Friday

FF CXI: Halloween Special


Midge's photos of Halloween in Hoboken are perfect! I wish the UK went all out like America!
Check out Lynne's guide to Edinburgh Halloween spookiness
Hazel's Halloween treats look delicious! 

Weekly Wishlist
I love these skeleton leggings
The cutest spooky dress!
I need this cat mask iPhone case in my life! 

Favourite Links
Since it's Halloween, and I've been facing my fears, I challenge you to do the same. Benenden Health want to hear all about your unusual fears*, and I'd love to know them too!
These pumpkin carvingsg are insane! 
51 pugs who want Halloween to be over. So adorable! 
Ok, inside-out teddies look insanely creepy!
A fantastic article on making a disability-friendly Halloween.

Thursday

Waterstones Murder Mystery: Day Five


Halloween is fast approaching and I am super excited! Just to make the following fortnight even more thrilling, Waterstones are hosting an online blogger murder mystery, which I've been selected to get involved in. On five occasions over the next two weeks, myself and the other four bloggers will be posting diary entries from our terrifying, and murderous, "experience"  (Don't worry- it's totally fictional!) and tweeting hints, allowing everyone to get involved and try to work out the killer! If you're correct, you could win a £50 voucher. My fellow bloggers are: DaisyGeorginaSian and Beth, who will be posting their own diary entries based on their experience. Check out their posts for more clues! Find out more here and don't forget to read my first, secondthird and fourth diary entries. 

Day Five

Dear Diary,

It really feels like I'm never going to leave. Every minute of the day, my mind drifts to home. I imagine the warm comfort of my own bed, the smiling faces of my friends and family, the freedom of being totally independent. Here I am held captive and completely vulnerable to The Librarian's will. He's getting more and more crazed by the day, frantically running around and muttering manic phrases to himself. Mealtimes are conspicuously void of his presence and footsteps can be heard pacing the halls at all hours of the night. I've tried every door and window in the house but they're locked fast. Keys tied jangling around The Librarians neck are my route to freedom, but how can I get to them?

Earlier today, Daisy and I hesitantly approached The Librarian in his study to see how far he had got with his research. As he turned to us, we gasped in shock at the sight of him. His pale face is almost skeletal in its gaunt appearance and gives the effect of being translucent, allowing me to see right through his flesh to the skull beneath. Red rims circle his sunken eyes, and an unhealthy sheen glistens on his forehead and neck. As soon as he sees us, he turns away and continues feverishly scrawling, murmering strange words under his croaking breath. I'm sure I caught such unusual terms as "kraken" and "strigoi". What could this mean?

I've headed into the dining room for some fresh air. The library has a dank, stagnant odour that hangs heavy in the air and gives the feeling of suffocating. How The Librarian can bare to spend so much time in there is beyond me.

I'll head back soon and let you know what I learn.

Becky.

////////////////
Exhibit E: Becky's Diary

This diary was recovered from the ashes of what was once the library. It seems to have fallen, or perhaps been placed, inside a metal chest so it was unharmed by the fire damage. Speaking to Daisy, the main witness in this case, we have discovered the following:

  • Becky shifted a pile of notes from a chair in order to sit down and, in doing so, knocked over the candle that started the fire.
  • "The Librarian"- and this is the only name we have right now- was incredibly alarmed by this and began screaming. The witness describes this scream as "an inhuman wail".
  • With this scream, he backed into a wall. Becky, seemingly concerned for The Librarian's wellbeing, stepped towards him and rested her hand on his shoulder.
  • At this, The Librarian lashed out at her.
At the moment, this is all the information we have managed to hear from the witness. This point in the interview was when she became very upset and refused to continue speaking. We will, of course, continue in our enquiries and report back as soon as we have further information.

DCI Bowman.

Wednesday

Halloween Week: Ghost OOTD


Whatever happened to the sheet-over-head look? Nobody does it anymore, so I've taken it upon myself to bring this costume back! There is a practical reason for this though: On Saturday, Rich and I are going to see Henning Wehn's stand up in the evening, and I need to go straight on to a Halloween party afterwards. Unless I go to the show in costume, I won't have time to dress up between the two, so I figured I'd just chuck a sheet over my head. Sorted! 

