Lush Sweet and Dreamy set

Look what Santa got me for Christmas!


My husband hid my Christmas presents in the closet so that I wouldn't peek too often at them and try to guess what was inside those pretty boxes, but with this one, it wasn't all that difficult to guess... Every time Iopened the closet door, I could smell something lovely and sweet and I just knew it was Lush!

This set includes Honey I Washed the Kids soap, Dreamtime Bath Melt, The Comforter Bubble Bar, Vanilla Fountain Bath Bomb, Ring of Roses Buttercream, Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion, Therapy Massage Bar and Waving not Drowning Bath Bomb. Phew, a lot! I'd say Lush put some classics in here, like Honey I Washed the Kids or Comforter, as well as some more original products such as both the bath bombs or buttercream.

I haven't tried everything yet (that would be a Lush overdose!), but already have some favorites. All of these products have a similar scent line and complement each other well, so thumbs up for the idea! Personally, I like best the smell of Therapy Massage Bar, the famous Honey I Washed the Kids soap and Dreamtime Bath Melt, and the least favorites scents for me would be Dream Cream lotion, Vanilla Fountain bath bomb and Ring of Roses Buttercream.

Now, onto the products I tried in more detail...

I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of bath bombs in general; in my book, no bubbles equals half the bath fun, so Vanilla Fountain left me a bit disappointed. It smells nice, sweet but fresh at the same time, but the scent doesn't linger on the skin and the bath water doesn't feel any special apart from the fact that it turns yellow.


Similarly, I have very mixed feelings for Dream Cream lotion. In the tub, it smells fresh and herbal, but not 100% pleasant for me. Well, I can kind of see past that (although just 'ok' scented products from Lush defeat the purpose a bit, don't they?) since it's jam-packed with healthy essential oils and other natural ingredients, such as oat milk, rose water, olive oil, cocoa butter or chamomile oil. However, once on the skin, at first it smells a bit oatmealy, and then just like your typical body or hand lotion, a fresh, soapy scent. It's a very smooth emulsion that sinks well into the skin and it does a great job at moisturizing. I keep it at a bedside table and apply a dab whenever I feel my skin is dry and tight. I use it to moisturize my lips as well and I have to say I quite like it for that, it leaves them soft and plump and has no taste whatsoever.

Honey I Washed the Kids had made its way permanently to my bathroom now, and I almost can't believe I didn't like its smell when I had a sniff in the store a couple of months ago, so I'm really glad it was in the set and got a second chance. I'm lusting after the solid perfume version right now, and with the buy 1 get 2 offer in my local Lush store at the moment, it's just a question of time.

Honestly, Sweet and Dreamy just fuelled my love for Lush and I just adore how special bathtime feels now... Which just got me thinking it's almost bathtime now...

Have you got anything from Lush for Christmas? What are your favorites? xxx

Christmas in Vancouver

I know I vanished a little unexpectedly, but I thought I could squeeze in a couple of posts before going to Vancouver for Christmas, but well, I didn't - so those other posts will have to wait until I get back as the photos for them are still on this other camera which I didn't take with me.

This is (or was) my first Christmas away from home, just me and hubby this time, and it was both interesting and a bit sad to spend it differently than I usually do. My family is very close together and each year we gather at my aunt's apartment to celebrate, talk, stuff ourselves silly, all the good stuff. But this year, with my husband's work, he had to stay in Canada and I decided to join him, so it's both the first Christmas we spend together as a married couple and the first Christmas we spend away from our family.


Due to weather conditions last week in Europe, I had to have my airplane ticket changed completely and for a couple of terrible hours at the airport in Warsaw I thought that I wouldn't even depart at all! It was a close call, but after another 20 hours or so, I did finally arrive in Vancouver, finding my husband grinning in the arrivals hall and some deliciously smelling Lush stuff in the bathroom after we got home.

I spent a considerable time in the kitchen this year, making pierogi (obviously not nearly as good as my mother's, but hey ho, she had years to practice, and actual access to Polish ingredients!) and Christmas star cookies, for which I am quite renowned by now.


