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Spring cleaning is wonderful, in the aftermath anyway. I have a lot of decluttering to do at the moment, all will be revealed very soon as to why. Do you ever find that once you start clearing that you wish you had never started. Well here are my five top tips to declutter successfully.
1. ONE AREA AT A TIME
Don’t expect to declutter the whole of your house in one day, or even in one weekend. Decide on the areas that most need doing and/or you are most excited about doing. If you have too much to do then you are going to get overwhelmed and likely get nothing done.
2. MORE MESS TO GET LESS MESS
The honest realisation that we all need to come to terms with is that you have to create a s**t storm to create bliss. The best way to tackle an area like a drawer or a wardrobe is to tip all of the contents onto the floor and organise in an open space. You can then really see everything that you have been storing away and easily organise items into piles.
3. THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND
It is incredibly important that you are in the right frame of mind to do a clearcut. Feeling sentimental, don’t do it. Feeling poorly, don’t do it. Feeling sleepy, don’t do it. You need to feel refreshed, excited and ready to clear out your life. As soon as you start feeling a little sentimental or start getting distracted by every item you come across, either stop, take a break or move onto a different area.
(A little glimpse into the cheesy books I own. The books on the top left actually have me on the spine and cover!)
4. WHERE TO SEND YOUR UNWANTED ITEMS
We are all far more aware of sustainability at the moment which is incredible so rather than just chucking your unwanted goods into the bin, make sure you create different piles for different homes. I like to create a recycling pile for absolute tat that I know couldn’t be used again. A friends and family pile for those items I know someone would like. Then I have a charity pile for goods that could be sold in a charity shop. Another pile that I used to create was an eBay selling pile but this pile lived in my home for 6 years without budging so I just include this in my charity pile instead. I would love to make a little extra cash but realistically I have other things I want to do with my time instead.
Also, you don’t want to have these bags lying around causing you annoyance for evermore, or like me having bags of “charity goods” living in the garage…ugh, so irritating. So, make sure you tell yourself that they are rehired within a week tops to avoid stress and mess.
5. MUSIC IS THE POWER
Music really is the power when it comes to decluttering. Have an epic power list full of music that inspires you, you can sing along to and you feel fab listening to. Pop music, rock music, running playlists and show tunes are always great to declutter to in my opinion.
(When you finish your clearing, make sure you fill your house with fresh flowers and plants.)
How are your skills when it comes to decluttering or Spring cleaning? Have you got anymore tips to share? Below is a little truthful image of what my desk looks like at this very minute as I finish up this post…
Why on earth am I asking you to read a poem when I’m normally sharing beauty and fashion nuggets of information? Well I have this poem here which I read in an acting class at The Actors Centre recently and after closer inspection realised that it is so relevant to each and every one of us. I remember reading poetry for my English Literature A Levels and finding it so irritating having to guess what the writer really meant by each and every word. Yet when I read this poem I didn’t need to think too hard it just made sense.
WHAT I LEARNT FROM THIS POEM
What I learnt from this poem and wanted to share with you all was that we never really stop do we. The poem says, “We have no time to stand and stare” and this is so true. You know when you wake up early in the morning, have a shower and sit on the end of your bed staring into space, yeah…that’s not the stopping and staring that I mean hehe. I mean that moment of wondering around and really taking in your environment and appreciating what you see. I personally spend most of my time looking down at my phone, somehow not walking into the road and killing myself, I have however walked into a few lamp posts in my time haha. I definitely feel we could all take a little bit more time in our lives to go out for a walk and observe, think and maybe even have a chat with a friend or loved one.
W. H. DAVIES
LEISURE
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:
No time to turn at Beauty’s glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:
No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?
A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
HEY HO
Anyway, I’m not sure this will be one of my most read posts but it was just a little thought which I wanted to share with you all because it definitely made me stop and think for a moment in time.
What do you think of the poem? Do you take time to stop? Do you give yourself a break or are you always go go go?
I have been brought up in a self employed family environment for the majority of my life. My parents work bloody hard but they also play hard too. I never felt ignored by my parents when I was growing up. Homework was always done before dinner and we then had dinner together before watching TV or playing games. There was a strong distinction between work time and play/leisure time. In the social media environment that most of us live in now it can feel like we never quite focus on the present and what is going on around us. 33% of my work is wholly social media based and the rest is also improved with the help of social media. Liam and I are rarely not holding our phones and that’s pretty sad/pathetic for many reasons. I ADORE my phone, I ADORE social media and the capabilities that it has in both a dreams sense and in a tech sense. This being said there is something so special when you aren’t thinking about it. Also, it is so much more fun to log onto social media when you haven’t been on it for a while, there’s so much more to see from those you want to find out more about, rather than scrolling mindlessly through tosh! Anyway, here are the main things that I learnt and I am going to try and continue doing.
WORK / LIFE BALANCE
As I said above my parents have been self employed for most of my life and worked their arses off. What I hadn’t always noticed was that when they work, they work. When they play they are not thinking of (or at least don’t talk about it) work. Liam and I do not stop thinking, discussing, doing work. We have such an un-structured work schedule that we often feel guilty if we don’t work until late. This in turn means that our evenings aren’t too special. I am actively going to try and work harder and get less distracted during the “normal” working hours of the day and not work in the evenings. …let’s see how that goes hehe.
NO PHONES IN THE BEDROOM
I am embarassed to admit it but I am totally guilty of this. Not every night but 90% of them I am having a late night scroll or Pinning session. I don’t even know why? It has definitely become a habit. My mum was flabaghasted that we even had our phones in our bedroom. Last night I decided to set my alarm and then put it aside and read a book and I do think I fell asleep a lot quicker. We do use our phones as an alarm clock so we couldn’t fully get rid of them from the bedroom but I am not going to scroll through my bed now…well, I am going to try and not ever do this or at least limit it.
I used to read so much more when I was younger and it’s no coincidence that I only had a mobile phone that texted and Instagram didn’t even exist! Now I flick through a book, read the titles or a couple of chapters and never actually finish it. I only complete books when I go on holiday and now with free phone contract abroad I barely read then either. Ugh, I am so disappointed in myself haha.
BUSY OUTINGS
What I really love about being with my family is doing things. Like, going out for breakfast, going for a proper walk, going shopping in town, going to a garden centre, going out to buy the newspaper. Really simple things which make coming home even more special. Liam and I have been saying for ages that we want to do more with our weekends but we literally never stop working. Even when we aren’t working we are procrastinating and talking about the work we need to do. We are actively going to try and do something even small each weekend. In turn it will probably make us more interesting and cultured people. Keep an eye on my Instagram, I am sure I will put it on my stories haha.
