The Quarter-life Tales of Annie Bean

Style: Spring Time Country

2013-05-12T11:09:00.004-07:00

I have been quite busy this weekend and have only just sat down and stopped. I am a bugger for cramming so much into my life that I often forget I do need some down time... and more importantly to give myself time to relax.

I absolutely love flowers, and gardening is on my next checklist of things I must learn. I know that my favourite flowers are peonies and that I love any David Austen Roses, but I wouldn't know where to start with creating my own. I was invited to attend the Chelsea Flower Show this year but unfortunately due to work I can't attend, I'm truly gutted because it's the one event I have never had a chance to get to. When I flicked through the images from previous years shows it really made me realise how great it is to have a garden and be outdoors.

I currently don't have a garden but hopefully that will all change soon, so I often visit my local town park, go on country walks or generally try be outside. The other day my boyfriend and I decided we would venture for a tea trip and go for a walk, all via some colourful outdoor scenery.

I often hate when we have a mix match of weather as it totally throws you with what to wear.

What I'm Wearing:

Coat - F&F Trench Coat

Jumper - Topshop Pink Knitted Mix Stitch Jumper - £36.00

Jeans - Topshop

Shoes - Topshop Hatti Peep Toe Cut Out Shoes - £35.00

Bag - Nica Vanessa Shoulder Bag - £69.00

Scarf * - Laura Orchant Sunset Fireworks Silk Scarf - £100-£155

As you can see my outfit is quite simple yet colourful and the main focal point is my scarf. I'm wearing a gorgeous Laura Orchant scarf, a designer that has just returned from Who's Next in Paris and Pure in London with rave reviews from international buyers and key fashion press.

Laura Orchant initially hand sketches the design and then digitally manipulates the drawing into an explosion of bright colours and fractal patterns.A lot of the 24 year old, Manchester born designers inspiration comes from nature, animals or the woman's form, this is then printed onto luxurious silk or viscous in various sizes. The scarves range from £80-£150.

I am a huge fan of scarves which you will have noticed from my previous posts, but this one is my must have one at the moment. It really makes a very average outfit come to life, especially with subtle hints of colour through the other garments.

Do you wear scarves in the spring or summer?

I'm off to Barcelona this week with work and to be quite honest I'm not looking forward to packing! I'm going to be indoors most of the time and will be doing long days. Anyways I'll no doubt tell you all about my adventures...plus I've still got lots to tell you about my other adventures this weekend!

Watch this space!

xoxo

Win £1000 to Refresh your Room with Laura Ashley

2013-05-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be hosting a competition for us bloggers... Read on to find out more! As you may or may not be aware but I'm in the process of moving home. When browsing other peoples houses I can't help but invision how I might interpret my perfect look into each room. When I saw what my potential master bedroom might look like, it truly got me thinking about how I could change it.

We often want to refresh our interiors and that's perfectly normal, but how might you go about doing it? The possibilities are endless. It might be a complete revamp or maybe just a small alteration, it could even be a new bedding set from the feminine Coco Amethyst collection, or perhaps a touch of coastal print.

For the chance to win a £1000 Laura Ashley gift card to refresh your room for spring, all you have to do is:

1: Take a photo of your room – we want to see what you’re working with!

For example -
This is the room I'd very much like to refresh... have you got one?

...It's best not to even say anything!

2: Tell us how you’d refresh it for Spring - pick two (or more if you’d like!) items from the Laura Ashley Bedroom Furniture and Accessories ranges that you think would help create the perfect environment for spring and pop them into a blog post with a few works telling us why they’d work for you. Be sure to link back to this post in your entry

A few ideas -

What will you chose for your room?

3: 3: Let us know you’ve entered - leave a comment on this post which includes your name and the name and URL of your blog post and tweet the link to your blog post using the hashtag #LARoomRefresh – this will allow us to count your entry

Good luck!

Terms & Conditions:

The following terms and conditions will apply to the competition:

The competition is open to UK residents only and all entrants must be over 18.
This Competition is not open to employees of Laura Ashley, their family members, or anyone professionally connected with the competition.
The competition will run from Friday 10^th May 2013 09:00 GMT until Friday 7^th June 2013 00:00 GMT.
Any entries received or processed after the closing date will not be eligible to win.
Entries which do not refer back to the original competition announcement on http://www.talesofanniebean.com/ will not be eligible to win.
Entrants must tweet using the hashtag #LARoomRefresh and a comment on this blog post including their name URL of their entry for it to be counted.
By entering the competition the participant agrees to participate in reasonable promotional activity surrounding the competition.

· It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure their entry meets entry requirements and is submitted successfully.

Only one entry is allowed per person.

The winner may be required to provide additional information such as their address and telephone number.

The winner will be announced on http://www.talesofanniebean.com/ shortly after the competition closing date.

If Laura Ashley cannot contact the winner within 14 days of the prize draw, Laura Ashley reserves the right to select a new winner.

The prize is a £1000 Laura Ashley Gift Card. Terms & Conditions apply, click here for details.

The competition winner is not entitled to exchange the prize for any cash alternative.

http://www.talesofanniebean.com/ and Laura Ashley reserve the right to exclude from the competition any entry that does not meet criteria set out in these terms and conditions.

http://www.talesofanniebean.com/ and Laura Ashley reserve the right to change, suspend or terminate the promotion and entry period at any time. They may also disqualify participants if they have any reason to believe that the promotion cannot be carried out fairly or if they suspect any person of manipulating entries or results or has acted unethically in any other way.

What are you waiting for?! Get your creative thinking caps on!

Remember you've got to be in it to win it.

xoxo

Tweet #LARoomRefresh

Rediscovering Hilton at St George's Park

2013-05-08T09:38:00.001-07:00

It had been a truly long drawn out week, the sun had been shining and I had been stuck behind a work desk. I was very ready for the bank holiday weekend to get here.

It finally got to 5pm on Friday and I was straight out the door. I was going to be staying at the Hilton at St George's Park in Burton on Trent with fellow blogger Gingey Bites. I had been invited to there to take part in their latest Rediscover Hilton campaign and review our stay. I never get a chance to get away so I was really excited about going away just for the hell of it. Often I find I stay away from home in hotels for work purposes so never really have the time to relax.
Into the Sat Nav the postcode and off we went. I'd got my Nica weekend bag packed, my cute new Primark dress and was ready for the adventure. I live quite close but I'd never actually been to Burton on Trent and neither had Gingey.
Firstly we got really lost! The sat nav had us down a random country road, after a while of searching we pulled over to check the directions. Whilst stationary we both admired how blissful the area was with the sun shining, green fields and birds tweeting. As we took this all in a little pheasant was plodding across the road... happily minding its own business when this huge 4x4 came zooming past and no joke the bird was in two pieces. Feathers went everywhere. Both myself and Alex squeaked with horror, we'd never seen anything like it!

Luckily after our traumatic ordeal with the pheasant we finally found our way the St George's Park grounds. This plays host to the National Football training centre for the 24 England teams and also to the Hilton hotel & a Hampton by Hilton hotel. As we took along the winding road leading up to the hotel it was clear this was going to be a a gorgeous venue. There were of course football training pitches but if you looked further than that, all you could see was hills and trees. It was stunning and more tranquil than I first thought. We parked up behind the huge building, trotted into the hotel and were greeted by a friendly member of staff behind the counter.

We were treated like royalty and immediately told where our room was, what the facilities were, when dinner was and that we only had 30 minutes left in the executive lounge before it closed. Now as you know I spend a lot of time working away and stay in numerous hotels, if you go to a Hilton when you hear the words exec lounge - you jump at the chance! Delicious canapes, drinks and in a relaxed setting?! Oh yes please!

Myself and Alex quickly scampered to our room, dropped our bags off and hurried back to the exec lounge. Our room was spacious, modern and equipt with very comfy beds. I had a a lovely little welcome note, along with some wine and cheeky Green & Black's chocolate.

Venturing back along the card only executive suites corridor, we sat down in the exec lounge and instantly went for the wine. We both do love a glass and this wine was simply fantastic, very easy on the taste buds and just what we needed after our pheasant incident!

As we continued to relax into the wonderfully grand surroundings, we decided it was time to head for dinner. We had a table booked and were placed so we could overlook the grounds. The ceilings were high with very modern but warming interiors with windows looking into the kitchen. I always love to see the hard work behind the scenes, it makes you feel like the chefs are involved and have a connection with the restaurant rather than just being tucked away.

We both ordered our food and even though the menu wasn't vast the selection was quite diverse. As for the taste? I couldn't fault anything, it was spot on.

I ordered mushroom and onion pate, halloumi and sweet potato salad followed by thee most amazing banoffe pie. Gingey had some amazing items too.

The Banoffee pie was the best thing I have ever tasted... I may have to try and create on myself soon!

After thoroughly devouring our meals we decided to head into the bar area next door. There was a wedding going on in one of their conference rooms, so the bar was quite full but not noisy it just felt warm and relaxing. We had our decaf tea and coffee, then as rock n' roll as we are we decided to head to bed. I knew we were both going to sleep well! We pampered our feet and faces before hitting the hay.

