Looking Back At 2012 And A December Review

As 2012 draws to a close, it's time to look back not only at the year as whole but also on the month of December.

It's been a rough year for me in many ways, my health problems have continued to worsen, and obviously my Godmothers illness have all lead to me experiencing a bit of a downward spiral in my life. I've tried my best to put on a brave face both on twitter and on my blog, but I know that I haven't always been that successful with one so basically what I want to say is thank you for sticking with me and my blog throughout 2012.

In January of this year I set myself two major targets, one to curb my spending and the other to try and use up some of my rather substantial make up, face things, and bath and body products. Every month I've been documenting my spending and the products I've used up but how have I really done?

We'll we start with Trimming My Stash and a little look at the products that I managed to finish in December.

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mousse Foundation - 30ml - Light
Veet In Shower Hair Removal Cream Velvet Rose & Essential Oils 135ml
Living Nature Gentle Make Up Remover 100ml
Primark Beauty Oil Balancing Wipes With Tea Tree - 25 Wipes
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural - Light - 10g
Revlon Colour Burst Lipstick - 070 Soft Nude
ELF Studio Blush - Peachykeen - 2.75g
Taaj Eau Micellaire De' L Himalaya Purifying And Revitalising Make Up Remover 100ml
Next Spiced Ginger Body Polish 100ml
n-spa Indulgent Hot Butter Fudge Bath Syrup 100ml
Alva Naturkosmetik Foot Care Anti Callous Balsam 30ml
Total - 11 Items

Again a nice mixture of products including some body products, some skincare, and of course the make up items that allowed me to finish Project 10 Pan.

So now we've got Decembers total just how many beauty products have I finished in 2012, well here is the rundown.


December - 11 Items
November - 11 Items
October - 12 Items
September - 11 Items
August - 9 Items
July - 13 Items
June - 4 Items
May - 5 Items
April - 6 Items
March - 10 Items
February - 6 Items
January - 11 Items
Total -  109 Items

Yeah I finished 109 items in 2012, I'm down again on last years total of 129 items, and way down 2010's total of 182 items, but overall I'm still pretty pleased with my years work. You have to bear in mind that I didn't go on holiday this year which meant I used less mini items and travel sized toiletries, so getting into 3 figures again was a job well done.

I will be continuing to trim my stash in 2013 partly to make up for the 15 or so bottles of bubble bath and shower gel that I got for Christmas and I have since ordered in the sales eek! I'm going to do it a little bit differently in 2013 though Trimming My Stash is going to get a post all of it's own every month, where I'm not only going to show you not only what I've finished but I'm also going to do a mini review on each of the products for you :) Speaking of Project 10 Pan I'm also planning to maybe do a bath and body care version, and maybe a nail polish no buy -we'll see though as 2013 progresses

My other major aim of 2012 as it is every year, was to try and cut down on my spending, I set myself a £40 limit every month this year and I have to see without a doubt yet again it's been a resounding failure. Let's start off by seeing how December's attempt added to the over all feeling of gloom and failure. 

Double Star Necklace - ebay - £1.29
Next Military Style Shell Top - £22.00
Multi Coloured Spike Earrings - Claires - £4.00
Red Magazine - £3.90
2012 Diary - Poundland- £1.00
Soap & Glory Best Of All Set - £27.00
Navy Blue Maxi Skirt - ebay - £7.48
Spike Necklace - ebay - £1.89
Leopard Scarf - ebay - £1.37
Gold Tone and Crystal Bracelet - ebay £1.56
H&M Bow Toiletry Bag - £4.99
H&M Stud Collar Blouse - £24.99
W7 Nail Polish - Moondust - £7.99
Short Black Pleated Skirt - ebay - £5.97
Primark Haul - £7.00
Magazines - £7.70
Silver Tone Heat Necklace - ebay - 99p
Top Shop Haul - £34.00
Total -  £165.12 
£125.12 Over !!

Yup that was a pretty big fail that probably summed up the whole year for me, here is the rest of my spending haul of shame

December - £165.12 - £125.12 Over
November - £29.89 - £10.11 Under :)
October - £55.23 - £15.23 Over
September - £54.20 - £14.20 Over
August - £82.76 - £42.76 Over!!!
July - £81.69 - £41.69 Over!!
June - £92.85 - £52.85 Over!!!
May - £17.72 - £22.28 Under :D
April - £104.24 - £64.24 Over
March - £81.66 - £41.66 Over !!!
February - £41.07 - £1.07 Over
January - £206.92 - £166.92 Over !!!