WEEKEND CHILLS
One of my most favourite moments this weekend was sitting in the living room with mum, dad and Liam eating delicious croissants,drinking tea/coffee and reading different sections of The Sunday Times newspaper and magazines and chatting about interesting things we had just read. We had Classic FM playing faintly in the kitchen. The civilised calm vibes were strong!! It felt so leisurely and relaxed. I really want to do this more often. I grew up with mum and dad always buying the Sunday newspaper and reading it in bed. The newspaper would be scrawled across the bed in its many pieces, cups of tea on their bedside tables and plates of toast and croissants in hand. I would grab the Style magazine and sit at the foot of the bed reading about what was going up or down on the hot barometer. I adored those moments and really want to do that more with Liam.
THE RIGHT TV TIME
I love TV, I love film. I love everything about it, working in the industry and watching a gallon of it. I don’t feel guilt for watching it because I find it inspiring for my acting career, I feel I am learning as well. That being said, Liam and I definitely watch WAAAAY too much of it. I think that when we say what can we watch and there’s not something that immediately springs to mind then we should turn it off and not bother. There is so much more we could be doing with our time. Mum and dad couldn’t believe it when we said we often spent our weekend mornings watching TV. They only watch TV in the evenings and mum actually said she feels naughty watching TV in the day and feels like she is missing out on something. I am definitely going to think about this and appreciate evening TV time a little more by reducing my day time consumption.
What do you think about these points? Do you already have a good work life balance?
Hair slides and hair grips are HOT right now. I have worked out a way to make the most gorgeous rainbow coloured hair slides. I was sent a rather large box of Essence nail varnishes the other day and they are so beautiful. I am the biggest nail varnish hoarder you will find. I had a nail varnish clear out last week and then 50 new gorgeous non-claggy ones have arrived. Out with the old, in with the new, right! Anyway, this box of nail varnishes inspired me to make these hair slides. (F.Y.I. I was never asked to feature these nail varnishes in any posts. These polishes are only £1.60 so are great to use for this project. Here is a link to the nail varnishes in their old form, these ones I will be out later this month in Wilkinsons. You can obviously use any nail varnishes you already own. Here is a link to all my past nail varnish blog posts filled with loads of gorgeous nail varnishes and tips). I chose an array of colours that create a pretty ombre effect.
WHAT YOU NEED
• White (or very pale) nail varnish.
• Nail varnishes in a variety of colours.
• Hair slides.
• Piece of scrap paper.
HOW TO
• Slide your hair grips on to a piece of paper so you can paint freely.
• Swipe a coat of white nail varnish over your hair slides. This will act as your undercoat and mean that with a light nail varnish colour you won’t have to use loads of coats and allow them to get dented and peel away.
• Allow to dry. I am quite impatient and just painted all six grips I was painting and moved back to number one with the coloured polish.
• Paint one thick coat on your hair slides.
• Leave to dry and ta da you are ready to look as cute as a button.
Let me know if you make these? I would love to see how you style them. Tag me on social @itsmegantaylor xx
This post includes a paid for advertisement with LIVI.
Working from home can seem like a dream at first. You don’t have to commute, you can eat at home, you can wear your trackies all day. All of these things are incredible but the reality is you have to be focused and have really good self control. When I first started working from home I would be distracted by washing up, washing clothes, tidying, walking the dog and worst of all scrolling mindlessly through my phone whilst lying in bed in my PJs with my laptop pushed aside. I have finally come to create the perfect working day from home. Working from home is all about saving yourself time to work on developing your business and achieving your dreams so here are my 5 top tips to being productive when you are working from home.
1. PLAN YOUR DAY IN ADVANCE
Each evening before I go to bed I fill a piece of paper with everything that is on mind and everything I have to do. This means that I won’t struggle to sleep because of worries running through my mind all night long. Once I have emptied my brain onto a piece of paper, I write down everything that I have to do and have to achieve the next day. Being freelance means that everyday is different, you may have meetings in town, for me I often have to pop into town for an audition and rush back home to write a blog post, then shoot some content for Instagram before the sun goes down. This post is all about those days when I am working from home all day long. Plan your appointments, meetings and conference calls in advance and block in times for different tasks. If you need to book in a parcel pick up, a conference call or even a doctors appointment. Make sure you block out time for this. I actually often skip going to a doctors because I simply don’t have time to leave the house or spend a long time on the phone trying to get an appointment. Livi allows you to book a doctor’s appointment and see an NHS GP by video, all for free. You can get a video call with a doctor within 10-15 minutes enabling you to schedule the time you want, saving you loads of time on the phone trying to book an appointment and sitting in doctor’s waiting rooms.
2. EXERCISE IN THE MORNING
I love to wake up a little bit earlier each working day and do some exercise. After walking and feeding my dog I either go for a run or go to a bootcamp class. If I go for a run I will pop on a podcast about the world of social media. I find this gives me a great sense of motivation and also inspires a lot of new work ideas. If there are no new podcast episodes to catch up on I will put on some up-tempo music. My current fave, over a year after it was released is The Greatest Showman soundtrack. There’s something about that album that really gees me up for my run. Exercising in the morning allows you to get some fresh air and increase your flow of endorphins making you a generally happier morning person. Go on, give it a try. once you have done it I bet you you will feel nothing but happiness.
3. GET DRESSED
This may seem obvious and simple but it really is necessary to get out of your PJs and into real clothes. I am often guilty of coming back from bootcamp in my dirty clothes and sitting at my desk to “quickly” respond to my emails. Come 3pm I am still sat there typing away as a dirty mess. I have found that I am far more productive if I have a wash as soon as I get back from working out. I wear nice but comfy clothes, I do my make up, my hair and I pop in my contact lenses (glasses make me sleepy).
4. CONQUER THE EMAILS
I personally like to spend my first hour of the working day doing my emails. Along with my diary I reply to every email in my inbox. I read and sign contracts. I RSVP to events and schedule in meetings. The reason I like to do my emails in the morning is that you will hopefully get a response on the same day. I also like to make any phone calls or conference calls in the morning. There’s nothing worse than having an amazing phone meeting in the evening to then be hyped up and excited about a project but not be able to work on it right away with a fresh and excited mind.
5. SCHEDULE IN SOCIAL DISTRACTIONS
Whether you work in the world of social media or not you can fall into a rather unproductive worm hole. If you don’t work in social media but love the social networking platforms then you need to schedule these into your day. If you are an influencer then you may want to schedule in more time. I like to say to myself, empty my email inbox then have 15 minutes on social media, or take photos for a blog post and then have a social media moment. Even though using social media is good for my work I do need to schedule it and limit myself a little bit to make sure I am completing other potentially more important work, like this blog post 🙂
I hope these top tips can help you have a more productive day and help you achieve your dreams quicker. Let me know if you try any of them out. Have you got any more productive working tips you can share with us all?
Welcome to another Mother’s Day. Welcome to a more Spring like time of the year. Tulips and daffodils everywhere. I love the opportunity to spoil my mum with goodies and have a day doing something she likes. We often go for a dog walk and eat cake after a lovely homemade brunch. Mother’s Day can be hard for those who have lost their grandma or mum but I always like to think that even on a rather commercial day it is worth treating yourself and your loved ones to something special. If you know someone who finds Mother’s Day hard then why not buy them a little prezzie or take them for a walk in the park and a coffee.
