Tag: Lush upon a time

Lulu over at Lush Upon A Time created a wonderful tag, so we can get to know what others like/love so much about Lush. Thanks to Louise for tagging me in this (ages ago!), you seem to be the font of all Lush knowledge!

What was your first…

1. Lush Bath Bomb?

This was so long ago now! I think it may have been the Little Lush Pud. It was a Christmas one shaped like the most adorable Christmas pudding... funnily enough!

2. Lush Bubble Bar?

The Comforter I think!

3. Lush Massage Bar?

I've never actually tried a massage bar, but they look so intriguing!

4. Lush Kitchen Item?

Ok, confession time. Until I read this tag on Louise's blog, I had never heard of Lush Kitchen. I know, where have I been?! But, now I know it exists I will definitely be checking this out on their website.

5. Lush Shower Gel/Cream?

Happy Hippy - very fresh and perfect for a morning shower.

6. Lush Shower Jelly?

Never used one, I'm not sure if I'd find the texture a bit weird if I'm honest.

7. Lush Fresh Face Mask?

I had a mask of magnaminty absolutely years ago! But I think I'd like to try one now my skin is a little older than 13 and see if they live up to the hype. Maybe this will be my next purchase.

8. Lush Bar of Soap?

I don't really use a bar of soap so I don't think I've ever used one from Lush. 

What is your favourite…

1. Lush store?

Every Lush store I've been in have been similar in size, so I guess I'd say Sheffield as I'm in there at least once a week! I did recently visit the York store which was amazing!

2. Lush Bath Bomb?

I haven't tried any new ones recently, so I think my favourite is still the Dragon's Egg. It's white, with confetti (it dissolves, don't panic!) and an orange centre with gold glitter in. The best bit is the popping candy which is so soothing to listen to whilst relaxing in the bath.

3. Lush Bubble Bar?

The Comforter, no question!

4. Lush Massage Bar?

Never used one!

5. Lush Kitchen Item?

Never used one - I definitely need to up my Lush game by the looks of things.

6. Lush Shower Gel?

Hmm, I didn't really like Snow Fairy at first, but it's definitely a favourite now. I think I'd love the comforter one as well, but I need to try it first just to be sure.

7. Lush Shower Jelly?

Never used one!

8. Lush Fresh Face Mask?

Can I say Mask of Magnaminty even though I used it about 10 years ago?

9. What Lush products would you like to see come back/haven’t had a chance to try yet?

There are so many I haven't tried yet! I'd love to try the Frozen one, and I'd also like to try a fresh face mask to see what all the fuss is about.

So it's become quite apparent that I really need to spend more time getting to know a variety of Lush products instead of going for what I know all the time. I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you do have a go at this, give me a shout so I can get some ideas... any reccommendations for Lush products will be welcomed. And who knows, I might even get enough for a haul!

Thanks for reading x 

8 Photos Of Happiness Tag

I've finally gotten round to doing this even though I was tagged quite a while ago now! Thank you to Stephanie from Oui, Stephanie for nominating me for this - my first ever tag! I'm quite excited to do this so here goes...

Rules and explanations of this tag:

• Thank your nominator/s and link them in your post.

• Link the creator (Ariel’s Little Corner Of The Internet) 

• Post your 8 photos of happiness (The photos can be anything that represents a moment, object, place or feeling that makes you happy.) 

• Pop in a brief description of the photo, why you chose it or let the photos do the talking! 

• Spread the happiness and tag up to ten other bloggers!

1) The Lake District

I took this picture on holiday this year. It's my favourite place in the Lake District by Lake Coniston, and just sums up free time, family holidays and warm relaxing days spent sunbathing and reading a book by the water. On a sidenote, I didn't edit this picture at all because I love how it looks anyway!

2) A cup of tea

In true British style, there's nothing a good cuppa tea can't make better! 

3) Books

Reading has always been one of my favourite things. Whether it's curling up in a blanket on a cold winter's day, or sunbathing by a pool in summer, I love that books can provide an escape to another world for a few hours. 

4) Nail Varnish

Nail varnish was the first beauty item I got into, even in my pre-teen years! I remember the first set of 6 small, round bottles of nail varnish I received in my Christmas stocking and felt like such a grown up! Though my collection has changed and grown a lot since then, I still don't feel like myself without a pretty spot of colour on my fingernails. 

5) My collection of Me To You Bears

My collection of Me To You Bears is something I started around my 16th birthday. Since then, I have received one for many special occasions including significant birthdays, the occasional Christmas one and various results day/congratulatory bears. It's the secondary connection to special life events that makes the bears mean so much to me... and they look really cute too!

