Little Things #1

Some of you may have noticed a lack of Mid-Week Treat posts lately. Trust me, it's certainly not because I've stopped buying bits and bobs (if anything, completely the opposite!), but more because I've wanted to change the format up a little bit (can you believe I've been doing it for nearly 2 years??). Instead of dedicating one post to a couple of objects, I've been thinking I want to write a longer post with a round up of objects. So, without further delay, let me introduce you to the first ever Little Things! Expect a round up of bargains that I've been enjoying, on a less regular basis, but with added thriftiness. Let me know what you think!

H&M Jewellery
First up is this pair of necklaces from H&M. At the moment, I have a preference for more subtle necklaces that I can wear with a magnitude of tops and dresses, yet are still distinctive enough in their design to add an understated interest to outfits. This elegantly quirky spherical design immediately caught my eye on a recent trip to H&M, and at £2.99 is definitely one of the best bargains in store at the moment. Be warned, however - when H&M describe this as a 'short necklace', they're not exaggerating. I am particularly fussy with the length of my necklaces, so you may not have the same issue I had with it, but I added a little extra length to it from a spare necklace chain I had in my craft supply. It's hardly left my neck since!

I also picked up this initial necklace (it was in the sale, so I can't find it on the website unfortunately), as again I knew it was a piece I would be able to wear with a lot of clothes. It was in the sale section for £1, however I couldn't see any other initial necklaces there (which, was of course, a sure fire sign for me to buy this one). In an added quirk, I bought this necklace on the day of the birth of the royal baby (and yep, I'm still getting jokes about the whole 'Princess' thing).

Pens
Whenever I go into Paperchase, I really struggle against buying everything in there (just too much cuteness!), however, I usually combat this by buying myself a pretty pen. I know I'll use it, and it also stops me from going too mad in there! This leafy one is from their Jungle Fever range, and cost £2.99. In all honesty, I think I bought this pen because what I really, really want is a fabric with this exact print on (I'm obsessed with all things leaf print at the moment). Any clues where I can find something similar?

I bought this cat pen after realising that I'd forgotten to bring a pen to a meeting, in a workplace where pens are like golddust (seriously - where do they go?). A mad dash to Wilko's followed, and sure, I could have bought a plain pen to use, but when I spotted this cat topped one for about 70 pence, I couldn't leave it there. Sure, I might have had a Legally Blonde inappropriate stationary moment, but it was 100% worth it.

Peekaboo Earrings
I've been a little obsessed with earrings like these recently, yet I don't know what everybody seems to be calling them! For want of a better name, I've been calling my pair 'peekaboo' earrings - a front stud with a section that peeks out from behind the earlobe. They are quirky enough, without being too big for day to day wear. My obsession began with seeing Katy wear a spectacular pair with her amazing Rigel bomber, yet it took a while for similar earrings to start appearing on the British high street. However, right now there are some great pairs out there - Dorothy Perkins in particular has some particularly delicate ones (I love this pair, and this pair).

My peekaboo earrings however, are from Matalan and were a complete steal at £3.50. At first, I was a little unsure as to how much wear I would get out of them, and was a little concerned that I would lose the back section without noticing! Nonetheless, I can report that I've enjoyed wearing these so much I'm rather tempted to go back and snap up a few other of Matalan's bargainous pairs. Aren't these pearl ones tempting?

Nail Varnish
When it comes to nail colour, at the moment I'm from one extreme to the next; either a gentle, flattering nude, or a coat of solid, bright colour. My favourite nude at the moment is L'Oreal's Colour Riche in Beige Boheme, a colour which I think is better described as a dusky, rosy pink rather than beige. The formula applies well, and is long lasting too, although admittedly the best thing about a nude nail is the fact that chips are hardly noticeable. I'd say that this is a little more pink than a true nude, which makes for a more romantic colour, perfect for Spring.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is this brighter than bright blue colour - Barry M's Gelly Nail Paint in Blue Grape. I've been looking for the perfect blue for a while now, a lot of formulas being quite disappointing in that they looked stronger in the bottle than they did on my nails. I'm pleased to report that Barry's offering is no disappointment at all, and the high shine finish is perfect. This shade is also surprisingly easy to wear - a lot of my wardrobe consists of navy, and Blue Grape adds a brighter pop of blue to set it off.

Hair Ribbons
This black ribbon elastic hair band was another find in the H&M sale, and whilst I find hair accessories harder to wear with longer hair, I simply couldn't resist its Parisian charms. Due to it being black in colour, it doesn't stand out much from my brunette hair, but this actually makes it easier to wear than a bright accessory. My favourite way to wear it is in a high ponytail, with my fringe a little messy (unintentionally messy, of course). It's great for adding a finishing touch to the most casual of looks, and makes it look like I've actually had the time to put a little effort into my hair, even if I haven't!

Have you found any great bargains lately?