Category Archives: review

My Purrfect Giftbox- for the cat lady and her cat

05th October 2016
Over the years of blogging I’ve tried a fair few monthly subscription boxes; beauty, food and for the cat but never before have I come across one that caters for more than one person (or creature I suppose). The second I heard about My Purrfect Gift Box I was intrigued- a gift for both pet and owner? It sounded pretty purrfect to me, so when the team kindly offered to send me the September box* I accepted without hesitation.
Before I get in to my review, allow me to explain a bit more about how it works:

Firstly you select which size box you would like, there are four sizes available (standard, lite, lite + gifts for kitty and standard + gifts for kitty) and it was the latter box that I was sent. Price wise the standard box + gifts for kitty costs £29.95 on a month to month basis, £86.95 for a three month subscription and £167.95 for a six month subscription. The standard and lite boxes are obviously lower priced with the same kind of discounts for longer term subscriptions. Now, on paper this might seem like quite a pricey option but I think when you see what is actually inside you’ll see that actually you’re getting a bloomin’ bargain!

The first thing to note is how lovingly packaged everything is, everything looks so endearing and it’s clear that this box was put together with love and care. The September box had a tea theme, perfect for the start of Autumn and what better excuse to kick back and relax? There were two teabags included in the box, shaped as cat heads and in intriguing saffron and honey flavours. These are from an etsy shop called LoJim based in Spain (hence the flavours, the saffron is oddly delicious!) and cost £5.99.

Of course for perfect tea you need the perfect mug and this “you are my cup of tea” cat faced mug fits the bill nicely. These retail at £11.99 and can be bought in the My Purrfect Gift Box online shop.

After a restorative cup of tea it was time for a play with my little feline friend. Mae loved the handmade catnip sweets from Tillypops.co.uk and we keep finding these scattered all of the place, being the perfect size to cart around in her mouth. An equal success was the catnip tea bag from FreakMEOWT (find them on facebook or notonthehighstreet.com) which gets thrown around…mostly landing in the kitchen. Most intriguinging were the Kit-Tea catnip tea bags which you use to brew your own catnip spray. This is such a cute and novel idea! You can get those from pawandgnaw.com.

Back to the human treats and something sweet! You can’t have tea without a biscuit (it’s the law) and these were almost too pretty to eat! Made by Nila Holden and available on notonthehighstreet.com these retail between £6.00 and £10.00 and are truly scrumptious.

I’m all for a bit of relaxing and jasmine is one of my favourite scents so the wax melt from Paw Melts was probably my top rated item! Available at pawmelts.com these cost £18.50 for a box of 9 (one included in standard box) and I’m saving some pennies to stock myself up!

Last but by no means least was this genius idea- a cat shaped tea bag holder (or you can clip it to your laptop screen which I’ve also been doing). I was really touched that the kitty I received bore more than a passing resemblance to Mae, whether it was by accident or design it was a lovely surprise. These cost £9.50 each and are available on Etsy from MiniHandsCrafts.

Still think My Purrfect Gift Box is expensive? Once you add up the value of all of the gifts included, not to metnion the time and care involved I think you’ll agree it’s a real bargain. A one off box would make an incredible gift for any cat lady- I can’t wait to see future themes.

If you’ve seen anything that’s really caught your eye there is the added bonus of the My Purrfect Gift Box online shop where you can purchase items from past boxes so there is no fear of FOMO.

I know I was sent this box for the purpose of review and all but this is hands down one of the loveliest ideas I have come across in a long time and 100% my favourite subscription box out of all of the ones I have tried. Do let me know if you decide to treat yourself to a My Purrfect Gift box and what you thought. I’m going to make sure I set aside enough money for future purchases, it’s the purrfect pick me up after an especially tough time lately and every girl (and her cat) deserves a treat sometimes!

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Posted in brands I love, cats, gifts, review

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A gift with a twist- Personalized Flowers

02nd October 2016
Flowers always make for a lovely gift in my eyes, perfect for saying “well done”, “get well soon”, “thank you” or simply just because. I was recently contacted by Personalized Flowers about their twist on the traditional gift, they offer the option of sending a stunning rose to someone complete with a personal message printed directly on to the flower itself. Intrigued by how this could work I found myself taking up the offer of a rose*, choosing to have it printed with a simple thank you to my parents because lately, more than ever they have gone above and beyond with their love and support.
The rose arrived in sturdy cardboard packaging meaning it survived the postal journey- always a plus when sending a gift! It was housed in a self contained pod of water and made for an attractive offering. I wasn’t sure how printing on to a fresh flower would actually translate but the effect was nice and lasted for as long as the rose did (about a week for the record). Both myself and my parents were really taken with this, it could be seen as a bit of a gimmick by some but it was nice for them to be able to display this token of appreciation and for me to find something to give them that isn’t yet another bundle of chocolate.

The ordering process is simple, you can select from one of four colours for the rose (orange, white, yellow or pink) and then customise with either no message (£5.99), a pre-set message (£7.99), a custom message (£8.99) or for a gift that will truly last you can select a silk rose for (£9.99) with a message of your choice. You can add in a card at no extra cost and select a delivery date to suit you.

It’s not something I’ll be sending all of the time- it’s not the cheapest gift around but as a unique concept and the chance to send something a little bit different I think it’s a great idea and a well executed one.

Who would you most like to send a rose to right now?