There are some pretty sorry figures there aren't they I only managed to stay under my limit for 2 of the 12 months. My usual shopping triggers kicked in big style this year, feeling sorry for myself and general stress. I'm not proud of this by any stretch of the imagination but I'm counteracting it in my own head, by reminding myself that I recaptured an awful lot of this by blog sales, and of course by flogging some of my designer diva clothes and accessories on ebay. Am I going to continue with this in 2013, despite my total failure this year most definitely. January will be a bit of a fail as I still have lots of Christmas money to spend and I have some sale things coming, but from February onwards I hoping a new more thrifty LouLou will emerge - well I can live in hope anyways.

So thanks again for sticking with me in 2012, I don't know what 2013 has to offer, but I'm pleased that your all there to help me through it. I'll see next year (ha ha aka tomorrow!) with a post on what you look forward to reading on LouLouLand in 2013. In the meantime don't forget about my blog giveaway and my You Tube giveaway both of which end tomorrow. Till then I hope you have a very safe and enjoyable New Years Eve xx

In December I Went Shopping....

I promised that I wasn't going to buy much for myself in December - well that was a big fat fail wasn't I probably spent more money than in the past few months part together, thanks to some great bargains, and a lack of willpower.

Fist up Top Shop - I placed a order at the start of December - mainly for this baby,

I am huge fan of the Top Shop Sesame Street sleep tees, and I couldn't resist this festive number featuring Bert and Ernie :) It was £18.

I also ordered this grey almost acid wash burnout detail t-shirt - It's not that exciting but it's long and over sized - two things that I'm loving in my tops at the moment. This was £16.

With my order I also received this super cute Top Shop pink tape measure as a freebie - I get the impression that they must be getting a lot of returns due to sizing so this is to help you make sure you purchase the right size :)

As well as Top Shop I am placed a little H&M order at the beginning of the month, I was looking for a few more bits for my festive wardrobe, not that any of it got worn thanks to the lurgy and I did send most of it back but still I got this blouse for the H&M + line

I love the studded collar detailing, it also came in a nude colour. I paid £24.99 which was a little bit steep, but you always seem to pay more for plus size items - yet another reason to eat more healthily in the New Year - more annoyingly it's now in the sale for around £15 you win some you lose some I guess.

Yet another H&M purchase that subsequently popped up in the sale is this make up bag, I love bows and I thought the bow detailing on this was so cute! The picture of the website was really deceptive this is one big cosmetic bag. I already filled it clearing out the bathroom before Christmas and it really does hold a lot. It seems to have sold out online now unfortunately. I paid £4.99 for it but I'm sure it was reduced to around £2.50 ho hum.

I also picked up a top in Next that shock of horrors also ended up in the sale, though thankfully it wasn't in my size online. I love the spikey military style detailing on this one. I know a lot of people think that Next are a bit boring but this piece is right on trend I paid £22 for it but it believe it was knocked down to £10 in the sale.

Next up Primark - I got quite a bit of Primark clothing for Christmas, mainly stuff that I'd picked up with Mummy Lou but I did buy a few bits from their beauty, accessories and home wear lines before Christmas including this cute shabby chic style white wicker heart which was £1.50

I love this, it's currently hanging on my bedroom door handle :) I also picked up a few beauty things including tea tree face wipes which I love for just £1.00 for 2 packs.

I really didn't think they would be any good but I bought some a while ago and I was really impressed, yes I know there not the best things for our skin but I always like to have a packet or two in for those I really can't be bothered days. I also picked up a packet of stick on eyeliner tattoos for £1.50

I've always wanted to give these a go but I never wanted to pay a lot for them so for the price I thought I'd give these a go. I haven't used them yet but I'll do a review of them when I do.

I felt the same about these - I haven't worn false nails for ages and these were very much a standby purchase  in case my nails looked truly horrid for Christmas. Thankfully (touch wood) the crazy snapping period seems to be over thanks to a resumption of my nail care regime, and the use of Essie's Apricot Cuticle, but it's always good to have these on standby - they were just £1.00.

My final two Primark purchases came from the jewellery section first up an essential for me - earring backs!!

