Lifestyle | 2017 A Year in Review

2017 as with every year has had it's ups and downs personally and on a world-wide scale. It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that I was writing down my goals for the year.

Christmas | The Ultimate Christmas Gingerbread Man Recipe

This year I have got totally addicted to making, and eating gingerbread. This recipe just makes me feel instantly festive and is delicious with a hot drink. Just be warned they are incredibly more-ish, so I guess it's a good job it makes quite a few biscuits!

Fashion | Christmas Jumper Day 2017

It's Christmas Jumper Day and what can I say my grand total is probably now around 6. For an item which is so seasonal it seems a little silly but I just can't get enough. Now the most recent addition to my collection is this more subtle and easily wearable jumper from New Look.

Lifestyle | Taking the Stress out of Christmas with Bristol Harbour Spa

So Christmas can be incredibly stressful. From organising the Christmas Feast to choosing the perfect presents for your loved ones, which is only heightened by how busy and in demand everywhere and everything is. This year I've decided to tackle everything early and have some me time to get rid of the stress before the big day. Here are my tips to achieve it:

Fashion | The Only Dress You Need For The Christmas Party Season

Christmas party season is upon us and it's time to dust off the ol' glad rags and get involved. Now I don't tend to glam up all that often but the christmas party I find is always the perfect excuse. Over recent years I've done a full length bright red, low cut slinky black number and all over flapper style sequins.

Lifestyle | Defining Success

Success

1. the accomplishment of one's goals

The beauty of success is that it is different for everyone. But that's also the beastly side of success because too many of us let others stereotype what success is and define it for us. We are taught from a young age that exams and qualifications amount to being successful. Or that earning lots of money makes us successful. To me, what use is all that money if I don't have your favourite people there to share it with you?

Lifestyle | A New Venture & Giveaway

Life seems to be throwing some very exciting things my way at the moment and I am thrilled. We have had an offer accepted on a house and my decoration planning has gone into overdrive but I've also started a new side-hustle that I can't wait to introduce to you.

Fashion | The Colour of the Season

Red has got to be hands down the colour of the season. It was the key colour coming down the catwalks and a colour I had always been scared of until now.

Beauty | Smooth Skin IPL Hair Removal

2004; the year when I started on my quest for the perfect hair removal solution.

Janet Jacksons boob popped out at the Super Bowl.
Outkast were telling us to shake it like a polaroid picture.
We still typed lYk DiS oN MSN MeSsEnGer.
Myspace and Bebo were just around the corner.

I was desperately seeking the approval of everyone who I thought mattered at secondary school and in PE I was teased for my 'hairy' legs and I became obsessed with the need for them to be silky smooth. My mission had begun.

Fitness | Review of the Body Coach 90 Days SSS Plan

Last October I took on the challenge that was The Body Coach 90 Day SSS (Shift, Shape, Sustain) Plan and 2 weeks in I started a review on the blog. The plan was a HUGE overhaul to my current diet and exercise regime and reflecting back on it I was a little naive to think I would have a super model body by the end of it.

Lifestyle | Autumn Bucket List and Goals

'Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day;

Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.'

Fall, Leaves, Fall - Emily Bronte

Beauty | How to Defeat Frizzy Hair This Autumn Winter

 

I am reluctantly accepting defeat. Autumn is here.

The leaves are falling from the trees in their gorgeous golden hues and the weather has changed enough to justify buying all the cosy chunky knit jumpers around. With the change in weather and the cosy jumpers though also comes the misty mornings and rainy days which wreak absolute havoc on my hair. At the slightest hint of moisture my hair just expands with frizz.

Fashion | Bristol Fashion Week AW17 with Concorde

Concorde. One of the worlds aeronautical wonders. London to New York in 3.5 hours. It was probably the most stylish way to fly. I grew up surrounded by pictures of Concorde at my grandads house as he was someone who worked on it and loved it. Now it has been honoured for it's style by Bristol Fashion Week AW17.

Recipe | Jammie Dodger Brownies

As I mentioned in my post about Jaffa Cake Brownies Recipe last week was host to Macmillan's Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 29th September and I decided to do my bit by baking two different types of brownies/blondies and I thought I'd share the second recipe on here too.

Lifestyle | Two Years of Blogging

Happy Birthday.
Bon Anniversaire.
Penblwydd Hapus.

My blog is now a toddler after hitting two years old!