COSY VIBES
Even though we are in Spring, it is rainy season and very close to April showers that we all love to complain about. Rather than complaining, make the most of the excuse to have a cosy day in your home. There isn’t much I love more than having a cosy home day hanging out under the duvet or on the sofa. I love to light candles, stay in my PJs, eat biscuits and watch soppy romantic movies. Your clothes need to be comfy and cute at the same time. CYBER JAMMIES have an incredible array of pyjamas. You may even spy me on their website…take a look here. These Amelia PJs I have featured are light weight and perfect for Spring and they even have an eye mask in the same pattern (with a street lamp outside my bedroom window means this is a necessity for me) (Amelia eye mask). JUST SHEEPSKIN have the most divine snuggly slippers to pair with your PJs. My favourite ones are these Kensal Sheepskin Slippers suitable for any age. I love the bobble pom poms and immediately want to boomerang my feet with every step I take. Take a look at their site because they have loads of styles which all come in a wide variety of colours.
THE GIFT FOR EVERYONE
Did you know I adore stationary. I’m pretty sure I talk about it a lot on here and on my Instagram stories. I have loved stationary since I was a child. I have a shelf of notebooks just waiting to be filled with my next great idea. PAPIER have a lust worthy website which will spoil you with choices for notebooks, notecards, cards, invitations and even wedding stationary! Best of all you can even personalise your products!! I also want to note that everything feels like such good quality. Check out their collection of Notebooks here. The different prints are absolutely divine and you are sure to find a print that the recipient will love. I am so excited to own my own personalised Notecards. I feel like royalty sending off thank you’s on cards that have my name on them. What an amazing gift to give someone when they may not buy this for them self. Also check out their affordable and stunning Mother’s Day Cards. The card is such great quality with some dreamy prints that you will want to frame them and keep them forever.
Let me tell you all about this wonderful subscription box called WILDWOMAN. It is the best subscription box I have come across and there are many on the market, yet not quite like this one. The quality and generosity of this box is second to none. They kindly sent me a box for this gift guide and I was over the moon with the contents. You can purchase the Self care package box with a one off month to month, 3 month or 6 month subscription. This particular box has Anna of The Anna Edit‘s book which was an incredible surprise because it has been in my Amazon basket for a month and I kept meaning to purchase it. The amount of goodies in this box made me so happy, it is really thoughtfully put together and the complete self care package with so many parts to it.
THE GIFT OF SCENT
I ADORE candles. Whenever someone asks me what I want for my birthday or for Christmas I tend to say candles. I know that buying candles can be fun for the buyer because they can choose the scent and the design. If you receive a candle that you don’t like the scent of I recommend making it a toilet candle 😉 . I have been a long time fan of ANYA HINDMARCH. I remember back in 2007 I believe my bestie and I woke up at 4am and my husband drove us to our local Sainsbury’s with the hope of buying her ‘I’m Not A Plastic Bag’ canvas bag to find that they had ALREADY sold because the amount of people in the queue. We were devastated. Hey, Anya, why not rerelease them I know they would do well again. Anyway, I digress from candles. If you haven’t already noticed Anya Hindmarch has some incredibly eye catching fun candles and diffusers including this sweet and addictive scented Lip Balm Candle that reminds me of my childhood and even adorned with a bubble cherry sticker!
Meet the most luxurious and grown upTunisian Mint Tea scented LUMIRA candle. This is going to be a candle glass that you are going to want to clean up and keep as a pencil pot. This candle should be burning in a grand living room an hour before your guests arrive for a dinner party. I love it and I know everyone else will too both men and women in fact.
This candle byMarshmallow soy candleMOR is going to last you a really long time. It smells beautiful and very feminine. I love the tassel adorned snuffer lid which is incredibly handy. The jar is like no other and would make a really great present for the Old School Hollywood women in your life..
AYURVEDIC SKINCARE
I first got into the world of Ayurvedic philosophy a couple of years ago when I met Jasmine Hemsley and was gifted her book West By West. I have found a test to find out your Dosha here on Pukka Herbs website. Once you have found out what your dosha is you can then tailor your products to your bodies flow, thoughts and behaviour. Whether you are vata, pitta or kapha you can keep this is mind when deciding on the products to buy. Here are two fab brands creating beautiful Ayurvedic beauty products. FUSHI (meaning eternal life) have lovely beauty products filled with recipes from the founders grandparents. Make sure you check out Fushi’s products here. There are many different beauty products but the ones I have featured here are from their ‘Face Care Range’. SAMAYA have created these stunning products with divine packaging that you will want to keep. Samaya have created products that deliver great beauty results but are also designed to treat you to a sense of calm and tranquility. Check out the Samaya range here. I have featured a product from each range so you can see thir full beauty.
NEW MUM TREATS
A lot of new mums may experience problems with red raw nipples and dry skin in many other places too. DR. LIPP has used 100% medical grade lanolin in their Nipple Balm. I feel like Dr. Lipp’s nipple balm has been around forever. I remember when I was younger and had probably barely hit puberty hearing about Nipple Balm and finding it so sordid and hilarious. I then realised that it is an incredible product that is actually multi-purpose and not solely for your nipples 😉
I have always loved SANCTUARY since I was quite young. I would always go into Boots at Christmas and buy their affordable gift sets. This gift set called the Indulgence Box is £20 but everything normally retails at £41.50. Gift sets like this are a great gift as everyone washes so you know the recipient will love it and to buy a girl a set like this you are essentially buying someone a little break and “me-time”.
You can eat ISLAND CHOCOLATES guilt free because all of their chocolate is sustainable, fair and 100% traceable. They grow the cocoa themselves and turn it into chocolate at origin. The package I have photographed is The Whole Gang and what a beautiful present it would make for chocoholics like myself. I can safely say they taste fabulous, my fave is the cocoa and cocoa nibs.
Flowers are always a lovely present aren’t they. I feel like flowers make a house a home. My top tip would be to buy a lovely vase as well that you know suits the shape, size and colours of the flowers you have chosen. All the flowers in this blog post are from APPLEYARD LONDON who have kindly given everyone 20% off all bouquets at Appleyard London until the 31st December 2019!!!!! Use the code MEGAN20 for your discount(Excludes delivery charges, add on gifts and subscriptions). Click through to here to see their Mother’s Day collection.
