Yearly Archives: 2018

Pastel Perfection from Filofax

23rd May 2018
Is anyone else a note book hoarder? I’m sure fellow Stationery addicts will relate when I confess I have a drawer full of printed presentation folders, notebooks (and pens, my other weakness).
I can’t resist them- despite knowing I will never get through them all; nor do I want to spoil their pristine condition I often find myself in line in a shop, or clicking “add to basket”.
Filofax is a brand that has featured fairly often on the blog. It’s a brand that to me reflects quality and style and I’ve been a devoted fan since a very young age.

Their notebook range instantly took on “I need it now” status as soon as I saw it, and now I have one of their A5 Classic Pastel* notebooks in my mitts I can quite safely say that any stationery junkie also needs one.

Available in a range of gorgeous pastel shades and costing £12.99 this notebook has everything you could possibly want as a place to store your plans and scribbles. It features a twin wire spine, secure elastic closure (which is tried and tested a great game for kittens), a moveable page marker/ruler and moveable index markers meaning you can arrange your sections as you wish.
It also has the unique feature of laying completely flat when folded back on itself, and also when open.

As with most Filofax products refills and accessories are available and the pages are compatible with all A5 Filofax notebooks.
Available online and in all good stationery retailers.

I almost daren’t ask this question for fear of a severely depleted bank account, but where are your favourite places to shop for stationery? And which notebook brands stand out above the rest?
Filofax will always be the one for me- coupled with my trusty fountain pen I feel like I can take on the world.

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Notebook gifted to me by Filofax for blog consideration with no obligation to post. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Posted in brands I love, lifestyle, stationary

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Invites to the Royal Wedding and brunch with Kim Kardashian —times we’ve been invited to brush shoulders with celebrities*

21st May 2018
Many of are still smarting, and remain convinced that our Royal Wedding invitations got lost in the post. We had to make do, and sulkily watch the wedding of the year from our sofas, although, 2,640 lucky members of the public did receive requests to attend the big day.
The most recent Royal Wedding is not the first time we’ve been invited to brush shoulders with celebrities. Angelic Diamonds, retailers of engagement rings take a look at other occasions when we’ve had to scrub up to walk amongst A-listers.

(Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash)

Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle’s wedding

Taking place on May 19th, the Royal Wedding inspired mass Royal Fever. And, unlike other high-profile weddings, certain members of the general public were invited to take part in the special day.
People from across the UK had been selected by Lord Lieutenant offices to attend the wedding. These individuals were able to see the royals arrive at the chapel and watch the procession in their chosen carriage after the ceremony.
When the guest list was decided, the newlyweds specified that the invitees should be from a range of backgrounds and ages, and should include those who have “shown strong leadership and those who have served their communities”. The stories of some of the chosen guests were then told through the Kensington Palace Twitter page.

The official guestlist remained unknown, but there were rumous that the guests would be brushing shoulders with celebrities such as Serena Williams, The Spice Girls and Ed Sheeran.

Listening sessions with Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has always been one for keeping in touch with her fans. One Christmas, she personally wrapped gifts for her supporters as a festive treat. She’s also been known to invite her super-fans for secret listening sessions ahead of a couple of her albums.
In 2014, ahead of the release of her 1989 album, Taylor invited her fandom over to her house for lunch. She served them pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that she’d personally baked and gave everyone free album merchandise. Guests got their photo taken with superstar, held her awards and even listened to her talking about her relationship with ex-One Direction star, Harry Styles.
She must have enjoyed her self, so much so that she decided to do something similar in 2017. This time, she invited fans to a listening party in London to hear her sixth studio album, Reputation. Taylor personally selected 100 fans to attend the event and they enjoyed chicken nuggets, M&Ms and Reputation-themed cookies.

Birthday brunch with Kim Kardashian

We’re all about Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but would you ever think you’d be invited to brunch with one of them? That’s exactly what some of Kim’s super-fans got to do back in 2015.
For Kim’s 35th birthday she flew all of the fans that she follows on social media out to Los Angeles for brunch. The meeting took place at the Four Seasons in Westlake Village and guests enjoyed food and drinks, took photos with the reality star and got their phone cases signed.
As an extra surprise her husband Kanye showed up to the venue with their daughter North. After the event Kim said on Twitter “I love you guys so much and am so grateful to have met you guys today!” and sent personalised thank-you cards to those who were invited.

