Giveaway: Win a Rose Gold iPhone SE!

13th July 2016

It’s fair to say I haven’t been the greatest blogger lately, both in terms of content and comments/interation with my blogging pals. This makes me even more excited about the competition I’m hosting from today as it gives me a chance to say “Thank You” to those that have stuck by me by giving you the chance to win a Rose Gold iPhone SE courtesy of the guys at Three (which will come with a sim card loaded with £10 of credit)

As I mentioned the other day my phone is soon due an upgrade and this is the model I have my eye on for numerous reasons (not least the colour!) so I’m going to be super envious of whoever wins this beauty! The iPhone SE features a 4-inch Retina display, an A9 chip with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a 12MP iSight camera, a FaceTime HD camera with Retina Flash, Live Photos, 4G LTE2 and fast Wi-Fi, iOS 9 and iCloud. It’s the same shape as the iPhone 5s but features all of the benefits of iPhone 6s- a real little power pack!

It’s easy to see how this has become such a hit with fashion bloggers everywhere, it’s so pretty it seems almost a shame to cover it with a case (note the almost!) and makes blogging and interacting on social media whilst on the go a breeze. To get your entries in just follow the instructions below and make sure you check out the T&Cs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

iPhone SE competition with Three – Ts&Cs.
1. These terms and conditions are the rules which apply to this competition. By submitting their entry, entrants will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the following terms and conditions.
2. This competition is run by a daisy chain dream in conjunction with Hutchison 3G UK Limited, operating as Three, Star House, 20 Grenfell Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1EH.
3. To enter the competition entrants must complete the mandatory requirements before 00:00 on 27/07/2016.
4. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.
5. This promotion is open to residents of the UK, except for Three employees, their families or anyone else associated with this competition.
6. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost or delayed, or which are not received for any reason.
7. Winners agree to participate in publicity as a daisy chain dream and Three may require.
8. The prize on offer is a 16GB iPhone SE (rose gold) and a Three Sim card loaded with £10 of credit.
9. The prize is only as stipulated and cannot be transferred and/or exchanged for cash.
10. Confirmation of the prize will be made by email to the winner by 29/07/2016.
11. Reasonable efforts will be made to contact the winner. If the winner cannot be contacted, or is unable to comply with these terms and conditions, a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to offer the prize to another eligible entrant. Failure to respond and/or provide an address, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements may result in forfeiture of the prize.
12. a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. If we do this, we will publish the amended terms and conditions on the competition page.
13. a daisy chain dream and Three reserve the right to end this promotion at any time, and without notice.

Good Luck!

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My New Hair BFF

08th July 2016

Confession: I hate washing my hair. I have a lot of very thick hair and it’s a major effort to wash, dry and style it so any product I can find that gives me an extra day’s reprieve is very much welcome. I’ve been an advocate of dry shampoo since it first arrived on the hair care scene so when Bristol based online beauty retailer Bath and Unwind got in touch offering the chance to try out a newly launched dry shampoo from Moroccanoil I was eager to give it a whirl.

I’ve tried many a brand over the years with varying degrees of success. A creature of habit I often end up returning to Batiste as I find it doesn’t usually leave the powdery grey roots that some brands have done. The Moroccanoil product comes in two tones- light and dark and semi-unsure which category mine fell in to I opted to go for the light tones.

The first thing I need to mention about this product is the scent, it’s AMAZING! I find some of the dry shampoos quite sickly smelling but this has a light, fresh fragrance. Perfect for covering up hair that could kind of do with a wash without being overbearing.

The spray itself is a lovely product to use and having tried it out several times now I have not once noticed a residue left behind. It makes my hair feel light and fresh without being weighed down and easily gave an extra day between washes- it could even be stretched to two at a push!

The Moroccanoil dry shampoo also provides UV protection and volumising properties so it’s a really good all round product for people like me! The light tone spray is designed to enhance blonde hair and reduce brassiness but I found it was the perfect match for my coppery hair as well.

This is 100% a product I’ll be re-purchasing when this can runs out. It might be pricier than my usual brand but it also offers a lot more and leaves me feeling confident that people aren’t going to notice how lazy I can be when it comes to washing my hair!

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A Dress my Tech Wish List*

06th July 2016

One of the best things I did was to change mobile network to one that offered better prices and a lot more for your money. It was then I FINALLY got my hands on an iPhone, years late to the game and almost two years on I can’t imagine owning any other make.

I’m a little bit obsessed with buying new cases for my phone, which I really need to stop doing as I’m due an upgrade in a couple of months so really it’s not a good use of my money. However I’ve popped together a little wish list of quirky covers that have caught my eye and I’d be really interested to know where you get your favourites from.

I’m actually quite surprised there aren’t more cases with cats on this list- most likely it’s because I already own most of the ones out there! I love Skinnydip cases so much, my wish list for there is MASSIVE (the other one I desperately want is the fluffy bunny bums one, how cute?).

The chill pills case comes from blogger favourite brand Ban.do. At £35 (from Selfridges) this is way out of my budget but I shall keep my eyes peeled for a sale!

On the other end of the price spectrum you can’t beat eBay for phone cases, you really can’t! Probably half of my collection comes from there and I don’t think I have ever paid more than £2 for a case. You do have to wait a few weeks for international delivery but the quality of these tend to be far better than you’d expect. I keep toying with the idea of this Shakespeare quote case, a bargain at £1.10 and I think the ice cream cone case is perfect for Summer, or what passes for Summer round here.