Which items are your favourite? What would you like to gift yourself? 😉
International Women’s Day is upon us. I wasn’t sure how I could celebrate the day but then it dawned on me that I know some incredible women! Some of whom are featured in this post. It is widely known that those that you associate with shape you and your life. I am proud to say that all of these women have influenced me in some way. My mum of course is my biggest female influence in life, she has the answer to everything and can find the positivity in absolutely everything. I remember talking to my aunt Nettie on the phone when I was a teenager and she said, “Phone me if you ever need advice on baking or sex” haha. I do ask her for baking help quite a lot! We all need strong women in our lives and if we don’t have any then you must seek some out online, there are some incredible women out there inspiring generations of women. A lot of television programs pit women against each other, cat fights are a producers dream on reality tv. Yet if women build up other women we can quite literally conquer the world. These women will inspire you and I am proud to know them. I would like to publicly thank the incredible women featured for taking time out to share a snippet of fabulous inspiration and advice. I wish I could have asked more girls and even some guys for some shared knowledge but I simply didn’t have time hehe. Enjoy and be happy from these words of wisdom. I feel like you should listen to either Jess Glynne or Florence whilst reading this post as they both have all the girl power vibes in their music. I have popped a link to their Spotify’s below.
GLENDA TAYLOR
MOTHER • WRITER • COMPANY DIRECTOR • BALLET DANCER
“I’ve never been the sort of girl who particularly hangs out with girls but over the past few very tricky months I have been so grateful for my girls both family and friends. The love and support I’ve had has been truly wonderful. I love my boys too but now I really believe in girl power.” Glenda is the creator of Angelico Serums. Find her here… WEB | INSTA
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GAYNOR NORTON
MOTHER • LIFE COACH • CREATIVE GURU
“The gift I have tried to give to my daughters is to love yourself. When you can accept yourself the way you are without judgment you don’t have to be perfect and you can then find the beauty in all women, because we are all unique and that is perfect.” Gaynor is the founder of Life Coach Surrey. Find her here… WEB | FB
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JENNIFER HOWSON
MAKE UP ARTIST • MODEL • ACTRESS • POSITIVE VIBE
“Women are warriors. Everyday should be Women’s Day. Megan and I are always lifting each other up and creating what I think is a catalyst of change for other women – in love, exploration, to be daring in work and new experiences big and small. I call on you today to do the same. Empower a fellow warrior woman to fulfil her potential. Every choice you make leads to something, so make good, kind and loving choices to support another woman, together we will and ARE creating a stronger generation of warrior women, in turn, creating a better more beautiful world.“
Jennifer is the creator of an incredible make up course coming out soon. Find her here… EMAIL | INSTA
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LAURA HINTON
MOTHER • WIFE • PR • HAPPIEST PERSON EVER
“Owning and growing your own business is honestly the hardest job I have ever done. Over night you go from being employed and being brilliant at your role to becoming instantly the finance director, head of HR and IT dept. Every overhead comes directly from your profit and you can’t have a sick day or really even go on holiday in the first few years. However, building a company founded on your own values and ethos is rewarding. Choosing to work with people who inspire you and giving your team opportunities you weren’t in control of the past and seeing them and your business and flourish is a huge rush. It can be a lonely experience too and you soon find out who your friends are. It was a great window for me and now I am surrounded by a core of other women who champion and support me as I do them. Which is invaluable. Be inclusive, be kind, be generous with your time and experience, it all comes back to you in the end. Businesses are built on people, I really believe that.”
Laura is the founder of Little Light PR. Find her here… WEB | INSTA
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LAUREN LOVETT
MOTHER • BUSINESS OWNER • ENTREPRENEUR
“Children are the most challenging, frustrating, joyful, funny little creatures in the world. The have the ability to bring you so much happiness and at the same time to take absolutely everything you’ve got in the process (energy wise). It is definitely a juggling act no matter if you have childcare, a nanny or any kind of help. How do I do it? With a fully charged iPhone (and about a million apps that let me access emails, documents, social accounts and track projects) AND clear work boundaries – knowing that I’m going to dedicate Saturday morning to my family becomes a sacred time for me as well as for my to-do list. I am building and working on something for my children’s future.” Lauren is the owner of the UK Blog Awards. Find her here… WEB | INSTA | TWITTER
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GEMMA SCOPES
WRITER • SPEAKER • PODCASTER • CHEERLEADER
“We live in a society where women are encouraged to compare, compete and fight each other for what they want but the truth is there is space for everyone. There is a lot of power in female friendship and we should never underestimate how much we can achieve together. Even if you don’t have a strong tribe around you right now, there are always opportunities to make new friends and make it a priority to do so. Vulnerable conversations, new connections and being part of a community give women the strength to achieve incredible things. Behind every successful woman are herself AND her tribe. Surround yourself with women that cheer you on, that celebrate your successes and fuel you with energy.
One way to empower the women around you right now is to offer friends help without them having to ask for it. Offer support to your friends and be their biggest cheerleaders. Support them in rough times and be there to celebrate the great times. Friends that can celebrate each other’s successes are incredibly special.” Find her here… WEB | INSTA | PODCAST | CLUB | FB
Have you got a quote you live by? Who inspires you each and every day?
Valentine’s week has arrived. Whether you are celebrating or not, whether you are romanced up or spending the evening with friends or family, here are 10 movies to watch for free on Netflix. Most of these movies and old classics but I think there will be a few you haven’t seen before. Some will make you laugh, some cry and some feel joyful. Click on the heading to watch the trailers. Have a wonderful time whatever you are up to. Also, if you want some Valentine’s Day gift ideas check out my blog post full of ideas here.
Relatively unknown, yet everyone should watch it.
Romantic and sad but not too sad.
Great soundtrack.
Inspiring.
Definitely worth watching, may become a fave.
Will make you want to book a road trip across America.
Hello all and welcome to the first real week of 2019. The first week of five full working days, eek. Good luck to us all. May we sleep well at night and feel full of energy during the working days. I have dabbled in working since the Christmas break but found myself getting distracted. I have taken six bags of old un-necessary hoarded goods in my house to allow new more special things in. If we hold on to clutter then how will the new ever enter??
“this is it!”
so I THOUGHT
THE YEAR 2018
The year 2018 was filled with highs and lows. Two major things that happened for me were a work and personal matter separately. In WORK, I booked my biggest job I had ever booked, both in monetary value but also in potential of recognition. I filmed the job, I recorded the voice over and I had two days of personal appearances at a huge event booked in the diary. I had a meeting with their marketing manager about the ways they were going to grow me as the ambassador and how we were going to develop the collaboration. It was an acting job but also made bigger by involving my blogging and social media. I literally thought, this is it! This is the job of the century…well, apart from booking a movie. Then a month before the PAs I had a phone call from my agent saying, “they have decided to cut your part”. I was at a big blogging lunch when I got this call and I was in shock! Thankfully I still got paid but I didn’t care, it was the job that I wanted even more so than the money. I was excited by the potential this job held. Anyway, I moved on and that’s fine and they explained that they loved everything I did, it just didn’t work for the American marketing etc etc etc. Then come late November in my PERSONAL life I went into meltdown. I found out that someone I love with all my heart has got cancer. FUCKING cancer… I literally screamed these exact words when I found out, then burst into tears for a good week or so. I stopped posting on social, I wasn’t sure what was the point in anything. In a spaced out manner I traipsed myself off to pre-booked jobs but I ignored emails and phone calls while I tried to process something that had thankfully never hit so close to home. Yet, the prognosis is good and actually, fingers crossed, everything is going to be totally fine and come February this will hopefully all be over and we will all laugh at the few months of absolute SHIT we have had to go through! I can’t wait for the sound of the cork popping from the chilled bottle of Champagne. BRING IT ON!!