#BringBackGhostSheets

Tuesday

Waterstones Murder Mystery: Day Four


Halloween is fast approaching and I am super excited! Just to make the following fortnight even more thrilling, Waterstones are hosting an online blogger murder mystery, which I've been selected to get involved in. On five occasions over the next two weeks, myself and the other four bloggers will be posting diary entries from our terrifying, and murderous, "experience"  (Don't worry- it's totally fictional!) and tweeting hints, allowing everyone to get involved and try to work out the killer! If you're correct, you could win a £50 voucher. My fellow bloggers are: DaisyGeorginaSian and Beth, who will be posting their own diary entries based on their experience. Check out their posts for more clues! Find out more here and don't forget to read my first, second and third diary entries. 

Day Four

Dear Diary,

Will life ever return to normal? We're still being held hostage in this god forsaken place with The Librarian refusing to let us leave. More and more, I'm starting to believe that he is the culprit behind these strange events. Although he seems like a pleasant man, could there be darkness lurking in his depths?

This morning I awoke to an eerily nectrotic silence. Even the very air in my room seemed to hang dead and stagnant. Immediately, I was hit with the sense that something awful had happened in the night. I would soon discover what it is.

Cautiously, I treaded down the threadbare stairs and into the dining room where The Librarian and Daisy were awkwardly tackling their breakfasts. Several minutes passed without the arrival of Beth, so The Librarian took it upon himself to check on her. Need I even explain that she had gone missing?

This new breakthrough seemed to shake up The Librarian even more than the others. He frantically threw himself into further study and insisted that Daisy and I should help him. I have to admit that I do not believe any length of time spent reading his macabre novels will help solve these mysteries, but he was frighteningly forceful and I felt unable to decline. 

While he locked himself away in the library, we were instructed to venture into the dank darkness of the basement and gather further books from the archives. A strong sense of foreboding washed over me in a powerful wave as we tentatively descended into the gloomy underground. From some unseen corner came the unsettling tap, tap, tap of pipes, or perhaps a dripping tap. Musty air stuffed my nostrils with a suffocating odour of mould and dust, and shadows loomed threateningly from all sides. It was hard to shake off the feeling of being watched but, no matter how desperately I peered into the tenebrosity, it was impossible to make out the source of these unseen eyes.

Since the basement was such a hauntingly eerie place, we scooped up as many books as we could and quickly retreated to the steps. As we were scurrying back up, however, a flicker of movement caught my eye. Before my mind had made sense of the image, a figure pushed past us and seemed to glide up the stairs. It happened so suddenly, and was over so soon, that I could hardly see it. Despite this, I could have sworn that it was Georgina. But that's crazy, I know. She disappeared days ago. Could she really have been lurking in this spooky basement all that time?

Daisy had seen her too and thought the same thing, so we searched all over the mansion but to no avail. What's going on? Is Georgina still here? Is The Librarian behind it?

Becky

Halloween Week: Cat OOTD


Top: Primark
Leggings: Primark

I am a cat! Meow! I actually had Myles in the room with me when I was taking these photos and he took to the role of creative director, shouting "excited cat!" or "confused cat!" at me to try and mix things up. That's how I ended up with this rather flattering image.

I am challenging myself this week to create five different Halloween costumes using only five garments: the leggings and top above, my black bodysuit, black maxi skirt and black skater skirt. Of course, accessories are unlimited but think of this as your essential last-minute, low-effort Halloween costume guide! 

Monday

MCM London Comic Con 2014



Marie, aka Bendy Benz, is a huge cosplay freak! Last weekend, she took part in her very first cosplay event at MCM London Comic Con, and invited me along for moral support. As a massive sci fi fan, Marie is always going to the likes of Star Trek conventions, so she's well-versed in these events. On the other hand, I'm more likely to attend kitschy exhibitions such as Hyper Japan (although I did once travel to Florida for a Harry Potter convention). Although I'm not a newcomer to cosplay and geekery, I'd certainly never been to anything on this scale, so it was quite the experience!
I have to be honest and admit I was totally blindsided by how busy it was. You could barely move, and Marie kept poking small children in the face with her cosplay! We needed to find the cosplay sign in but there were no maps or staff anywhere to be seen, so we had no idea where we were heading. After about 10 minutes of wandering around, we finally spotted an information point with a map and discovered we were in completely the wrong place. By the time we made it, we were half an hour late but the very kind staff were understanding.

While rushing around, I'd felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Megan of The Briar Rose. I couldn't stay to chat, but she and her husband Grant were at the mini masquerade that Marie was performing in, so I joined them. You'll be glad to hear that both are absolutely lovely and, yes, Megan really is that stunning in real life! 


