Someone Hand me a Tiara, I'm Officially a Princess!

"...we're both women of business..."

Well, I've hinted at it and mentioned it in passing and used all of my self control to stop myself from blurting it out for the past month or more while boring bits of paperwork were still being signed and nods from official-type people were waiting to be received, but at long last I am officially self-employed. My Entrepreneur Barbie beams down at me from my dressing table every morning and I think about how much we have in common. We both like shoes and pink things and we're both women of business now. Granted her hair is significantly better than mine and she never gets bags under her eyes, but I try not to dwell on that.

So what is this business I hear you cry? Am I going to be some kind of high powered business woman in a suit, talking about graphs and holding business meetings in Starbucks? No. Of course not.

"I am...a princess"

I am fulfilling my life's ambition. I am...a princess. I think the technical term is 'children's entertainer', but I love to see how people react when they ask what I do for a living and I tell them I'm a princess. They are most likely inwardly debating whether or not I'm crazy. 

But I swear I am totally sane. Or, at least, as sane as I have always been. I've started up a hire-a-princess business. If you read my post about Lauren's birthday party back in August, then you may recall the Elsa impersonator we hired. The one who had her black bra on show and seemed to have no actual knowledge of Frozen. And didn't actually talk to the children. Or smile.

Well right then I there I decided to go ahead and become a princess impersonator myself. I mean, clearly this job is only second to actually working in Disney World! And, being a perfectionist, and lifelong princess fan, I knew I could do a good job of it.

So my bedroom is covered in glitter and rhinestones and there are princess-themed props all over the house (much to my mother's dismay). I've gone on a business course and can now confidently navigate Microsoft Excel and sort out my taxes. I have leaflets and my very own business page on Facebook (which you should totally go and like, by the way) and things are finally getting off the ground.

I had my first party this weekend and it was absolutely magical! The little ones were in awe and it was just fabulous! We had a princess story time, lots of lovely photos and the birthday girl had a very special pixie dust wish. One little one was a particularly big fan and came out with all sorts of wonderful questions and comments. My particular favourite was, "I've been at work all day in the killing factory. We kill the nasty animals for people to eat. Not the nice ones though, only the nasty ones". Oh, the mind of a four year old is a wonderful thing!

So I am officially a princess and loving every minute of it (apart from the accounts, obviously). I mean, prancing around, singing, watching Disney films and getting to dress up in sparkly princess dresses...it's the job I was born to do! 

Cheap and Easy DIY Halloween Costumes

Halloween is one of my favourite times of year. At our house we've always made a big deal of it, decorating the house inside and out, making paper mache heads, discussing pumpkin carving over dinner and the like. Personally, I love planning out my Halloween costumes and, even on the few years at uni when I didn't celebrate, I still had a costume on standby just in case. But I'm aware that not everyone has a box full of witches hats, vampire corsets and cat ears and that, for some people, the aim is just to find something quick, simple and cheap to throw on.

So I thought I'd write up a little post filled with ideas for last minute costumes made from things you'll probably already have hanging in the wardrobe. Zero effort and zero fuss.

Zombie

The cool thing about being a zombie is that you can be a zombie anything. If there is not something in your house right now that you can use to be a zombie I would be amazed. For instance, if you have any non-Halloween fancy dress costumes, you can splatter a bit of fake blood, darken up your eyes and make a very convincing zombie Snow White/ pirate/ doctor/ lifeguard...anything. I have even seen people taking it to a whole new level and opting to go as a zombie witch, so you could even recycle last year's costume.

If you have no fancy dress costumes to work with at all, a) seriously take a look at yourself because that is totally unacceptable in my eyes and b) don't panic. What's in your wardrobe? A school uniform could work or some converse with a band t-shirt to make a zombie rock star costume. Even your PJs are an option. And, if all else fails, just be a zombie you. Make up is key.

Superhero 

Forget overpriced Batman gear. All you need is bright, contrasting colours. Take a marker pen and draw your initial on a brightly coloured t-shirt, match it with some coloured tights or leggings and, if you're not comfortable going along with the traditional 'pants on show' thing that superheroes seem to be so fond of, you could always opt for a pair of shorts or a skirt instead. Then you just need an eye mask, which you could make out of spare fabric or paper and you're set to go forth and fight crime.

Animal 

If Mean Girls has taught us anything it's that all you need to make a convincing Halloween costume is a pair of animal ears. The lingerie is, of course, optional. But going as a cat, mouse, dog, rabbit, fox or whichever animal you choose is wonderfully simple. A few years back I went as a cat for Halloween. I reused my black lace dress I'd bought to be a witch the year before, attached a tail and popped on some ears and it was one of my favourite costumes of all time.

