What’s on my Wish List? #2

26th January 2020

So much for January being the month I got my blogging mojo back and created content I was happy with/proud of. Actually, those days of blogging feel long gone and I do wonder how much longer this piece of the big wide web will continue for. Maybe as wedding plans progress, new journeys begin, and this current slump I’m in starts to lift I may feel differently. Probably even once this month is done, the first month of the year always kicks my ass no matter how much I tell myself it won’t. At least I’ve had window shopping to keep me sane, and as a consequence, another wish list post has formed.

I’ve not been feeling very body confident lately, bought on by a final push to weight restoration I find myself drawn to looser fitting items. I also find myself drawn to the polka dot trend that seems to be everywhere, so this Polka Dot Dress from New Look is probably going to make the transition from wish list to purchase very soon.
Bob and I are obsessed with Sabrina on Netflix and are eagerly awaiting chance to sit down and start season 3. I am also eagerly awaiting stock of this Sabrina inspired palette arriving on the Boots website; from one of my favourite high street makeup brands, NYX, this is just crying out for me to spend the last of my Christmas money on.
It seems that I want ALL of the dresses right now. New season is hitting the shops and I’m all about the bold prints and clashing patterns. This dress from Oasis is gonna have to stay on the wish list for now at £52, but I just love it and I think it would make a really versatile addition to the wardrobe.
I already own far too many pairs of trainers for someone who works a 9-5 office job and does no sport. I’m having to repeat this to myself over and over since seeing these adidas trainers on the Office website…be still my beating heart, be still.
Another dress that’s caught my eye is this belted denim dress from & other stories. Another piece well out of my price range but very much on my radar as the perfect trans-seasonal piece.
I think the & other stories denim dress would look fabulous with these ankle boots from Zara. My ankle boot obsession is getting out of hand- I’ve purchased three pairs since December (sadly meaning I cannot justify these)…is anyone else powerless to resist their charms?

What’s caught your eye recently? Any ideas for what you might like to see on the blog in the coming year?

*post contains affiliate links*

Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, shopping, wish list

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How To Be The Best Version Of Yourself *

20th January 2020
Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash

If there’s one thing that we can all be proud of it’s the kind of mark that we leave in the world. But (and this is a big but), we don’t always make the right one. Sometimes we are thinking about making marks that are for the wrong reason, or we’re exactly choosing to do what’s for the best. However if you want to make sure that you do some good, you have to be the very best version of yourself, like this.

Be Authentic

To start with it means that you have to be authentic. You have to be yourself. Because if you’re just trying to be someone else, it’s not going to work. You won’t be happy. Because the best version of you, is you.

Be Positive

Next, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re a positive person. Being negative can only drag you down. The best version of you is positive. When you’re positive, you’re happy. So it’s important for you to be grateful and find as much positivity as you can.

Be Honest

You should also be honest too; honest with those around you and honest with yourself. It’s important to be the best you can be in life and your work. This includes white collar crime. And although you may not know that you’re in danger of doing anything wrong, the below infographic can help you learn more about it.


Infographic Design By USC

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Important factors to consider when buying a new car*

16th January 2020

With so many different brands of cars available to buy, how can we easily choose one?

Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases you will make so there are lots of factors you need to take into consideration before choosing the right one. Many of us look forward to the process, but others find it very daunting given the number of things we need to take into consideration before choosing our dream car.

In this post, I will show you what to expect when choosing your car such as deciding whether to buy a new or used car, or for it to be petrol, diesel or electric powered and what type of style is best suited to your lifestyle.

Kwik Fit has also pointed out that another factor we need to consider is where we are based. You may be thinking why would this matter? However, prices vary when buying a car depending on where you live. Take a look here on how much it is to own a car based on where you live.

Photo by Kevin Bhagat on Unsplash

New or used cars

Deciding whether to buy a new or used car reflects entirely on your budget; there are positives to both sides.

Buying a new car means that you get the exact specification that you want and you’ll also get the benefits of a full warranty and any deals that the buyer might be offering. There will be no history to worry about such as damages that were made by a previous owner, however, you will lose money as the value of the car will depreciate over time. 

On average used car prices are almost 50 percent lower in price than new cars so you will be able to pay off on a used car much faster. One of the biggest disadvantages of buying a used car is that they may not be as reliable and it may need more repairs over time.

Choosing a certain style of car

Most cars now are designed to suit a certain type of lifestyle. For example, Volkswagen Polo is perfect for transporting a small family. It’s very important to choose a car that fits into your lifestyle or plans. For instance, if you have children then boot space is a massive specification that you will need, in order to easily get from A to Z. Kia Sportage is a great example of a car with spacious boot space.

Petrol, diesel or electric?

What fuel you want for your car is the next aspect you need to take into consideration. Some cars are only run on diesel such as the BMW X3, yet most manufacturers offer petrol and diesel engines. Electric models are becoming increasingly popular as they are better for the environment, cheaper to maintain and inexpensive to run.

If you cover less than 12,000 miles a year a petrol engine is best for you. This is because diesel costs more to buy so you would have covered a lot of miles a year to make up the difference in fuel savings.

Deciding which car is best suited for you is an important process. You don’t want to waste hard earned money on a car that you later found out is not suitable for your type of lifestyle.

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What’s on my wish list right now?

13th January 2020

I don’t know when I got so sporadic with blogging…as last year drew to a close I told myself 2020 would be the year I got back on track, and yet here we are, 13 days in and I’ve barely posted a thing, oops! Let’s just call that an adjustment period to a new decade and crack on with things from now.

