It’s world mental health day and I wouldn’t be where I am now without people pushing me to admit it when I wasn’t ok. Check in on those around you, let them know you care and that you have concerns. If you aren’t convinced, ask twice. Make sure everyone knows that it’s ok not to be ok. My journey has shaped me beyond all recognition and I’m not afraid to talk about it. Too many people still are, it’s time to drop the stigma. It’s time to talk.
This blog has seen me through my best times, and my worst times. Without having this space to share my journey, and at times let of steam I don’t know where I would be.
If you’re struggling and don’t know where to turn here are some easy to access resources for anyone in the UK:
September’s Degustabox (gifted) bought it a selection of products with a family sharing & home cooking theme. My photos have once again fallen foul of poor lighting; all suggestions welcome, but the contents of this box combined makes it one of my favourite boxes I’ve ever received and I was eager to get stuck in.
Bob and I cook with garlic ALL of the time and rely on products like this to make the process easier. We love the very lazy range of products and this garlic paste is fantastic for adding big burst of flavour to our favourite dishes without any faff.
We haven’t tried this Zhoug Pesto from Epicure yet, but it sounds super interesting. I think we’ll try it as a marinade for some chicken rather than as a pasta sauce as the spicy flavours make me think this will work quite well- I’ll report back on the result!
It’s years since I last made a risotto and Bob isn’t a big fan so I’m still working on convincing him to let me make one. In the past I’ve made mostly vegetarian risottos so if anyone has any good recipes for meat based ones I would love to see them.
I was very happy to see these CHUM fruit bites appear in a box again as I loved these last time but I’m yet to see them in any shops local to me. These are vegan friendly and full of all natural ingredients with a delicious flavour and great texture. 15% of profits are also donated to wildaid.org to help save some of our chums in the wild.
I’ve always loved Milkybar Buttons, right from when I was a small child. I often pick up a pack of these when I’m feeling nostalgic and it’s good to see them still going strong. What was your favourite childhood treat?
I love me some snack bars! Boka bars have become a snack staple in this house after I first discovered them through Degusta box. The Chocomallow are especially delicious and all of the flavours in the range score green on the traffic light ratings. I hadn’t tried the Alpen protein bars before, I’ve always liked the Alpen range but found they weren’t especially filling. These new protein packed bars negate that problem and these have become a work day staple.
Bob was very excited to see thee Hartley’s jelly pots in this month’s box. These were his favourite childhood treat and the three pack didn’t last long, and has now become a much requested addition to our weekly shop (along with some ice cream and sprinkles for a truly nostalgic pudding!)
I love Lucozade Zero, especially the pink lemonade flavour served icy cold. These have got me through the last two weeks of having a chest infection, when nothing else has quite appealed…talk about well timed!
Finally we have a terrible photo of a totally not terrible product! Eisberg alcohol free sparkling rosé is a fruity and refreshing treat for non-drinkers/designated drivers and boasts just 33 calories per serving. I’ll be stocking up on this for the festive season as we plan to host plenty.
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.
Doesn’t the year just fly by? Each one seems to go faster and faster; no sooner is one Christmas over and done with we all start counting down to the next… and when you hit double figures in days until the season to be jolly, you might well start to quietly panic.
Christmas gift buying is a challenge. Not only is it a major financial undertaking, but it can also be really stressful coming up with ideas of what to get people. You need to show them that you care and that you have thought of them, but there can be a danger of overthinking about it and not being able to commit to a gift and making a rash panic buying decision at the last minute.
There are a few ways that you can make life easier for yourself when it comes to gift buying. Whether you are looking for British Jewellery, clothes, or beautiful ornaments, there are ways to buy these things with less stress weighing on your mind.
Start Earlier In The Year
The earlier you start buying all of your Christmas gifts, the earlier you will be finished. Believe it or not, the best time to start buying gifts is in January. During the January sales, many retailers need to clear through all of their excess stock. They will be playing a game of dual purpose when it comes to setting out their sales. Firstly, they want to clear through any remaining inventory so that they can make way for the next seasons stock. Secondly, during the quietest time of the year for retail, they need to get as much money in the back as possible. With the end of the tax year looming, they need their balance sheet to look good. Enticing people to buy at markdown prices is often the only way they can do this when people have such empty pockets. This is a time when you can get some of the best deals of the year.
