DIY | Pressed Flower Frame

The art of pressing flowers and displaying them in a frame has always been something that I have thought was a really lovely way of adding a little extra bit of life to a wall or space. I got a lot of my inspiration for this from Pinterest and Instagram accounts where people had made their own pressed flower arrangements. Unfortunately, during lockdown we have had our fair share of sad news, and I wanted to make something special to remember a beautiful lady who had the most gorgeous garden. We visited a few weeks back, and to make the memory that bit more memorable, Sam and I chose some flowers from her garden and decided to press them. 

We started with 2 thick and heavy, hardback cover books. I placed the flowers between the middle pages, on some newspaper and shut the books. We kept them in a dry and cool area, to dry out. To ensure that there was enough pressure from the books to flatten the flowers, and to take the moisture out of them, we topped the 2 books with further books and heavy objects.

I checked on the flowers daily, to ensure that they were all flattening, and alternated any the needed extra pressure applied. We pressed the flowers for 2 weeks. I read online that you should/can press them for 4 weeks to ensure that all moisture is gone, but we decided that after 2 they looked ready to be put into the frame. 

I chose >this< Amazon frame, instead of the popular gold edged hanging glass frame. I'm so pleased that I chose this one. It looks modern and I love how you can't see any of the back stand when it is up right. I carefully took the flowers out of the books on their newspaper, and placed the newspaper flat on the floor. 

Arrange the flowers how you wish, and trim to size if needed. Once I was happy with how the layout was looking, I attached the back, and there you have it. Our gorgeous framed flowers, as a reminder of the beautiful nature of a special lady. 

I love little DIY projects, and plan on doing more as time goes on. I am so happy with how this one has turned out.

Have you made anything recently?

Amber X

Festival Appropriate

I know that summer is very close to being over now, which means that festival season is coming to an end. Before we say goodbye to another summer season, here's a festival appropriate look for ya. Of course, if you love to wear colourful eyeshadows on the daily - I admire your courageousness. But using what I call 'bolder' eyeshadows isn't something I do often at all. I'd love to play around with more colour, but unsure on what palettes are best - if you know of any insane palettes full of rainbow colours, let me know. This is definitely a look I'd wear to a festival, or an event where throwing glitter and wearing funky outfits was a necessity.

Green is a colour that I rarely use, and if there is a shade in a palette, it's not one I gravitate towards at all. However, I think that the green shade, which is a Mally Evercolour Starlight Waterproof Liner in the shade 'Caribbean Sea' looks gorgeous blended out on my lower lash line. No better excuse than to throw colour all over your face (and eyes) than a festival.
I started with the shade 'Blazing', a true orange shade from the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette, and added a bit of 'Burgundy' from the Kylie Cosmetics Burgundy palette through the crease. To create the cut crease, I used the Bourjous Radiance Reveal concealer. I set the concealer on my eyelids with the shade 'Royal' from the Huda Beauty Desert Dusk palette - that gorgeous metallic, purple colour. These amazing lashes are from Red Cherry and are in the style #43.

Have you been to any festivals this summer? What makeup look did you go for?

Amber X

Festive Makeup Look

When I think of festive makeup, I think of glitter, winged liner and a red lip. It's just such a classic combination of products and colours that work so well together. During the colder months of the year, my skin tends to look flat, dry and lifeless. Therefore, I try to incorporate as many 'glowy' products as I can to give the illusion that my skin is really this radiant. These are the products that I use to distract away from the dry patches and redness the cold brings me. 

Bourjous Radiance Reveal concealer

This product has been a relatively new discovery for me in relation to the other products in this post. Back in the summer, I purchased this for the first time, and I believe this is the third concealer I have had now. It brightens my under eyes like no other concealer I have tried before. With buying concealer from the drugstore, I tend to find that the lightest shade amongst the range of shades that a brand brings out, is never light enough - but this one is perfect! It's long lasting and stays put all day. 

Laura Mercier Highlighter in Indiscretion

 It makes me sad to now look at the beautiful embossment that gets ruined every time I use it :'-( Is anyone else like this, or is it just me?! (It probably is haha). This highlighter isn't overly glittery, but adds the nicest shine to the tops of my cheekbones, mimicking the 'natural' radiance that I want my skin to have in the winter months. 

Nars Orgasm Blusher

Nars is one of those brands that I really want to try more of, but haven't got round too. I use this blusher the majority of the time. If I'm not using this one, I use the Bora Bora baked blush by Laura Geller. This pink toned blush with tiny gold reflects is gorgeous, and looks amazing on the cheeks. I have even used this blusher as an eyeshadow, and it looks equally just as amazing. Nothing can beat a Nars blusher. 

This post concludes my little series of the 12 days of AmberAtlanta. I hope that it has been just as enjoyable to read, as it has for me to come up with the content, photograph and write each and every post. Thank-you to everyone who has read even one post. I hope you have the best Christmas!

What products do you like to use to achieve a glowy look?

Amber X

One Year On

I know this post technically doesn't fit in with the 12 days of Christmas theme, but I really wanted to include it. So, a year ago today, I published my first blog post. It wasn't a massive post, a rambly/chatty post or even a beauty related post, but it was the first thing I posted here on my blog. I am genuinely surprised that a year on, I am still enjoying photographing, scheduling, writing and posting a blog post basically every week, just as much as I did in the very beginning. Blogging had been something that I was considering starting waaay before I finally made the decision to just go for it. I'm sure you can relate when you want to start something new, but are a little nervous and apprehensive before doing so. All it takes is one sporadic and impulsive moment, and you can do anything.

The numbers side of having a blog has never been a big concern of mine, but never would I have ever imagined that my little blog would have got to where it is now from posting this time last year.  I see my blog as a hobby of mine, that I like to do for myself, and when I want some down time... It blows my mind that people take the time out of their day to post a comment, or even have a look at what I have written. It's just little old me?! It's crazy. So many good things have happened this year, and I have so much to look back on and feel a sense of accomplishment. My blog being one of those good things. I wanted to end this by saying thank-you to you for reading this post, to those who leave me nothing but lovely comments on each and every post, and even to those who just have a little nose and then leave...

It means a lot.

Thank-you.

Amber X 

Christmas Eve Essentials

I don't know about you, but I feel that half the festiveness and fun that surrounds Christmas, is in Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve always used to be an exciting day, as it's the night that Santa comes whilst you sleep, of course. Some families have their little Christmas Eve traditions, and I think that's such a lovely thing to share together. Whether you get to open one of your presents early, whether you go to church, whether you have an evening in together, I thought to come up with a list of things that could make your Christmas Eve the best.

• Christmas films.
• Chocolate (yes, all of the Quality Streets, Roses, Celebrations or Heros).
• Pj's of course! Paired with your favourite dressing gown, slippers and/or fluffy socks.
• Or, if you're not a pj wearer, maybe a cheesy Christmas jumper. 
• Puzzles or board games.
• Candles (if you're in the mood for some down time), or even an advent candle.
• Playing cards.
• Blankets - the more, the better.
• Other kinds of snacks... like those oversized biscuit selection boxes, yum. 
• Music. 
• Santa tracker.
• A mince pie, carrot, beer or milk - whatever you leave out for Santa Clause. 
• A DIY activity, such as decorating gingerbread men, or even building a gingerbread house.
• Alcohol (obviously if you're of age).
• Christmas hats.
• A big mug of tea, coffee or hot chocolate (How cute is this one?!)
• Face masks.
• Wrapping paper - for wrapping those last minute presents.

How do you spend your Christmas Eve?

Amber X