6) Bubble baths

I associate baths with treats, those times where you decide to have a full blown pamper session to restart yourself mentally. Usually mine include a Lush bath bomb too, the colours and scents helping to relax me.

7) IVDC medal 

Many of you probably don't know that from the age of 13 I've been a Latin and Ballroom dancer - just like on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing! When I started uni, I joined the uni competition circuit and made it my aim that by 3rd year I wanted to achieve a medal at nationals. I actually managed this in the team match competition that takes place in the evening (the final part of a 16 hour competition!), with myself and my then dance partner managing to come 4th (the top 6 couples make the final and receive medals and trophies) along with the other 3 couples in our uni team! I also knew this was likely to be one of my last ever dance competitions so it was a nice memory to make.

8) Graduate ball!

Though this was taken at my grad ball (which was an amazing evening despite it being the night before my last ever uni exam!) it just brings together how amazing my uni experience was. Best 3 years of my life... so far! 

Looking back over these photos this didn't turn out how I expected it to, but I guess that's kind of what this is all about! 

Now I tag these fabulous people to do the same... apologies if you've already been tagged by someone else. Enjoy folks!

Louise at Louise Rose Railton

Kirsty at Have The Town

Molli at Along Came Molli

Amie at The Curvaceous Vegan

Emily at Dine, Dash and Dessert

Thanks for reading! x 

Summer Breakfast Smoothie

After I had arrived home from my summer holiday, I realised that the eating out had taken it's toll on me. I felt sluggish, unhealthy and was really missing healthy, home cooked meals. So, I once again have kick started my healthy eating. I'm one of those people who just can't leave the house without breakfast, so finding a healthy breakfast (I don't really like cereal) that doesn't involve bread was my first starting point, and for me, the most difficult as I will happily eat salad and veg with all my other meals.

I decided that the best way to get a healthy start to the day was to make smoothies with fresh ingredients. Now, I don't believe in this whole juicing craze, as weight loss through this method is usually only temporary. But for one meal of the day, I think it's a great way to get a good amount of the right nutrients into your body - though I'm no expert on this!

Although I like to make different smoothies everyday, I thought I would share my favourite recipe so far.

Recipe

• 1 banana
• a handful of ripe strawberries
• 1 peach
• 2 tablespoons of oats
• 1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon 
• A small amount of semi skimmed milk
• A squeeze of honey
• 1 tablespoon of half fat crème freche

I added the oats (a tip from my friend Emily at dinedashanddessert) to keep me full until lunch time, and the cinnamon has great health benefits. To top things off, the strawberries make it a really pretty pink colour instead of a yucky brown colour that lots of smoothies end up being, making it look much more appealing to drink first thing in the morning!

Do you have any favourite smoothies recipes? Is there anything I could add or change to make it better for me?

Thanks for reading! x

My response to Tim Minchin's advice to graduates

Tim Minchin's graduation speech sparks inspiration

For those of you who haven't seen The University of Western Australia's viral recording of Tim Minchin's honorary doctorate graduation from 2013, you are missing out. I was sent this link by a friend in my second year of uni as I seem to remember it being relevant to a conversation we had been having that day. At the time I first watched this, I was feeling drained by academia, I had only the smallest inkling of a career idea and as a result I wasn't feeling very positive about a graduate future.

Since then, I have finished uni feeling much more positive, and as I remembered this video recently I decided to watch it again to see how my thoughts and feelings towards it differed. I can now say that I'm not just taking the advice point blank, but I feel confident enough in myself and my future to question certain aspects of Tim's speech. I still find Tim's speech incredibly compelling and intelligent, and I really respect him as a person. However, I want to share my spin on his 9 points with you, as I see it today.

1. You don't have to have a dream

The first time I watched this, I thought 'phew.' Because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. It was one of my main worries which I now realise is pretty common amongst the student population, but at the time this was a welcome insight to the real world.

I still agree with this, actually. Yes, I do have a dream career in mind now. Actually, I have several, all kind of related. But that brings me on to the point that Tim is really making... that 'passionate dedication to short term goals' can take you places that you never imagined. Personally, I have always vowed to pursue what I enjoy and then I will find a job I love, and this just reinstates that belief in me more strongly than ever.

2. Don't seek happiness - it finds you

Hmm ok. I find this a difficult one because there's not really any proof either way. I think in one sense, if you try to find happiness you will miss the journey, and fail to appreciate how happy you are in the present time. On the other hand, you can't just sit around and wait for happiness, you have to actively participate in things you enjoy, and understand what you value.