I always, always lose them especially the little rubber ones that come on the fish hook style ones. Here you get a pack of 24 assorted backs for just £1.00. My final purchase was a piece of jewellery from the sale section that I feel in love with.

This pretty star charm necklace was reduced to just £1.00 - Bargain! If you want to win please check out my Christmas blog giveaway, as there is one of these included in the prize pack :)

From Primark to erm Poundland - I picked up quite a few of my stocking filler gift in Poundland this year they actually had some really good stuff including the Nails With Attitude Flawless Caviar Nail Polish Set.

Hmm I wonder if Ciate know about this one, for just £1 you got a bottle of nail polish, and a bottle, of tiny ahem caviaresq seed beads. I'm not a huge fan of the look to be honest I just wanted to see how this compared to the real thing that I got in my Ciate Mini Manicure Month advent calender - even the bottles are a similar shape- you pays your money you takes your choice I guess - if you want to win one of these Flawless Caviar kits all be it in a different shade - check out my You Tube Giveaway.

My one other Poundland purchase was a new diary - I'd looked at the Letts, and Filofax versions but at the end of the day this one does the job. I want to be more organised in 2013 and hopefully this will help me along my way.

From Poundland to Boots, and there could only be one Boots purchase this month, this of course.

Yup, the Soap & Glory Best Of All Set, reduced from £60 to £27. It was a must buy really wasn't it, and I certainly wasn't going to miss out :)

I also bought a few other bits this month including these earrings from Claire's which were £4.00, I'm really digging the spikes as you'll see later.

From a little bargain beauty stall in the Metro Centre I got a nail polish from my wishlist - the gorgeously sparkly W7 - Moondust, which was £1.99

and also picked up a few magazines this month, including one I normally baulk at the price of Harpers Bazaar at £4.20 which contained a 50ml tube of Bliss Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter.

Now it wouldn't be me if I hadn't dabbled on ebay and yes I did. Another few parcels came this month from Hong Kong and Chinese ebay including the blue version of my black skirt, which came to £7.48 from this seller.

I also got the mini version in black which is well pretty mini on me, but it will OK for holidays and the summer. It came to £5.97 from this seller.

My postman also came a knocking with this black, grey and white scarf, the fabric is super soft and it has a gorgeous crinkle effect at the edges. It was just £1.37 including postage from this seller.

Being the creature of habit that I am I also picked up a few jewellery bits this month including this cute faux LV bracelet, which came to £1.56 from this seller,

this cute Tiffany esq silver heart necklace which came to the grand total of 99p from this seller x

and this cute double star necklace which I got for £1.29 including postage from this seller.

Finally I picked up this spike necklace, which you already seen in my Christmas Outfit Of The Day Post

I love this necklace, and it cost just £1.89 from this seller.

Despite it being Christmas, Mummy Lou still showed that it was the season of goodwill, and bought me a few bits including these earrings from Claires.

These were the earrings that I wore in my Boxing Day post, they were £4.00 and I think they match my necklace perfectly :)

Since I was so poorly before Christmas I think she felt heartily sorry for me so she seemed to bring me something back from pretty much everywhere she went, including another one of these Chit Chat Juicy Lipsticks, this time in Pink from Poundland :)

and she also got me this Hello Kitty Lipstick in Betz Believe

I love this shade and if you love it too you have a chance to win one on my You Tube Channel, so check it out before New Years Day xx I also got Baby Doll for Christmas which is a lovely nude.

She also picked me up another item, that you win this time in my Blog Giveaway, this gorgeous creamy silver eyeshadow pencil from All About Face at Tesco

I love the shade and texture of this, and would you believe all of the line was reduced with prices starting at just 37p faints - Bargain!!

At the start of the month we popped into one of our local Boyes stores and I was excited to see a full LA  Colors stand. She kindly bought me a nail polish in Sparkling Diamonds. It's a gorgeous slightly chunky silver glitter x

Finally she bought me a few bits from Avon including a gorgeous Nailwear Pro + polish in  Golden Vision,

and a Colortrend Lipstick in Violet Friday - this looks quite scary in the bullet but it's actually a really pretty lilac pink, that is very wearable.

So that was Decembers haul, yes I think I got a bit carried away this month whoops. I've placed a few sale orders so I'll probably do a separate post on those when they come, but in the meantime if you have any questions please leave me a comment x