Recipe | Jaffa Cake Brownies

This week is host to Macmillan's Worlds Biggest Coffee Morning on Friday 29th September. At work we have already hosted our coffee morning for the charity as we had a team meeting yesterday which was guaranteed to draw a large crowd to our office when people are normally on site. Naturally we pounced on this to raise the most money. Currently our total stands at over £200 and is continuing to grow from donations on our construction sites who hosted their own mini mornings.

Blog Help | The Realities of Blogging Alongside a Full Time Job

Why do people blog?

It's an interesting question that really has no definitive answer.

Lifestyle | September Goals

September.

Three quarters of the year is already over and christmas is sneaking around the corner. With the change of season comes a change in the weather which ultimately means it's an excuse to buy new things. September for me is an odd month because to me it signifies the end of the year approaching but now also a new academic year which is exciting and daunting at the same time. These are my goals for september to keep me on track for a great 2017.

Fashion | The Autumn Winter 17 Trend Report

So this post was going to go live on the perfect day - Thursday - when the bank holiday sunshine had disappeared and had left behind a gloomy grey and rainy day to let us know that autumn was definitely coming. Internet troubles meant that it didn't post and now the sun is back shining again. Being more of a summer person I try and cling on to the season for as long as is acceptable without looking crazy however with the weather is going to change, probably pretty soon and I'm starting to look ahead to the new season and what items and trends I should be including within my wardrobe.

Money | Hacks to Save Money Shopping

One of the hardest things I've found with saving for a house and paying off debts is curbing my shopping addiction habit. Previously I was spending quite a lot when really I didn't have the money to spare and to just go cold turkey on that was pretty much impossible. So I found a way to be extra thrifty with my shopping. It works even if you're not saving or paying off debts and just want to be really thrifty too.

Cocktail Recipe | On Wednesday's We Drink Pink Gin

Recently I have had major urges to watch films from my teens including Princess Diaries, John Tucker Must Die and Mean Girls. I'm not sure what it is that is giving me these urges, hormones maybe? The forever changing weather? Or potentially just a need for some girly indulgence where I can sit and recite the entire film.

Fashion | Summer Shoe Staples

So this might be a little late for the season but I thought I would share with you all the staple summer shoes which have seen me through the season. British summertime is always a struggle with the weather as you can put on your sandals, take 10 steps out of the house and be met with a downpour of rain. If you follow me on Instagram then you will know from stories that British summertime weather is the pain in my summer shoe style backside.

Bristol | Going to new heights

I know that I am totally biased when it comes to my home town of Bristol because I really am a champion for the city. It is diverse, cultural and vibrant. It has so many amazing events, which I'm sure other city's do have and do well, but Bristol always seems to play the trump card.

Beauty | My Everyday Make Up Besties

When it comes to my daily make-up routine I like to keep it minimal, simple and fresh. Not to mention I like to be out the door within 45 minutes of waking up. I tend not to focus too heavily on eyes with just a swipe of mascara and maybe some eyeshadow, my main focus is normally skin. The three products below are my everyday make up besties that I use everyday without fail.

Blog Help | Tips for Blogging and Working Full Time

Like many bloggers, my blog is a hobby so I have to work full-time alongside it. I'm also on a five year pathway to achieving a Bachelor of Science degree so study part-time too. All three, work, study and blogging take up a lot of my time and I often get asked just quite how I manage it. Well, the truth is I don't always which is evident from June's lack of posts when I was drowning in assignments. I do still try and aim to post on the blog twice a week, which is usually successfully done so I thought I'd share some of my tips for finding a good balance.

Beauty | A Tour of EF Medi Spa, Bristol

When it comes to beauty I am all for focussing on skincare first before make up, as it's the base to how your make up looks. I'm also for any treatments which can make you feel a million pounds. It turns out I can get this just a 15 minute drive from my house. 

Travel | Revising my Bucket List

Bucket lists are an odd thing. They are meant to be all the things you want to achieve and do before you essentially kick the bucket. I've had a bucket list as long as I can remember but looking back at it the other day I thought it needed a little pick-me-up. I think as I've grown up my list has needed to grow up too. Items such as 086 - Order Room Service probably need to go as where I once deemed it a luxury, its not something I would be annoyed about not ever doing now.

Beauty | Indy Luxe Brushes Review

This will probably sound crazy to many but until about 18 months ago I was still using my fingers, yes my fingers, to apply my make up and I hadn't tried anything else. In a world of beauty blending eggs, brushes and sponges I was truly missing a trick.