Getting married at the Grammys

Some of us dream of a quiet service for our wedding day, surrounded only by close family and friends. But some want bigger and better things and would be green with envy over what 33 newlyweds experienced in 2014.
They were invited to the 56th Grammy Awards in 2014- held at Staples Centre in Los Angeles. To celebrate their love and Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’s single Same Love, heterosexual and homosexual couples were married on stage. The marriages were officiated by Queen Latifah who was deputised for the day so she was able to pronounce the couples as married.
The full concept was planned to be a surprise and none of the guests or the viewers at home knew what was coming. The idea was decided the year before, and a casting director was hired to gather the happy couples. They then had to sign contracts and were not allowed to tell anyone about what was going to happen. They had to attend multiple rehearsals to prepare themselves for the biggest day of their lives!

Chrissy Teigen and banana bread

Chrissy Teigen is known for interacting with her fans over social media as well as posting about her own life and topical issues. So, when Chrissy wanted to make the perfect banana bread and needed six brown bananas it was only natural that she invited her followers for help.
In exchange for the bananas Chrissy offered fans a signed cookbook, a pair of her husband John’s underwear and a Becca make-up palette. Photos were posted on social media of Chrissy’s assistant picking up the bananas and of course, her cooking the bread.

As we can see, there has been many times where we’ve been invited to walk with the rich and famous. Always be prepared as it could be you next!

Were you glued to the Royal Wedding over the weekend? I feel majorly in the minority here as I decided to make the most of the sheer volume of people watching it and headed to the normally heaving supermarket to do my food shopping instead!

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Posted in lifestyle

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On Growth

17th May 2018

I wasn’t going to post anything for mental health awareness week this year, not because I don’t have anything to say on the matter; nor do I think it’s unimportant to share stories and help break stigma- I just wasn’t sure where to begin.

My battle with my mental health goes as far back as I can remember. Elements of anxiety at a very young age, clinical depression, not to mention the 16 year battle with an eating disorder.
I think perhaps my hesitation in posting this year is because I have been so open on my blog in the past, and to an extent now it feels like my mental health takes up a very small proportion of my life; and that, in turn is what inspired this post. A chance to reflect on just how much things have changed, and how I’m looking forward (in every sense of the phrase) in ways that I never have before.

Dress: ASOS (get it here) | Boots: Very | Glasses: Specsavers

You may (or may not) have noticed a definite lack of outfit posts over the last six months or so. In part that’s because I’m just too busy to do them, but I’ve always managed to make time before, so what’s different now?

Body image is by far the biggest problem I am facing at the moment. I’m at that awkward “almost” stage in eating disorder recovery- I’ve got out of a critical stage with my weight, I’m functioning fine and feeling better than ever, but there’s still a way to go. Apparently I need another 3-4kg of “health” to be in tip-top condition and that’s proving to be a bitter pill to swallow. I haven’t been this close to a healthy weight in 4 years, my body is an alien to me, one I do not recognise and have no learnt to love yet. Knowing I still need to add to it is hard. My biggest fear is of being judged by others- family, friends, colleagues, blog readers…I can see them all sat there thinking “but why would she try and put on more weight? She already looks so…well (I’m trying so hard not to use the word large here but it is the first that springs to mind).
Finding the guts to have these taken and then post them was no mean feat, but well, hopefully my fears are unfounded and it’s only me who finds them in part, repelling.

How am I getting over this massive hurdle? By reminding myself of my bigger goals- to pass my driving test, to find somewhere to live with Bob, to one day have children (I am 31 and time won’t be on my side forever) and generally just to have fun and adventures.
Already the differences are notable. There’s a stark contrast between what Bob and I are able to do this year vs. how it was last summer. Constant reminders that the battle is worth it and if I can just stick it out, get those kilos on and learn to love my body for what it is and what it can do life really good be amazing.

As for the rest of my mental health? Well, it’s great! I’ve been out of therapy for over six months now. I’m no longer governed by the anxiety and rituals I never really knew had a hold on me. I’m still on medication- and I feel no shame in admitting that. It might not be for everyone, but medication saved me and whilst one day I would love to wean off of it, right now I know I still need it.

There are still niggles in the back of my mind. The self-doubt that kicks in and provides a quiet but constant voice telling me I’m not good enough; a failure; that no-one really likes me and that I don’t deserve good things. I’m better at ignoring it these days and not letting it hold me back, especially in the work place, where thanks to the support of an amazing employer and a great bunch of colleagues I am flourishing.

I feel that much better now that I am once again looking at resuming driving lessons with a view to taking my test this summer- this is by far my biggest fear as previous tests have been a disaster due to overwhelming anxiety but I definitely feel I have a bigger “tool-kit” of coping mechanisms to get me through.

