First off, apologies for being extremely late at updating, have got family visiting so it's been difficult to find time for the blog. I got back on Thursday from a perfect week in the Catalan region in the South of France. We ate gorgeous food, the weather was stunning (except for one day up the Pyrenees where we got caught in the middle of a random storm) and the towns and cities we visited were beautiful.

As we were right by the Spanish border, we went to Spain for lunch, which isn't something you hear everyday. We also went to Montpellier - which was a surprisingly lovely city - and, of course soaked up as much sun as possible on the amazing beaches before returning to dreary August weather in Britain. The one town I was particularly taken with was Villefranche de Conflent: after looking round the ramparts - which I do not recommend walking round in sandals - I explored the cobbled streets and came across loads of small delightful shops. I was in my element, and couldn't resist buying some soaps, candles and a selection of precious stones. The holiday was just what I needed, and would happily visit the Catalan region again.

 

Had been at The Big Chill festival in Ledbury, England from Thursday until Sunday. Honestly, it was amazing. I had no idea what to expect, but it was all fantastic. Perfect size - big enough to remain exciting, small enough to get your bearings. Only let down were toilet facilities, but there had to be some compromise. The music was obviously the best part though. Line-up was full of big names: Kanye West, who I managed to see from the front row - some complained and said he was arrogant for being late and wasted time, but I thought he was worth the wait and absolutely amazing. Calvin Harris (the first photo is from his set) and Chemical Brothers were incredible too, even from the back. Caught Jessie J, Example and Katy B who were all great. Saw Empire of the Sun for the first time and thought their production was brilliant, and of course there were some fantastic musicians at the smaller stages.

Kanye West - Touch The Sky by Johnny Heo

Weather held up well, considering it was supposed to rain all weekend. Practically lived in my new ASOS coat which I absolutely love - it's quilted inside and has a shearling style collar so it's perfect for chilly evenings! There was an Alpro Soya stand right by our campsite, and so I pretty much survived on granola, yogurt and smoothies (which were all surprisingly tasty). Overall the festival was an amazing experience, and I should be returning next year. Definitely recommended.

Leaving once again for a whole week this time - off to the south of France for a bit of relaxation before returning to business as usual. However hopefully with my absence I'll get some great photos to show you. Au revoir...

In case you don't already know, I'm a bit of a nail freak. I always like to have mine neat, filed and often painted. And while I'm open to trying unusual colours, I'm a bit of a rookie when it comes to patterns or irregular styles, so I was surprised when I found myself quite taken with this photo. And when I decided to replicate the look, I even went a little further by using more nail varnish colours than shown in the picture, and I'm really pleased with how they turned out - fun, yet still uniform.

OPI Tickle My France-y, OPI Hong Kong Sunrise, Rimmel Coralicious, Mavala The Elle Red, Max Factor Ruby Fruit

My latest purchase was the OPI Hong Kong Sunrise shade. It's a few seasons old as far as I know, but I was just browsing and had to get it, and I'm so glad I did. I'm not usually too keen on shimmery colours - I tend to go for the 'milkier' types - but it's just a gorgeous summer colour with a subtle sparkle. What really surprised me though was The Elle Red by Mavala. I'd never tried Mavala nail varnishes before but got this colour free with my Elle Subscription, and it's stunning! Everybody needs their staple red nail polish, and this is most definitely mine. The consistency is incredible, and leaves the most perfect smooth finish and it still hasn't chipped after a good 4 days or so. Seriously, I recommend Mavala.

After I'd finished my nails and was sat in my garden, I noticed that the coral colour on my ring finger was very similar to the petals on a rose plant next to me. And as I was walking round later on I found that more flowers pretty much matched my nails, so I got a few shots to compare. I think the gradual changes in the colours are perfect for the summer, and recommend it if you've got a bunch of nail varnishes with a little left in the bottom that need using up.

Will be at a festival until Sunday, so I wont be updating (who am I kidding, I'm awful at posting regularly anyway). Have a great week!

Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On by cinderella_frost