3. It's all luck

In context, Tim talks about this in relation to being humble. He says that if you credit yourself 100% for the success you have achieved then you are probably wrong. He says that we are all lucky in the path we take in life, in who we have around us and supporting us. And he's totally right. I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the tools and support I have needed to succeed so far, and know I can't get to where I want to be in the future without a little help now and again.

4. Exercise

I can't really argue with this one, it's kind of a fact. Although I definitely need to do more of it!

5. Be hard on your opinions

Yes! It's not healthy to think that your opinion is always right. I have been in many situations where people are not willing to see all sides of an issue and it's incredibly difficult to deal with. Be open minded, assess your own opinion first and see if it's actually correct. Does it change with time and experience? Be critical about yourself, it's one of the best ways towards self improvement.

6. Be a teacher, please!

I spend much of my time as a humanities graduate saying no thank you, I don't want to be a teacher right now. I'm not saying never, just not right now. And Tim telling graduates to be a teacher at some point in their life kind of infuriated me. Until the end, when he slipped in a little nugget about sharing experiences and wisdom with others. That's more like it. Most people have a thirst for knowledge and learning in something they are passionate about, even if they aren't being taught it in the traditional sense, therefore every single one of us has the capability to be a teacher in one form or another. Learning and teaching is part of human nature and Tim is right to encourage this.

7. Define yourself by what you love

Throughout my teen years I would often not admit to liking things, or admit to liking things I didn't really like for fear of being 'weird' and so on. Now, it's a different story, and I'm sure a lot of us in our twenties realise this: being unique is cool. It's important to be proud of who you truly are to be completely happy.

8. Respect people with less power than you

Tim made a point of saying that in the past he has turned down jobs because of the way a Manager treats the waiters. Although I wouldn't go to such drastic measures as this, I think I will be taking a leaf out of his book. A job interview is two sided; it's as much about you seeing if you like them and the company as it is about whether or not they like you. So this is a point I will remember for those situations. Noted.

9. Don't rush

The most valuable piece of advice in there right now for graduates. There seems to be this huge pressure to have a job lined up as soon as you finish uni, but it needn't be the case. Life is for living, the jobs will still be there. Do things as you feel ready and do what feels right to you. A job is something that most of us spend the majority of hours doing so to me it seems vital to find the right one. I don't think I'm qualified to close this point completely as it is my current situation, but I'm still confident that taking Tim's advice here is the right way for me to go about things.

As a recent graduate this is very close to home right now. Previously, I had absorbed much of Tim's advice, but now I have reasons why I should or shouldn't take his suggestions on board. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe we're both wrong. But it's a very personal path which to me warrants some consideration.

If you've not seen the video, I've placed a link to it here if you have a spare 15 minutes in your day: Tim Minchin Video

Do you agree with Tim's advice? Would you add anything to his list?

Thanks for reading x

How I prepare for a productive day at home

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am pretty organised. Not in such an extreme way that it becomes annoying (I hope not anyway!) but enough so that I can cram lots of fun, and unfortunately not so fun things into a short space of time. Everyone is unique and has their own way of being organised and productive, but I thought I would share with you exactly how I make sure I'm productive on days when I'm at home. Don't get me wrong, I'm as partial to a Netflix binge as the next person, but for those days when I need or want to be super productive, this is how I make sure it happens.

1. First things first, as soon as I wake up I make a to do list whilst waiting for my first steaming hot brew of the day to cool down. For me, this is the most essential step as putting pen to paper removes all those chaotic thoughts from my brain and gives them some sort of order and balance. I tend not to prioritise them immediately, but I do prefer to alternate a fun one with a boring-but-necessary one, a short with a long etc.

2. The 'me' part. I eat breakfast with my now cooled cup of tea, then shower. I always work best and most productively when I'm in a good mood, so now is the time to have my favourite breakfast, use my favourite shower gel and maybe even treat myself to a face mask if I'm feeling like pushing the boat out.

3. Clothes. I have such a love hate relationship with clothes. All issues aside, I'm happiest in comfy clothes (preferably pyjamas) so I like to don a clean pair of pjs if I'm planning on being productive. I realise how backwards this sounds, but hey, it works for me!

4. Where you choose to set up shop for the day is super important to increasing productivity. Sometimes that's in my bed as my room is clean and decorated in fresh colours which helps my mind feel settled. Other times it's the kitchen table looking out onto the Yorkshire hills. I like to just see how I feel (and yes, where I sit to be productive is usually as spontaneous as I get, what a granny!) Either way, you'll find me with another hot cup of tea, my laptop, a lit candle to suit my mood and a bit of Ed Sheeran playing in the background. Accompanied by my to do list, I am ready for the day ahead.

