Pandora Wishes Launch in Leeds

Things have been a little slack around these parts recently and for that I apologise, behind the laptop things got cray so my little corner of the Internet has been suffering but I'm back and I've finally got myself organised, who'd of thought it?

Three Thursdays ago my friend Claire and I made an after work visit to the city of Leeds for an evening with Pandora and a rather special couple - Jamie and Louise Redknapp. Now I've never been one of those girls that's lusted after Jamie (even though he is a good looking guy) but in person, well...Louise is exactly how I envisaged her and like her husband was an absolute sweetie happy to pose for pictures while Claire and I swooned over her outfit, not pictured is her amazing Givenchy Bambi clutch. What a beaut!

Now we hadn't been invited to Pandora to ogle the Redknapps but instead celebrate the launch of the Wishes campaign, a rather nifty service which allows you to save all your favourite pieces on the Pandora site and share them with your loved ones. Genius. Sarah Crawford of all the Xtras fame was the host of the eve and held a pretty amusing Q&A sesh with Mr and Mrs R where we discovered that Jamie has not only bought the wrong colour handbag before but the wrong size clothing for wife Louise! It was refreshing to hear a celebrity couple come across so relatable, down to earth even and to learn Louises' favourite piece from the collection is the stacking rings (a woman after my own heart) particularly any featuring stars.

What do you make of Pandoras collection? Do you adore the Redknapps as much as me?

Review: Nourish, Sheffield

Image credit

I enjoy a pizza and the occasional burger as much as the next girl but eight times out of ten I try to eat healthily. I've done diets before and found them unsustainable, I even did Weight Watchers at one point after I found myself pilling on the pounds after a particularly stressful point in my life. I actually lost a stone doing their diet but found myself achieving a happy weight when I stopped going and just ate better (true story plus how can an avocado be more points than a Kit Kat?) Food is something that's very personal and what works for one person, doesn't work for the next but as boring as it may sound it's better to listen to your body, eat well and have everything in moderation. 

That said it's definitely time consuming to be healthy and sometimes I'm guilty of doing a 'quick tea' that had I spent longer preparing could have been something that bit better. Enter Nourish, a genius concept by Dave (a nutritionist), Ben (a personal trainer) and Richard (a chef) who have created a cafe come restaurant where the food is fast but healthy, and I mean healthy, not secretly laden with salt or sugar (I'm looking at you ready meals). Craig and I were kindly invited along a couple of Thursdays ago and I don't think I've ever been so impressed by a year old business. Not only is the food absolutely divine (holla at the avocado wraps and hot food pots) but the pure enthusiasm and life behind the brand is unstoppable. Dave is a real star and super keen to educate anyone who seeks healthy living advise from his wealth of experience as a sports nutritionist.

I'm incredibly proud to have a brand like Nourish in Sheffield (it's about time) and urge you to go and check them out if you're a local, they're bang across from the Peace Gardens and if that's too far they even offer delivery. They're also in the midst of opening a second store in Leeds, you lucky devils!

Have you ever visited Nourish? How do you feel about diets?

Autumn Fashion Challenge with Junction 32

Khaki Parker: Mango c/o Junction 32
Red & Black Check Shirt: GAP c/o Junction 32
Leather Look Skinny Jeans: River Island
Kendra Fringed Shoes: Topshop
Tortoiseshell Sunglasses: Tom Ford

There's no doubt that Autumn is one of my favourite seasons (after Spring that is) so you can imagine my glee when Junction 32 got in touch and asked if I'd like to come down and style an Autumnal look. Junction 32 is somewhere I've never visited but will certainly be heading back to, with shops from Barbour to Daniel Footwear and even GAP there's something for all bargain hunters. The POA from team J32? For me and three other babin' bloggers to pull together a themed look, mine an outfit fit for an Autumnal walk, whilst keeping in budget. Three words I'm not familiar with. After a pow wow at Thorntons where many chocolates and a peppermint tea was consumed AKA shopping fuel we were eager to shop, especially with a £100 gift card burning a hole in our skinny jeans.

