Non-Beauty Favourites/ What I've Been Up To


I feature my beauty favourites on the blog almost every month, but to be perfectly honest, I have even more 'non-beauty' favourites, especially food related ones :) haha. I also very rarely include  lifestyle updates, so today's blog post is a mixture of both, plus a virgin mojito recipe I promised to share :) 

We went to Scarborough at the end of July and it was amazing! We stayed there for a week (in a caravan) with my in-laws and it was a nice little seaside break. Zachary absolutely loved playing with all the kids and we did loads and loads of fun stuff. I will write about it in more detail on www.mummyandbabyblog.co.uk.

The beach huts at the seafront were gorgeous!

I looooolved getting a chance to enjoy some quality time with my husband. We don't go out alone, unless it's a special occasion, but in July, we stayed in a hotel for 2 nights (read about it here) and we went out for a couple of date nights, while Zac got to spend some time with his grandparents. I am all about attachment parenting and spending all my time with my son, but it's nice to get some alone time as a couple once in a while...

Continuing the 'husband theme', I was kindly sent this amazing t-shirt from www.hashtagcollective.co.uk and it is just perfect! I adore the design, the fit, the quality of the fabric and even the packaging! It's the Hashtag Skull design and it retails at £80.00, but it is worth every penny in my opinion. I am tempted to steal it from Scott and wear it with jeans :)

Guess what? My husband treated me to a Canon 700D for my birthday. Oh, yes.... I forgot to mention - I turned 27 in July :) I am absolutely in love (and obsessed) with my new camera and I couldn't be more grateful. I still like my old DSLR, but it doesn't record videos, so I needed an upgrade :)

I have been loving my new Black Lace Pumps (£9.99) from Shoe Zone. They are soooo comfy! 

I've also been obsessed with my gorgeous Leopard Print Birkenstocks. Again, very comfy and perfect for Summer. They are not the cheapest option, but I wanted to invest in the real thing. I also got two pairs of Birkenstock dupes from Primark, but they aren't as comfy.

How cool is this necklace? I already own a name necklace from the same company, but I wanted something to remind me of my passion for blogging, so I went for #blogger in this style. It is made with 24K Gold Plated Sterling Silver and the quality is outstanding. You can find more designs in the Onecklace Etsy Store.

These pyjama bottoms from Joules are the most amazing addition to my lounge wear collection. OMG! They are soooooo comfortable and soft! I got them on sale for £9.99 and £11.99! Bargain! If you are interested in buying them, I found them on ebay (HERE) full price and there is also a stunning floral design from the same range HERE. Size down though, because they are quite big and roomy. Size L would fit from a size 16 to 20-22. 

To help me stay a bit more organised with my blog, I got these Weekly Planners. They are beautiful and very handy to have on your desk and cost only £3.99 each. I love them!

Another cute item I have been loving is this Ceramic Heart Print Kettle/Teapot. It was £19.99 from BM Stores/Bargains.

When we stayed at Citizen M Hotel, we enjoyed a couple of Virgin Mojitos and we decided to recreate them. They are made with apple juice, mint, ginger and lemon juice and they taste incredible! You simply make a mint and ginger paste (bunch of fresh mint, 1 inch piece of ginger) in a pestle and mortar, add it to a jug of apple juice, along with a juice of a full lemon and let it infuse for a while. To serve, you pour the mixture into your glass through a sieve to catch any little bits of mint and ginger. Best served with crushed ice, a slice of fresh ginger, a couple of mint leaves and  a slice of lemon. The flavour is to die for! 


Another food discovery, this time in Glasgow - Via Italia. They serve piadas (wraps), pasta, salads and more and you can customise it all yourself, depending on your preferences! The best 'street food' I have tried in Glasgow. AMAZING! They are located on Gordon Street. 

To add extra nutrition to my smoothies, I have been using NYR's Organic Greens Complex* (£20.00). It contains soluble fibre, non-animal protein, fruit powder extracts, vitamin C and more. It is so much better than standard wheat grass powder!

I love healthy snacks and Urban Fruit baked fruit pieces* have been my go to option, as they are sold in my local ASDA :) They all taste amazing and are perfect for the full family! Everyone in my household loves them! The selection pictured above was sent to me, but I have repurchased the pineapple, mango and banana already :) YUUUM!

I also got a chance to sample the Emily Fruit Crisps* and they are soooo good! I wish I could buy them instore. They are currently sold in Selfridges (London, Manchester and Birmingham). 

I mentioned Cocofina on my Instagram and Twitter, but they deserve a special mention. I have been using their Coconut Oil* in literally EVERYTHING, from stir-fries to healthy desserts to oil pulling and as a moisturiser... The list is never ending. The Coconut Flower Nectar* is a great alternative to normal sugar and I have been using it in tea and as a sweet topping for fruit salads and plain yogurt. YUM! The coconut water is something I don't buy too often due to the price, but I absolutely love it! In fact, I love all things coconut, so I enjoyed the little snack bars too. You can buy Cocofina products from amazon.co.uk , www.ecogreenstore.co.uk , www.realfoods.co.uk and other stockists.

I mentioned this little tool on my food instagram account, but it deserves an appearance on the blog :)  I use it to peel my carrots, courgettes, cucumber and more into long, thin noodle like pieces and it is just FAB! You can buy it HERE for £2.59.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know, if you would like to read about my non-beauty favourites more often :)

*PR samples


  
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