After both having a wonderful nights sleep we decided before breakfast we'd head to use the gym and spa facilities. We headed down in our gym gear and were welcomed by the team. Into the gym we went and firstly I was surprised how modern it was the equipment was quite vast and very spacious, unlike many you see in hotels with only 1 treadmill... this one had plenty. We worked out then took a nosy at the pool, which even though we didn't have time to go in it was extremely inviting!

After a quick show it was off to breakfast and back into the restaurant. The room was so light with it's huge windows which overlooked the masses of green countryside, a perfect setting for my yummy breakfast of poached eggs! There was so much more to chose from you could honestly have got carried away there was that much selection!

When we came to leave I suddenly realised for once I hadn't rushed, I hadn't been frantic, I hadn't even thought about anything or anyone... I'd simply relaxed.
Personally I wouldn't of thought to chose such a location normally I'd head for a city based venue, however I was quite surprised how much I loved the calm environment I was in.
It was such a wonderful stay and considering I'd of never thought to go there - it was a real treat.

xoxo

* This stay at the Hilton hotel was complimentary

No1 Bootcamp Norfolk

2013-05-03T03:54:00.000-07:00

You know the situation when you agree to something that you believe is a splendid idea at the time, then you get to the event and you wonder why the devil you agreed to it?! Well this was one of those scenarios. When Travel Supermarket contacted me and asked if I'd like to join some other bloggers on a long weekend trip to No1 Bootcamp in Norfolk, I immediately replied screeching 'Yes I'd love to!'
As the time drew closer and I did my research into what I'd be doing and thats when the fear suddenly set in... What if I wasn't good enough? What if I was the least fit? What if no one likes me? Thoughts like this seemed to swamp my mind.

I managed to get my kit list ready but I knew I'd quite clearly over packed, but like my Mum I always pack for just in case situations. My boyfriend and I stayed in Long Sutton at the Riverside Inn the night prior. We were visiting family and whilst there we indulged in a delicious curry, then a bacon sandwich in the morning before making our way to the No1 Bootcamp Norfolk ...I know, I know naughty food choices but I simply figured I'd be exercising lots so I justified it all.

I was the first to arrive, greeted by the lovely Paula and was shown to my room. I was sharing with 3 others but no one had arrived so I got myself settled in. My boyfriend left me and made his long journey back to the East Midlands, later he text me saying it was like dropping a child off for their first day at school! Thing is it really felt like that!
The room was gorgeous over looking the beautiful grounds, picture perfect, blissfully quiet and polar opposite to what I experience on a day to day basis.

We each had a hooded jumper, vest top and tshirt with our initials on for us to train in. When I put my case down I soon realised I really had packed far too much and getting the train home was going to interesting. My train journey aside, at this point I knew I had bigger fish to fry... it was all about exercising. I met my lovely roommates and any fears I'd had were shared equally with them as well.... Phew! I could finally relax as I wasn't alone.

My bootcamp roomies; Scarlett, Lucia & Remie

On went my gym gear and I was ready for action. Before we kicked started our fitness plan we had a prep talk from Bootcamp Mummy, Paula and of course the team at Travel Supermarket. Firstly we got told about Bootcamp Rules and had a weigh in.

They began by advising us that each day we should tweet our peaks and pits, then the Bootcamp leaders would chose their favourites and two lucky winners would get a massage. I knew my pits were going to be far easier to create than my peaks!

The sun was shining and we were eager to get started. We were firstly told that we should never stand still, this was in order to keep the blood moving and if we were caught standing still we'd be punished! So I moved as much as possible! We had some ice breakers initially, followed by sprint runs around the grassy area and more importantly we were introduced to the curse word of the entire trip... burpees. I detest burpees with an absolutely passion they are the one form of exercise I will try to wriggle my way out of! These little devils were our red card for the weekend, if you were late, if you didn't continue to move or if you were speaking over the trainer - you got burpees.

Concentrating hard on burpees

The rest of that introduction session was plenty of team games such as tag, stuck in the mud and after a break we went on to do the gun run. I was a bit unsure of this but I truly love it in the end. As you can see from the image below which is a 'gun' formed by wood poles, tires, sandbags and balls placed next to it. What we had to do is go on a walk carrying all these items between us until we had a 30 second countdown, which was when we had to reform the gun as quickly as possible. It was tough as the main wooden pole was extremely heavy and the tires were a lot harder to steer than expected.

The day finished and we relaxed, drank fruit teas and headed to bed. After a well needed sleep we woke up with the sounds of the cockrel at 6am, so downstairs we all plodded attempting to appear as fresh as possible. We had a busy day ahead starting with our reps challenge. Being really honest this was my least favourite part of the entire experience. I can't stand circuit related exercise at the best of times, but doing layered reps and before breakfast?! Exactly! By the time we finished I was seriously annoyed with burpees!

Inside the house

I can honestly say I've never been so pleased to see breakfast - I was absolutely starving! I do often do morning exercise before breakfast but nothing as intense, but on the plus side it did show me I could do it. We next had work, play, rest session which was circuit exercises with a bleep test in the middle - basically it was partner work where you tag each other to move onto the next exercise. I really enjoyed this, I think mainly because I didn't have time to think about how much something was hurting or if I felt tired. To finish off the session we had a few team games where we had to create images out of people! This was so much fun and our team were doing really well, especially when we had to create a pyramid. My old cheerleading instinct kicked in and away we went. I did feel sorry for Maddie, who was very brave and was the top of the pyramid!

The rest of the day became a blur from being so active, but next was the boxing hurricane session. My word this was tough! I have done body combat but that is as far as it goes, I've never done anything with punchbags and making contact with something. Me and Remi were partnered together one with boxing gloves and the other with the punch pads. Initially I was quite scared to punch hard but as it went on I really went for it and I must say its amazing for getting any aggression out of you! However I say that but when trainer Will came around and made me punch with him, my arms wanted to fall off! He kept pushing to really go for it so I truly tried as hard as I could!

After an extremely intense morning I was absolutely over the moon to see we had a 7 mile walk ahead of us. I dog walk a lot so was really ready for a lovely long walk in the sunshine. Now I'm not someone to faff when it comes to walking, I like to get a wiggle on and get to my destination. This walk was wonderful as it was all in the countryside, in the sunshine and a perfect time to chat to fellow bootcampers. I had some great conversations and even quizzed bootcamp trainer Craig on the way about exercise and eating correctly.
We got to some woods where we all pulled over to have a team talk. We were all going to be doing a team building exercise by creating 'shelters' using various items around us. In our team we quickly started planning how to build it, I would of been more competitive but my mind was elsewhere... I had been drinking so much water I was absolutely desperate for the toilet - off to the bushes it was for me! I know that isn't very lady like but if you've gotta go, you've gotta go! The shelter building was good fun and seeing how every other team had interpreted it differently was good. After the show and tell we started heading back to camp.

Some of the sorts of snacks we'd have

All I recall next was being super hungry and having an ice bath. There was a a couple of animal cracker biscuits in my handbag and a piece of babybel cheese that kept talking to me all weekend! Even though it was only a few days it really made me realise that without knowing I heavily relied on sugar. I don't eat vast amounts of chocolate or junk food but I hadn't realised my food choices were lacking so much in protein. I vowed after bootcamp I'd change my eating habits and my diet.

The ice bath was really scary, I thought I'd be fine but as soon as I took the towel off that was wrapped so tightly around me I felt ill! In we dipped and getting your shoulders down was hard, a bit like when you've been sunbathing all day then go for a dip in the sea! I learnt that if I didn't move too much it wasn't too bad!

Will & Ali finding it all very entertaining... it's great when your sat all nice and dry!

Our final morning itinerary

The next day was a bit broken as we all felt quite poorly so we didn't do the entire morning as planned. I must admit I absolutely loved our first challenge which was lifting a huge tire and flipping it over along the track and back again in a race. Then we had to carry the tire as many times across the track as possible before dropping it... I managed 3 and a half times which made me the winner! My competitive streak had really come out and I was pushing myself constantly.

One thing I did discover at camp was my exercise faces. Yes I make exercise faces! Mainly of strain (see above) so I am certainly no model when it comes to fitness.
We then had a wooden post challenge. We had three sized wooden posts that we had to lift up and flip over as quick as we could. This looked quite easy but the largest pole was extremely hard to get a grip of and throw over!

After we'd been log throwing and tire lifting we had a nutrition chat from trainer Craig. It certainly gave us some great foundations to take home and build on. I took on board everything he said and have tried to stick to them ever since I returned home.

My bootcamp certificate with my bootcamp title; Annie Schwarzenegger

To round up my entire visit I can honestly say it was well worth it. If you want to lose weight or generally get back on track with your fitness this is worth every single penny. The trainers Craig, Will & Ali were fantastic, pushing us all the way and giving their help and advice. The house team Paula and co were super as they made us very welcome and at ease, it was an extremely friendly place with absolutely magnificent surroundings. If you want to get away and exercise this is just stunning.