WHAT’S TO COME ON HERE
My main aim for this website in 2019 is to make it original and accessible. What I mean by this is that everyone and their dog have a blog these days. With more and more people are owning a blog there is a very similar vibe on everyones website which is something I noticed when I was booked as a blogging judge on for this years UK Blog Awards…so much similarity between everyone. I am determined to bring some new aspects to blogging that are new or relatively untapped at present. Even though there are more and more bloggers/influencers/content creators about, there are still those who turn their nose up at blogs or simply can’t be bothered to read them. I did a little market research with a couple of my cousins (I have many many many cousins haha) who never read blogs or online websites. I found it really interesting to see what they said and it is with their answers that I am going to try my hardest to develop my site into one that even they, the hardest people to get to click through to read.
2019
In 2019 I mainly want my family to be happy and healthy. I want to be even more successful with my work. I reeeeeally want to sell our flat and move into a house with Liam…fingers crossed for all of that!
I hope to spend a lot more time with you all in 2019 and I hope you like what is to come, let me know what you think and what resolutions you have for this year ahead.
Merry Christmas. I mean, it is pretty much the festive break and official time to happily slob out in front of the TV. I have compiled a long list of goodies for the family and for the grown ups. Make sure you don’t miss out, set your box to record. I know that all the Christmas eve goodies are going to have to be recorded because everyone talks through Christmas viewing and I want to see them properly 🙂 .
FAMILY FRIENDLY
Strictly Come Dancing finishes just before Christmas but not to worry, every year there is a Christmas special. I just personally wish they would stop bringing back past contestants and train up some newbies. Our new female Doctor Who will be airing on BBC1 this New Year’s Day, 2019! I feel like David Walliam’s always has a Christmas special out each year based on his books. This year is no different, he has a TV special coming out called The Midnight Gang and it is sure to be a family must-watch. Call The Midwife is always a little bit of a tear jerker but such an incredible watch, I love this show. Their shows normally air on Christmas Day. There will be a new production of Watership Down airing this Christmas and I can’t wait. The stars attached to this are immense and definitely going to bring in a huge crowd. There is an animated show of the kids story book called Zog which look positively adorable being aired on Christmas Day.
A BIT OF DRAMA AND ACTION
Les Miserables is coming to our TV this Christmas and for those who hate musicals you will be happy to hear it is in music free. I do think it is one of the best musicals ever produced but I am pleased they are bringing out this six-part adaptation for others to see the intense story. An Agatha Christie crimmie is coming to our TV with some megastars performing, including John Malcovich. This three-part show is called The ABC Murders.
NETFLIX CHRISTMAS MOVIES
Netflix is becoming the one stop shop for Christmas films and this year is like no other with their own Netflix produced festive movies. There are the classics like Arthur Christmas, Jingle All The Way and Love The Coopers but there are also some others by Netflix such as Christmas Calendar, The Christmas Chronicles and A Christmas Prince: A Royal Wedding.
There is nothing like coming home after a long day at work or after a long walk in the woods to lighting a loads of candles. Then sitting in the living room with the twinkly ambiance with a mug of tea, the biscuit tin and a cosy movie. Absolute perfection. If you are a regular reader you may have noticed I love candles. Check out my latest post on Christmas candles. If you want a cheaper option then I am here to show you how to make your own candles. These candles smell how they should, like natural beeswax, they are super quick to make and if you can bear to give any away then they would make the most special Christmas present.
WHAT YOU NEED
•Sheets of beeswax
•An old candle
•A roll of candle wick
HOW TO MAKE CANDLES
STEP 1
Decide the size of your candle.
Then lay out the wick from one end to the other in the direction that you are going to be rolling it.
Then include about an extra inch to it. Cut off this amount.
STEP 2
Dip about 2 centimetres of the wick in a burning candles melted wax.
The reason you do this is so the candles burns very easily when you first light it.
STEP 3
Lay the wick down the side you are going to roll.
Carefully start to roll the wax around the wick. I found my looked like it was going to crack but that is ok.
The first two rolls you make may look a bit cracked but your fingers will soften this and it will slowly form together.
It is key to make sure these first few rolls are nice and tight.
STEP 4
Continue to roll the whole candle as tightly as possible.
Use the heal of your hand to help create a tight seal.
For a few of mine I rolled them in glitter that I had sprinkled all over my table.
ALL SIZES WELCOME
I loved making lots of different shapes and sizes. Bend and snap your wax in half to make cute stubby candles. Roll from the longest side across to make tall skinny tapered candles. Why not make three identical ones and tie them up with a red velvet ribbon and Christmas bell for the perfect present.
Have you ever made your own candles? If you do it now make sure you let me know and tag me in any pictures x
Hands up if you still get a stocking? Meeeee ;p . In fact, I get two, one from Father Christmas and one from my hubby. I actually love my stocking more than my presents under the tree. Yes, I freaking love those presents too and feel incredibly grateful for them but I love the surprises you get in a stocking. So many goodies and so much excitement. I have compiled an amazing list of stocking fillers which would also be wonderful for those Secret Santa gifting moments. I have items for kids, men and women. Let me know in the comments which is your favourite and what you will be putting on your Christmas list.
BEAUTY GOODIES
These soaps from The Bluebeards Revengeare so chunky and are going to last a long time even if the men in your life play rugby in the mud every day. I love the manly lumps of soap and wouldn’t even mind them being in my bathroom to use myself. I love the adorable bottles thatTime Bomb have put in a little gift set. Their SOS range of bottles have the perfect selection of products for a complete facial reboot this Christmas. I am back with more products from Percy & Reed because I adore their products, they are so cute. I actually had a model casting with them back about 5 years ago and I think it was Percy who said to me that all the pretty illustrations of women and their flowing hair are based on his friends, I love that. My mum has actually already stolen this set from me, just minutes after I had photographed it! Feel Unique actually have this To Go gift set for 20% off at the moment and is an absolute bargain. Oh how I love Mavala. The adorable little bottles, the fact they last for ages and the lovely shaped brush. Here are a couple of Mavala Christmas gift sets which I am loving…also love the snowflake charm.
This Temple Spa bubble bath is already half used on the side of my bath. The bubbles it creates are fabulous and it is such a large bottle that it should last you a long time if you don’t over use it like me ;P. The scent is beautiful, very relaxing and spa-like.
BITS & BOBS
My mum taught me to have bits and bobs stored up just in case you forgot to buy for someone, or if you didn’t buy enough or someone extra comes for dinner on Christmas day. So to be prepared I always like to have a little box with a few rather unisex gifts. Then if they don’t get used they become mine :).