Witch

My mother does not like Halloween. She will put up with the parties, does her best to ignore the excessive amount of skulls and giant spiders we have spread throughout the house during the month of October, and even went along with us covering her bathroom in fake blood a few years back. But she will not wear a costume. Instead, what she does each and every year is dress entirely in black, grab a cheap broomstick and throw on a witch's hat. The moral of the story being never underestimate the power of accessories.

Creepy China Doll

I love creepy china doll costumes! You can get some really beautiful ones in fancy dress shops. Personally I am in love with this one:

But if you don't want to spend out any money and you just want to throw something quick and cheap together, then the creepy china doll can still work as the perfect Halloween costume. Look in your cupboard. Any a-line dress or skirt will work and ditsy patterns, ruffles and bows are all perfect. If you have a petticoat or tutu to stick underneath then even better.
Here's an example of what you can put together in a matter of minutes. I raided my cupboard and pulled out a few things at random in less than 60 seconds. Of course, it would be great if you could add embellishments or maybe take a look in some charity shops for something will puffed sleeves, but this is proof that you can put together a doll costume in a few seconds flat without spending a penny. Again, it's all in the make up with this costume.

Barbie

If I was blonde this would be my go-to costume. Think pink! Pink dress, pink shoes, pink lipstick. Providing you can find some kind of pink attire, rock some cute shoes and look unnaturally happy all night, you can pull this off without a problem.

Regina George

I saw this idea on Pinterest and simply had to share it. Mean Girls is one of those iconic films, loved by all. Quotes such as "She doesn't even go here" and "Four for you Glen Coco, you go Glen Coco" have been legendary and, despite it's simplicity, I really think this costume would go down a storm. All you need is a purple bra, white top, black skirt, and a bad-ass attitude.  

Wally 

Stripy jumper. Glasses. Bobble hat. Go.

Homicidal Maniac

And, if all else fails, take a leaf out of Wednesday Addams' book.

So, as you can see, there's no need to panic if you find yourself stuck without a costume on All Hallow's Eve without a stitch to wear. There are plenty of costumes you can put together with things you have at the back of your wardrobe. So go have a rummage and see what treasures you can find.

Happy Halloween!

Crunchy Leaves and Pumpkins: It's Autumn!

Three weeks ago I was wearing flip flops and sunglasses. Then, all of a sudden, literally overnight, I had to trade in my sparkly sandals for wellies and have, over the last fortnight, found myself in the centre of more thunder storms than I care to recollect. Just last week I had to spend the entire second half of a day-long business course sitting in my socks like a total professional because I'd stupidly allowed myself to get caught in a downpour of Biblical proportions on my ways to Greg's at lunchtime. In my Uggs. They will never be the same again. 

So it seems that Autumn is well and truly upon us. Either that or, judging from the extreme weather conditions of the past few weeks, we are in the early stages of the Apocalypse. Either way, I've been tagged by the wonderful Mismatched Knitwear to complete this Autumn themed post. So here we go...

What do you love most about Autumn?

As much as I love that weirdly satisfying found of newly fallen leaves crunching underfoot, my absolute favourite thing about Autumn is Halloween. Carving pumpkins, watching Hocus Pocus, erecting a graveyard in the front garden to terrify trick-or-treaters...I love it all. Over the years some of my best memories have been of Halloween parties or of helping my dad put together ridiculous props and hauling all the boxes of decorations down from the attic.









And, for my fellow Halloween junkies, I'm in the middle of uploading a series of Halloween makeup tutorials on my Youtube Channel that you will almost definitely love. (Shameless self-promotion.)

What's you favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/ Costa/ Cafe Nero?

I didn't even know that coffee shops offered seasonal drinks. Coffee is something I avoid at all costs and will only resort to if I'm travelling a long way or find myself falling asleep in my sandwich. Even then, so offensive is the taste to me that I always order a vanilla latte and add four sweeteners to make it bearable.

What accessories do you opt for, scarf, boots, gloves?

All of the above! Add to that earmuffs and mittens I can thread through my coat on a string. I may look like an oversized child, but I'll be the one laughing when you lose your gloves. 

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What's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?

I don't tend to change my music tastes according to the seasons. I'll probably continue listening to the bizarre selection of CDs I currently have in my car. You know, the likes of the Frozen soundtrack, a Britney Spears album from the 90s and a whole lot of country music. I know, I'm the height of cool.

What candle scents will you be burning this season?

I feel like for some reason it's assumed that all bloggers should have strong feelings about things like overpriced candles and washi tapes. I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you, but if I light a candle it's usually because I want to burn something, not because I have a strong attachment to the smell of pine needles infused with tangerine extracts...or whatever.

What's your favourite perfume for this time of year?

