Just a very brief post with a couple of discount codes for you if you fancy a little bit of weekend retail therapy!
These come courtesy of the wonderful Daisy who runs website DiscountCoder

New Look
£10 off when you spend £60
Code: BBKMAY10
Expires: 16th May 2010

Oasis
20% off all orders
Code: SS10OASIS
Expires: 16th May 2010

These codes expire at MIDNIGHT TOMORROW (16th May) so hurry up!

xxx

We all love getting a good deal, right? I’m really excited to be able to share this with you guys today…perhaps a little way of giving something back (whilst making you spend money on yourselves in the first place!).

http://www.couponchief.com is a website I was introduced to today, and is filled with thousands upon thousands of coupon codes to save you money as you shop.
The layout of the site means it’s easy to navigate and you can search by store or category for speedy browsing.

You can stay up to date by following them on twitter and facebook, ensuring you never miss a deal and there are simple to follow instructions to help you out if you’ve not used online discount codes before.
There is also a tool I *really* like called “coupons-4-causes* that makes a donation to a charity of your choice when using certain codes through certain retailers.

Another bonus is no-one is left out (from what I’ve seen so far) with codes for the USA and UK available (I’m yet to search for other countries, sorry girls, I’ll get on to that!)

To get you started here are some of my top picks.

ASOS coupons

Topshop coupons

Sephora coupons

Benefit cosmetics coupons

I could pretty much go on forever listing places to shop, but it’s far more fun to go see for yourself! Definatley a site for your bookmarks (you know how much I love discount sites from previous posts!)…this has to be one of the best layed out sites I’ve seen so far, clean and super simple to navigate which is essential for productive splurging!
You can also submit codes yourself and earn some paypal funds to fuel your shopping!

Enjoy,
back with an outfit post and some more codes tomorrow

This is just an interim post until my review later. Comments will be closed because, really there is nothing I want anyone to say, I just want to clarify something.

Since yesterday I’ve had many comments on my health. I’m sorry if my posting photos upsets or triggers anyone, please know that is NOT my intention. Things are very up and down right now and I am trying to cling on to some of my old life contants, and blogging is one of those. I really don’t want to have to change the way I blog after almost two years of doing so and I do hope you can all understand, or at least respect that.

In terms of getting help. Yes I am getting help; or at the least getting medical support and I’m on the waiting list for getting help. I know things need to change, and I will be working on that because, well, frankly, I hate where things are right now.

I hope this post makes sense and clears up any potential issues. I’m sorry I’ve had to post it, but then again, I’m not…you’ve all been so wonderfully kind and supportive (er, with a few exceptions) and I feel you obviously deserve to know what the current stay of play is, although I do not want it to, nor will I let it become the focus of my blogging.

I will be back later with my review.

Much love, and extended gratitude

xoxox

The other day I was tagged by Amy Marie to write about 10 things that make me happy. I think I’ve done this tag before, but I have an endless list of things that make me happy so hopefully there will be some new things featured. I think I’m going to stray away from the deep and meaningful happy-makers and focus on the light hearted and material side of life this time…

1. Baking; always puts me in a good mood, especially when I make things that get fantastic feedback- from lovely blog readers, to the people who eat it. My favourite folks to bake for are my Mum’s colleagues and I’m getting more and more requests for work day treats. I currently have a running list of things I want to make, so expect more photos and recipe posts.

2. Cereal; NOTHING makes a better snack than cereal sans milk. I am obsessed and currently have seven different boxes in my possession.

I used to LOVE these as a kid and still mourn their disappearance from the UK, yet stubbornly refuse to pay £7 for a box.

3. Magazines; from glossy fashion magazines to the cheap and cheerful woman’s weeklies full of bizarre true life stories. I find magazines a real indulgence and nothing can match curling up with one, and a mug of tea on a cold raining afternoon. Or in the Summer, lazing in the garden with a stack of the latest releases.

4. Post; Getting a handwritten letter or un-expected package in the mail is a sure fire way to turn my mood around.

This was sent by a friend who knows me far too well.

5.

Self explanatory 😉

6. Reading a new book; I love and support my local library as much as possible, in fact I rarely indulge in buying a book brand new, but when I do the feeling of being the first to open and read it makes me smile inside. I am odd. It is official.

7. Bold makeup; Brightens the dullest of days.

8. Making jewellery; Something I don’t do often enough right now, it gives an amazing sense of achievement, even more so when people like it enough to buy it.

This will forever be a favourite.

9. Good hair days; because they rarely happen in my world.

10. Watching someone do something un-intentionally stupid; don’t pretend that seeing someone walk smack bang in to a glass door, or trip over their own feet doesn’t make you giggle, too!

I’m supposed to now tag 10 people, but well, 10 just isn’t enough. I want everyone (who can be bothered) to do this and spread the cheer.

xxx

I’m really excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with fab discount code site www.DiscountCoder.com to giveaway a £25 Topshop voucher to one lucky winner.

The rules are simple:

1. Giveaway is open to UK readers only (sorry my international loves, I’ll be running more giveaways soon!)

2. To be entered just leave a comment on this post, with a way for me to get in touch with you if you win (e-mail address or blog link)

3. The giveaway will close in one week, at midday, Sunday 7th February. The winner will be picked using a random number generator.

Good luck!
Be sure to check out DiscountCoder for money off your online shopping at stores like La Senza, Wallis and Very.co.uk to name just a few.

~ ~ ~

And, as requested here is a treat for everyone…the recipe for the Lemon Madeira Cake (which has proved to be a huge hit here)
If you don’t want to eat the entire cake at once, please note it can be kept in the freezer for up to three months and thawed as required.

150 g (5 oz) butter or margarine
150 g (5 oz) caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly whisked
225 g (8 oz) Be-Ro Self Raising Flour (any self raising flour is fine)
few drops lemon essence (I subbed this for the zest of one large lemon)
thin slices citron peel (optional)

1 Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease an 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin.
2 Cream fat and sugar, beat in lightly whisked eggs with a little flour.
3 Add essence, then fold in the remaining flour.
4 Bake for about 1¼ hours. Place peel on top after half an hour in the oven if using this.

I found because I baked mine in a shallow tray, it only took 35 mins to be cooked to perfection, so please be aware of this when attempting this!
The cupcakes took around 15 minutes, but depending on size could take anything from 10 minutes upwards.

Have fun and enjoy

xxx