I love these Free* SOUL Wake and Sleep Teas. They are beautifully packaged and are perfect for any herbal tea drinker. Teas for the morning and the evening. These Unicorn Tears have definitely made the press in the last year of so. I finally got my hands on some this year and I love them. They are essentially raspberry gin liqueur with sparkles inside. The perfect gift for any alcohol drinker. Socks, although often laughed at, are the perfect gift. I’m not sure that anyone ever doesn’t wear socks at some point. Why not gift them one of these two adorable ones from Mistral and Fat Face. I mentioned Buckley in my crackers gift guide last week and I am back with this gorgeous Christmas card they sell. The lovely card comes with a beautiful sparkly star necklace…my mum has already worn this to a party and had lots of compliments.
FOR THE TREE
I love a tree ornament and there are now many beauty options to put on the tree as well. If you are a bit spenny you could buy your whole office a beauty tree gift and hang it on your office tree. If that idea is a bit too lavish then you could buy one of these adorable gifts for your bestie, for a stocking gift or just as a token of Christmas lovliness. This Espa Christmas bauble is simply divine. Look at its beautiful navy and bronze design. I am in love with it and I’m not sure I can face gifting it to anyone ;). This years REN Christmas gifts have been decorated by Kikki K and are looking totally adorable. This pink gem is their Moroccan Rose Otto luxurious hand balm. Lanolin have a tree gift which is an absolute steal at under £6 here, this lip product even has SPF30 which must all try and use. For the beauty obsessed and more grown up Caudalie have their fabulous Beauty Elixir in a tree gift packaging.
FOR THE KIDS
These goodies are amazing for the youthful bunch in your family. My teenage years were spent spritzing Impulse all over my body. I can’t remember the name of the one I used but it was a pale green skinny bottle and smelt incredible and super fresh. Impulse is now so different from when I was younger, the bottles and clear and bigger and the scents are far bolder and promoted in collaboration with mega-influencers. Check them out here. These products from ON! Juniper are all hand made by a, local to me, Surrey woman. I love the fact that I can share her products with you all. Make sure you head on over to check her out. Here is the cola lip balm and the beautifully packaged bath bomb. Every year I ask for a pretty calendar and diary. With the launch of the new Mary Poppins film I know this diary will be a hit.
Buying gifts can be tricky. There are those people who have everything, those people you have only just started dating and those people that refuse to give you a wish list. Whoever you are buying for this year I have you covered over many post. Check out last weeks three posts on candles, crackers and make up. Today I have some more special one offs, Wednesday we have some incredible gift sets which are only available at Christmas and on Friday we have a whole ton of Christmas stocking and Secret Santa ideas. Then next week until Christmas I sharing with you festive baking and drinking, festive viewing and festive crafts. Read on ahead for some easy buys for everyone in your life.
RELAXING GIFT SETS
Christmas can be a stressful time. Why not treat someone to one of these gift sets which are all geared around relaxation and pampering yourself. Espa have a luxurious gift set of goodies. Their Ultimate Sleep Collection is incredible. It comes with a blue silk eye mask to top it off. I am incredibly partial to an eye mask. Black out blinds just don’t quite work well enough for me so for a true sense of darkness I like to use an eye mask, this one is fabulous as it is dark, thick and soft on your eyes. Moroccanoil have had such a buzz around their products for a few years now and until I got this gift set to try I had never actually tried it. I have now tried it and I get the hype! Your hair smells fab and is left feeling in amazing condition. I love the tin box that the Everlasting Style gift set it comes in as well, no naff and unnecessary plastic wrapping. Elemental Herbology create such wonderful scented products filled with essential oils making you feel as if you are being treated to a posh spa experience. I adore this Earth Balance Bathing Ritual gift set they have created… I am also rather chuffed with the images I took for it 😉 . The whole kit for a perfect bathing experience is there, the candle, the wooden scoop for your bag of salts and a body oil to smother yourself in before bed. If you are a regular reader here you will know I am a big fan of Ren. You will also know that I love their Rose products. It makes sense that I picked out this giftset filled with rose and called LOVE. Click on the word LOVE back there as it links to their site where they are currently selling it in the Black Friday sale for just £30 and you even get a free gift with it as well, so you can buy a gift for someone else and get a gift for yourself in the process…perfection.
BEAUTY GIFT SETS
This Percy & ReedBountifully Bouncy gift set is an insane bargain. My mum and I both adore their products, I use their hair spray all the time and mum loves their hair perfume. This is a wonderful gift set for someone who travels a lot or who has never tried Percy & Reed products before and simply needs to be introduced to them. Korres have created an epic sized gift set box called Total Indulgence which has products within that are all over 80% natural. They smell fab too. Image Skincare have created a gift set called Festive Favourites which has a lovely handy pouch to place all your travel sized products in. The products will help your skin during and after the festive period along with a cleanser, serum and moisturiser.
UNISEX GIFT SETS
I find buying for boys incredibly tricky. When I buy for girls, I mostly just buy something I like and hope they will like it too. A a girl, I get girls but for boys hmmm…trickier, right? These three gift sets I have here are great for boys, the hair styler is definitely unisex and the other two are more specifically for the boys. No Gunk have created this beautiful gift set filled with hair products and a face mask…yes, boys can face mask too! American Crew have fantastic products. Liam uses their hair products a lot and says they are great and thinks their wax and forming cream works really well (sorry, I can’t give a personal opinion on the product for obvious reasons ;P). I also love that this gift set comes in a tin made like a money box, no plastic throwaway gift set here.
This is potentially one of my favourtie gift sets I have ever seen! Alfa Italia have produced a travel hair gift set ‘Viaggio’ which is what dreams are made of. This gorgeous black bag comes with a small and super lightweight hair straightener and hair dryer, with a defuser attachment and two hair clips. I think this is the bargain of the century. I have linked to a place you can buy it for just £38.30!!! BARGAIN.
Which is your favourite? Do you also struggle to buy for boys?
There are some special people in your life that you want to show that you thought hard about their present. I have rounded up some fabulous gifts which are all affordable but are a bit pricier than a standard gift set from Superdrug for example. These gems of Christmas goodies include the most seductive items I have ever shared on here, the booziest bottles of goodness and I have even thrown in some diamonds and a very real life bottle shaped like a heart.
SOMETHING FROM THE HEART
These two presents are luxury personified. Map Of The Heart White Heart v.7 is an intricately designed heart perfume bottle presented in a gorgeous black box with a fabric label. This is a display box which you won’t want to throw away. The scent is beautiful. Very feminine but grown up and timeless. I recently spent a lovely evening at the Ivy Brasserie in Covent Garden (F.Y.I. I highly recommend going there. The staff were all really lovely and incredibly attentive, they always are across all of their locations.). I was invited for an evening of Champagne and making ginger bread house…I won ;P I was incredibly lucky to have been gifted some of my own Pandora jewellery in the form of this stunning necklace and earrings matching set. I have already worn it on numerous occasions. They are the perfect classic and timeless design. They are even on sale right now at an absolute bargainous £99 for the set!