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Posted in family, gifts, review

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Thoughts on False Nails

30th September 2016
I’m not usually one to bother with my nails- I used to, and don’t get me wrong there is nothing more satisfying than a fresh manicure but after six years of working in healthcare in a role that requires short, neat and naked nails I’ve kind of fallen out of the routine.
Obviously having not been in work now since April I’ve had time to experiment a bit more- initially in the form of a bright and beautiful shellac, but as time went on and money dwindled a DIY manicure has had to suffice. So it was with great delight that I was sent a whole heap of products from KISS which gave me a chance to experience salon style at home.

All products c/o Kiss*

Up until now my experience with false nails has been limited to just once or twice. I’ve always thought they weren’t for me as my nails (well my thumb nails) are broad and the one time I did try them I had lost half a set by lunch time. Still, I was prepared to give things another shot, KISS is one of the leading brands out there so I was confident that if anyone could change my mind it would be them.

And to an extent they did. Pictured on my hand is the imPRESS press on manicure which could not be easier to apply. You simply match up the nail size, remove the tab and press on your nail. I didn’t have high hopes for these but I made it over 24 hours without losing one and the length was perfect for someone who isn’t used to having long nails. I preferred the pretty nail art designs to the french manicure style- that looked a little too false for my personal tastes but I was still imPRESSED (sorry) with how these lasted and with more perseverance I could have got a lot longer wear out of these by simply re-gluing it.

The red gel fantasy nails were my firm favourite from the bunch. These looked exactly as I’d hope a salon manicure to and again were super quick and easy to apply.

Turns out false nails have come a long way since my initial experiment with them (which if I recall correctly was a £1 pack from Primark that ended in a massive mess) and with party season fast approaching I’ll be seeking out the perfect pack to complement my outfits whilst saving £££ on a salon manicure.

KISS and imPRESS nails are available from both Boots.com* and Superdrug* and although I am yet to try every product I’ve been sent you can check out my instagram for snapshots and more thoughts as I do give them a whirl.

If you have any top tips for wearing falsies, or have any specific recommendations then do let me know…I’m game on for further expanding my horizons.

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Posted in beauty, nails, review

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Down at the Piano Bar with Vendula London

28th September 2016
The champions of unique Vendula London creative bags have done it again with their gorgeous new collection of handbags. I have quite a collection of Vendula London by now but I think my latest addition, from their Piano Bar collection has to be a favourite.

Dress: New Look | Blouse: H&M | Loafers: New Look | Bag c/o Vendula London

This bag, in what appears to be a first for Vendula London has actual glitter on it. You have no idea how happy this makes me! I opted for the pink version of the bag but it also comes in black. Other than the colour there is one small difference in that the pink bag has a finer glitter which won’t damage clothing whereas the black has thicker, coarser glitter that is only on the front of the bag to avoid potential damages. The attention to detail on Vendula bags is second to none, these are real statement pieces that are well worth every penny of the price. If piano bars aren’t your thing then make sure to check out their other collections…Downtown Abbey fans you’re in for a treat!

This is such a classy piece that dresses up any outfit. With my sights set firmly on getting back to work soon I decided to pop on an office appropriate outfit and I feel that this bag works well with it…but it would also look great with a party dress for a swanky night out.

The pinafore dress is the same as the purple one I featured the other week but in black from the tall range. At under £15 I couldn’t resist getting both, and the h&m blouse was another ridiculous bargain at under a tenner.

This post is a bit all over the place, which pretty much sums up myself right now too. I’m working on getting my head straight though so in the mean time just sit back, relax and enjoy the whole point of this post- the glorious handbag!

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Posted in accessories, bags, brands I love, life stuff, outfits, review

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Affordable Autumn Makeup from Essence

26th September 2016
I’m one of those people who likes to change their makeup along with the season. During the warmer months I keep things simple- a nude eye, a pinky lipstick…perhaps a bit of bronzer if I’m feeling daring. As soon as the nights begin to close in though I change. Out comes the eyeliner, the smokier shadows and darker lips. It can be expensive keeping up with it all, especially when you’re a sucker for anything labelled “new” but thankfully there are brands out there like Essence who make keeping on trend whilst on a budget a breeze. The brand recently sent me over a few of their new Autumn collection to try out so read on if you want to know about some serious bargain buys!

Products c/o Essence

As you can see the eyeliner is quite different to those we’re used to and at first I wasn’t too sure what to make of the ball ended tip. It’s designed so it can be used for either dots or lines and after a few stop-start attempts I soon learnt to love this long lasting liner (which costs a mere £2.50). I’ve been a big fan of Essence’s eyeshadows since I first discovered the brand and instantly loved the metallic nude shade I was sent. I’ve been using this as a highlight shade, paired with berry tones and smokey browns and it applies like a dream and lasts all day long (a bargain at £2.50).

The lipstick (only £2.30!) is darker than I’d usually wear but actually I really love it. I’ve had to reserve it for brave days as I’m still a bit shy about wearing a statement lip colour but I love the berry shade and it will be perfect with the Autumnal colour palette I’m hoping to channel in my wardrobe.

Last but not least comes the nail polish. This is such a lovely shade of grey and makes a great neutral alternative to nudes. As with all Essence polishes it goes the distance with longevity (well, it makes it to three days on me which is a miracle) and costs a teeny tiny £1.60. The nail polishes from Essence are probably my all round favourite product and at that price there’s no reason not to own a whole rainbow of shades!

Does your makeup change with the seasons?

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Posted in beauty, brands I love, make up, review

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