Working with Henryka Jewellery

22nd April 2019

This post contains gifted items.

If you’ve seen my Instagram lately then you’ll have seen that I have been working as a brand ambassador with the wonderful Henryka Jewellery. This has been an absolute honour for me as I’ve long admired the brand and the gorgeous pieces that they sell.

Henryka is a British Brand inspired by nature. Each piece is unique and is made from sterling silver and a wide array of natural gemstones; from their signature amber through to turquoise, amethyst and rose quartz. I was given the chance to pick out some pieces from the range to share across my instagram, but I’m so in love with them I wanted to pop them up on the blog as well.

It’s going to be no great surprise to anyone that I managed to find a cat themed piece of jewellery to add to my collection. This sterling silver miniature cat necklace may be dainty but it’s earned me several compliments whenever I wear it. I’ve got it on a 16” chain, but it also comes in 18”-22” (prices starting at £20).

I fell in love with this silver and blue lace agate ring the second I saw it. It’s an absolutely stunning piece that has found itself a new place as my favourite every day ring. I’ve never seen blue lace agate before and it’s just so pretty. This ring is £45 and worth every penny.

I used to own so many pairs of stud earrings, but discovered a few months ago that they have been misplaced somewhere along the way. Since then I have been searching high and low for replacements with very little success. That was until I was given the chance to work with Henryka and found these silver star burst studs. I absolutely adore these earrings and I haven’t taken them out since they have arrived. Henryka have a huge array of stud earrings on their website, all around the £20 mark and I have several more pairs of studs on my wish list…as well as somewhere safe to store them!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing my picks. If I’ve tempted you by any of these pieces or anything else on the website catches your eye then Henryka are offering my readers a generous 15% off their orders when they use the code DAISY15 at the checkout. Let me know if you treat yourself, I’d love to see your haul.

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3 steps to taking your career in a new direction*

19th April 2019

Making the decision to take your career in a new direction can be a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there are certain steps you can take that will help make the process that little bit easier. If you’ve decided it’s time to make a change, but you need extra confidence to commit to overhauling your career, you can start by asking yourself the following questions; Why exactly are you looking for a change? What other occupations are you considering exploring? Will you need any additional skills or training to get there? Once you’ve got your answers, you’re ready to start taking the steps to starting your new career.

Sell your skills

Whether you’re looking to transfer to a new department or keen to overhaul your work life entirely, you need to work out where your strengths and transferrable skills lie. This is what you can offer your new employer. You also need to asses your values, key personality traits and interests so that potential employers can get the best idea of who you are and where you might fit in their existing team. At this point, it’s vital to be honest with yourself and acknowledge that while you may have the drive to succeed on your new career path, you might not stand out to employers on paper just yet. That’s where the Bologna Business School can help. With over 40 courses aimed at inspiring both personal and professional development, there’s never been a better time to study. With a BBS Master in Data Science, for example, you’ll not only learn how to manage big business data, but how to apply innovative analysis methodologies that will give you the expertise to apply tactical or strategic decision making to resolve company issues.

Do your research

If you’re not entirely sure where you want to go next then this step is vital. Doing research is key to working out exactly where you want to be and will save you the hassle of taking the wrong career path yet again. A great place to start is by making a list of possible careers you’d consider exploring. Write down which aspects of each you find appealing and any areas you’re not sure would be a good fit for you. This will help you to narrow it down to just a handful of options ready for you to give some serious thought to. Key things to look over at this point are salary ranges and training as these may require a compromise or more energy and time that you’re willing to commit to the cause.

Outline a goal

Once you’ve decided where it is you want to be, it’s time to set yourself a goal. What steps will you have to take to land that dream job? Is there a timeframe within which you’d like to be settled in your ideal role? Write yourself a career action plan including any training or time you’ll need to build up the desired skills for your chosen occupation. Stick to your devised plan and you’ll be back on the right career path in no time.

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The Spring Degustabox (March 2019)*

07th April 2019

[post contains gifted product]

It feels like an absolute eternity ago that the March Degustabox* arrived. It’s been a crazy few weeks between my dodgy back, a week of technical issues with the blog and then a feline medical emergency, but finally here we are! I’m absolutely exhausted from a frantic weekend so I’ll just jump on it and keep it fairly brief.

The March edition of the Degustabox had an excellent array of snacks within. I really enjoyed the Chum Fruit Bites, they were probably my personal product of the month. They are made with 100% fruit, are suitable for vegans and full of fibre. The Apple ones were especially delicious and I’m trying to find a local shop where I can get my hands on more.
Another favourite was the Green & Black’s bars, I love these single serving bars; the praline was the winner for me but both were super good. I’d happily buy any of these products again- I probably wouldn’t choose the passion fruit from Willie’s Cacao personally, but there are many other delicious flavours in the range.

