tree design!

3) Walking. Our hike round the Yorkshire countryside on Saturday was fun - apart from getting lost as the sun was going down - but boy oh boy, my muscles ache from it! It was lovely to see rabbits and pheasants running around, and even a newborn lamb! Altogether now.. "aaah".

4) The sun is shining - what more can I say! This makes me super happy.

5) I have a long overdue hair cut at the weekend. My ends are in desperate need of a lil trim! I refuse to post a photo of the day until my hair looks human again!

Here's a picture to warm your cockles:

(Photo taken from the Daily Mail website)

All other photos - www.weheartit.com

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OPI Alice in Wonderland - Thanks So Muchness! (Cheshire Cat ring & general Alice in Wonderland ramblings)

As I mentioned in my contest goodies post I received the OPI Alice in Wonderland set and I couldn't wait to try out the colours. The colour "Thanks So Muchness!" caught my eye on Friday so I decided to try that one first. Plus this polish has such a cute name! Are all OPI polishes such good quality? I was amazed at how easily the colour covered my nails and I only needed one coat. This is the first OPI polish I have used and I'm very impressed. My nails took no time at all to dry and I managed a couple of days before chips appeared (I did lots of cleaning so this didn't surprise me. I really should invest in some washing up gloves!)

Where do you guys buy your OPI polishes from? Let me know in the comments box if you can! Also recommend some nice colours if you like. Thank you muchly :)

Also, my Cheshire Cat ring arrived and I love love it! It's a little big for my fingers but it just about stays on the middle finger which is super. 

Look at his little face - isn't he cute?

I went to see the movie in 3D on Monday night and I really enjoyed it. I loved Johnny Depp (but then again I always do!) and I know a few people didn't like Alice but I thought she played the part really well.

Unfortunately we couldn't concentrate on the first 15 minutes because some people in front had sat in the VIP seats even though they didn't have a VIP ticket, so when some late people came in with VIP tickets they had nowhere to sit. So the staff spent 10-15 minutes rearranging people and moving the people who weren't supposed to be there. One guy even had the cheek to kick off and ask for a refund! He obviously didn't see the 50 million signs saying that those seats are only for people who have booked them specially. Anyway, we mentioned it to the manager on the way out and she refunded our tickets and our pick n mix and drink! Result!

Have you seen the movie yet? If so, what did you think?

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Weight Loss Challenge - update, workout recommendation & inspiration!

This week I have good news - I have found an exercise that I enjoy and gives results fast and it's all thanks to Gemma who some of you will know from You Tube (and she has a blog too). She also has a new channel on You Tube but more about that further down. Gemma told me about the 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels and basically she said it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm a big fan of working out at home anyway so I thought I would give it a try. After 1 session I was hooked! I am now on day #5 of the "shred" and I'm still going strong. Already I feel fitter and leaner.

It is split into 3 levels and obviously each level gets harder. I believe the idea is to do 10 days at each level so I'm still on level 1 and let me tell you, it is NOT easy. In fact it's very, very difficult. It is 20 minutes of non stop exercise; a mixture of cardio, ab work, press ups, simultaneous lunges and arm weights, and a few other things too, with no resting in between.

(Photo found through Google images)

The great thing is that even though it's a tough workout and very tiring (I cried on day #3) it is only 20 minutes so it doesn't take over your evening and it could easily be done before work on a morning.

I have lost the desire to keep checking the scales and I am concentrating on feeling/looking better in my clothes and eating well. A few other girls on Twitter are "shredding" and trying to be healthy with food choices and it is great having the support from them.

As mentioned above, Gemma has a new channel on You Tube - healthyhappylife - where she will update about all things to do with food, exercise, lifestyle, etc. Her makeup channel is amazing so I am sure her new channel will be great too. Make sure you head on over there and subscribe!

Summer is approaching ladies. Here's my inspiration for getting fit!

I won't be running topless but you catch my drift ;)

I have been making healthier choices all week. Hungry at work? I'll have a banana, apple or a yoghurt. Fancy a bit of chocolate? Instead of a 300 calorie bar of chocolate I'll have a smaller wafer type bar such as Galaxy Amicelli's which are 60 calories a stick. I have given up crisps for lent so I'm not eating those at all. I am still keeping a food diary and I am making myself drink more water. I have had fish twice this week and salad or veg with almost every evening meal.

I really hope I can keep this up! I feel great!

Photos - www.weheartit.com

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Burt's Bees: Beeswax Lip Balm & Radiance Body Wash

I recently received a couple of Burt's Bees items for reviewing purposes; I got the Beeswax Lip Balm and the Radiance Body Wash. I have never tried Burt's Bees before so I was really excited to try out a new brand. My favourite of the two items is the Beeswax Lip Balm. It is incredibly moisturising on my lips and probably one of the best lip balms I have ever tried. It retails at £3.42 on the Boots website and this is something I would definitely repurchase. The only drawback is that the balm is very hard and it takes a bit of effort to scoop some out, but that's ok. I can deal with that for soft lips :) Plus this tin is going to last me a while.