I discovered when I set my mind to anything I can truly achieve it. I learnt I was much stronger than I thought I was as I'd of never imagined being able to flip a tire tractor, or carry an old wooden telephone post! I did feel very tired on the way home but if anything I wanted to have good nights sleep and get cracking the next day.... and I did, up at 6am going for a run. I won't lie I felt achy but amazing.

Fantastic company with my new friends and an amazing experience, a huge thank you to Travel Supermarket #HolidayHealthClub for such a great long weekend!

If you want to have a look at my lovely bootcamper buddies blogs, have a peak at the ones listed below.

Jess @ Copper Garden

Sabrina @ A Little Obsessed

Maddie @ Maddie Elizabeth

Marin @ The Hi Fashion Site

Remie @ Remie's Luxury Blog

Ali @ Bunn The Baker

Scarlett @ Scarlett London

Shay @ Shay In Wonderland

Cameron @ A Londoners Closet

Jessie @ We The People

Hannah @ Raspberry Kitsch

Catherine @ Perfectly Polished

Lucia @ Style Confessional

Amelia @ Love Mealie

Hana @ Beauty In Brief

Jess @ Feeling Stylish

Katrina @ Carousel Diary

xoxo

Beauty Review: Scholl Express Pedi

2013-05-02T13:14:00.003-07:00

The sun is starting to emerge, the blossom is finally on the trees and I am overdue to switch to my SS13 wardrobe. One of my favourite things about the switch is changing my shoes, by ditching my boots I can finally opt for ballet pumps and sandals. With the change over I always get very self conscious about my feet.

Now I'm not the biggest foot fan and I especially detest my own feet. They never look as good as everyone else's, they dry out easily and with running and generally being on my feet lots - they certainly look worn.

Please excuse the horrible pictures of my very dry heels, but it helps emphasize how bad they actually are.

I decided this year I was going to be well prepped for the sandals. I've used foot files and creams before but they never seem to really help so when I saw the Scholl Express Pedi device I wanted to give it a go.

After work the other evening I took off my socks and set up my foot beauty area. When I took the Scholl Express Pedi tool out of its packaging and turned it on I will admit I felt somewhat scared, it was rotating and at some point going to make contact with my foot. Hesitantly I slowly raised my very dry heel and slowly put the rotating file onto it, initially I was extremely careful but as I started moving around my heel it felt much better. I applied a light to medium pressure.

One thing I did discover was always having a towel or a tub to catch the dry skin, there will be a lot which I know that's quite disgusting, but rather it be off than on...

So you keep going until the dry bits have gone but be sure not to do this if you have cracked skin. Then voila you are dry skin free!

I have been in a constant battle with my feet for years and this is honestly the first time I've that my feet are publicly worthy to be on display! I've been using this once a week to maintain it and it is really paying off.

You can get the Scholl Express Pedi from Tesco or Boots for £39.99, which may seem quite expensive but if you fork out for a treatment at a beauty salon, then you're saving yourself a vast amount in the longterm.

xoxo

Summer In Black

2013-04-29T12:27:00.001-07:00

Where the devil is the year going?! I can't believe we are nearly in May! I'm off to Barcelona for work and me packing a case on a budget airline is going to prove quite tricky! If my antics of packing at bootcamp are anything to go by, (I had to sit on my case to zip it up) then I'm truly buggered.

I'd seen this dress in Topshop quite a few weeks ago and thought to myself I'd buy it as a summer investment. It's casual but can be dressed up - plus a black strappy dress is a girls best friend.

One of my favourite items I've ever bought was my Miss Selfridge leather jacket. I've had this piece for around 2 years now and honestly it's amazing to throw with anything. Anyways for this look I've taken inspiration from this seasons grunge but instead of baggy tshirts and sloppy hats...I've just interpreted it with a feminine twist and added height with my fave Next suede platforms. Team this with smokey eyes, cleverly teamed accessories and you'll really set the entire look off.

This Topshop Strappy Lace Dress is stunning with its crochet detail at the side and hooks at the back. I know I'm extremely pale and even though it stills works, it can be fantastic as a holiday dress whether it's a city break or a beach trip and it weighs nothing.... thus why it'll be joining me to Barcelona!

Hello Winnie Woo!

Topshop Black Strappy Lace Side Dress - £36.00

I know it's very simple but I sometimes like to keep things effortless with my clothes. You can certainly jazz this up with vibrant colours, sandals or even other heels. I've added snake print heels from Stylistpick and these just make the look remain simple but add something slightly different. These Stylistpick Rosemary Mid Snake Print Heels are now in the sale for £20.00, if I wasn't wearing them with this I'd wear them with simple black jeans and a top.

To be honest after seeing the photos I can't quite get over how pale I am! Thank goodness I have Barcelona coming up and a trip with friends to Torquay. If I don't see some sunshine soon I may fade away....

xoxo

Get that spring your step

2013-04-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

The sun is out and the UK has suddenly ditched its frown and replaced it with a smile. It was a long time coming but it seems light is at the end of the tunnel.. spring is here!
I've put my boots to the back of the shoe cupboard and reached for my spring shoes, but discovered I have a severe lack of footwear to cater to this time of year. I have popped some of my top footwear picks below, that I think need to be added to your wardrobe this season.

The immediate thing that drew me to these Accessorize shoes, was of course the stunning colour. I adore this shade and they'd look amazing with just your jeans, coral nails and a white tshirt.

Accessorize Putney Simple Point Shoes

Don't you just love them? I want these! They are the Accessorize Putney Simple Suede Point Shoes in turquoise blue and are £29.00

You can never go wrong with tan heels, and these French Connection ones are a must. Very simple in their cut but effortlessly stylish. The beauty with heels like these is they work perfectly with white linens and summer outfits, but equally so they're superb with skinny jeans.

French Connection Donna Buckle Sandals

Tan heels are a great investment for your spring/summer wardrobe, my main rule of thumb is to opt for something simple and build from there - a great start are these French Connection Donna Buckle Sandals are £95.00

Statements are always great to make every season, even if its only slightly stepping out of your comfort zone. I'm a big fan of wedges in any form mainly because I gain height and I can walk easily, but throw in some with a pattern and I'm immediately sold. The Clarks pair below are ideal for summer with a bright collaboration to really set the look off.

Clarks Scent Eley White Combi

I do love some statement shoes especially ones with a fun pattern. If you love something different you'll love these wedges from Clarks... yes I did say Clarks! But the great thing about them being from Clarks is you know they aren't going to kill your feet and they'll be well made. Fantastic to wear with some neon as well to really set the look off. The Clarks Scent Eley White Combi are £79.99

You can't welcome spring in without introducing floral... it'd be like having Christmas without Santa! I've seen previous seasons opting for some platform floral heels, but these from Ted Baker are the best I've ever seen.

Ted Baker Fluuri Open Toed Platform

Teamed with delicate pastels that are quite minimalistic, really make these shoes work best. Again I've added a slight neon hint to pick up the bright tones on the heels themselves. These gorgeous Ted Baker Fluuri Open Toed Platforms are £130.00

Next are some fun NLY Malene nude heels with a touch of cheeky lemon. I do love nude shoes, but having a light tone of yellow makes this pair ideal for spring.

NLY Malene Nude Shoes

I have popped the heels with a very cute, Jones and Jones - Jones and Jones Shannon Lime Prom Dress, which is an extremely feminine cut - making this all too perfect! To push it that extra step I've suggested a gorgeous pink for maybe nails or even a floral hair piece. These NLY Malene Nude heels from Nelly.com are £47.95.

It's all about beautiful colours at the moment and that's certainly emerged into the shops. I went into Monsoon and they are literally blooming with nothing but!

Monsoon Bora Bora Ballerina

You will always need to wear your jeans whatever season it is, but I'm a firm believer you can still look good whilst doing it. One thing I love is to add little flats and I absolutely adore these Monsoon Bora Bora Ballerina flat that are £35.00

There you have some of my top picks for shoes to add to your springtime wardrobes! What I've gathered from my shopping and browsing, is that it's all about colours...if you hadn't gathered! I certainly want to add plenty of vibrant and pattern pairs to my collection, do you?!

What do you like the best?

xoxo

Royal Recognition

2013-04-25T08:29:00.001-07:00

If you're a reader of my blog you will fully aware of my love for the Cambridge Satchel Company...

I adore the company and honestly could spend hours in their Covent Garden store. I was even lucky enough to have interview founder, Julie Deane... Who might I add is extremely down to earth and absolutely lovely! See that interview here.

You may have heard that last night the Cambridge Satchel Company scooped Accessories Brand of the Year at the Drapers Footwear & Accessories Awards 2013 and this all comes after winning a number of other awards. One of their latest wins includes the Queen’s Award for its outstanding achievement in international trade – the UK’s highest accolade for business success.

Founder Julie Deane said: ““What a week it has been. The Queen's Award and a wonderful review from Mary Portas, Queen of Shops, followed by Drapers naming us Accessories Brand of the Year 2013. It's a very happy team at The Cambridge Satchel Company!”

It seems that in the words of Yazz, (yes I went there) the Only Way Is Up for the Cambridge Satchel Company and if the this seasons new items are anything to go by I can most certainly see why.