Marie was incredible! Her costume, entirely handmade from paper and resin, looked amazing and she seemed so confident. I was very proud of her! 

After a quick stop off for udon noodles, Marie went to get some autographs while I had a drink with Megan and Grant. They were in costume as Ariel and Eric, which looked amazing! 

Marie eventually returned and we went together to get her autographs from the Red Dwarf cast. She's already met most of the cast, so we met, as I explained to Rich, the square head man and the girl whose head is in the TV (Google tells me that these characters are Kryten and Holly). Both actors were really lovely and seemed genuinely pleased to meet their fans, which was great to see. I also spotted The Cat, who is one of Leona's biggest fears, so I took lots of photos and sent them to her, because I'm a lovely friend like that! 

Once all the autographs had been collected, it was time for my favourite part of any event: Shopping! Unfortunately, the bandwidth was down so all the card machines were broken, which resulted in an insanely long line for the cash point. I did manage to leave with some Moomin goodies and Pocky sticks, but I had no choice but to be restrained.

This wall of alpacas broke my heart! I want all of them, especially the rainbow one bottom right!

One of my favourite things was the massive inflatable Pikachu looming above our heads! Below him were girls handing out Pikachu caps and Pokemon cards. I'm pretty sure I annoyed Marie all day by saying "Can we get a Pikachu hat now?" so I was very happy when I got my hands on one!


One of the best things about any exhibition or convention is taking in all the amazing costumes. There are so many incredibly talented and creative attendees. I'm just in awe!



I had a fantastic time! This is definitely the sort of event that you really need a weekend ticket for, as it was impossible to squeeze everything in one day. It was great meeting so many creative people and, of course, getting my Pikachu hat! 

Sunday

Halloween Week: Introducing Becky Deadbug

If you follow me on Twitter, you may have noticed something different around these 'ere parts. My icon has changed to a Frankensteined Becky, and my name is now Becky Deadbug. For the rest of the week, I will be blogging from beyond the grave!

Expect a whole host of different Halloween costumes, some Halloween make up look and, of course, the rest of the Blogger Murder Mystery! Those who subscribe on YouTube can also see a bunch of Halloween-themed videos, including one with Leona. 

If you have any ideas for spooky posts or videos you'd like to see, let me know in the comments. 

Let the horror begin! 

Plymouth Hoe



On my third visit to Leona in Plymouth, she finally took me up the hoe! I've wanted to go for the longest time and, of course on the day we managed it, it would be a grey, drizzly day! Nevertheless, it was great walking up there with Leona and Rex, and I'm hoping we'll be able to visit the lido in summer!

I absolutely love the way the harbour looks, with mast upon mast.



 Where am I again?


 Thank you Leona and Rex! I can't wait to come back!

Friday

Waterstones Murder Mystery: Day Three


Halloween is fast approaching and I am super excited! Just to make the following fortnight even more thrilling, Waterstones are hosting an online blogger murder mystery, which I've been selected to get involved in. On five occasions over the next two weeks, myself and the other four bloggers will be posting diary entries from our terrifying, and murderous, "experience"  (Don't worry- it's totally fictional!) and tweeting hints, allowing everyone to get involved and try to work out the killer! If you're correct, you could win a £50 voucher. My fellow bloggers are: DaisyGeorginaSian and Beth, who will be posting their own diary entries based on their experience. Check out their posts for more clues! Find out more here and read my first diary entry here

Day Three

Dear Diary,

Last night I thought things were as bad as they were going to get. I'm writing this just before bed but it looks like I won't be leaving in the morning after all. Due to the events that unfolded just a couple of hours ago, The Librarian has placed the mansion on lockdown. I have to admit, it makes me feel very uncomfortable that I'm not allowed to leave, but I assume the police have made it a necessary measure.