SOMETHING BOOZY
I always feel like alcohol is quite an easy gift to give. You have probably been out for a drink with your friend that you are buying a present therefore it is easy to know what they like without having to ask. Liam and I have a rather epic booze cabinet in our house in the form a beautiful antique cupboard which I redecorated here. I have found three rather special alcohol gifts which are perfect for something a bit more special than a shop bought bottle of red. Bottle Bazaar have a wonderful service where they can personalise bottles of alcohol with your own designed labels. Everyone loves a touch of personalisation, I certainly do. I have shown you Gordon Castle in my Candle Edit but I am now here to show you their gin which is made with their own botanicals from their stunning walled garden. When I make it to Scotland I am 110% going to have to visit. Let me start the introduction to this next product as whisky isn’t just for men. I’m not sure if it is me getting older or the fact I tried neat whisky for the first time last year but I blulmmin’ love it. There are some which are too strong for me but some which are like a scrummy syrup. Summerton Club is a great company where you can join a club to receive bottles of whisky at an amazing price which you wouldn’t normally be able to get so cheap. This is a present for your parents or grandparents that would be the gift that keeps on giving.
SOMETHING A LITTLE CHEEKY
Okay, so I don’t normally touch on anything so cheeky but the PR of So Devine and Bondara got in touch with a press release of Christmas gifts. I then spied the pink Halo which I naively thought was a stunning mascara…oh how wrong I was. At a rather boozy party I discussed with my husband, auntie, mum and cousin whether I should pop it in and the answer was a resounding yes haha. So here you go, for a cheeky gift to your partner, your bestie or even a secret santa Bondara Heart Nipple Tassels and So Devine’s Halo are here for a rather discrete and compact naughty present. Liam and I actually gifted the heart nipple tassels to one of his best friends who thought they were amazing haha. Another stunning present for the woman in your life is this out of this world beautiful lingerie set from Fleur Of England (Boudoir Bra and Ouvert Briefs). Their lingerie has gorgeous lace which is incredibly soft on your skin and has beautiful finishing touches like silk covered buttons for the fastenings.
Crackers have been around since 1792. That’s a whole lot of time ago. In the past 10 or so years the invention of the cracker has definitely begun getting more inventive. As a family we have always had crackers on the dinner table because it feels like a part of Christmas that you should always include, for tradition. It is part of the table dressing, isn’t it!? Yet, with this years more apparent news on the devastation of plastic I think it is maybe something we should try and adjust. Why buy these plastic-y crackers for 2 seconds of happiness when they are just going to end up in a plastic heap in the ocean. Now, I am a HUGE fan of Christmas, the BIGGEST fan in fact and I hate thinking about the negativity of consumerism around the subject, but, if there is one tiny thing that we can do to help then I think swapping out crackers for more “special” crackers would maybe be something we could think of doing? I have compiled a nice selection of crackers which are each the price of one box of crackers but maybe you could forgo one present from under the tree and chip in together to have a table cracker present instead. It would definitely be something exciting to look forward to wouldn’t it. These crackers I have sourced range from £4-£22 and are filled with amazing gifts with something for almost everyone. Another fabulous way to gift crackers at Christmas is for those office and friends Secret Santa moments.
CRACKING BEAUTY
Beauty crackers are in abundance these days and I freaking love it!! Make up popping out of a cracker is fantastic and so exciting. This MOR cracker is their Mesmerising Marshmallow cracker and has a hand cream inside which smells like sweeties. At £8 this is the perfect gift for girls from 8-80! I am probably the biggest fan of Too Faced. I believe I have written about 12 posts on their make up haha. They have brought out this cracker with a lip gloss and their supremely famous ‘Better Than Sex’ mascara inside. At £14 it is the perfect gift for any make up lover.
POP OPEN THE RELAXATION
Christmas can be a supremely stressful period so make sure you take a moment aside to relax. What better way to relax than by taking an aromatherapy bath. Here are my top tips on having a dreamy bath. I included Beatitude’s crackers last year in my Under £10 Christmas Gift Guide and you all seemed to love it so I have brought them back again. The two I have here are Joy and Peace. They are £10 crackers that have a lovely aromatherapy bath oil inside.
ONE FOR THE BOYS
I found it really hard to find a male specific cracker. The majority of crackers on the market are aimed at girls. Bulldog have made a male cracker which is on sale for £4 at Superdrug at the moment!! An absolute bargain. Being packaged in cracker for makes a moisturiser that much more special. I feel this cracker is the perfect easy gift for a guy you don’t know as well, maybe your best friends new boyfriend or some guy at the office that you picked for your Secret Santa.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
These two crackers are a little bit different from the others and would be more of a gifting surprise. This Nude By Nature cracker is filled with make up brushes! I adore Nude By Nature products anyway and to receive this cracker with a complete set of make up brushes would make me super happy. This Buckley cracker is a bargain at £12 with a charm bracelet inside. No one would expect that and it feels like pure indulgent happiness for any girly girl.
Are these crackers something you would like to receive? Which is your favourite?
Welcome to the land of the dark nights. Why not make them sparkle and twinkle from the inside. Pop a candle or five in each room of your house. I love to light lots of scent free candles (Ikea and Tiger are great for slow burning scentless candles) and only switch on the small lamps rather than the overbearing ceiling lights. I then put a scented candle on in my living room downstairs and another in my bedroom upstairs. I have compiled my favourite scented candles for the winter hermit season. Snuggle up and read ahead…
THE BOYFRIEND FRIENDLY EDIT
There are some things boys and girls disagree on and that can often be which scent they like. These candles are all perfectly unisex as verified by my hubby, Liam. Espa have an incredible range of aromatherapy products and this candle is fabulous, filled with pure essential oils giving a beautiful heady scent of woody notes. Vetiver and Black Spruce by Espa is one of my faves. There is something so elegant about this Charles Farris candle VII Pinetum. Although cinnamon is one of the last ingredients, for me this is why I fell in love with it. This candle is the perfect boyfriend Christmas candle and I bet you that he loves the rough finish to the jar it comes in, it’s incredibly tactile. Willow And Honey have created two gift boxes, one white box and one black box. I must admit the black box is probably a bit more typically male with its moody and deep scents but the white box has verbena in which is always going to be a winner and is one of Liam’s favourite teas so I knew he would like it too, incredibly fresh. I adore the jar and screw top lid of this Björk & Berries candle named White Forest. This candle creates a lovely cosy vibe in your room filling it with pine scents…pretend you are camping but at home with all the luxuries.
THE GIFTING EDIT
These Christmas candles are all perfect for gifting. Shearer Candles are incredibly affordable and have great packaging. They are in a tin pot with a resealable tin lid (I like to use this to put my used match stick on). Gingerbread Man and Mulled Wine are two perfect gifts for teenagers. For the older recipient Neom products are always going to be a big hit. Everything from Neom is displayed beautifully and feel like a special gift. The Neom candle Precious Moment smells beautiful and comes in this stunning box.