If you fail during the January sales, fear not. The summer sales are normally a chance for retailers to make space for their Christmas stock. You will see some genuine bargains during this time.
Buy An Experience
Memories are worth much more than gifts. If you want to give a gift that will be treasured, give somebody a memory instead. Why not pay for a ride on a hot air balloon? Or even take them away for a weekend relaxing in a spa? Try and cover every base; the more attention to detail you can add to the gift, the better. So, pick out where you will eat when you take them there, work out how they will get there, have a full itinerary ready so that they don’t have to think.
Give Handmade Gifts
If you want to show someone that you care why not make them something that is well thought out and creative. You have the skills, devote a bit of time to making them a piece of artwork or jewellery. They will appreciate the effort that you have put in. .
Ever since the books launched I’ve had a soft spot for Harry Potter and his wizarding pals. Fifteen year old me named my black and ginger guinea pigs “Harry” and “Ron”, and whilst now, 17 years later I’m a bit more restrained in my love of these characters, it’s still very much there.
Gift brand Paladone have an amazing range of Harry Potted themed merchandise and very kindly allowed me to pick out a few pieces for myself. With Christmas rapidly approaching (I hate to say it, but it’s true) I thought this would be the opportune moment to start introducing some gift guide type posts.
I love this little travel card holder, and whilst I don’t have need of travel cards I’ve been using this to keep my most used bank cards handy on my lunch break when I don’t want to take my whole bag out with me. This is the perfect little stocking filler for any Harry Potter fan.
This travel mug is a lovely, grown up gift for Harry Potter fans and super useful. I collect travel mugs like I collect normal mugs- you can never have too many in my eyes. I love the burgundy colour and the proud Hogwarts crest.
Sorry for the terrible photo, I really need to get a light box or something for photos as our house doesn’t lend itself to good lighting. You can still see how awesome this mug is though- designed like the travel mug with the Hogwarts crest, this is a great gift idea for grown up, and not so grown up Harry Potter fans and ideal for a restorative brew.
Paladone is a new to me absolute treasure trove for gifts and inspiration- make sure you’re following them on instagram too for all of their greatest releases.
My lack of routine when it comes to my skin care has been well documented over the years, I’m just rubbish at finding products that work for me that I remember to use on a regular basis. I’m trying so hard to change though, what with being 32 now and wanting to look my best for my wedding, I have every reason to put in the effort, so this collaborative post with SkinChemists could not have come at a better time.
Products c/o SkinChemists
First up, apologies that the photos in this post aren’t the greatest; the lighting wasn’t playing ball and I started to run out of time. Anyway, excuses over, this trio of products is from the Advanced Brightening range and comprises of a Micellar Water, Lotion and Toner and I’ve been giving them all a good trial over the last couple of weeks.
I love Micellar water as it’s just so convenient which means I am far more likely to remove my makeup before bed! I really like this one from SkinChemists, it’s gentle on the skin whilst being remarkably effective at removing makeup. It also contains skin brightening ingredients such as Vitamin B3 and Vitamin C as well as a whole host of other miracle workers and doesn’t leave my skin feeling tight or dry.
I struggle with toners and over the years I haven’t found one that hasn’t irritated my skin and made it look and feel quite angry. Thankfully SkinChemists have come up trumps here as it has ingredients to moisturise and hydrate skin from the inside out (such as Vitamin B5 and sweet almond oil) and whilst it does make my skin a little tight, it’s in a good clean way and I’ve had no angry outbreaks that other toners have caused me.
This is a lovely lotion! It literally glides on and sinks in like a dream. Again it’s packed full of skin brightening ingredients as well as a nifty pore minimising ingredient that has made the world of difference to the appearance of my skin.
I’ve used quite of lot of SkinChemists products over the last few years and I have always been left impressed. This Advanced Brightening trio is no exception and is probably my favourite yet from the brand. Not only have I been using these products daily, I actually look forward to using them because of how good they leave my skin feeling.