I finally want to share with you the stunning satchels which are to be a sure hit this SS13, I most certainly want to get my paws on one of these... only trouble is which do you chose?!


Chelsea Collection Cambridge Company Satchels: £115.00 - £120.00

Personally I think I prefer the top two because they are such delicate tones, but they're all just screaming to be used during the summer. The satchels above are in sweet pea, lavender, honeysuckle and cream crocus - all can come as 11' or 13' satchels.
I've created a look below for the upcoming colourful months and how you can add a Chelsea Collection Cambridge Satchel to your life. I've opted for the statement sweet pea satchel and you you'll agree it really sets the look off.

After writing this all I want to do is put on a tea dress, grab my bike and cycle off for some tea and cake with friends! This collection from the Cambridge Satchel Company is ideal for those summer ensembles. So...who fancies a skip to the tea shop with me?!

xoxo

Yoo Moo Very Berry Baked Alaska

2013-04-24T03:40:00.004-07:00

When I was younger I always used to get excited about the type of pudding that would arrive on the table after my Sunday dinner, I may not have finished my dinner but there was always room in my dessert section. Obviously as the years have gone on I know I don't always eat as much pudding as I'd like, so I'm always trying to find new ways to save some calories but without losing any of the taste.

The other week Yoo Moo gave me a challenge to create a tasty pudding using their frozen yogurt. I love Yoo Moo especially their little pots, they tend to be a wonderful treat after a meal.

Annie Bean recipe; Yoo Moo Very Berry Baked Alaska

After really thinking about the challenge I decided to embark on creating a classic Baked Alaska, but this time using Yoo Moo Very Berry Frozen Yogurt.

Yoo Moo Info

Less than 3% fat

made from a 70% British sourced yogurt base

No artificial flavours, colours or preservatives

Pots £1.79

Tubs £3.49

Can be found in most leading supermarkets

This particular frozen yogurt has natural and blueberry frozen yogurt with mixed berries and raspberry sauce swirls, topped with granola. Sounds fabulous doesn't it? Trust me it tastes even better!

Okay here's how you can make your very own Yoo Moo Very Berry Baked Alaska - first things first make sure haven't done any strenuous arm exercises before, if you don't have a hand blender you'll need all your strength to create the meringue.... trust me on that one!

Annie Bean Recipe

Yoo Moo Very Berry Baked Alaska

You'll need...

1 x Ready made spongy base (stocked in most supermarkets in the baking isle)

Fresh strawberries

Fresh blueberries

Approx 340ml of Yoo Moo Very Berry Frozen Yogurt

4 egg whites
170g caster sugar

I know the amount of fresh fruit is a touch vague, but that really does depend on how much fresh fruit you want to use and how big your sponge base is. I used around 5 strawberries and about 8 blueberries.

Pop your oven on to heat up to 220c

Once you've done that wash your fresh fruit and chop your strawberries into healthy slices. Take your blueberries and chop them into halves.

Once this is done I suggest creating a formation of your fruit along the base, but make sure it's done in such a way that it lays as even as possible.

Once this is complete just pop your base and the fruit to one side.
Next on the list is the tough part... the meringue. I always struggle with this but I really tried to make the consistency spot on.

Separate your egg whites.

Beat the egg whites until stiff then fold in the sugar and continue to beat.

Keep doing this until its thick, glossy looking and is quite stiff. A good way to test is take a spoon and if it doesn't drip off then you've done it right.
Next take your sponge base, Yoo Moo Very Berry frozen yogurt and spoon the frozen yogurt on top of your fresh fruit.

Take a spatula and your bowl of meringue and smooth it over the ice cream. Don't forget to cover your base completely.

What I did next is optional but it made the pudding look that little bit better. I took my icing nozzle and icing bag, filled it with meringue and piped rings around it with blobs on the top.

This just evened out the meringue so it didn't look too mess. After this it is ready for the oven.

Put your not-so Baked Alaska on some grease proof paper and slide into your oven. It will need to remain there for around 5 minutes or until it's lightly browned. Don't delay in getting it in the oven - it must go in immediately.

Ta-da! What you should be seeing is a delicately baked bundle of goodness. Takes around 15-20 minutes preparation time and 5 minutes cooking, not bad for a quick pudding creation!
But how does it taste....

After cutting the Yoo Moo Very Berry Baked Alaska the frozen yogurt oozed lusciously, making it all the more tempting. Both my boyfriend and I tried a slice each and agreed that the combination of fresh fruits, Yoo Moo Very Berry Moo frozen yogurt and meringue, all compliamented each other perfectly.

We cleaned the plates it was that good!

The only down fall of a Baked Alaska is that you should only create the amount you want to eat at that time, it doesn't keep well because you're using frozen yogurt. So if you want a smaller one just decrease the amounts to suit.

An easy, yummy pudding using an equally delicious frozen yogurt. I know the calories are still significantly there but you've saved a vast amount switching the ice cream to frozen yogurt. For more calorie saving why not use sweetener instead of sugar?

So why not give it a go and let me know how you get on!

xoxo

Next Press Office Takeover!

2013-04-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

I have been dying to tell you about my adventure to the Next Press Office Take Over, but I simply haven't sat still! Last Thursday after a hectic day at work I jumped on the train heading for London. Indulging in a yummy coffee and reading my magazine, I couldn't wait to see all my fellow fashion bloggers and the wonderful Next team for what was set to be a spectacular evening.

I made my way to Goodge Street station to meet Sophie and Eloise, we three all then headed to the Next press office. On arrival (besides being greeted by smiley faces) we were welcomed by champagne, sweets, cocktails and an envelope of tags with our blog names on, which were for us to put next to items we loved!

There was even a competition to guess how many sweets were in the jar... how many do you think there is?

So taking the champagne we began to wonder around the room gazing upon the items. The general vibe I got from having a scan across the room was non stop beauty - I really struggled to find items I wasn't keen on! There was upcoming stunning swimwear, delicate floaty pieces, neon patterns, statement monochrome, electric pinks and minimalistic looks too. Some of my favourite Next tagged pieces are pictured below, but my favourite was the maxi white summer dress (image 2) with it's bead work.

After we had a browse and tagged our favourite items, the canapes started emerging around the bloggers and we were all very eager to try the tasty bites. We had an amazing DJ playing some classic 90's pop tunes and a photobooth complete with accessorises to create wacky photos in....drinks flowing, sweets, photobooth and 90's pop?! It was certainly a very fun evening!

After abusing the photobooth numerous times, we attacked the delicious deserts that went around and sung along to the pop songs... the best part was that so many of us knew all the words. I even put my request in... Well! They were my fave boyband!

After more chinwags with fellow bloggers, sweet nibbling, song singing and getting snappy happy, I was ready to depart for my train home. A wonderful evening as always hosted by Next and absolutely super to see the upcoming creations to hit the stores... I best get some pennies saved!

xoxo

Eating Well, Eating Fresh

2013-04-19T08:48:00.001-07:00

When it comes to cooking I absolutely adore it, but sometimes during the week when work is tough, I'd rather have a bowl of cereal or hit the ready meals. I know this is a massive slap wrists but cooking a good meal can take time, effort and drive.

I'd seen many companies that do a gift box subscription service and even some with ready done meals, but none of these particularly appealed until I came across Hello Fresh. This is a meal service with fresh and local food so you're eating healthy and reducing your food footprint too. Basically how it works is you can select from a 3 or 5 day meal plans that come to your doorstep but unlike others this is all the fresh ingredients uncooked.

Now I know many will be wondering what's the point if it isn't ready to go? But I assure you it is still an easy process. The wonderful team at Hello Fresh have recipe cards inside the boxes with the correctly measured out ingredients inside, meaning you create your meal with their fresh produce - added bonus its all weighed out so you know your calories!

I was sent a 3 day meal box from Hello Fresh to try out. Being totally honest when I received the box I felt slightly worried by what elaborate creations I was going to have to make. Once I digested the information in front of me I began my three days of cooking....

Day1: Cod with truffle mash and roasted leeks

Day 2: Thick cut pork chop with sage butter and new potatoes

Day 3: Chicken yakitori with crispy red onion and sweet and sour noodles

There you have my three meals made with fresh ingredients; around 400 calories and took 40 minutes to create. I honestly would seriously consider doing this again as its like a cheats way to be healthy - you're getting great food they're just telling you how to do it!

As I mentioned before, you can get a 3 day or 5 day meal plans and you get this for 2, 4 or 6 people. There isn't any subscription, it's very flexible and they offer a veggie box too. One thing I love about their website is that it shows you what you will be getting the next week, so you can get excited about what you're cooking!

If you fancy giving Hello Fresh a go you won't regret it... it's such a genius idea!

xoxo

Pink To Make The Boys Wink

2013-04-16T06:42:00.002-07:00

The sunshine popped out this weekend so I was full steam ahead with switching from my oversized warm knits, to my spring time wardrobe with my cigarette trousers. I wasn't one of those typically annoying Brits, (who I did spy) that were in their flip flops, sunglasses, shorts and vest -I simply wanted to look and feel good in some bright colours.