THE NEW YEAR EDIT
Even though Christmas is my favourite time of year, there is something so lovely about taking down your tree to help symbolise fresh new beginnings. Gordon Castle have an amazing fresh citrus scented candle which will make you feel like you are burning away any old year dust. Gordon Castle use their own botanicals which they grow in their own garden, thus the apt name, The Herb Garden Candle. Last year I had a lovely Feather & Down pot of bath salts and it was so relaxing and of course filled with lavender. This year I have found out they have a Calming Candle in the same scent. This would be perfect to gift for someone so they can have the candle burning whilst bathing after a long fortnight of partying. Elemental Herbology have a beautiful aromatherapy scented candle called Earth Balance. It is estimated to burn for a good 45 hours!! The top notes are filled beautifully with citrus scents such as mandarin and lemon.
Which candle do you want the most? Do you have a favourite Christmas candle?
Being freelance means that everyday is different for me. One day I may be on set filming, the next I may be at home creating content and on some other days I may be in town auditioning and doing meetings. I adore this lifestyle of unpredictability and the excitement of doing something different every day. The only thing that then can take a backseat is my exercise and nutrition. This Autumn I feel I have really got it down to a fine art. Read on for my typical morning that keeps me happy, healthy and set up for the day.
This post includes a paid for advertisement by Herbalife Nutrition, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
08:00AM
Can’t resist a bit of social media. I know it’s bad but there are some mornings when I just can’t leap out of bed so lying there and staring at that awful bright blue light on my phone seems to wake me up a little bit (there is actually a lot of science to back this up). I answer all of my messages on social media and respond to any urgent emails which I can do from my phone. After 10/15 minutes I eventually jump out of bed and get dressed into my work out clothes. I’m loving my Aussie Grip Apparel sports clothes at the moment because I can put my iPhone in the pocket of the leggings…more workout leggings need this!
08:15AM
I wake up Coco and take her for a walk and then feed her. Coco will stay asleep for longer than us if we don’t wake her. We woke up at 11:30 last Sunday and she was still snoozing when we went down to her. She’s like a teenager.
09:00AM
I head off to Liam’s bootcamp class if I am free on a bootcamp day. I love going to bootcamp because you get a full body workout and get to do some cardio whilst hanging out with a lovely group of people. I also really like being able to workout whilst being instructed as someone else is pushing me and Liam is amazing at teaching the class in a fun way. If it’s not a bootcamp day I go for a 6km run and listen to an inspiring podcast. I have been listening to The Influencer’s Podcast lately and found it incredibly inspiring on days that I am creating blog content. It get’s you in to a great frame of mind and enables those happy endorphins to spread around your body so you can be really productive. Do you like working out in a group with an instructor or working out by yourself?
10:00AM
I personally really like to workout on an empty stomach because I hate that feeling of running about and feeling the food bounce around in my stomach. It is also widely researched that working out in the morning before ‘breaking fast’ (breakfast) increases your fat burning potential, helping you burn more fat during exercise. Lately, for breakfast, I have been using Herbalife’s Fruit Burst recipe made by chef Rachel Allen. I am a huge berry fan, always have been. Although this recipe also makes me feel like Summer is still in the air, I’ve given it a little seasonal twist using blackberries. These crisp bright autumnal mornings and a Formula 1 raspberry and blueberry shake can only make you smile. Shakes are perfect to take along with you on your commute if you are in a rush. Check out the recipe I have adapted below. Rachel Allen’s other recipes for Herbalife Nutrition are here.
Serves 1
• 26g Formula 1 Raspberry and Blueberry flavour
•150g natural Greek yoghurt (I buy Waitress own full fat where there are no added fake sugars)
•100g mango
•1 tablespoon of lemon
-Blend all of these ingredients together till completely smooth.
-Add 15g porridge oats if you want to include some extra carbs. I am personally happy to exclude the porridge oats and I am fully satisfied until lunch.
-I always have frozen berries in my freezer and in the Summer when the weather is hot the frozen berries give you an extra icy hit.
-Top Tip: If your berries are about to turn, chop them up, put them in a container and store in the freezer to make juices and smoothies.
10:15AM
After a quick shower I sit down at my desk and reply to the rest of my emails and then get started on my latest project. You may think that 10:15AM is rather late to actually sit down and work but I tend to finish working at about 19:30. Also, everyday has a completely different schedule. Let me know what is your favourite breakfast in the Autumn months? x
Christmas is and always will be my most favourite time of the year. I love the magic of it and the time to spend with family and friends with yummy food and drink and exciting places and events to go to. Each year, and throughout the year for some reason, my Christmas To Do posts are super popular. Check out my previous years posts for a little extra inspiration. I have been pretty concise this year in my suggestions with only things to do which I have personally taken part in before, therefore knowing they are fabulous and worth your money.
ICE SKATING
There are so many fabulous ice skating venues across London and the whole world at this time of year. I do wish there were more ice skating venues across the world in general to be honest. I believe that the two most adored venues across London at Christmas are Somerset House (£12.82+) and the Natural History Museum (£12.65+). For the ideal ice skating experience I would suggest booking a session between 4/5pm because you then get that absolutely perfect twinkly sunsetting experience. Finish it off with a take away hot chocolate to keep you warm on your way to the bar…or maybe the theatre as I share my favourite performances this year.
THEATRE
I am from a theatre background, both myself and my parents and my brother. We have all worked in the theatre in someway or another. We love going to the theatre all year round but there is something incredibly magical about going over Christmas in a family group. Coincide with a lovely afternoon tea if you have kiddies in tow or cocktails and nibbles if older. This year we have booked to see Home Alone (£25+) played with a live audience at The Royal Albert Hall and I am practically giddy. This experience with La La Land was incredible so I am thrilled to have booked tickets (back in the summer hehe). Another show we are going to see this year in Scrooge at The Old Vic. I wanted to go last year but the tickets were completely sold out. Other fabulous shows which I have seen in the past but are back on are The Nutcracker at the Coliseum (£16.50+) and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake (£12+). Another show which is theatrical but not theatre is Mariah Carrey is doing a small Christmas tour, including the 02.
CINEMA
I love going to the cinema. As an actress I always come out feeling very inspired. After coming out of the cinema from watching La La Land I walked into an audition the next day and booked it! Other than the inspirational aspect for me, I love that cosy vibe, especially now we have cinemas in the UK like Everyman and Electric Theatre where you can sit on red plush velvet sofas, armchairs and beds all whilst drinking cocktails and eating food. Perfection. This winter there are lots of fab films to go and see. I am seeing Nutcracker this weekend but before the end of the year I also want to watch Mary Poppins Return, The Grinch, Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald, Ralph Breaks The Internet and The Christmas Cronicles (Netflix). We are seriously spoilt for choice.
I have a lot of lovely Christmas posts planned so make sure you stick around and follow me on Instagram and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss it. Christmas recipes and gift guides galore.