I had a bottle of Beyonce Pulse for my birthday last month and I am absolutely in love with it. I don't think it's a particularly Autumnal fragrance (although I'm not sure what would be apart from pumpkins or smushed damp leaves), but I love it all the same.

Favourite make up look?

I'm very excited for berry lips this Autumn. In fact I would love some recommendations because otherwise lipstick shopping can be a whole minefield.

What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?

This Autumn I'm going to be setting up my own business. I know I've been promising to throw light on this exciting news, but I can't fill you in on all the details just yet. I'm still in the boring process of making cash flow forecasts and signing paperwork. But as soon as things are up and running I seriously can't wait to tell you guys all about it! (You will definitely think I'm mad.)


So there you have it. A little seasonal post, which will hopefully brighten up this chilly Autumn afternoon.

Oh, and to my American readers, I'm talking about Fall. Yeah, that confused the Beacon more than once...

Can I Just be a Playboy Witch Every Day?

It's no secret that I'm partial to a good fancy dress costume. I have two big boxes of costumes under my bed with everything from Daphne from Scooby Doo to a sailor, a mobster to Snow White and at least three pirate costumes alone. Whatever the occasion, I will find a way to incorporate a costume.

"Oh, St Patrick's Day? Let's all dress as Leprechauns (despite the fact that we don't have any plans for that night)."

 "It would be a travesty for us to go all the way to Berlin without lederhosen!"

"Pirates of the Caribbean is showing in the cinema. Obviously we need to dress as pirates and go and watch it."

So last week when the lovely people at Joker's Masquerade sent me a costume to review, I was:
a) As excited as a small child on Christmas Eve.
b) Confident that I was enough of a fancy dress connoisseur to write a well-informed review.

What's even more exciting is that they sent me a costume from their Halloween range. Because, in our household, Halloween isn't about merely carving a pumpkin and throwing cheap sweets at small children who knock on the door. We have graveyards, we have coffins, we have smoke machines and strobe lighting. Planning for our parties starts as early as January and, once September hits, my dad, my brother and I will be talking severed hands and skull collections non-stop while my mother keeps clear of the house and pretends she doesn't know any of us.

So try and imagine my pure glee when, the very next day after being in contact with the company, my witch's costume arrived. Devastatingly, the postman arrived just as I was leaving for Exeter so I had to wait a whole weekend before I was able to try it on, but once I tried it, I didn't want to take it off! If only it was acceptable to casually walk around every day dressed as a Playboy witch in the middle of July! 


So, let's get down to the nitty gritty. My first personal rule of fancy dress is to go for the size smaller than you would in normal clothes. This costume was a size six and in real life I'm an eight to ten. That doesn't necessarily mean the same applies for everyone. After all, I'm not exactly blessed in the bust department so that probably has something to do with it. But it's worth considering that fancy dress sizes and highstreet sizes can differ. 

Now on to the costume itself. I love it! The stripy socks and criss-cross affect on the front make it really witchy and it's sexy in a fun, cute way rather than a 'I charge for sex' kind of way. Because, let's be honest, life is not Mean Girls and, no matter what the occasion, I'm never going to willingly go outside looking like a prostitute. That said, it probably won't be the costume I wear to my niece and nephew's Halloween party because the suspenders might be a bit much in a room full of five year olds.

The quality really impressed me. It's no secret that fancy dress costumes can be really cheap-looking and sometimes very naff. But this fell nicely, it didn't feel cheap and tacky, and the fabrics were nicer than some of my other costumes. What I really loved was the lining under the skirt to give it volume because usually I have to wear a petticoat under my costumes or else they just hang there looking very sad and pathetic. There's also a stiff lining in the hat, which is genius because no one wants a floppy witch's hat! Plus, what's really cute is the lining has tiny little Playboy bunnies on. I'm a fan of little details. Also, I'm loving that the cut on the bust is so flattering because usually costumes are made for women much more blessed than I am and the fabric kind of bunches up around my boobs in a really unattractive way. In fact, the whole way it fits it's perfect.

The only thing I didn't like were the suspenders. It's a really cute design, but they're more aesthetic than practical. They kept coming undone and it would have been nice if you could adjust the length on them because I'm quite short so they were too slack to hold the socks up properly.

That said, I am so impressed with this costume. I would never have considered opting for a costume made by Playboy, but in future I will. The quality surpassed my expectations and, seriously, look how cute it is! This whole experience has kick-started Halloween fever in my house. I know most normal people won't start thinking about Halloween until October hits, but remember that if you want a great costume you can't leave it until last minute. Like the guy I saw in Sainsbury's last Halloween who was looking for a costume for a party that was starting in an hour's time. The poor guy couldn't even find any face paint!

So a big thank you to Joker's Masquerade and if anyone sees me wandering around Port Talbot dressed as a witch in the upcoming weeks, you know why.