And what better way to crack on than with a wish list? Something I’m always creating and yet never seeming to get around to posting, by the time I do, things are out of stock or I’ve gone off something. I’m currently on a mission for a dress to wear for a wedding in March, and whilst I’m yet to find something that fits the bill, I have found a whole host of other things that tickle my fancy.

Jumper; & other stories. I have such a vast jumper collection that I truly can’t justify any more, but this one is a beaut!
Dress; AngelEye– I went on to the site to look for a dress to wear to the wedding but fell in love with this day dress instead.
Jumper; Joanie Clothing. See above comment r.e. jumpers, but this one literally is the dream and I am sorely tempted.
Trench coat; Monki. Another thing I do not need is yet another coat, but this Monki one is a classic and I am smitten.
Skirt; Oasis. This is unlike anything I’d normally go for, mostly because it’s too fitted for me to feel comfortable in, but I love this skirt and dream of teaming it with some body confidence and fluffy jumpers.
Dr Martens; Office Shoes …what’s not to love?
Dress; Very. I love a high neckline, and a midi dress so this is pretty much my dream. I love V by Very for affordable fashion.

What’s on your wish list right now? I’m trying hard to shop more in charity shops, less fast fashion etc…and whilst I occasionally find some gems (Donna Ida jeans for £3.99 anyone?!) I can’t resit the lure of the high street.

Posted in brands I love, fashion, personal style, wish list

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The last Degustabox of 2019*

05th January 2020
Box gifted by Degustabox
This is a PR box, this means there will sometimes be additional flavours or products than you’d get as a subscriber, I will highlight this within my post.

The last Degustabox of 2019 was definitely a case of saving the best to last for me. With it’s theme of “Gourmet and Fiesta” there was genuine excitement over a lot of these products and I wasted absolutely no time in getting stuck in (and then wasted a lot of time before getting this post up, oops!)

These jumbo wrapped cashews from Gloriously Grown (£3 from Sainsburys) are delicious. I’ve never had skin-on cashews before but I 100% would again.
I was hesitant to try this Vermouth & Tonic spritz from Pedrino (£1.95 from Ocado/Waitrose/Amazon) as I’m not a massive Vermouth fan, however, I followed a suggestion on the bottle to serve with gin and ice and whilst I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it, I would certainly drink it if offered.
I’m not a beer fan personally but Lagunitas Daytime Session IPA (£1.80 from Asda/Morrisons/Pub & Bars) was a hit with my brother when he popped round over Christmas.
Both of these products are exclusive to the Alcohol version of the box.
Very Lazy chopped garlic is a long-term staple in our kitchen (£1.50 from major supermarkets) and we are never without a jar. We slather it over roast potatoes with some rosemary. Yum!
We haven’t actually used these Blue Dragon products yet, but can’t wait to do so! The Thai Holy Basil stir-fry sounds delicious (£1.50 from Tesco/Waitrose/Sainsburys/Ocado) and will be the perfect way to use up some leftover chicken in the freezer.
The Teriyaki skewers (£2.70 from Asda/Morrisons/Tesco/Waitrose/Ocado) have been ear-marked for Bob’s lunch box, we bought the Satay version of this kit earlier in December and found it brilliant and delicious so we’re excited to use this one- so good for work lunches with a little steam pot of rice.
I’m already a fan of Indie Bay pretzels and these dark or milk chocolate covered ones are a delicious addition to the range (£1.25 from online store/Amazon/Whole Foods Market/Planet Organic). At fewer than 150 calories per pack these are packed with ancient grains and are a good source of fibre so are a naughty but nice New Year treat.
Yay sweets! My brother and his girlfriend are huge candy kittens fans and had been looking everywhere for this flavour so I kindly gave them this bag to share. It looks like this flavour is currently exclusive to Morrisons so grab it if you can, it got rave reviews from my bro, and I can vouch for every other flavour this brand makes- you’d never know they were vegan.
Smith and Sinclair alcoholic cocktail gummies have featured in Degustabox a few times now. Each gummy contains half a shot of alcohol and are suitable for vegans. I did enjoy the Pineapple Bellini flavour, and whilst at £15 for 8 they are an indulgence for sure, you can get 15% off the full range at smithandsinclair.com with the code DEGUSTA.
These chocolate treats from King Monty are exclusive to the non-alcohol Degustabox this month. I don’t have much information on them, but they are plant based and gluten free so suitable for just about everyone. My favourite was the pop rice flavour as I loved the combination of textures, but the orange flavour is lovely as well.
This is a lovely fruity tea from Oteas (£3.39 from Oteas website/Amazon/Ocado). All the goodness of green tea, with sweet and sour notes from the cherries, cranberries and strawberries. I’d love to try more from this brand.
Bob and I made short work of these Gruyère and Spinach Twists from Ardens. They are so light and airy but pack a seriously strong punch of flavour. I mostly enjoyed them dipped in to soup, whereas Bob ate them mostly straight from the pack (£1.75 from Waitrose). We’ll definitely be getting these again!
I love these granola bars from Made Good (£2.90 from Asda). Subscribers will get one of the three flavours in their box. My favourite was the chocolate banana, but I’ve happily eaten all of these. They are allergy friendly, under 100 calories and make the perfect handbag snack for on the go.

Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you thought in the comments.

If you’re new to Degustabox, it’s a monthly food subscription box that gives you the chance to try new and exciting products on the market whilst providing amazing value for money.
On a month by month basis the box costs £12.99 (with a discount for longer subscriptions) but the contents are generally worth far more than this as you can see if you do the maths.

If you’re persuaded to give Degustabox a go (and really, you should) you can claim a brilliant £5.00 off of your first box (making it just £7.99!) by entering the code XOQGC at the checkout. It’s been a pleasure to work with the brand regularly 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.

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