I was off out for some lunch with a friend of mine on Sunday and we said we'd go to this lovely place called Goodliffes. They have seats on the front but tucked away out the back is a great decked area with tables, so we decided to go sit and have lunch out there. We did debate if to opt for a jug of Pimms, but after careful consideration we said it was a bit pre-mature as really Pimms needs to be indulged only when its gorgeous warm weather.

I'd seen these vibrantly pink trousers from Next and just had to have them. I used to be very hesitant with exciting trousers as I feel like I'm standing out too much, but the last few season I've been all about the fun leg wear.

The floral jacquard cigarette trousers are perfect for many occasions this SS13; lunch dates, dinner party, drinks with friends and so on. They do feel superb when they're on and feel slightly elasticated so you don't feel restricted.

The entire look actually features mainly from Next, I hadn't realised but when I've just come to tell you what I'm wearing I've just noticed! The beauty about Next is its all high quality with a reasonable price tag.

What I'm wearing:

Trousers - Next Floral Jacquard Cigarette Trousers - £32.00

Top - Next White Sleeveless Cami - £15.00

Shoes - Clarks Curly Wave Black Suede Wedges - Now in the Sale; £29.99

Necklace - Next Pink Ombre Necklace - £14.00

Bracelet - Monsoon Capri Bracelet - £14.00

What do you think? Colourful cigarette trousers...do they work? Well I absolutely love mine!

Lunch was delicious and I felt wonderful looking out of my sunnies, admiring the blue sky and the warm breeze. Bliss. Can every weekend not just be like that? I did see blossom on the trees as I walked to work the other morning, so maybe we are going to be having more pleasant days ahead.

Lots of love

xoxo

Goodnight Sweetheart

2013-04-15T12:31:00.000-07:00

Whenever I go to bed my head is usually still racing from the day I'm a about to depart from, whatever I do I find it quite difficult to unwind and this is something that is common for many. I have managed to curb mine slightly by following the various points below before bed.

Turning all media items off at least an hour before bed
Always diverting my mind to reading a book
Having some camomile tea
Listening to calming music
Yoga at least an hour or so before

This is all fantastic and really does send me off for a good, healthy sleep but doesn't always work. The main issue I do have is with my posture, as every single morning without fail I'll have neck ache and will always find that my sternum needs to click, which can sometimes be quite painful. Over the years after it bothering me I'd finally made my peace and decided it was just one of those things, but a few months ago I had woken up in the middle of the night and found my head was right at the bottom of the pillow, so was in a really awkward unsupported position. No wonder I had so much neck ache all the time! I initially decided it was the kind of cheap pillows I'd had and decided to invest in some duck down feather ones. As comfy as they were they just weren't supporting me at all and I finally hit home that absolutely nothing was going to work.

The day I received an email from Octaspring was the day I'd woken with awful neck and shoulder ache, making me extremely grumpy! When they asked me to review one of their pillows I jumped at the chance as I figured I may as well try. Octaspring has a range of four memory foam pillows that feature the same technology that exists in their mattresses, and so it offers you perfect neck and head alignment when you sleep whilst still offering you the comfort of a traditional pillow. If it could support my neck more than others I'd tried I'd be over the moon... but I was a bit skeptical.

I popped the pillow into one of my cases and put it on top of my other remaining pillow, but this made it too high up for me to sleep so only had the Octaspring pillow on its own. This was a weird concept as I always sleep with two pillows but really wanted to give it a try.

When I lay back onto the pillow immediately my head and neck sunk into place and suddenly felt very supported. According to the Octaspring website all pillows are made from one material that delivers the same support to the head and neck, whether its goose down, polyester fill or memory foam, but these will only ever support either head or neck - they won't support both... perhaps the reason I had been having so many issues.

"Octaspring pillows use a firm pillow-spring to support under the neck, and soft, breathable memory foam pillow-springs for the head. It is the perfect combination. An Octaspring pillow respects the natural physiognomy of your vertebral column to provide good sleeping posture so you wake up ache-free and well rested in the morning. A simple idea that makes sense."

So away I went to the land of nod and I can hand on heart say I have never slept better. When I woke up I still had my full head on the pillow instead of being slumped off and I had no neckache what so ever. Unlike memory foam pillows you don't leave a heavy print or feel you are stuck in one place after sinking into the pillow, it keeps the shape but you can move easily and still feel supported. I've continued to use the Octaspring pillow and have constantly had great nights sleeps every time. The best thing for me is knowing my posture is benefiting from this as well, as I don't find my sternum clicks which I think stems from my unsupported neck.

I have never really invested a mass amount on pillows or mattresses as it's not particulary top of my list, but after realising what a difference this pillow made I started to think how important getting a good nights sleep was. You spend a fair amount of your life in bed so really you should be investing in quality products, well this was my frame of thinking... I honestly will really consider buying a pillow for my boyfriend and looking at their mattresses - if the mattress is as good as the pillow, I'm never leaving the bed!

If you'd like to find out more please visit the Octaspring website.

xoxo

On ya bike!

2013-04-10T08:56:00.003-07:00

Last weekend was a tiny glimpse of things to come, the joyful fact was that spring isn't too far away. Flowers are eager to bloom and the warmer days are merely in the distance... and quite frankly none of us can wait! With the miserable weather we've been having I started to think about the lack of motivation I've had with any training, I do yoga, cycling and run but I haven't even fancied doing those recently. I seem to have fallen into the pit of 'I can't be bothered' and it seems I'm not alone in this thinking...

I hate to feel forced into keeping fit, if my track record has proven anything is that I need to do exercise when I don't realise I am. When I say exercise when I don't realise, a prime love of mine is cycling; out in the fresh air but you don't often know you're exercising. You can do your day to day tasks, cycle to work, cycle out for a picnic...the list goes on and you're keeping fit = winner.

I've previously blogged about my love for cycling but I figured I'm looking for some needed inspiration so I'm hoping to take you along with me.

Firstly cycling has many benefits but one major one is that it's low impact, meaning it is a fantastic exercise for beginners right the way through to experts. With regards to this post I'm not say you need to be the next Bradley Wiggins or the next Mark Cavendish, I'm talking about cycling for the love of the activity and today I'm listing the bikes for ladies who want a fashionable push bike.

I have a wonderful bicycle called Gertie, I bought her last year off a market stall and have thoroughly enjoyed riding her to work, to my friends, to the shops and so on. She was £70.00 and to be honest it is the best money I've ever spent. You'll have noticed some bikes out in the shops are quite pricey so I've listed a mixture below - but each one is amazing in its own way.

1. Bobbin Brownie

This pale rose bicycle from Bobbin Brownies is one of my favourites - I'm a sucker for a vintage chic design and especially in a delicate pastel paint. The website describes the range as;
"If you like leather satchels, Mackintoshes, Moleskine notebooks and Box Brownie cameras, this is the Bobbin for you. This beautiful, simple looped frame bicycle is designed for women who want a classic bike that can handle a few hills"

Do I need to say anymore? This stunning model is available at specific stockist for £350.00, but I've found it on Cycle World

2. Pashley

Most of you will have heard about a Pashley bicycle, as it's one of Britians longest standing bike manufacturer, and you can see why! The bikes that Pashley produce are all hand built and quite honestly - stunning! The one I'd chosen is the Britannia model in a gorgeous vibrant red colour. Personally I adore a bike with a basket as it's ideal for popping to pick up bits from the shop or carting my handbag in.

This Pashley bike is £625.00 and is available on the Pashley Cycles website.

3. Trek

I know this bicycle isn't as 'pretty' as the others but it is very practical. You certainly aren't limited with where you can cycle, you can head down country roads easily and uneven surfaces. Trek bikes tend to be extremely comfortable and this FX bike you'll be happy to know is built for both road and city use.

The Trek bike is £425.00 from the Trek website

4. Raleigh

I've had Raleigh bikes my entire life, I find the bikes fantastic - which is why I keep going back. I currently have a really old one but if I was to get another from their range I'd opt for their Spirit Blue one. I love the shape, the colour and of course the feminine charm. I'd certainly say this was more of city bike rather than a road bike, but if you just want a bicycle for cycling to your local job or picking up the milk from the shops... go for this one!

The Spirit Blue Raleigh bike is £375.00 from the Raleigh website

5. Viking

Another city based frame, but with a splash of road bike influence. Love the colour of this one and the vintage looking saddle and handles.

"All the features of the traditional Viking Heritage bike but the Westwood comes with a rear carrier and a front basket. A classy ride in Pearl Ivory and with contrasting brown saddle and grips, this bike really is retro style"

This range of bikes are usually stocked at Go Outdoors but have a browse on their main website for a wider selection. The Westwood can be purchased for £249.99 from the Viking Website or Go Outdoors

6. Dutchie

A great small company that creates ladies vintage inspired bicycles. This one is their Dutchie 'Chic' 8-speed.

"Stylish yet practical, the 'Chic' 8 speed is perfect for ‘pootling’ about the countryside or those hidden city shortcuts. And with 8 gears, enough options for every gradient."