Travel | Postcards from the Polo

Until a few weeks ago polo was an event that in my head only people who were likely to feature on Made in Chelsea or royals went to. It felt like an event which wouldn't show up on my social calendar and then along came Polo at the Manor at Celtic Manor in South Wales.

Lifestyle | Things I've Learnt So Far This Year

Hello June!

I am completely baffled by how the hell it is June already. We are already half way through 2017 and I'm speculating here but I think if I blink it might just turn into Christmas. The first half of the year has had highs and lows like any other year, month, week or day but I thought I'd share some of the things that I've learnt so far for 2017.

Wellness | Why You Should Stop Saying Sorry

Recently I was alerted to the fact that I say sorry when I really don't need to. Maybe it's because it's stereotypically British, or links to confidence, anxiety or even gender but I'm sure that I'm not the only one who could class themselves as an over-apologiser. The 'sorry' that I'm most guilty of at the moment is "Sorry, but can I ask a silly question". I ask this to my lecturers, work colleagues, ballet teacher but why am I saying sorry for asking a question that most definitely isn't silly because it's helping me learn.

Lifestyle | The Importance of Your Vote #NotThe33

Voting gives you the power to decide how the UK is run and maybe my opinion is a little controversial but I hate it when people complain about what is going on politically and party policies when they didn't go out and make their opinion heard when it came down to it. What upsets me even more than that is that my own age category at the last general election had the worst voting turnout when these decisions could impact their lives ahead.

Lifestyle | Spring Clean Your Life

Spring is well and truly upon us and summer is just round the corner. At this time of year I always get the urge to cleanse my closet, tidy up and catch up on things like admin. This year for me my spring clean is all the more important as by this time next year I hope to be in a home of my own with J. To make the move easier I'm attempting to cut back on the things I have but also to stop replacing them with new things when I see them. Not sure how this is going to go, for both me and J! Here are my top tips for spring cleaning your life:

Travel | A Lanzarote Photo Diary

A week ago I was enjoying the sunny climes of Playa Blanca in Lanzarote. The trip was booked by my lovely mother as a birthday present for me and it was just what I needed. After mountains of assignments and a new project at work a week's escape did my mind the world of good. We didn't do much adventuring on our stay but I thought I'd share some of my favourite photographs from the trip.

Fashion | The IT Bag of the Summer

I love a great handbag as much as the next girl and the straw/woven tote has taken the season by storm. A handbag, along with shoes, is an item that I will happily splash the cash on with it being an investment however a woven bag isn't what I'm going to use everyday for work, it a bag best suited to weekend adventures and holidays.

Beauty | Summer Holiday Beauty Essentials

So as you probably know because I just can't seem to stop mentioning it, sorry - not sorry, I'm currently soaking up the sunshine in Lanzarote on a girly holiday with my mum. For me summer starts here so I thought I'd share my summer holiday beauty essentials which I will not travel without.

Travel | How to Pack Like a Pro

So as this is going live on the blog I am currently at the airport waiting to jet off on my first, and probably, only foreign holiday of the year. If you're like me packing is the worst part about going away because it can be stressful. I used to wait until the absolute last minute to pack because I found it less stressful that way but after many trips with mis-matched outfits and additional expenses to purchase forgotten items I decided enough was enough and to get my packing shit together.

Beauty | How to Prep for the Best Summer Skin Ever

Summer is my favourite season and my skin and hair seem to favour it too. Winter only causes dryness, blemishes and blandness from the constant change in temperatures and mechanical systems to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Recipe | The Ultimate Easter Cake Recipe

Happy Easter Everyone!

I hope you have all over indulged in lots of chocolate and goodies today already. As an Easter treat I thought I would share a recipe with you for my ultimate chocolate covered indulgent and quite frankly naughty chocolate fudge cake. This cake is a cake that Bruce Bogtrotter would be proud of. It's also a great way to use the chocolate, treats and sweets from your easter eggs as toppings.

Beauty | Why You Need To Go Blue

Skincare is always top of my beauty regime and it's to one thing I will always find time to look after even on the laziest of days. There is nothing more satisfying than having 30 minutes to myself to just lie back and enjoy a good face mask and the GlamGlow GravityMud does not disappoint.

