Pumpkins...

Halloween is here and it really is my favourite time of the year. The pumpkins we have been growing for the last few months, I just love all the shapes and colours, We are yet to carve our family pumpkin, we normally do one each we are going to snuggle up and watch horror movies whilst devouring sweet popcorn....spooky!

2,000 readers Give Away.

This a massive thank to every reader who reads this little space of the internet when I started this blog at University I could never imagine how many of you would take the time to comment, be kind and so giving. I said on twitter the other day during the #bbloggers chat that if it wasn't for this blog I would be a crazy lonely lady with cats and i'm not even a massive fan other them ha! So many wonderful opportunities have arisen from creating this blog especially recently at the cosmo blog awards and it was because of you lovely lot that I was nominated means alot. So yeah 2,000 + gfc readers is just amazing and when I hit 2,000 I was genuinely humbled. Thank you...So to say a proper thank you I wanted to do a little 2,000 blog reader Give away so heres what you could win...

Party peers gold glitter fake eyelashes, Next eyebrow palette, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer conditioner 

Topshop Jewellery, ear cuffs, rings Earrings from Re.born, vintage Brooch and crystal Eclectic Eccentricity necklace.

Vintage blue leather bag, Handmade RubyRaeLove mustard leather collar, Vintage Hand-cross stitched Penny purse

Suskie Paper journal, Cath Kidston Sew book (Lily bought me one for my birthday recently and I thought I need to get one of these to share with my readers) , The vintage Fashion journal

Hand-made ella masters tattoo man pillow and illustrated compact mirror.

So to enter you need to be a reader of ella, have a contact email or twitter so i can easily let the winner know. 

So there is alot in the give away I have decided to divide up the prizes into sections so there  will be a 

makeup and jewellery

vintage stuff 

Journals

hand-made 

I will be separating the prizes so more people will receive something the prizes will be divided into their sections so there will be 4 winners, If there is a certain section you want to be win leave the section in the comment, e.g. I would like to win the vintage stuff. 

You have 3 chances to be entered into the draw you can leave a comment, RT on twitter and tweet me to be entered into the giveaway (If you are entering via twitter you have to be a follower on there @ella_masters)

This  is open world wide to all ella readers good luck this closes November 6th 12PM GMT
Please remember to leave away for me to contact you.
Good luck lovelies and Thank you

Bits & Pieces

Sneak peak into my re-arrange bedroom/studio /  I love the details in the bathroom trinkets galore / Quick snap in my favourite dress and milkmaid braids / Snap, crackle and pop! / Baskets in the kitchen over flowing with pumpkins / Marmite on toast my ultimate comfort food / Victoria sponge making time /Breaking Eggs/  Working on my nail art. 

Milkmaid braids and collars

Dress / Topshop, Tights c/o  / Jonathan Aston Tights please, Brogues / Primark, Fur collar / old, Knot bracelet / RubyRaeLove new colelction

How Autumnal was today in the UK? Me and mum popped over to the allotment because she needed to pick some leeks and I wanted to snap some early morning pictures. Today is the first proper day of half term, and the first thing I go and do is get up at 6 am, the early start was actually just what I needed I got all my to-do list done by 9 am. This is my favourite outfit at the moment, I discovered this Topshop dress lurking on the sale rack, I was so excited when it was in my size, even though it was maternity I had to get it! The tights are my absolute favourite I was sent them by tights please aren't they just the perfect autumnal tights? they are called innocent tights buy Jonathan Aston and they come in black I think I need to get these in all colours. They also do some really amazing leggings  They go really well with the dress and my trusty £3 primark brogues. Mum gets so excited about taking my outfit photos she loves using the camera, she gets very snap happy and she finds it funny taking my photo ( I only told her about my blog 2 months ago)  I will be sharing the outtakes which are pretty hilarious cue me pulling silly faces. 

The fur collar, I took off an old jacket ready to put on my new River Island one but I am yet to find the time to do this. Whats that on your head ella? you are probably thinking For once I have done something a little different with my hair I thought I would be a little more adventurous, I tried the Milkmaid braids and you know what I actually really love the look, having a fuller fringe makes me a lot happier then my messy side fringe, I don't often put my hair up because I feel a bit silly with it up but I am learning to love it.

I am just loving the autumnal weather at the moment even though the clocks have gone back and messed with my brain I am always more inspired during the autumn months, maybe it because I lock myself away with my notebook in my studio until I create something?

I just wanted to let you lovely lot know that I will be running the biggest give away i have ever had on this blog over the next week, lots of lovely things up for grabs. More information coming soon.

Halloween Special Nail art tutorial Mexican Skulls

After many comments on my skull nails I painted last week for the look scary event that I couldn't actually go to I thought I would do a little nail art tutorial

What you will need :

Nail polish remover

Cotton buds and cotton wool ( just in case it goes wrong)

Nail varnish, black, White, Clear, yellow, Blue

1. Make sure your nails are clean and dry, use the nail varnish remover to clean them ready to pain.

2. Now you are ready to a paint the base coat, i decided to use black for this but you can use any colour you want, a dark colour is best because it will make the skull stand out more. I used L'Oreal 702 Black swan, I only painted one coat because you are mainly going to cover the nail in the skull pattern.

3. Now this can be quite fiddley, to make the skull pattern draw a circle at the top of your nail, then add a square to the bottom of your nail, and colour this in, I used Saffron London white 11. The trick with the skull is the less nail varnish the better if is thick it takes a while to dry be patient. 

4. I draw the Eye sockets, nose and teeth free hand I didn't have a nail art pen but you could always use one of these i just used the nail varnish brush, so make two little eye sockets mid way between the top of the skull and the jar, add a little triangle shape between these for the nose and four little dashes below this in a row for the teeth. 

5. Its quite hard to see in this picture but to add shading around the eyes and side of the skull use a off white like Ciate cookies and cream 058*, this is optional it just makes the skull look slightly 3D. You can stop there if you just want a simple skull design, if you want a more mexican style keep reading.

6. To create patterns on the skull make a flower shape in the middle top part of the head, I used Ciate Big Yellow Taxi 074* for this because i just love the contrast of the blue Ciate headliner 066* together use the blue to create swirly patterns next to the flower. Now you can add some patterns around the side of the skull simple dashes with the nail varnish brush will work. Now over the top add the clear nail varnish to protect the design, 

*All Ciate Nail Varnishes gifted from Selfridges

There you go a simple Mexican Skull, you could add glitter and different patterns and colours really the possibilities are endless. This is perfect for a more chic Halloween nail. I hope you have enjoyed this little tutorial.