Add a woven basket and your cycle bag and away you go!

These bikes come in a variety of gears as well as sizes and this particular one is £398.00 from the Dutchie website.

7. Beg

I stumbled upon this range of bikes a while ago and even though there are only a few in their range, I'm sure you'll agree it's quite beautiful!

"BEG's beautiful Dutch bicycle Betty is a practical lass with her integrated front porter's rack but it's not at the expense of gorgeous good looks, and a jaunty, super-comfortable sit up and beg ride."

Again this is very much a city bike but teamed with a basket, your floaty dress and in the summer? Well that's a truly amazing image! This bicycle comes in at £725.00 and is available direct from Beg Bicyles themselves.

The list above is just a few of my top bicycles currently on the market, I'm looking to extend my bicycle collection this summer so I'll be sure to let you know what rides best. I'm slowly starting to take after my triathlete boyfriend with collection of bikes when I swore I never would... but who can resist any of the bicycles above?!

xoxo

Bye Bye Weekend Blues

2013-04-07T13:54:00.001-07:00

Where does the weekend vanish to?! We get to 5pm on Friday but before you know its Sunday evening and the week of work is only a sleep away. It does really suck - I know that really doesn't help the reality that we are slowly getting closer to Monday...but on the plus side we can soon begin the countdown to our next days off.

After a busy weekend, today my lovely boy and I had spent the afternoon with close friends, going for a long walk and having chats about getting some plans in place. I always find when you have a similar daily routine, you can get seriously stuck in a rut and it can make you feel a bit low... so I have to set myself goals or targets to aim for in order to look forward. On our walk today we all planned both goals and targets, so I'll be starting my Monday feeling like I have spring truly in my step...even if the weather doesn't feel ready to!

What I'm wearing

Jumper - Dorothy Perkins Aqua Soft Knit - £20.00

Boots - Dorothy Perkins Tan Studded Toe Ankle Boots - £20.00

Leggings - Topshop Check Denim Leggings - £25.00

Bag - Fiorelli Jade Shoulder Bag -£49.00

It was a rare day today that the sun was out, but of course it was still quite chilly. In my style outfit I have simply applied a light aqua knit jumper from Dorothy Perkins with my favourite Topshop checked leggings and my Fiorelli handbag - which is pretty much my best friend in the bag world; huge in size but so big that I do sometimes lose bits in it! In short, its an outfit that is fun, comfortable and ideal for an outting to the shops or a coffee with friends.

Onward to Monday my lovelies! I have a busy week ahead with some needed training, I feel like I have eaten the world and I don't know if any of you watch Secret Eaters, but it doesn't half make you wonder if you are too... I've had to limit my nibbbling! Anyways, this week I have running, yoga but also a well needed catch up with Claire from Jazz Pad.

Have a wonderful week readers :)

xoxo

Beauty Review: Australian Native Botanicals - Exfoliating Scrub

2013-04-03T13:12:00.003-07:00

I have been on the quest to find a decent body scrub for ages, my skin is quite fickle and loves a good scrub but will often come out red and blotchy if its too much.

During my quest I came across Australian Native Botanicals from Marks & Spencers. This is a relatively new range in the beauty department at M&S and has a variety of products available from shampoos to lotions. I often find that M&S are a reliable company for any clothing purchases, as I know it'll have been well made, however I don't know a vast amount about their beauty items, so I was extremely eager to find out what this new range would be like.

Austrailian Native Botanicals Mountain Pepper Exfoliating Scrub - £7.50

The first item from this collection that I tested was the Mountain Pepper Exfoliating Scrub; made with crushed walnut shell, aloe vera, jojoba, sesame oil, cocoa seed oil, shea butter, avocado oil and blended with elemi, lemon, ylang ylang, cinnamon and lemon verbena pure essential oils. After reading the ingredients I was intrigued to see how such a wonderful combination or smells and sensations went down with my sensitive skin.

The look

To be honest I never even clicked this was from Marks & Spencers, because the packaging doesn't give anything away. Each type of product from the range comes in a different colour - so I guess if you are in a rush and you know your colour...It might make life easier?! Well personally I really quite like the vibrant yet simple packaging as it links well with the fact the products are 100% vegan and gluten free, pushing the hippy and pure road the product is aiming for. Yet with such a variety of beautiful smells and items packed into the bottle, I feel it has every right to be an exciting shade to emphasis how wonderful it is.

The smell & texture

I do struggle with products that are too intense with smells, if I get items that are of certain aromas I can instantly get a migraine - lucky there wasn't much of an intense smell at all to this, infact its just a very clean yet zesty fragrance. Next was the texture, this was ideal for someone like me who gets very irritated skin easily as the gel consistancy that comes out the bottle, doesn't have too many scrub particles in it the ones it does have, you certainly feel on your skin but they aren't as intense or hard as some scrubs.

The effects

Firstly the bottle seems to be lasting quite a while, which is always a bonus especially as it is quite pricey... I found that you only need to use a little in order for it to do its job. I got a lovely scrubbed feeling after each wash and my skin didn't blotch or feel irritated at all, I believe this could all be down to the fact there are no synthetic fragrances or synthetic colours, made with 96.1% of natural origin ingredients, no parabanes, no PEGs and no phthalates.... basically it is quite a saintly product!

The verdict

If like me you have easily irritated or sensitive skin, this could very well be a happy balance for using in the shower. If however you are after a more intense scrub - then this may not be the exfoliating scrub for you, the lack of scrubbing particles won't make the experience as intense on your skin. Overall though I'd certainly say for a product that isn't tested on animals, that smells nice and cleans well, its fantastic... especially as it lasts ages!

xoxo

Easter Bliss

2013-04-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

I love having time off work, especially when its not cutting into my annual leave. This extended weekend has been lush and was just what the doctor ordered; I've seen friends, hung out with family, and more importantly I've spent a lot of time simply relaxing! Bliss.

In regards to chocolate for Easter, I had a lovely egg from my boy - a Minnie Mouse one with a mug! I have a zillion mugs in my cupboard, but still getting one with an Easter egg thrills me! I even still have my Cadburys caramel bunny mug from the 90's.... remember the caramel bunny?! Exactly. Its old!

It was a lovely day so decided I'd brave my new Next chinos and my light Topshop denim jacket. As the sun wasn't exactly shining I've kept the colours all quite tame.

What I'm wearing:

Top - Next Tie Front Check Stud Top - £25.00

Trousers - Next Textured Cotton Chinos - £20.00

Jacket - Topshop Light Denim Jacket - £45.00

Shoes - New Look Light Brown Ballet Pumps - £7.99

I went to my sisters for Easter Sunday tea with the rest of the family and was fully fed and watered. We then spent the early evening watching musical classic Grease, It went down very well as we're quite a musical family. I was amazed at how well I remembered all the words even though I hadn't watched it in ages!

So basically on Easter Sunday I mainly spent the day sleeping and eating... well not exactly but you know when you simply feel sooo full you can't move? And like you didn't achieve much with your day? Well that was my Easter Sunday. To be honest when I think about it, its not a bad thing at all! I personally often cram so much in my day to day life that doing nothing can be a mighty bonus!

My sister is a fantastic cook and my family and I truly indulged! I did take my little Easter fairy cakes over to hers, but she had made some delicious lemon cupcakes along with a chocolate and ginger torte! Yum yum. See the cow in the middle photo? Yes that is correct, it is a cow teapot and when you pour the tea it comes out the cows mouth. Genius.

Did any of you have many Easter eggs? Did you get up to much on your time off?

xoxo

Hoppy Easter!

2013-03-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

The day has come and the chocolate is finally here! Many will be off for family dinners, celebrations and some just taking the time to simply relax. I am off to my lovely sisters for an Easter Sunday dinner and have spent my morning indulging in my Mr Selfridge box set, whilst baking some cheeky Easter themed fairy cakes.

Larry lamb & betty bunny

I was debating yesterday what to create in my kitchen for an Easter treat, so decided to make some fairy cakes but using an 'Ultimate Fairy Cake' recipe.

Ultimate Fairy Cake

130 grams of softened butter

130 grams caster sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla extract ( I use Nielsen-Massey)

130 grams of self-raising flour

4 tablespoons semi skimmed milk

1 Packet of smarties mini eggs

1. First things first, pop your oven on to 190c

2. Get a bowl whisk the eggs & vanilla essence.

3. Then in a different bowl cream together the butter and the caster sugar

4. Sift half the flour in and fold that into the mixture. Then add the milk and mix again. Fold in the other half of the sifted flour.

5. Spoon into the paper cases and put into the oven for about 25 mins until golden and crisp on top.

After the cakes had been baked, I popped them on the cooler rack. Whilst they were letting off some steam I decided to start making the icing.

Buttercream Icing

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml of milk

a couple of drops of vanilla extract

1. Beat the icing sugar and butter together - I do suggest using a mixer.

2. Add the milk (I heated mine slightly) and the vanilla essence.

3. Mix it all well together - the more you mix it the better it will be!

5. Take the mixture and paste it onto the cooled cakes.

6. Add your decorations - I wanted mini eggs on the tops of mine!

So simple but you can't beat a classic and you know it'll be something people will enjoy. I reckon we will be having these with a spot of tea!