With just an hour to put our ensembles together it was a race against time. Shopping a whole look in an hour is definitely not my forte and while I didn't achieve a head to toe look I definitely kept on brief and within budget. When I think of an Autumnal walk I think of Sundays with Craig and Kez, Costa in hand, all while kicking a few leaves. With this in mind I knew I'd have to bag myself a coat, enter this spot on find from Mango. With a huge faux fur hood and lining, not forgetting it's practical waxed exterior this parker is a winner, and less than half the price of one I've seen in Zara. An awesome find at £79.99 non? My second and final pick was an oversized, could-have-been-borrowed-from-the-boyf check shirt from GAP at a beyond reasonable £23. £100 goes a long way at Junction 32 with my blogging companions putting together some seriously on point looks.

You might notice my last couple of snaps don't look like they've been taken in Castleford, they were in fact snapped in Norfolk where my Junction 32 look became the outfit I got engaged in! It's definitely not an ensemble I'll be forgetting in a hurry.

Have you ever shopped at Junction 32? What do you think of outlet shopping?

Fancy getting some festive inspo? Enter my Country Living Christmas Fair in Harrogate giveaway here.

The Event: The Little Black Dress Launch

So I've got a confession to make, I don't own a little black dress. Honestly, even when I've been invited to black tie dinners I've found the one dress that's not black and given it a bash (plain black dresses just don't do it for me) so when a mail arrived for the launch of Little Black Dress' own collection I was intrigued. Held in the bar area of the prestigious Manchester House the vibe was just as glam as the surroundings with glasses of champagne and adorable but tasty canapés on hand.

The Little Black Dress collection is inspired by iconic women think Coco Chanel and Princess Diana but designed with the modern fashionista in mind, let's just say these are no ordinary black dresses, each has their own quirky detail or unique finishing touch. On first glance I was in awe of a few dresses - the Audrey, a simple dress with a cheeky feather addition, the Kate, a dress inspired by the very one Mossy wore for that outing with Johnny Depp and the Charlize, a beautiful 1920s style flapper dress combining tassels and sequins. Needless to say my inner magpie was out to play.

Little Black Dress is a brand I've heard little about but after seeing their debut collection I must say I'm more than impressed - not only were team LBD a lovely bunch but both the quality and design of the dresses were second to none, especially at such an affordable price point (dresses range from £70 to £120). It's a testament to Little Black Dress that someone who typically avoids a black dress like the plague is now debating which one to add to her wardrobe. With the party season fast approaching Little Black Dress have got occasion ware in the bag.

What do you make of the LBD collection? Which dress do you crave?

Event: The One With Friends at the Everyman Cinema

I haven't been to the cinema in what feels like forever. Fact. The last thing I saw was Wolf Of Wall Street which came out in January, so when an email popped up inviting me and the beau to the Everyman Cinema in Leeds to watch the first four episodes of Friends I was singing the chorus of Smelly Cat as I tapped away my reply. It's been a whole ten years since Friends last aired which funnily enough was how long ago I met Craig, doesn't time fly... 

The event was hosted by Simplyhealth who are a breathe of fresh air when it comes to insurers, not only do they hold events like this but they highly rate laughter, encourage smiling and offer guidance on everything from diet to having a healthy mind. Makes a change right? An evening with Friends couldn't be more fitting and alongside my man, a bag of popcorn and a glass of crisp white I was one happy bunny. I don't think a night at my local Cineworld will quite cut it anymore, Everyman is so plush and fancy - I mean who doesn't want to sit on a sofa to watch a film?

Watching Friends seriously took me back, I'd completely forgot how much I love Monicas caring but slightly neurotic ways, how out there Phoebe is, how much of a babe Rachel is and the boys, well, they're exactly the guys you want to be buds with. I could reminisce about my favourite episodes all day long but what I will say is Danny DeVito as a stripper (the only stripper I ever want to see), Brad Pitt and his yams, Rachel singing I like big butts to baby Emma and not forgetting Rosscan when Phoebe is hoping to get Sting tickets through Ross' family connection.