We spent Christmas meeting friends, reading, devouring great food, talking, going for walks, drinking coffee and vanilla bean tea, sleeping late and just being together. All of that in Vancouver. Not bad, huh?

Enough rambling for now, my dears. I have at least a couple post ideas resurfacing, and I hope to lay them down before New Year's. How have you spent your Christmas? What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Drop me a line below, I'd love to know! xxx

Christmas gift ideas

For all of us, late shoppers, a little peek at what Santa will bring my family this year...

La Senza PJ's with a long sleeved top with ruffles on the front and this super dainty chick patterned pants for my Mum! Mum definitely has a thing for pretty but comfy nightwear, and La Senza sets are absolutely spot on. I have one myself and actually have to force myself to take it off in the mornings :) The fabric is very soft and warm, just perfect for the winter season.

Sequined headbands for my husband's little sisters. Estera, who's 12, is more of a rock chic kinda girl so she'll be sporting the black one, and Wiktoria, 14, likes brighter colors, hence the ultramarine one is for her.

These cute china ornaments are also for the girls, but I haven't (I mean... Santa hasn't!) decided whom will get what. Tough choice!

This wooden bathroom set is for my brother, currently obsessed with decorating his apartment. Check out how cute this toothbrush holder is, I'm sure it's going to put a smile on my brother's face every time he brushes his teeth!

I'm going to use these gift bags from KappAhl to wrap some of the presents. KappAhl is actually a clothing store and we got these free at the checkout when buying something (I'm not going to say what, because he might be reading) for hubs. While not entirely Christmassy, I think those patterns are absolutely adorable, this set might be one of the best freebie ideas I've come across in a long time!

And look what Santa will be bringing me! I must have been an awfully good girl this year... I'm wondering what that could possibly be...

Which one of your gift ideas are you most proud of this year?

Weekend Arts & Crafts

I'm still hooked on little crafts projects inspired by beautiful creations found on Etsy. Making my own things and this time of year also remind me of my early teens when I didn't have enough money to buy everyone in the family a Christmas gift, so I made them myself; I used to decorate glass with special paints, embroidered little pictures, made jewellery boxes of papier-mache and even made my own wrapping paper! Most of these handmade gifts were far from perfect, but I remember being so proud and happy to have something to give!

Anyway, I moved from beading to sewing this weekend and made this zipper rose brooch today.

I saw one of those on Etsy and decided to make my own. I don't know what method was used to make it originally, but mine is not very complicated and anyone could do it. All you need to make one is a 40 cm zipper with silver rim (I don't know how to call those silver thingies, in Polish I'd say a zipper has 'little teeth'... how's that in English?), a matching color thread, a needle, a brooch pin and some spare time, of course.

This is how it looks from the back...

You can pin it anywhere you like, I think it would look fabulous on a handbag or scarf as well. The flower is quite flexible and the shape of it can be changed to suit the purpose. This navy blue one looks great with darker jeans and a bright top, as in this photo:

Still on the subject of sewing, yesterday I decided to pimp my beloved iPod. I carry my music everywhere with me, often in a purse full of clatter, so I thought I could make a cozy pouch for it so that it won't get any more scratches than it already has.

I'm not entirely happy with how it turned out, but I like the contrast between red flannel lining inside and polka dot cotton fabric outside. You can't really see the proportions of it in those photos, but the pouch is so dainty!

How have you spent your weekend? xxx

My latest obsession

Yes, it's confession time again, but don't worry, it's nothing embarassing... I'm having a huge crush on Etsy lately, and all this browsing through their listings and admiring the beautiful objects exibited has got me not only to spend some pennies on beautiful jewellery (but I'll post about that once it arrives), but also to get creative myself.

Today I had a day off, so I whipped out my beading box, and made this spiral bracelet.

It's made of light pink, lilac and deep purple glass beads in two different sizes and closes with a silvertone toggle clasp. Unfortunately, artificial light doesn't do its colors justice, they're much more vibrant in day light. The bigger light pink beads have an interesting opalescent effect, making them sparkle with gold, pink, blue and green under different angles. I thought of maybe making matching earrings, but decided they might actually be too heavy to wear.

So, what is your obsession this week? xxx