After Sian's mysterious experience, The Librarian had the idea of hosting a banquet to lighten the mood. I think we were all relieved to have a distraction, so were fully on board. Although I offered to assist, he insisted on tending to every aspect of the feast on his own. However, I mustn't grumble as the food was absolutely delicious! Warm meats stacked up on plates that glistened aside steaming hot roast potatoes and the most deliciously flavoured vegetables. Ornate silver gravy boats were passed around and we were free to help ourselves to any of The Librarian's ample vintage wines, although I passed on this. Once we'd eliminated every morsel, he brought out dessert: the most exquisite apple pie with flaked puff pastry and subtle sprinklings of cinnamon. The Librarian must have the most exceptional chef, although I must admit to having not seen any staff during my stay here.
During the meal, we all loosened up a little, perhaps due to the roaring fire that crackled behind us and filled the room with a welcoming glow. Even The Librarian seemed less stern than usual, and went so far as to make some jokes. Despite this jovial atmosphere, there was one dark shadow on the peripheral, and that was the non-attendance of Sian. Understandly shaken up from her experience by the lake, she had chosen to take refuge in her room.

Before we had finished the meal, Beth decided to check on Sian for this reason. We all wanted to make sure she was coping with her trauma, and Beth had offered to take some food up. With the chattering continuing, it was some time before we realised that Beth hadn't returned, and we wondered aloud whether Sian was keeping her. Just as we were deciding to pop upstairs, we heard a frantic pounding of running footsteps and Beth burst into the dining room with all the force of a sudden storm. 

From what Beth told us, she'd encountered Sian lying still on her bed but, as Beth backed out of the dark room so as not the disturb the sleeping girl, her eyes had sharply jolted open and revealed themselves to be a glistening, demonic red. With a hiss, Sian revealed pointed porcelain fangs and had leaped at Beth with such speed that it knocked her backwards in shock. Despite Sian's startling, and quite unaccounted for strength, Beth had managed to fight her off and, in the following struggle, knock her unconscious. 

On relaying her shocking tale to us, Sian collapsed into the closest seat. The Librarian rushed upstairs with impossibly long strides, while Daisy and I comforted Beth, who was trembling like a leaf in the breeze. 

Shortly afterwards, The Librarian returned and informed us that, although there were clear signs of a struggle, Sian was nowhere to be seen. Just like Georgina and Piku, she has disappeared.

It was at this point that The Librarian forbade us to leave the house. I assume he'd spoken to the police while upstairs, as they were still on the property, and they must have told him to keep everybody in one place. Although we are free to move around the house, we must not leave the building. Presumably this is because one of us may be a suspect, although The Librarian seems convinced that it must be the work of a creature. All his horror reading seems to have gone to his head, as he believes this thing is from a work of fiction and has been obsessively studying his books for the past two hours.

Hopefully everything will be a lot clearer in the morning. The police are still around, so surely no harm can come to the rest of us.

Becky. 

Wednesday

Waterstones Murder Mystery: Day Two


Halloween is fast approaching and I am super excited! Just to make the following fortnight even more thrilling, Waterstones are hosting an online blogger murder mystery, which I've been selected to get involved in. On five occasions over the next two weeks, myself and the other four bloggers will be posting diary entries from our terrifying, and murderous, "experience"  (Don't worry- it's totally fictional!) and tweeting hints, allowing everyone to get involved and try to work out the killer! If you're correct, you could win a £50 voucher. My fellow bloggers are: DaisyGeorginaSian and Beth, who will be posting their own diary entries based on their experience. Check out their posts for more clues! Find out more here and read my first diary entry here

 Day Two

Dear Diary,

I can't quite believe this, but things here are getting stranger and stranger. We've yet to find Georgina, which is starting to worry me, and there's no trace of her dog either. At first, I wasn't too worried. I assumed she'd gone home in the night, and perhaps thought the blood was just an elaborate hoax played by The Librarian. After all, he is a horror fan. Who knows what macabre past times he may have.

Undeterred by the strange disappearance, I spent the rest of the day reading in the library. It truly is a most remarkable place. Shelves are creaking from the full bodies of dusty tomes lined up like headstones in a cemetery, stretching intimidatingly to the ornate, gilded ceiling. Rickety ladders are dotted around the room, propped tentatively against the groaning stacks. In the centre of the room are two plush armchairs in silk of burgundy, and a worn leather couch with hide cracked like dry earth. 

Settling down into one of the deceptively battered armchairs with a book written by Ambrose Bierce, my descendant himself, I found the thin light soothing, if a little gloomy. To be completely honest, the novella, titled The Monk and the Hangman's Daughter, swept me up as if I were a delicate leaf on the wilting tree of an autumn's eve. Before I knew it, I could barely read the words imprinted on the frayed pages. To my surprise, when I reluctantly closed the book and raised my head heavily, both Beth and Daisy had joined me. Their arrival had passed without my noticing, so it was with a startled jolt that I greeted them.