Friends I miss you, now how much is that box set?

Have you ever visited an Everyman cinema? Which Friends episode do you remember the most?

The Body Shop Argan Event

Another blog post, another London jaunt, these trips are becoming quite a habit of late and I for one am not complaining. Sheffield will always be my home but London is easily my second favourite city in the UK, our glorious capital has that vibe that says 'You don't wanna leave' and sneakily pulls you in with charm, quirks and a hint of glamour. The reason behind my excursion? A pre-birthday treat for my mum (that's daughter brownie points right there) but I'll save all that jazz for another time as today I'm sharing with you Body Shops latest launch, Argan and boy is it a goodie. 

Taking place in the authentic Momo Cafe in Mayfair the restaurant was awash with intricate lanterns, mourish nibbles and the most refreshing cocktails I've consumed in a while. Throw Arabic name writing, henna art, belly dancing and hand massages into the mix and you'd be on the Argan money.

In case you hadn't guessed the Argan collection derives from Morocco where the local Berber women hand pick and crack the top quality nuts (words I never thought I'd utter on Cagney & Lace) to produce pure argan oil which makes up the eight product strong range. Now you're probably thinking Argan oil is nothing new but the beauty of The Body Shop offering is that local women are supported and empowered by the production of the range, gaining their own income so they can send their children to school and buy simple things we take for granted like fridges and ovens. Not only is this feel good beauty at it's best but it smells bloomin amazing too, think cocoa butter but a souped up, smells even better version. I am hooked. If you wanna do your bit for the amazingly spirited Moroccan ladies and smell all fancy then pop the 13th of August in your diaries now.

If fashion is more your bag then don't feel let down, here's what I wore in London, day one...

Floral Midi Dress: Warehouse c/o Debenhams
Feather Necklace: Alex Monroe
Moonstone Ring: Astley Clarke
Black Ceramic Watch: Michael Kors
Alexa Bag: Mulberry
Habitat Pony Sandals: Steve Madden from House Of Fraser

I've always been one for a more leg baring number but something about this floral midi dress had me at hello, maybe it's the very Hannah-esque floral ditsy print. Teamed with my Steve Madden sandals which are the comfiest Summer shoes around this ensemble served me well in humid London. Who'd of thought England would get so ruddy hot? These snaps were taken outside Selfridges after my mum and I consumed the most sensational meal at the rooftop Q grill. Only the best for the nearly birthday girl, clearly I've got a thang for London rooftops.

Will you be trying the Argan range? Are you digging my midi dress?

An Afternoon In London With ASOS

Who hasn't sat and dreamt about what goes on inside the grand head quarters of ASOS when you're hovering over the add to basket button? Will Katy Perry be playing loud and proud? Will the entire space look like something out of the latest lifestyle magazine? Will team ASOS be a seriously fashionable but friendly bunch? In a word, yes. I can confirm that everything you've imagined is probably true, and some. I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon in London to celebrate Access All ASOS' Epic Summer Party, and it was exactly that.

I was welcomed to ASOS HQ with a floral crown made with the most fresh and fragrant flowers by the babes at The Floral Appreciation Society, it'd be rude not to sport it straight away...

ASOS had thought of every last touch to get you in the Summer mind set with mini collections of shoes, jewellery and accessories scattered around the stark white event space.

Even the boys were considered, I wonder if these driving shoes come in a size seven?

That yellow fifties bombshell two piece needs to be in my Sardinia suitcase stat.

Fashion aside feast your eyes on the quirky touches, I'm digging these fabric covered panels

And I need this effortless lighting in my life. 

ASOS ensured we were fed and watered (essential with florals on your noggin') with a selection of drinks from elderflower cordial in teeny milk bottles, to cider and the Summer classic Pimms. Food came in the shape of chilli hot dawgs and my favourite, ice cream.