The Red Red Super Stew was a great little product- ideal for work lunch one day. Just add boiling water to get a really yummy stew made with natural and plant based ingredients- a little pricey at £2.99 each but good to have on hand and perfect for a chilly day.

Costa is the only chain coffee shop in my town and where I tend to head when I want something quick on the run. I’m trying to save money at the moment so being able to make a familiar blend at home to take with me is a real plus, and gives me a precious few extra minutes at home vs. being stood in a queue.

Bob and I are condiment hoarders and love any excuse to add to our collection. This little jar of relish (a gift with the box) is really good on burgers!

The drink selection this month was strong. I loved the Moose Juice energy drink. It’s zero sugar and has no aspartame either. It’s tastier than red bull and something I would hands down pick up again.
The Jubel Alpine beer cut with peach isn’t my kind of thing but Bob said it goes down nicely. It’s a vegan friendly beverage too…always good to know!
We haven’t tried the Weetabix drink yet but I like the concept of the ultimate portable breakfast.

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 6HZJ8 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.

Sorry it’s a much shorter and less involved roundup than usual. Hopefully next month will be less dramatic and I’ll have a bit more capability to string together some sentences!

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The Bristol Bag*

06th April 2019

[post contains gifted item]

Having lived (admittedly just outside) in Bristol for almost 32 years, I have a lot of love for my buzzing, creative and quirky city. I also love supporting both local and less local small business, so when I was contacted about Paper Bag Co, a company based in Wiltshire who specialise in eco friendly bags, who in collaboration with Overt Design in Bradford-on-Avon have released a range of local, eco-friendly bags I was keen to get on board.

Dress: Monki at ASOS (bargain!) | Tee: Topshop | Bag gifted

A quick diversion away from the bag to say what a bargain this dress was- £8 in the ASOS sale and still available in many sizes. I’d had my eye on this for full price so happily broke my shopping ban to make the purchase!

Back to the bag though, how stunning is that design? It’s the most perfect size for daily use. I can carry all of my work paraphernalia around with me, and it holds a heck of a lot of shopping- I’ve not purchased a single plastic bag on my weekend grocery shops since it arrived which is nothing short of a miracle.

I’ve had so many comments about this bag There are several bags in the range of local designs; Bath, Bristol, Frome, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge.

If you want to buy a bag you can contact Paper Bag Co through their website or give them a call on 01373 825 834.

If you could have your favourite town or city printed on to a bag where would you pick?

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New Vampire Vape at E-Cigarette Direct

29th March 2019

[post contains gifted items]

You may recall at the start of the month I raved about the juice brand Vampire Vape and how awesome there flavours were.
I was recently sent even more awesome by the brand from the e-cigarette direct team and given the success of my previous experiences with the brand I understandably couldn’t wait to get stuck in to this new bunch of flavours.

Rhubarb crumble is my all time favourite dessert so I was intrigued by how it would translate in to a juice. My instant hit was of sweet rhubarb, followed by it’s characteristic sharp tang. The experience finished with a buttery crumble flavour; all that was missing was the custard, delicious!

The name “Charger’ gives no clues as to what to expect from this juice and I did check the website before giving it a whirl. Described as “red fruits and berries with citrus and aniseed”, this is a lovely little medley of flavours that is fresh and fruity with a touch of sophistication from the aniseed. Loved it.

I love sweet flavours so I was very excited by the promised of crushed candy. This is a lovely blend of super fresh fruits and bubblegum and is right up my street- you could really taste the watermelon notes in this one, another hit for Vampire Vape.

I always swore I’d avoid tobacco blends but if anyone is going to convince me to try it then it’s Vampire Vape! Luckily I got more smooth vanilla from this than I did tobacco, and whilst I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy this juice I am glad I tried it and I think it would be perfect for anyone looking to make a transition from tobacco to more adventurous flavours.

Last but not least we have “Catapult”. Another name that doesn’t give much away, this one promises blackcurrants and summer fruits as well as menthol. I love how much the brand uses menthol to bring an unexpected twist to their juices, it what really makes them stand out for me. Another simple sounding blend with a sophisticated edge.

There are still many flavours from the brand I am yet to try, top of my current wish list is parma violet as I loved those little sweets of the same name when I was a kid! You can see the full range of flavours here, if you have experience with the brand let me know which else I need to test out.