After a brief, slightly wary chat, I padded over the protesting oak floorboards and pushed open the sturdy library door, trying my best not to disturb the sinister peace that had fallen over the room. As I made my way through the labyrinthine rooms, a weighty thud reverberated from the direction of the front door. Thinking that Georgina had returned, I hastily scurried into the grand entrance hall, only to find it abandoned. Curiously, I threw open the doors so as to spot any departing guests, and saw the back of Sian's auburn curls flouncing hurriedly toward the tempestuous lake. 

Not 30 minutes later, I again heard the thump of the front door and returned to the entrance hall where I found Sian. Eyes wild and frantic from some unseen horror, her clammy skin was the sikly-grey colour of porridge and she shook as if caught in a bitter wind. The Librarian quickly appeared and swooped upon Sian, draping one slender arm over her shoulders like a wing. When she spoke, it was in a brittle, damaged voice, barely above a whisper and with a distinct growl that seemed to lurk somewhere within her soul. Between panicked gasps of air, she managed to sputter that she had seen a gigantic monster in the lake however, when we questioned her further, she withdrew within herself from fear and furiously shook her head, refusing to answer. As The Librarian led her back to her room, he informed us that he would call the police, who were still in touch from the previous night's disappearance.

The police arrived within minutes, no doubt concerned by the latest development, and, from my claustrophobic room, I could spot them swarming around the lake. I soon discovered that they had located more blood, this time confirmed as that of a human, and some small metal objects hidden in the rushes that cling to land. What these objects are exactly was unclear and I suppose they can't mention too much at this point.

Could this really be The Librarian playing a hoax? If so, he's gone a bit too far. I'm feeling particularly uncomfortable. It's too late to do anything now, so I will stay one more sleep, but I will head home in the morning. I cannot stay another 24 hours in this place.

Becky.

Funky Christmas Jumpers

Jumper: c/o Funky Christmas Jumpers
Leggings: New Look

Some may think it's a little early to begin Christmas preparations, but I will never, ever be one of those people! You realise December is less than 6 weeks away? For me, the entirety of December is taken up by Christmas, so I need to be ready way before then!

If you've been reading my blog over Christmases past, you'll know that I am a huge advocate for Christmas jumpers (proof here and here). So when I was contacted by Funky Christmas Jumpers, I was all over it!

They kindly sent me this elf jumper which, I kid you not, is the identical jumper worn by Harry Styles here. I feel so down with the kids right now! I ordered a size large and, as you can see, it fits my chubby frame perfectly, so you don't need to size up. It's so warm and snuggly, with real buttons and a flappy collar. Just look how happy it's made me! 

Tuesday

New Look Inspire AW14: Sequin Dress


Dress: c/o New Look

This is the time of year when I start thinking about my Christmas Dress. Every year I buy a new dress/skirt to wear on Christmas eve (as you can see here and here). Sequins are a staple, so this dress from the New Look Inspire range is perfect! Pretty silhouette? Check! Gold? Check! Sequins? Check check check! 

The sequins are a bit tricky on the bodice. They stick to the zip, which makes it difficult to put on (and even more difficult to take off!) without a helper, and they are seriously scratchy! Definitely a dress to be worn over long sleeves, or under a cardigan. However, the floaty skirt is so pretty and delicate, and I love how festive it is.

Roll on Christmas! 

Monday

Waterstones Murder Mystery: Day One


Halloween is fast approaching and I am super excited! Just to make the following fortnight even more thrilling, Waterstones are hosting an online blogger murder mystery, which I've been selected to get involved in. On five occasions over the next two weeks, myself and the other four bloggers will be posting diary entries from our terrifying, and murderous, "experience"  (Don't worry- it's totally fictional!) and tweeting hints, allowing everyone to get involved and try to work out the killer! If you're correct, you could win a £50 voucher. My fellow bloggers are: DaisyGeorginaSian and Beth, who will be posting their own diary entries based on their experience. Check out their posts for more clues! Find out more here

Day One

Dear Diary,

Today has been such a strange day! A few days ago, I received a mysterious letter from a man going only by the pseudonym The Librarian. Apparently, he's a prolific book-collector and he requested I attend his get-together of the descendants of famous horror authors. Although I didn't know it, I'm actually a distant relative of Ambrose Bierce, the writer of The Devil's Dictionary, who mysteriously disappeared without a trace in October 1913- 101 years ago today.