With everything from floral crown creation, to Ciate manicures and a pop up bar there wasn't a moment to be spared. My favourite quirk of the evening? The Social Playground printer which produced any Instagram snap providing you used the #epicsummer, genius right? Check out my pic here. 

ASOS HQ was packed to the rafters with beauties, fashion lovers and handsome fellows as well as a few recognisable faces playing table football...

Dunya from Dearest Deer and Carrie from Wish Wish Wish.

Feeling full to the brim with Summer fashion not to mention the ice cream and hot dog I devoured I decided to head central and catch up with my personal photographer for the day, my mum. I'm more than happy popping back and forth to events solo but with my mum fancying a trip to the big smoke we decided to join forces, while I got my ASOS on the lady shopped. We caught up outside Liberty to chat purchases, the perfect backdrop for my floral crown. Don't you agree?

Chambray Shirt: Topshop
Embellished Statement Necklace: Topshop
Maysa Skinny Jeans: Whistles
Cut Out Boots: Topshop
Friendship Bracelet: Accessorize
Black Ceramic Watch: Michael Kors
Alexa Bag: Mulberry

London you beauty.

Have you ever dreamt of ASOS HQ? What do you make of my floral crown?

Ideal Home Show With Hillarys Blinds

Two short weeks ago an email hopped into my inbox that got my creative energy flowing - the lovely guys at Hillarys Blinds were inviting me to the Ideal Home Show with a preview of their new collection to follow. A trip to London to ogle homewares? Yes please. For as long as I can remember I've been dying to visit the Ideal Home Show, Ideal Home is one of my favourite reads and interiors are a huge passion of mine - I even wanted to be an interior designer when I was younger. I now work in the home improvement industry as a buyer so spending a day getting inspo for both work and play suited me down to the ground.

A room set created by Ideal Home, I love the mixture of prints and textures.

 Metro brick and wood effect tiles are big news right now and how dreamy is that copper bath?

 The mix of stripes and toile creates the perfect masculine feminine balance.

As an Ideal Home Show newb I must confess I was a little disappointed, I'd imagined the show to be a interiors dream with my brain working over time to absorb every inch of the grand hall but overall I found the show to be lacking and full to brim with random tat (anyone for hair extensions or skincare from the deep sea?) I'd of loved to have seen smaller, niche brands that were more quality over quantity, that said I did enjoy wandering around the show homes and seeing the big interiors trends translated right before my very eyes. See a few behind the scenes snap over on my Instagram.

Team Hillarys on the other hand know how to put on a good show. Held in the Pembroke, close to Earls Court we were introduced to the story behind the new collection with cocktails and canapés in hand. Based on a New World theme Hillarys latest offering for roller blinds is trend and season led with the New World theme hosting three key collections: Modern Coastal, Organic Earth and Eclectic Luxe. Each mini collection is dreamier than the last...

 Modern Coastal brings that nostalgic, old memory feel with a contemporary twist.

 I adore the old school notion of this simple yacht fabric, perfect for bathrooms or a bedroom.

 Organic Earth sees the outdoors come inside with a warming, cosy colour palette.

 Finally Eclectic Luxe, delicately marrying the old and new together with a whimsical vintage nod.

This Finch fabric was a real favourite of mine, capturing the beauty of vintage lace in a modern way.

As always the gang at Hillarys really looked after me so I'd like to say a huge thank you to them and for introducing me to the new collection, I don't think I've ever felt a stronger urge to pull down all my window coverings and start again. I mean have you seen their wooden shutters?

If you're on the hunt for some home inspiration and you're based north west then I suggest a visit to Home Is In The North, an interiors shopping event in Manchester on Saturday the 26th of April - I'd be attending myself if it wasn't my birthday that very day. The event brings together a mixture of independent designers and crafting opportunities. A date to add to the diary and not just because it's my birthday.

Have you ever visited the Ideal Home Show? Which collection from Hillarys is your favourite?

*I was kindly compensated by Hillarys for my travel.