Happy Easter everyone!

xoxo

Statement Monochrome Meets Neon

2013-03-30T03:42:00.001-07:00

I am absolutely loving monochrome this season, I rocked it at fashion week and I've continued on ever since. I do have a habit of sticking to 'safe' options but I decided the other day enough was enough.

Yesterday I teamed my favourite checked leggings from Topshop with a vibrant neon pink top from Next. I've then simply added some extras to give it a hint of a rock inspiration, without being too dated or pointing at a common vintage rock style. As I say I have styled a monochrome look before at LFW, take a quick peek; London Fashion Week Day 1

What I'm wearing

Trainers - Next Grey Matallic Concealed Wedge Trainers £55.00

Leggings - Topshop Blck Check Denim Leggings £25.00

Top - Next Pink Chiffon Mix Shell Top £12.00

Jacket - Miss Selfridge Seam Detail Biker Jacket £52.00

Beads - Topshop

Adding the exciting silver metallic wedge trainers, gives some extra height without obviously causing pain that heels would. It also makes the look quite casual, but remaining quite edgy.

I love mixing the look up and adding my old skool necklace from Topshop - I got that zesty yellow item around 2003 and have kept it ever since. Sometimes it is a wise idea to hold on to some items you buy, especially jewellery as it really can come back around and finish off a look. I have been cursing the fact I can't embrace my spring/summer wardrobe, so a happy balance of cheeky bright colours with monochrome really do work well.

I spent the day with my lovely food blogging buddy Alex from Gingey Bites. We mainly played with her cat, only after a delicious french inspired lunch at a local deli! It was a wonderful Good Friday and today I'm venturing to the shops for a spot of pay day shopping! Fingers crossed we stop having snow in the UK, if we don't I may have to do a snow wear or pyjama post!

xoxo

Fun in Fitness

2013-03-28T14:10:00.001-07:00

There is so much pressure at the moment for us all to suddenly become the ideal people. Many of us have had new years resolution we really wanted to stick to, whether it's perhaps to travel somewhere specific or maybe spend more time with family, whatever it is we all have goals we wanted to achieve.

The most common goal is of course is to get fit and lose weight. You may have noticed more people out on their bikes or perhaps out in the rain running but,one of the most common ways for people to get fit is doing more fitness classes. Now I'm not particularly wanting to lose weight or get fit, I just would like to be more active for health reasons, with this in mind I've decided to try and inspire you in this post.

What I want to do is emphasize the fact that fitness can actually be fun, it doesn't have to be a chore or feel forced on you. I went to my local gym the other day and once upon a time I would happily of got on with a workout, but this time was different. The place was rammed full of people and for once I kept thinking how much I'd like to not focus of the fact I was wanting to keep fit, I wanted to have fun whilst being active!

We are blessed in the UK with some gyms that have wonderful classes on such as Zumba or (if you like it) RPM, which both can be good fun and keep you fit. For example First Fitness are introducing two new classes in their gyms, Athletic skill classes like Athletics Fitness class (inspired by professional athletes) and other classes that involve using athletic equipment, (for example agility ladders, mini hurdles, medicine balls and cones,) a great way to keep fitness interesting!

I do sometimes find I'll get bored of some classes if they get repetitive. I'll often spice things up on a weekly basis and try to do things where I told feel I am pinned to... one great way is having a giggle with friends on the Wii Just Dance games - I tried that last weekend with my two lovely friends and my goodness did we laugh, but got a super workout!

One way that keeps me feeling interested besides different classes is of course fashion and fitness. This is split down the middles, some people will argue that it doesn't matter what you look like - which is true, but then like me I find if I feel good in what I'm wearing, I will work harder.

To try and inspire you I've created some looks for what I think are fun, active workouts. I have thrown in two looks purely for getting out in the fresh air!

Dance

Jumper - Sweaty Betty Sensory Jumper - £125.00

Top - Sweaty Betty Dynamic Dance Capri - £39.00

Trousers - Dancing In The Street Rumpf 4010 Dance Pants - £35.95

Socks - Gococo Light Sports Sock - £11.95

Trainers - Bloc Criss Cross Sneakers - £38.00

Bag - Pineapple Originals Metallic Dance Bag - £20.00

Bottle - Keep Calm & Dance on - £11.50

Zumba

Top - Zumba Flow Bubble top - £24.95

Jacket - Adidas Originals Europa Tracksuit Top - £50.00

Trouser - Zumba Captivate Sweatpants - £29.95

Bra - Roxy Perfectly Seamless Bra - £32.00

Trainers - Puma Women's Wylie Infinity II Sport Sneaker - £48.00

Bag - Stella McCartney Adidas Back Pack - £90.00

Running

Top - Nike Miler Long Sleeved T Shirt - £19.99

Short Top - Adidas by Stella McCartney Run Climacool Stretch - £55.00

Trousers - Nike Elements Shield Tights - £60.95

Shorts - Adidas by Stella McCartney Performance Shorts - £54.00

Bag - Puma Training Gloss Barrel Duffle - £41.22

Trainers - Asics Gel Nimbus 13 Running Shoes - £33.50

Bra - Nike Pro Printed Sports Bra - £19.99

Socks - Snow & Rock Smartwool Phd Running Socks - £10.99

Hiking

Cardigan - Topshop Knitted Short Grunge Cardi - £36.00

Top - Next Grey Long Sleeved Scoop Top - £6.00

Leggings - Topshop Block Check Denim Leggings - £25.00

Wellies - Hunter Original Wellies - £89.00

Bag - Roxy Wild Outback Bag - $44.00

Necklace - Monsoon Naples Necklace - £19.00

Coat - Stella McCartney Oversized Hood Floral Anorak - $500.00

Dog Walking

Gilet - Rampant Sporting Navy Blue - £80.00

Top - Monsoon Sarah Stripe - £29.00

Necklace - Topshop Flat Retangle Chain - £10.00

Jeans - French Connection Blue Angle Jeans £77.00

Flask - Liberty Wild & Wolf Pink Roses 500ml Flask - £18.95

Hat - North Face Rigsy Pom Pom - £18.00

Yoga

Top - French Connection Freeway Oversized Tshirt - £25.00

Bottoms - Homebody Yoga Snuggle Cropped Leggings - £62.95

Bra - Roxy Cross Back Seamless Bra - £25.00

Top - Flippa K Fine Lycra Racer Tank - £34.95

Yoga Mat - Nike Performance Graphic Yoga Mat - £40.00

There you have some of my style pieces to aid fun in fitness! Just grab your shoes and your ipod and take yourself for a lovely long walk... you'd be surprised how good it makes you feel and you'll be keeping fit!

xoxo

Listening to the radio

2013-03-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

Over the past year or so I've really abandoned my TV. Once upon a time I'd do nothing but sit and indulge in as many TV shows as possible, but finally I got so fed up watching soaps that contained non stop life issues, the news or other TV shows that dragged everything down, that I switched off and thought to myself life is complicated enough than to fill it with all this. Admittedly some people don't feel this way and that is absolutely fine, but I do believe sometimes it's good to turn the TV off, ease your mind and live a bit.

When I decided to ditch the TV, I felt really out of the loop as I didn't know the really important news or the latest music - two things that are quite key in my life. I decided to download the radio onto my iPad and whilst going about my day-to-day routine I had it on in the background, providing me with essential info and of course the music that I'd been craving.

The radio is something that I've often taken for granted, but for me the music industry completely changed around 2008, and what was once new and exciting had become quite repetitive...often with acts that had an expiry date. I decided to branch out by listening to a number of stations, mainly to embrace the genres I love instead of always sticking to commercial. My problem now was that I didn't always want to be using my iPad, so the last few weeks I have been on a radio hunt!

Below are some of the radios I have spied in my radio hunt. I love the snazzy looking radios and knew this would be a fun challenge. I'd obviously be looking for something up to date technology wise, but also something that was somewhat individual.

Pure Evoke Mio DAB Radio, Mustard -£129.95

Pure radios are nice and simplistic but come in a number of shades. It's quite 60's looking but teamed with an up to date look.

Pure Evoke Mio DAB Radio, Orla Kiely Stem Print Edition- £149.95

I saw the Orla Kiely collection at this London Fashion Week just passed, so when I discovered she had teamed with Pure - I knew it would be different! I love this adorable print that is very basic but statement all at once.

ROBERTS Cath Kidston Limited Edition Revival RD60 DAB Digital Radio, Kempton Rose -£199.95

You can't really go wrong with Cath Kidston and you certainly can't go wrong with a Roberts radio. A collaboration you maybe have already heard about, but certainly one that is ever lasting.

Bush Portable Cream Radio - £29.99

I saw this radio and immediately thought of my grandparents. A cream, vintage looking radio from Bush is a fantastic creation.

Acoustic Solutions Gloss DAB Radio - Green - £31.49

If vintage looking isn't for you, there are a number of great radios out there. This one from Argos is zesty in colour and very up to date with its technology - better yet the price is superb.