Dusk was descending as my cab shuddered down the narrow gravelled path towards a pair of rusting gates. To my surprise, there was no modern intercom system, so the driver had to climb down from his seat and heave the gates apart, which creaked open with an eerily lupine howl. Despite this unsettling introduction to The Librarian's home, my driver showed no concern and merely looked at me darkly as he re-entered his car. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I saw a flicker of wry amusement cross his face.


We continued rumbling into the depths of the unfamiliar estate, trees thickening on either side as I felt myself become more and more disassociated from my life at home. Gradually, a dark silhouette loomed on the horizon and, as we approached, it became apparent that this was The Librarian's mansion.

With a shudder, the taxi halted at the foot of this strange, imposing building. A bitter wind whipped around me and took me by surprise as I opened the door and clambered down from my seat. Without a word, the driver took off but, when I looked behind in shock at his sudden departure, he had vanished. I was left alone outside a dark, unfamiliar building, clutching my jacket around me for comfort.

Looking toward the deepening indigo above me, I could see turrets that jutted into the starless sky like daggers, twisting into gnarled branches that caught my breath and threw it out into the vicious, biting wind. Leaves twisted and twirled at my feet in a macabre, silent waltz, leading to the blackened stone of the building that stood guard before me. No hint of light or warmth flickered from within; although I could see many windows, they were soulless mirrored eyes that cast judgement on me from above.

In the distance, an inhuman screech shattered the silence. I was involuntarily thrown forwards by my own feet in an act of fear, which was enough to knock me out of my wary stupour. Taking a deep breath for courage, I determinedly stepped forwards and knocked with conviction on the sturdy oak door, half-expecting it to creak open of its own accord.

Of course that didn't happen. My knock was attended to by The Librarian himself, a tall, slender man who, despite his aging years, appeared surprisingly lithe. Remnants of grey hair still clung to his temples, astride piercing storm-grey eyes that stared inquisitively into my own. Reaching out to shake my hand, I noticed that he had extraordinarily long, pale fingers, at the ends of which were slightly pointed, almost claw-like nails.

"Ah", he started, with a not entirely pleasant grin, showing a row of yellowed teeth that were crammed crookedly into a too-small mouth. "Don't tell me! With those curls, you must surely be the relative of Ambrose Bierce! Becky, unless I am much mistaken? A real talent, he was. A pity, really".


His voice was thin and reedy, which did little to put me at ease. However, in spite of my misgivings, his home was surprisingly warm and he did appear to be a kind-hearted gentleman. After taking my jacket, he lead me into the parlour where the other descendants were gathered. We chatted for a while, during which time I began to relax and forgot about my initial fears. The other girls were friendly and, as we settled down in front of the crackling fire, we warmed to each other. One of my companions, Georgina has the most beautiful dog named Piku. He is the cutest little thing, and we all had a wonderful time petting and fussing over him. The Librarian was nowhere to be seen, which was strange, but he returned at around 11pm to explain that he had had rooms made up for us and would show us to them.

Leading us around his home, The Librarian shared the story of his book-collecting. It all started when he was a small child, and his mother would read to him each night. A rather unusual boy, he always preferred the spooky stories but after her unfortunate, yet unexplained, death when he was 10, he began seeking out horror books of his own accord. Over time, his collection grew and grew, until he became the respected collector that he is today. Supposedly, there are books in every room of this rather gigantic house, including a whole archive in the basement. I can't wait to find out more!

My quarters are, like everything in this house, unusually old-fashioned. The stone floor is softened only by a threadbare Persian rug at the foot of my walnut four-poster bed. Heavy burgundy drapes hang from the intricately carved posts, and drapes like a waterfall onto the matching duvet covering a fairly firm mattress. Bare of excess furniture, my room merely contains an old, ornate chest below a narrow pointed window that overlooks the mysteriously swirling lake. Unlike the parlour downstairs, this room is cold and unwelcoming, but the weighty bedlinen provides all the warmth I need.


Whilst I was getting ready for the night, I couldn't shake off the feeling that a pair of unseen eyes were watching me. There are no curtains at the window, but I am high in one of the rising turrets and there are no windows overlooking my room. Opening my bedroom door to peer into the hallway, I saw nothing and was slightly reassured but, just as I pulled the door to, I thought I caught the wisp of a shadowy figure in the corner of my eye. Squinting down the narrow walkway, it was clear that nobody was there. To be honest, I was very tired from all the travelling, so I wrote it off as a figment of my imagination and crawled into bed. 