If you've taken anything else from this post other than my love for hot cups of tea and my inability to function without a to do list, then you've done well, but this is how I make sure I use my day in the best way possible, which is actually really satisfying.

How do you prepare for a productive day at home? Do you do anything differently to me? Let me know!

Thanks for reading x

Homemade Candles

Recently, I rediscovered a bunch of childhood crafty favourites during an attic clear out. A few of them I donated to charity, but there were others I just couldn't part with before exploring them again. Can you tell I'm enjoying having more time on my hands?!

One kit I found was a candle making kit containing moulds and everything you would need to make your own personal candles for the home. But the kit isn't necessary, it's just handy, so I thought I would share the process in case you want to brighten up your own home!

What you will need:

Most of these can be found around the home, or can be purchased on Amazon.

• A mould 
• String of wick
• Wax pellets
• A large pan
• An old smaller pan
• Wax crayons (optional)
• Fragrance oil (optional)

Preparation

First, you need to prepare your mould. I used a small Yankee Candle jar from an old candle, soaked it in hot water to remove the labels, and washed out the excess wax from inside with hot water, then dried the jar thoroughly. I also carefully used a knife to remove the rubber seal on the lid as that was the part retaining the smell - as much as I loved burning Candy Cane Lane, I didn't want that scent in my new candle!

After this, measure the amount of wick you will need from the very top of your mould to it's base, and leave a couple of centimetres before chopping. Tie one end of this around a small rod (or a teaspoon, or anything that will balance over the rim of your mould). It helps to dip this carefully in hot wax before starting, to help keep the wick straight during the making process. 

Make sure the wick is balanced fairly centrally in your mould, and you're reading to begin!

Making the candle

Pour boiling water into the larger pan until it is about a quarter full. Then, place the smaller pan (I used an old bowl that was going to be disposed of anyway) into the large pan of water, and turn on the heat to about mid-way.

Depending on how you want to make the candle, you will need to spoon the right amount of wax pellets into the bowl/small pan. This can be quite difficult to estimate, but for the size of my candle jar I think around 8-10 tablespoons would have filled it.

However, I wanted a stripy candle (adventurous, I know) so I used 2 tablespoons of wax pellets to begin with. I added to the small pan 2-3 drops of fragrance oil (I opted for The Body Shop's Sandalwood and Ginger) as well as carefully chopping a tiny amount of red and blue wax crayons, which I was hoping would come out a lovely purple shade. It was all a bit trial and error, but I imagine that the more you make them, the better you become at it! I opted for pink and purple stripes - nice and girly!

I stirred the mixture over the heat until fully melted, then carefully poured it into my mould, taking care not to move the rod holding the wick in place. It is important to let this cool for a while, until the full layer has lightened and set, before starting each new layer.

Repeat the process as many times as is necessary, using different colours to create the desired effect.

Once finished, leave the candle to cool and set completely (this will usually take several hours) before burning.

Variations

I was thinking about different ways that I could create different effects in the future as I have a lot of wax pellets left. Here are some ideas that I came up with.

• Stir a candle with a fork whilst it is setting in the mould to create a whipped candle
• Tilt the mould whilst pouring so that the wax sets at different angles
• Use different colours and scents
• Try different moulds
• Add glitter!

There are so many different ways that home made candles can be personalised. If you think of any other different ideas I could try, I would love to hear them. Or if you make one of your own, it would be great to see a picture!

Have you ever made your own candle? What would your dream candle variation look like?

Thanks for reading! x

Roald Dahl's 'Boy' and 'Going Solo'

Okay, so I realise that Roald Dahl is technically a children's author, but to me his stories are timeless and I know to many (including me!) they are well loved. Many a time I'll come across something in everyday life that takes me back to his colourful, mischievous narratives. For a while now I've been eyeing up his two-part autobiography, and as luck would have it, it was a perfect, easy read to ease me back into reading for pleasure after the chaos of finishing my degree!

As I have a love for autobiographies anyway, I found this a compelling companion to my morning coffee, but it was more than about simply satisfying my nosy needs. Boy in particular is very reflective of Dahl's writing style in his children's books like The BFG, which is great as its incredibly insightful but so easy to read. I laughed along with the children's cunning plans to get revenge on the miserable shop keeper, and felt their pain of being in a boarding school where the cane was used as punishment. Fast forward a few years, Going Solo is all about Dahl's time in the RAF during the war and takes a slightly more adult tone, yet remains very personal and reminds us as readers that the people fighting were as ordinary as you or me. I'll admit myself that I sometimes need to be reminded of this instead of generalising and seeing the overall picture!