This is a body wash with a difference; it contains tiny jojoba beads which gently exfoliate while you're washing! It's a slightly runny formula so I do tend to end up with more than I want to use, but it's a lovely body wash with a nice scent and it leaves my skin feeling soft. It's quite a large bottle so I do think with a little control over how much I squeeze out this could last for a while. Plus the packaging is really cute so it's a nice addition to my bathroom.

I will definitely look out for Burt's Bees whilst shopping in the future. I love the packaging and the fact they don't test on animals is a huge bonus for them too. I love the sound of the Banana Hand Cream (yum - sounds good enough to eat!) and the hair products sound great too!

If you want any more info click here to go to the Burt's Bees website.

Do you have any products you would really recommend? If so, make sure you leave a comment and let me know!

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Contest goodies

I have been so lucky recently - I have won 4 blog contests and received some really wonderful prizes! It is really worth entering contests because normally I never win anything but I have been dead lucky lately. Here are my goodies! (If you fancy a chance of winning 1 of 4 prizes in my giveaway then what are you waiting for? Click HERE to enter! The rules are super simple.)

Eleanor at Pretty Much Penniless sent me some lovely contest goodies; I can't wait to make cookies using my cookie cutters! The chocolate is long gone and everything else will be put to good use especially the £10 gift card for Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, etc!

Wrapped beautifully! :)

Thank you Royal Mail for opening my parcel!

Emma over at Plum Dressing (who accidentally deleted her lovely blog and is struggling to get it back!) sent me my mystery contest prize which is a lovely floral makeup bag and hiding inside I found the Alice in Wonderland OPI nail polish set which I am so so pleased with - thank you! I can't wait to try these polishes out.

Talking of Alice in Wonderland I also won a fabulous Cheshire Cat ring by Galibardy by entering a contest at Beauty and the Blog. I'm looking forward to getting this parcel in the mail! What a cute ring.

And last but not least Claire at Just Another London Commuter sent me two books that I won in her contest - Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris and The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I can't wait to read them both! Thanks Claire.

xx

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Barry M: Mint Green

After my disappointment with Collection 2000's Button Moon I was excited to try out my new Barry M addition. Like my other Barry M polishes this one is really good - cheap price, only 1 or 2 coats needed, no clumping and it gives a nice smooth, shiny finish.

I also quite like that when it chips I can peel it off instead of having ugly chipped nails - probably not very good for my nails but convenient all the same!

This is a lovely colour for Spring/Summer and I will definitely be wearing this on my holidays this year. I have also got my eye on the new pastel shades which you can see here. Berry Ice Cream in particular is very pretty - plus they're all called Ice Cream so I definitely can't resist! :) Have you picked up any of the new polishes yet? Link me to your review if you have!

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Monday summary - Mother's Day, trip to Ikea & weight loss challenge update

Hello! Happy Monday to you all. Did you have a good weekend? Mine went far too quickly for my liking! Time is flying by lately. Here are my 5 good things of the moment:

1) I have tickets to see She & Him live in May. I'm so so excited. I am going to see Zooey Deschanel in the flesh! (omg)

2) I have rediscovered my love for reading and I am enjoying getting lost in a story.

3) The sun has made an appearance and the sun makes me happy!

4) I have 2 days holiday to use up before the end of the month so I have got this Friday and next Friday off. Hooray for long weekends!

5) I'm finally 'at one' with my new darker hair :)

For Mother's Day my Mum and Dad came over and my boyfriend and I cooked a roast pork lunch with yummy roast potatoes and vegetables. Then for pudding we had sticky toffee pudding which is probably one of the best puddings EVER!

On Saturday my boyfriend's Mum came to visit and we had tea and buns then some lunch, and took a trip to Ikea where we picked up a sheepskin rug and some seat covers for our dining room chairs. I love Ikea! I always find something I want in there (not necessarily a good thing...)

For the Weight Loss Challenge we had to keep a food diary for the week. Looking at my lists I can see that my areas for improvement are to eat more fruit through the day and to resist biscuits and sweets that people bring in and leave right next to me. I also need to make time for breakfast on a morning. Now that my cold/sore throat has finally shifted I want to get back into jogging in preparation for Race for Life. I have typed up an exercise chart because I tend to stick to a proper routine as opposed to just saying 'I'll jog three times a week'. The chart leads right up to my holiday which I'm hoping will keep my willpower going!

Photos - www.weheartit.com

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