The next thing I knew, my room was filled with a weak grey light. It was morning, but I could hear no birdsong, nor sense any sign of movement around me. Pulling my clothes on, I headed downstairs groggily, where I bumped into Sian. She looked strangely nervous, and the reason why became quickly evident. Georgina and Piku, her adorable little dog, have both disappeared. Although I don't want to worry, her room was discovered covered in blood, with a diary found open on the bed. I'm sure there's a perfectly rational reason, and the police have been called, so I'm not too concerned at the moment, but it is a bit strange.

Stranger still is that, during breakfast, Daisy mentioned that she had seen a mysterious grey figure the night before. As it turns out, all of us have had a similar experience. I am starting to feel a little uncomfortable, but there's surely nothing sinister going on.

I'll let you know how events unfold.

Becky. 

New Look Inspire AW14: Peplum Dress


Dress: c/o New Look

I think it's safe to say that we are well and truly in autumn now, and I'm definitely making the most of the high street's new season. New Look kindly sent me this peplum dress from their plus size Inspire autumn range. I genuinely believe that Inspire is the best range for plus size girls. The fit is always perfect, the clothes are comfortable and it's all affordable too. 

This black bodycon dress was my outfit of choice when Rich and I went to see Dave Gorman last week. I've never had a little black dress before, so I'm very excited. It's true what they say about the LBD- it's so versatile. 

My favourite thing by far is the peplum. I'll admit that I have a bit of a pot belly going on and, of course, bodycon tends to highlight this issue. However, with the cleverly placed peplum, I get the figure-hugging effect but my tummy is hidden away. Genius! Unfortunately, I have the shortest torso in the world, so the peplum sits about halfway down my hips, but I love it regardless.

Sunday

Review: Too Faced Teddy Bear Hair Retractable Kabuki Brush


I'm a huge fan of a gimmick. I know I shouldn't be, but I'm so easily swayed by cute packaging, quirky details and a sense of humour. So when I saw Too Faced's brushes in Sephora made from teddy bear hair, how could I resist? 
The display assured me that it was 100% cruelty free and that no teddy bears, or any other animals, were harmed to make the brush. Phew! I don't want any teddies being hurt for my vanity. (That's not sarcasm!) 

As a retractable brush, it is really practical, and the pink metallic packaging is sturdy enough to withstand bashing about in a bag. It also looks super pretty, with the Too Faced logo on both the side and the lid of the package, which is also a bonus!

In terms of the brush itself, the fibres feel amazingly soft and luxurious. I could not stop stroking it and I was actually a little afraid to use it as it felt so wonderful. However, when I did finally bite the bullet (about 2 months after I bought it!), I was very pleased I did! The brush picks up powder really easily and applies smoothly and evenly. With the large head of a Kabuki brush, it makes application simpler which is always handy, because who has time to faff about in the morning? 

I am completely in love with this brush! This is only the second product I've used from Too Faced (the other is the Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush) but I've been blown away both times. I'm so glad the gimmicks have quality to back them up! 

Afternoon tea with Sconnoisseur



Is there anything better than afternoon tea on a Sunday? No. No there's not. Except maybe for an afternoon tea delivered straight to your door, which is exactly what happens with Sconnoisseur. Sending boxes of delicious, freshly baked scones in a whole host of flavours, Sconnoisseur is the place to go for all your afternoon tea needs and, luckily for me, I was offered the chance to review one of their seasonal boxes.
My (rather sophisticated, magnet-closure) box was carefully packaged with four pumpkin flavoured scones, along with four Twinings English Breakfast teabags, and a pot each of strawberry jam and orange marmalade. 

Having never tried more interestingly-flavoured scones like this, I was a little unsure of what to expect. However, the pumpkin flavour is subtle and not at all overwhelming. Instead, it perfectly complements the natural taste of the scones. It was interesting to see the slightly orange colour of the scones too, which obviously comes from the natural pumpkin ingredients. Both jam and marmalade had a jelly-like consistency, although not particularly thick, and each jar held enough to cover two scones thickly, although it could stretch to all four if you were a little more conservative with your spreading.


It was certainly a fun, delicious novelty and one I'd be very happy to try again. I don't know about you, but I've got my eye on the dark chocolate and orange scones!

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