Recipe | Creme Egg Cheesecake Recipe

So it's been a little while since I shared a recipe with you all and being a lover of the Cadbury Creme Egg I thought I'd share this recipe with you before the season ended. This recipe is utterly indulgent just like my creme egg brownies, which you can find the recipe for here, and it tastes just as delicious. This will make a great easter dessert to share with friends and family, or all to yourself, and best of all there is no baking involved, just some chill time.

Wellbeing | Defeating Stress

Happy April. I cannot believe it is April already. All the magnolia and blossom is out and weather is amazing, although I am off to the Snowdome today for some now un-seasonal ice skating and tobogganing. April though is national stress awareness month and I thought I'd discuss about how stress affected me recently.

Fashion | Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion Week

So last night I went along to The Mall at Cribbs Causeway here in Bristol (now voted the best place to live in the UK may I add) for their Spring Summer 17 Bristol Fashion Week. Its an event that I attend every year, normally with my mum, as it always has something for both of us. The show I saw last night was the first of this season and I have to say I was really impressed.

Reflection | Five things to Thank my Mum For

Happy Mothers Day

So it's mothers day in the UK, a day where across the country children celebrate their lovely mums, children who can't be with their mums are thankful for the times they do have or have had, and expectant mothers to be coo over their adventure to come. I'm lucky enough to be able to say that my motherbear is one of my closest allies and constantly offers me unconditional love and support and shown me over the years unparalleled strength. As a family it's been turbulent but yet my beautiful mum has seen me through and educated me to always look for the stars in the times of darkness. With that in mind I wanted to share five things that I could never thank my mum enough for and I hope that one day if I do become a mother that I can pass on to my child(ren). 

Lifestyle | How to Live for the Now

""What" and "If" are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: What if? What if? What if?"

The quote above has long been a favourite of mine from Letters to Juliet as I feel it helped me have a mini revelation about dwelling on the past too much. Flip that thought upside down and sometimes I now feel that I can focus on the future too much. I'm an avid goal setter and organiser to help me achieve what I want but I seldom stop thinking ahead and embrace what's going on around me to live in the now but I've really been trying recently to do just that. I've been trying to stop worrying over deadlines every day and my ever expanding to-do list and embrace the moments and activities going on around me. Here are the things which have helped me to live in the now. 

Turn off your phone

I find that learning to unplug from social media and just live has been so rewarding. Rather than checking all those emails coming through or social media notifications i've stopped to surround myself with real physical life. Technology has well and truly taken over and i'm guilty of grabbing a bite to eat with friends but still constantly checking my phone, not only has this lack of manners become accepted by society, but it's become perfectly normal distracting us from the great company we have right at the table. I now don't feel lost if I don't have my phone with me, or if it's tucked away in my bag. 

Let go of those grudges

Growing up I could hold a grudge like nobody I knew. I could recall dates and times of when something horrible was said to me and who said it. I could probably even tell you what shoes they were wearing. Maybe it was because I wasn't exactly popular in school but it made me stupidly bitter. Letting go of all those grudges has been such a weight off my shoulders. As I've grown up, I've realised that people come and go in your life and that it's natural for this to happen, I shouldn't be holding grudges against those who have. I still wish them the happiest of birthdays and say hello if I see them out and about and I feel so much better for it. 

Don't hold back

This is another thing that I'm still guilty of sometimes. Holding back and/or saying no when really I should be saying Hell Yes! You can't live in the now if you're too scared to embrace it with both arms. As I said, i'm still working on this one but since actively thinking about not holding back I've done some awesome things that I wouldn't have done before. Even if it is getting up on the nightclub dance floor stone-cold sober. 

Surround yourself with positive people

As I mentioned above, people will come and go throughout your life and it's actually perfectly normal. As everyone grows and blooms, people can grow apart and it doesn't have to be a negative thing. Surrounding yourself with like-minded and positive people can do the world of good. There is nothing to hold you back from being present in your life than negativity or people who stop you from believing in yourself. If you surround yourself with limitations and limiting people, you will always be limited. 

Do you try to live in the now and embrace the present?

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Food | A Brunch Revelation

Brunch. One of the best creations known to man, a delightful hybrid of breakfast and lunch.

Now if you follow me on instagram you will probably know I had a brunch epiphany at the weekend courtesy of Cox and Baloney based here in Bristol. Normally I'm very much a creature of habit and stick to what I know when it comes to food due to my intolerances, nut and lactose, but the weekend had me venturing into the world or avocado, tofu and chilli and I can't wait to go back.