Roberts Rival DAB (RD 60) - £160.00

I do love this one the best, mainly because the colour looks so sheer, it's a happy balance of being in the now and appearing like it has a long history.

Pure Evoke 1S Marshall DAB Radio - £104.95

I don't think I really need to say much for this one! A Pure DAB Marshall radio... amazing! My boyfriend saw this and loved it. Certainly is quirky and very classic.

I am personally looking at getting a radio as investment, I don't feel the need to purchase a CD player anymore but getting a radio is wise. The radio will always remain in my eyes and out of any digital technology it has been the one thing to continue.

I hope you like my top radio picks!

xoxo

Springtime Snow

2013-03-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Have we done a rewind? I was pretty sure it was officially Spring the other day and we have just had a fair bit of snow! Are we back in January?! I feel like I can't shop much at the moment because the items on offer are all ready to boost SS13, when really we're still needing AW12... I'm either hibernating or flying south for the winter next time!

My typical rants about the beautiful British weather aside, this weekend me and my man were on dog duty. I do love doing dog duty so the little cheeky chappy that is Olly, was going to be spending time with me and my other half for the weekend whilst my Mum & Dad were away. Olly is 3 years old and is a bit like rain man by this I mean he is a bit odd, for example he will growl and frantically wag his tail, or on the flipside he would happily walk himself home or to my sisters house without any guidance! One of his more dippy sides tends to occurs when snow pays a visit, as when he sees it...well he eats it! Goodness knows why but it makes walking him quite a task as he doesn't move much just eats, so walking him this weekend was going to be a challenge.

Can't beat the Aroma Sheep Slippers!

We went up on the Friday and spent the evening mostly walking, watching films and snuggling on the sofa with Olly Bobs. I mainly spent the entire time in my PJs and sheep slippers!

Olly is a bit like a small child as he always wants to be right beside you as much as he can, this is lovely but obviously come bedtime can be an issue. Olly has a tendency to howl at night which can be a serious pain when you want to sleep, I know many will be saying surely he shouldn't be doing that at 3? That's right he shouldn't, but he was the runt of the litter and the breeder hand fed him, so he is heavily reliant on people. Getting to the point Olly didn't howl once or make a single sound that night, so we were able to sleep perfectly!

When we woke snow had absolutely covered everywhere

After being jumped on, frantically licked and wagged at by the dog, we got up had some breakfast (the dog too) and we decided to watch some TV before looking to head out. Funnily the one who is usually super excited gave me a face I'll never forget, and just to add I'd even said the magic word, 'walkies'.

The expression speaks for itself: "I'm going no where"

We wrapped up with many layers and instead of my trusty Hi-Tec walking boots, I thought it was best to head out in my Hunter Wellies with my oversized snowboard O'neill jacket. I did try to get the dog to wear his very basic coat I got for him, but Olly thinks he is too cool for that! If I'm honest I don't really understand dressing animals up, however it was freezing so he could of done with something extra to wear but Olly is a bit of bruiser and makes a point it's not for him.

As you can see walking towards the fields from my house it was covered in snow, luckily the dog didn't do his eating snow trick and appeared to be happy trotting and running about.
When we got back we three dried off, made a hot drink and went back to the sofa to spend the rest of Saturday watching Sky Movies! Rock and Roll!

Someone was very happy to be back in the warmth!

The dog pretty much spent the afternoon sleeping, I guess he'd ran so much he was worn out! I spruced my nails up with some Chanel 455 nail polish, ready for our get together that evening with friends including Gingeybites and her mister.

We had a lovely evening on Saturday with our friends, we drank wine, played on the wii and generally had a bit of a giggle. I won't lie I've felt very tired today as we didn't actually get to bed until gone 4am - just for the record I haven't done that since I was in uni! So today me and my mister had a lazy morning, then popped to good old Tesco and grabbed some bits for making a proper warming Sunday dinner....

Yum!

I think that is my que to go chill out for the rest of the evening, as Monday draws ever closer and we don't have long left! Have a great week everyone, maybe soon we will see lamps leaping in frields, bunnies hopping and flowers blooming.... well we can dream can't we?!

xoxo

The Feeling of Vitality

2013-03-20T14:55:00.000-07:00

When I first started blogging the first event I attended and wrote about was The Vitality Show. It was an exhibition of everything you can possibly think of for a better way of living; beauty, fitness, food and general well being. Hosted at London Earl's Court from the 21st March - 24th March, the show this year is celebrating its 14th birthday! It has been over a decade since The Vitality Show first kicked off, bringing the latest trends and technology in all things health, beauty and fitness to us here in the UK.

It truly is great to wander around and find new brands and companies you never even knew about! I especially like it when I would stumble across new products, I won't like - many have samples too! This year new foodproducts from Urban Fruit, Rude Health and Good Hemp Nutrition are all ones that can be sampled, alongside beauty products from Beauty at Tesco, Amy Childs' Dolly Diamonds, and must haves Aduna, Bomb Cosmetics Company. Plenty for you to see and try!

There are always great talks from top experts and this year they have Camilla Sacre-Dallerup and Dr David Hamilton. The guest speakers will provide their knowledge on all areas of interest from healthy eating, career breaks or how to even dress for your shape! If that doesn't make you extremely excited, on site is a spa are where you can select Luxe or Classic treatments by Neals Yard Remedies. Yes please!

They usually have a space in the middle so you can try various fitness classes and this year for the first time the Vitality has joined forces with Women's Sport & Fitness Foundation, to bring a number of activiries for visitors to try out! This time you can try the Powerhoop and let loose at the Tantrum Club.

I unfortunately can't make this years but if you have been feeling like you're in a slump after a fallen New Years Resolution - this will fire you up with energy! Last time I walked away feel amazing, I had energy and all I wanted to do was make my life better with all I'd learnt, tried and seen!

It really is a feel-good event and will make you want to be the person you dream to be! Tickets are from £20.00 with some other tickets that have spa treatments included.

I cannot fault it... so if you're in London between 21st March - 24th March then make sure you head to The Vitality Show.

XOXO

Style: On the edge

2013-03-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday everyone! I know there isn't really anything to be overly excited about on a Monday, but you have to try to remain positive! I have a truly hectic week then a weekend filled with my four legged friend Olly, so we're doing lots of walking and having some adventures with the little scamp.

This all aside I decided to show you my look for the other night, I went for a drink with a friend and decided as it was still quite chilly I'd combine some cheeky florals with my leather jacket.

The moodboard above is just a few ideas I had whilst I deciding what to go for, (usually it takes me ages to pick what I want to wear) I was aiming to keep the look playful and warm. I really do think all the tones work really well together.

What I'm wearing: Jacket - Miss Selfridge Black Seam Detail Leather Jacket - £52.00, Boots - Stylistpick Adela heeled Chelsea Boots - £40.00, Skirt - Chicnova Wool Blend Floral Print Mini - £19.00, Top - Wallis Black Cami - £10.00, Bag - Fiorelli Be Happy Grab Yellow - £59.00

I adore this skirt teamed with the boots!

For my hair I simply took a stretchy hair band and wrapped my hair in a loop around it, and with regards to the skirt I added a plaited brown belt to encourage emphasis on my waist. Obviously black tights were a must!

xoxo

Pork sausage and apple pie

2013-03-17T11:56:00.000-07:00

The weather hasn't exactly been the most delightful, infact instead of feeling ready to skip along fields and appreciate the daffodils many would rather snuggle up in the warmth. Keeping this all in mind the other day my boyfriend and I decided to create a pie for dinner. Nothing better than a tasty pie to keep you nice and toasty, so we made a pork sausage and apple pie.

What I used:

50g Butter (we used flora instead to save on calories)

1 Red onion - diced

500g sausagemeat (or sausages with the skins removed from them)

1 eating apple, cored and diced

1 x 500g block Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry

1 egg (beaten for glazing)

1 x Maggi So Juicy Apple & Sage

Handful of Parsley chopped up.

All the items you will be needing

Firstly pop the oven on to 200c or for a fan assisted oven 180c. Get a pan on the stove and heat it up, add some butter and after you have diced the red onion add that in too. Make sure you cook it until it is softened. I then added in the Maggi Apple sage mix to give some flavour.

I added the sausage meat, the parsely and then after the apple had been diced added that in too.... making sure it was all well seasoned.

Taking the Jus-Rol Shortcrust Pastry & cut a third of it into a block and placed it to one side. I rolled out the bigger piece until large enough to fit your baking tin. Lining the tin with non stick baking paper and placed the pastry into the tin, then added the sausage mixture.

Taking the other block of pastry and rolling it out until it's large enough to fit over the top. Before popping the pie in the oven I brushed the base border with beaten egg and over the lid too. Finally pinching the edges to seal it all together and adding small slits in the middle, (to release the steam) then making sure its all covered in the beaten egg. I then put into the oven for 25 minutes until it was golden.

We then served the pie with farmhouse style veggies & mash potato with parsley. Honestly I was surprised how delicious a sausage pie was, you should give it a try!

xoxo