There was a particular passage in Boy which really stood out for me. In this passage, Dahl paints a writer's life as 'absolute hell' in comparison with a business man's lifestyle, and says that it is because a writer is their own manager, sets their own work hours, and can never come up with enough new ideas. It sounds like this is something that was really coming from his heart - the words were so passionately written. I'll admit that coming from someone I admire, from someone who I thought loved writing, it upset me a little! 

I feel like this is very close to the heart of many bloggers, including myself! I have to admit, it has always been my dream to be a writer in one way or another, and at the moment it very much remains a hobby. But who knows what will happen in the future?! I am under no illusion that a writing career  would be challenging, with definite peaks and troughs, but I'd like to think very enjoyable for the most part. Being my own boss would also be great as I like to think I'm super organised, although setting your own work hours could potentially upset the work-life balance that we're all supposed to maintain.

Right now, I feel very positive about having a career that involves writing, as I have always said I want my career to be something I love, that I'm passionate about, and isn't something I've just chosen because its well paid, or because its expected of me... where's the fun in that?! However, this is possibly because I'm fresh out of uni, so maybe ask me again if I'm still unemployed at Christmas! I wonder if my view of writing for a career will change to become sympathetic of Dahl's... I certainly hope not!!

What are your thoughts on this? Do full time bloggers or novelists agree that writing is a challenging but also rewarding job? 

Thanks for reading! x

Meadowhall Ladies Night!

About two weeks ago I received a lovely invite to the Meadowhall Ladies Night shopping event which took place on Thursday 4th June in the evening, making it perfect for stopping by on your way home from work. Having been to their student lock in once or twice, and having worked in Meadowhall for a good 5 months a few years ago, I know that Meadowhall shopping events are well worth a visit! Ladies Night is a great way to bag a bargain with limited time discounts, and this event in particular promised nothing less.

Before the event began, I popped into Frankie and Benny's for one of their infamous pizzas before heading through The Oasis Food Court to Chao Baby - a Thai buffet and bar that I had never visited before - where we were greeted with a champagne reception and an assortment of Thai nibbles before we hit the shops.

I downloaded the Meadowhall Ladies Night app on my phone which was supposed to generate additional offers and could be used at 'Hot Spots' throughout the centre as we shopped. Although this really disappointed me as I had no luck getting it to work, I still had a great night, and didn't actually feel as though I had missed out on any offers.

Most of the stores and brands had amazing discounts on, and the feeling was definitely right (excuse the pun....Ladies Night? Atomic Kitten? No?) after a few glasses of complimentary Prossecco offered by stores such as Boux Avenue and Meadowhall's newest addition, The White Company, which is one of the most gorgeous stores I have ever visited!

As a bit of a self-professed make up junkie, I was overjoyed to see that there was a Beauty Spot right in the middle of the centre with brands such as YSL, Nails Inc and Dior offering makeovers and samples, so this was where I spent a good hour of my evening. Having never tried the YSL Touche Eclait I jumped at the chance to have a makeover done with their lovely MUA Sally, and accidentally fell head over heels in love with the Gloss Volupte in shade 50 - one of their new summer collection shades. In addition to this I picked up some Kiehl's samples, a mini Dior mascara, an adorable gift bag of samples from M&S and a sample of an Atkinsons Eau de Cologne amongst others.

Dior Mascara

Atkinsons Eau De Cologne

Assorted samples including Nuxe, Belle Cherie and Ren

Kiehl's samples of  BB Cream, Body Cream, Facial Cream, Line-Reducing Concentrate and a Facial Moisturiser for men

The evening had a great atmosphere and a little something for everyone with attractions such as Granny Turismo (brilliant!), Spin the Wheel and Capital Radio which gave the centre a bit of a buzz (if the Prossecco hadn't already done that!) and made sure I stayed a lot longer than I had originally planned to. I can't wait for the next one... although my bank account probably won't be too pleased!


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A little update

As I've now finished uni I can't wait to start blogging a lot more now I have the time to do so whilst looking for a job. I have decided that my blog will be a lifestyle blog, essentially so I am not restricted to what I write about!

This is just a quick update to let you know that you can now follow me over on Bloglovin' by clicking on the little gadget on my sidebar... exciting times! I have lots of exciting posts coming up so be sure not to miss out!

As I am slowly but surely learning how to use Blogger a bit better, you may see little extras appearing, but any helpful tips will be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks for reading,..and don't forget to hit the follow button!

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