101 Beautiful Things

13th December 2020

M&S Snow Globe Gin Liqueur

While shopping in my local M&S last month I was stopped in my tracks by the sight of a beautiful display of these bottles, all lit up and glistening in the light. Not feeling in the mood for Christmas at that point, I didn’t purchase one there and then which I later regretted as they became very difficult to get hold of. But success on an early morning trip – felt a bit uncomfortable buying gin at 10am when everyone else was getting milk and bread but it had to be done as the store had put a two bottle limit on them as they were flying out.

I think M&S have certainly pulled it out of the bag for the Christmas must have this year. It makes a perfect gift, very attractive, doesn’t need wrapping and comes with its own light. Give the bottle a quick shake, press the light on the base and sit back and enjoy the edible gold leaf glistening in either Clementine or Rhubarb flavour gin liqueur. I haven’t tried it yet as it is almost too beautiful to drink but it should satisfy the gin loving friend and being only 20% vol makes a good mixer with other spirits for cocktails.

I have always been quite fascinated by snow globes. I cannot walk past one without giving it a quick shake and watching the snow flakes swirling around often a very disappointing plastic Santa. In my research for this piece I tried to find a more modern tasteful one, but sadly only came up against an array of very kitsch looking Santas, snowmen and winter scenes.

Looking at the history of snow globes they first appeared in Vienna Austria, apparently by accident when the inventor Edwin Perzy was trying to increase the brightness of an electric lightbulb. Inspired by shoemakers who increased their light source by filling a glass globe with water and placing it in front of a candle flame, he experimented with glass globes but after trying out several different methods dropped some semolina in water and noticed how it fell like snow to the bottom. Sensing he had hit upon a winner he added some scenes as a backdrop in the globe and the snow globe was born. They are still being manufactured by the family company today. I will continue my quest to find a nice looking snow globe but in the meantime, cheers!

Not sponsored or paid for, all items purchased by me.

26th April 2020

Guerlain Rouge G lipstick and case

I have hesitated over posting this as during the current Covid-19 pandemic, while we are all still in lockdown, it seems very frivolous. But then I thought about the things that give me comfort at this time and lipstick has been one of mine. Even though I am working from my dining room table now and see no one apart from Mr 101BT and the occasional colleague via video for an online meeting, a swipe of lipstick is definitely a morale booster.

In the Second World War women were actively encouraged to wear lipstick. The slogan of the time was ‘beauty is your duty’ and many letters sent to loved ones on the front line had lipstick kisses added to boost morale and convey love. There are many advertising posters at the time of women in uniform wearing lipstick with names such as victory red or regimental red, a sales gimmick definitely, but the name alone might justify the purchase for the buyer.

I haven’t seen any beauty related advertising during this pandemic but there is a definite increase in posts on YouTube about DIY treatments and looking good during video conferencing on Zoom.

I coveted these lipstick cases for a while before getting one. Funnily enough, they remind me of the vintage lipstick cases that some of the beauty brands such a Max Factor and Helena Rubinstein brought out after the war.

Guerlain have quite a big selection of cases and are all so lovely it was difficult to choose one, so Mr101BT got me two as a gift (I think one was from the cat!). You buy the lipstick and case separately. The lipsticks themselves are shaped to fit in the case but you can interchange if you like, just keep the original cap safe.

Definitely a lipstick to bring out in public, the lid flips up to reveal a mirror under the flap and when you put the lipstick back in the case it holds the flap down. The lipstick itself is really nice and comfortable to wear, lightweight with good pigment and reasonable longevity.

Makes a fabulous gift for a friend, or why not treat yourself?

2nd March 2020

Daffodils

After long days of darkness and cold rainy weather there cannot be a more welcoming sight than daffodils. Bravely breaking through the surface of the soil and adding a lovely yellow glow to gardens when they bloom, heralding the start of more daylight and warmer weather.

Alternatively, or if you don’t have a garden, supermarkets have them lined up, unopened in bunches on the shelves. Just purchase, pop them in a vase and wait for them to bloom – they brighten up any room. What is nice about Spring flowers is that they are so seasonal and you only see them for a short time, unlike roses and lilies which seem to be available in shops at any time of the year.

My other favourites are hyacinths. Sadly these don’t last long but they certainly pack a punch fragrance wise and can fill your home with their beautiful scent for a couple of weeks or so.

When I was a child my mother spent hours one Autumn planting daffodil bulbs all over the garden and was rewarded each Spring when they popped up, covering the garden in a golden carpet of sunny faces.

Daffodils are really easy to grow in a colder climate. Buy a bag of good large bulbs making sure they are not dried out and plant in a fairly open and sunny spot in the Autumn, before the Winter frost. Come Spring they will pop up and you will be rewarded with your own golden glow each year.

12th January 2020

Tutankhamun

There are some stories that you are told as a child which are so mysterious and fascinating that they remain with you throughout your life and occasionally pop into your consciousness and come flooding back. The story of Tutankhamen is one of those for me.

I remember as a young child being taken to the Tutankhamun exhibition at the British Museum in the early 1970s and being told this amazing story of how his burial chamber was found and how there was a curse put on the team who discovered it. At that point there had been some deaths among the team but I have since learned that the curse story was all a massive media stunt. A bit disappointing but a relief for the families of their descendants no doubt.

The 1972 exhibition was a huge event and the highlight was the gold death mask, inlaid with lapis lazuli, obsidian and quartz. Truly stunning. It spawned a lot of merchandise, everyone was cashing in on its popularity there were dresses, stamps, plates and even makeup depicting Tutankhamun.

The exhibition that is currently on at the Saatchi gallery in London Tutankhamun – Treasures of the Golden Pharoah, sadly doesn’t have the mask on display but it does have an amazing selection of artefacts gathered from the tomb. Even though they are over three thousand years old the preservation of these items means they are in immaculate condition and the craftsmanship is quite spectacular.

There is also a really interesting timeline showing pictures from the discovery of the tomb, the reveal and the whole process of sifting through so many items, preserving and cataloguing them. There is also some press around the 1972 exhibition showing what a massive event it was and how it really gripped the nation. Definitely worth a visit if you are around London.

This post is not sponsored and I purchased the tickets.

1st December 2019

Red lipstick

There is something about Autumn and Winter that says red lipstick and red wine to me. Put away the nudes and get out the red. I love red lipstick. To me there is nothing more stunning than seeing a woman come towards you wearing a red lip. It stands out, says power and makes the whole face light up.

Having said that, it does take some maintenance to keep it looking good. There is nothing worse than a dark red line around your lips when you have eaten and drunk something and the inner area has worn away which doesn’t appear so obvious with a nude lip. I know some people hate seeing women reapply their lipstick in public but I love the ‘don’t give a damn about what people think, I don’t need to hide away in the bathroom’ attitude.

I have several red lipsticks in varying shades of red, from orange reds to blue reds and a few pink reds in all finishes. The one shown is Ruby Woo by Mac. I know this is a real favourite among makeup junkies. It is a bluey red, which looks great on a paler skin and makes your teeth look white, but for me I like a warmer tone. My favourite is Liza Red by Mac, sadly no longer available. It is a true pillar box red and when I finish the current one, I will be scouring the reds to find a similar tone.

If you are thinking: ‘I can’t wear red’, just try it. It can be a bit intimidating when you first apply it and see yourself in the mirror, but dab a bit on from the bullet and build it up gradually. I guarantee people will pay more attention to what you are saying and will really watch your lips as you speak.