As I said above, I’d love to know where you get your favourite cases from, as soon as I know what my phone upgrade will be I shall no doubt start shopping for it!

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(Insta)life lately; June Edition

04th July 2016

I appear to have collected a few more photos this month than the previous three months combined! Clearly being signed off sick has given me too much time on my hands to snap the mundane moments and in typical Laura style most of the photos turn out to be of the cats. If you want to see more of what I get up to then do give me a follow on Instagram. I’ll be sure to follow back as I do love giving myself a serious case of life envy!

My pretty girl.

Never a truer word in my case…

Far too excited by buying kitchen gadgets.

Tobias the watch cat.

Who needs a cat flap? Never mind the sheer drop below…

Sainsburys stationery is on point right now!

Back when we had some sunny days and I could get to the park for an hour of chilling.

My Mum is the best gift buyer. Fact.

That time Tobias came back covered in foam…

I get to see this every day.

Just hanging out.

Treated myself to a shellac- some perks to not being in work I guess.

Eating to beat it. Comfort lunching at it’s finest.

Her current sleeping place of choice.

Totally addicted to buying pins. This one is my favourite so far.

Adding to my colouring book collection.

Terry’s chocolate orange cookies.

Cross stitch, the perfect mindless activity.

This is such a heartwarming book.

Mae vs. the popper. It took her a good 20 minutes to realise it wouldn’t come off.

Flowers in my window.

The spoon of positive thought.

As ever can hover over the photos to see the captions and click to see them bigger. What have you been up to lately? Link me to your round-ups and leave your Instagram links below.

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The June (2016) Degustabox Review and Discount Code

01st July 2016

A new month has arrived and with it brings the next round of Degustabox reviews. The June box had a BBQ theme which amused me a little as I write this post- it’s the most un-BBQ weather outside right now and I’m contemplating putting the heating on to take the chill off! But we did enjoy some better weather at the start of the month and I’m hopeful that as we creep in to July the air will once again be filled with the scent of grilling food and smoke.

These biscuits from Destrooper-Olivier are dangerously good. Butter waffle crisps made in Belgium and the perfect companion to a steaming cup of coffee. I made short work of this box but had I have had more self control I think they would have been fantastic served with vanilla ice cream for a crunchy, creamy dessert. Available at Waitrose with an RRP of £1.10.

Who doesn’t love a chocolate brownie? I actually gave this mug brownie by Bakedin to my BFF as she is the queen of brownie eating and I knew she’d be able to tell if this was any good or not. From the stream of texts I got raving about everything from how it looked to how it tasted, and the fact she’s still mentioning it four days later I am pretty sure it’s a winner! Ok so it’s a pure novelty and at £1.50 an indulgent treat, but who doesn’t deserve a bit of indulgence from time to time?

A good selection of condiments is crucial to any BBQ or social gathering and one of the first things I check out anywhere is what sauces and sides are available! I’ve really been enjoying the Haywards pickled onions, which are small and not too acidic as well as the Branston spicy tomato relish- this is perfect on a burger and I’ve also been using it to spice up a toasted sandwich at lunch times!

It was nice to see both an alcoholic and non-alcoholic in the box this month. I’m not a lager drinker myself but this can of King Star from Marstons was enjoyed ice cold by my dad and I kicked back with a glass of cloudy lemonade from Zeo. It’s unusual you’ll find me drinking a soft drink that isn’t a diet cola but I really liked this despite the addition of stevia which typically I can’t stand! Definitely one to stock up on for non-drinkers at a Summer party!

The concept of zero calorie/very low calorie foods breaks my brain a little, and as before when this kind of thing has turned up in a box, I didn’t give them a go as it treads on dangerous ground for me. I did however pay more attention to the Heinz Amoy coconut milk which I am yet to use, I’m currently in the process of searching for the perfect recipe to use it in- do feel free to make suggestions in the comments!

The yoghurt coated popcorn from Butterkist was Degustabox’s product of the month and I think it might be mine too. It’s not an obvious combination but I just love this- the light and airy corn smothered with a smooth and creamy yoghurt coating. It’s one of those things that you need to try to truly get the hype, so if you see this I recommend picking some up! It’s also only 95 calories per serving (if you limit yourself to just one that is!) so a good healthy snack for those with a sweet tooth.

Is there a more perfect and comforting quick dinner than pesto pasta? I think not! These single serving mini pots from Scala have become a staple in my cupboard- no more opening and then not finishing a jar! I will confess I’m yet to use the homemade burger mix from Schwartz as I like my burgers plain (so as not to interfere with the condiments I pile on!) but when we next have people round I shall be whipping this out and creating some American Smokehouse action.

Another real standout product this month for me were these freeze at home fruit ices from Smooze. Made from coconut juice and fresh fruit juice + puree I really wasn’t expecting to enjoy these as much as I did. The combination of mango and coconut is such a winner and these are wonderfully creamy and refreshing. They are also free from all major allergens and suitable for vegans so what’s not to love?

If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £6 off of your first box by entering the code BLDEG15 at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand one and off over the last couple of years and it’s without a doubt something that I will continue to purchase long after our partnership ends. I love the monthly surprise and excitement as well as the chance to discover products I’d otherwise pass up on the supermarket shelves.