So there we are, I’ve laid myself bare and I’ve done so as a reminder on many levels- it’s ok to talk and share experiences, it’s ok to ask for help or admit you’re struggling, it’s ok to have hope and it’s proof that no matter how long the struggle there is always that light at the end of the tunnel.

If you’ve done any mental health awareness posts I’d love to see them- leave links in the comments.

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Exploring Canada’s Eastern Lands*

15th May 2018
Canada remains a relatively untouched country for UK travellers, ands somewhere I personally would love to visit. Perhaps it’s because the US is more familiar, or because Canada is so big, but it’s a trip that few some to make. But this should change, for one simple reason: Canada is amazing! From the wonders of the east, to the stunningly flat middle, to the mountains and vibe of the west, it’s a country that has something for everyone. And if you’re worried about the flight time, don’t be: the eastern coast is one of the shortest transatlantic flights available! Below, we take a look at some of the exciting destinations located in the eastern portion of the country.

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Big City Fun

Toronto isn’t really in keeping with the rest of Canada. It’s a big city…that acts and looks like a big city! Indeed, the skyscrapers of the city mean it’s often used as a shooting alternative to New York City. Take a trip there, and you’ll find there’s much to see and do, from theatre shows to art galleries to sports events. Beware, though, the temperatures can get pretty chilly in the winter time (which can last for five months).

French Influenced City

People tend to think that the coolest Canadian city is Vancouver, but those people clearly haven’t been to Montreal. This is where it’s at! This is the city that produced Arcade Fire, and where Kit Harrington (Jon Snow from Games of Thrones) parties during the summer. There’s plenty of attractions, galleries, and museums, but the best way to experience the city is just to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. There are plenty of cafes, craft beer pop-ups, and delicious restaurants to keep you busy, as well as plenty of live music.

The Eastern Coast

The Eastern Coast of Canada is filled with natural beauty gems, small towns, and cities. Book yourself into Delta Hotels Beausejour, and spend some time exploring the area. The region is noted for its delicious seafood, dunes, dramatic cliffs, and wildlife viewings. While you’re there, make sure you check out some live music; this part of Canada has an interesting musical heritage, and it’s uncommon to hear traditional Celtic songs. There’s also St. John’s, which is the oldest city in North America!


The Thousand Islands Region

Love nature, and want to spend as much time as possible in it? Then check out the Thousand Islands region. It’s best in the summer when the region looks at its best and is teeming with events and activities. There are some thirty miles of trails that pass through creeks, woodlands, and nature preserves, so don’t forget your hiking boots!

Natural Beauty

Finally, don’t think that all the grand examples of natural beauty are in the west! They’re not. Eastern Canada is of course home to one of the world’s great sights, Niagara Falls. Pay a visit, go for a walk, and get lost in the captivating beauty of this dramatic spectacle. It’s better in the summer, but impressive whenever you go!

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Posted in holiday, travel

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Trade in and Cash Out*

15th May 2018
Two things bought about the writing of this post- firstly discovering loads of old gadgets sat around doing nothing whilst having a tidy up the other day, and secondly I’m on a real money saving/making drive at the moment with the greater goal of car and home ownership, plus a wardrobe to replenish weighing heavily on my mind.

Once upon a time I was actually quite organised when it came to recycling old phones when I got an upgrade. There is serious cash to be made with a little bit of research and not a lot of effort. There are plenty of websites out there which offer easy price comparisons to make sure you’re getting the best deal for your model- I’ve even started to see deposit banks in supermarkets which means you can tie it in with your weekly shop.

I’ve actually just had a quick look and discovered that my soon due for an upgrade iPhone SE could net me upwards of £100 which isn’t to be sniffed at! You don’t need much information to get a quote either, just pop in whether your phone is working, what network you’re on and there’s often a few cosmetic questions too- is the screen cracked? for example.

Trading in your phone is also good for the planet- rather than sitting gathering dust and eventually ending up in a landfill, the company who buy your device will instead re-purpose it, either a refurbished model or by stripping down the parts or even just disposing of it in the correct way.
Unbeknown to myself (and I suspect to many) mobile phones actually contain precious metals such as gold and silver as well as other elements all of which can be recycled and repurposed in their own way.

What’s the best deal you’ve ever got when trading in or recycling an old phone or tablet? I don’t think I’ve broken £100 on anything yet but hopefully my luck is going to change!

Do you find this kind of post interesting? I’d like to share a few more money-saving/making posts in the future but only if people are going to actually join them.

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Posted in finance, gadgets, lifestyle, tech

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