House Plant Edit | Home

Plants, crazy plant lady is the new "crazy cat lady" though personally I don't understand why women (interesting) have to be considered when they either love cats or plants but that's a whole other discussion I don't have the energy for.

I don't know about you but during lockdown as I was spending more time on my phone I noticed that I was getting targeted by a lot of ad for plant websites and like everyone else because we were all spending so much time actually in our homes day to day getting a new plant to spruce the place up a bit became a great idea

We have had random plants in the house before but they were too low to the ground which meant the pooch could nibble on it all day long, it was a nightmare so we just agreed to not buy any more. However the more plants I saw online the more I really wanted one but I just had to figure out the correct height for the planters. I actually discovered an article which linked to these gorgeous Terrazzo Plants from made.com, the measurements were perfect and not only did they look great but I personally think for two of them the price is fantastic.

We then had to figure out what types of plants to put in them, now me and the boyf have quite different tastes in stuff sometimes and when it comes to plants he likes to go for the more fun options so we settled on the Dracena for him, which is actually the same species at the one we had before. It's a plant that when I saw it in the garden centre I was a bit "meh" about but we agreed we'd each pick a plant. However when I got it home and in it's little planter I actually really started to like it and it seems to be doing well with some new leaves sprouting.

The plant I wanted was a little trickier to get a hold of, I fell in love with the Calathea (lead picture), there are several different varieties of Calathea but it was this specific one I absolutely needed in my life and it turned out I wasn't the only one. This gorgeous plant kept coming into stock and then selling out by the time I wanted to buy it, I almost settled for a different plant but I am so glad I didn't because I am OBSESSED with this beautiful thing!

I do still have my small peace lily but I think she isn't very happy right now, she is very small and the leaves don't look too healthy, that said I think it has been a great as a test and learn kinda plant (poor thing) because there have been times when I have clearly overwatered it, under watered it, put it in direct sunlight on my balcony (which is a no no) pruned it incorrectly and yet she still lives. It's all a learning curve, so my Calathea is a thirsty gal and needs more water than you think, I only try to do it about once a week but when I started to notice one or two leaves curling I did a quick Google search and it actually said she wasn't being watered enough. Gave her a huge watering and within a couple of hours those leaves had flattened back out and she was happy.

Quick Tip: it's better for your plants to be underwatered as opposed to overwatered but the best way to find out is to physically sick you finger into the soil and if the top 1-2 inches are dry, time for a drink!

I only have a slight problem now, is that I want more but we live in a humble home so we don't REALLY have room for more...perhaps another one won't hurt...

Life After Lockdown | Lifestyle

As the ease of lockdown continues I can't help but feel a little anxious about it all. I know that I am probably in the minority of people who genuinely has enjoyed this lockdown period, there are several people who have said they have too but as soon as McDonald's or Starbucks opened they have been queuing up ever since. I don't blame them for doing something that brings them a little bit of joy during all the uncertainty but I just don't understand the big rush to go back to that life. I know I adapted a lot quicker to lockdown than most, I loved my new routine of not leaving the house at 6:40am every morning to return home at 7:30pm or 8:30pm, all of a sudden I was home and could have breakfast in the morning or take the pooch for his first walk before work, I could actually cook dinner at a normal time again.

Don't get me wrong I'm not saying that COVD-19 is a positive thing because it's not, it's heartbreaking and painful, I wish it didn't take a Pandemic to make us to look at things differently. 

I have probably been the most engaged with my friends, family and life in general in the last 4 months than what I have probably been in the last 3 years which definitely made me think about the changes I want to continue once lockdown is actually over...

- call my family more
- call my friends more
- spend less time in shops
- spend more time with actual hobbies such as embroidery and this blog
- Walk my dog more
- Work from home more
- Spend more time walking in nature 

I have very real anxiety about not being able to hear the birds when life goes back and I know it's a little silly but I find it incredibly comforting when I wake up at stupid o'clock and they're all I can hear. 

Sometimes it takes something major and dramatic to make you realise what you have been missing in your life 

Loss | Lifestyle

Family is a funny thing, it's complex, rarely perfect and it's different for everyone. I suppose this post is more for me than anyone else because sometimes it is hard to process the loss of a family member, especially when there are added layers to the relationship anyway. 

I lost my Grandad at the age of 11, it hit me really hard, it was the first death I had experience and it pretty much shaped my teens, for years I really struggled with his loss. A few years after his death the breakdown of our relationship with my Nan (his wife) started. I'm not going to go into the details because I don't want to and I don't see the point in bringing it all up again, but we kinda became estranged from her. We would pick up on little developments in her life but contact was nonexistent. 

Couple of weeks ago we found out that she had actually died...in 2018, only found out because my dad checked the death register when another estranged family member could(should) have told us...

I was surprised at how I felt about it all, while I probably hadn't spoken to my Nan in maybe 10 years, I was pretty cut up about it and I guess I still am because I'm writing a bloody blog post about it to try and process it. I did cry over it, but the reality is a part of me felt like she died all those years ago because she just wasn't in my life. Then when we found out more about how she died and all of sudden I thought about how she might have felt or what she experienced. It's difficult because internally I am battling between rational thought vs emotion

Rational thought : My nan hasn't been in my life for so long, she wasn't particularly the nicest person and whether she is dead or alive it has very little impact on my day to day 

Emotion: I still have some wonderful memories, I spent a part of my childhood running around her garden and just being in her house and she was still my nan. 

That's the thing about loss, the impact varies so much between each person and for me, in this case the pendulum swings wildly between rational thought and emotion. I still don't know how I feel about it all, but I think that's ok...

New Year New Blog Post | Lifestyle

As we tip toe into a new year, of course we all take a moment to reflect. In this day and age people like to reflect all over social media showing their highlights, mainly, all the places they've been, all the things they've achieved and with heading into a new decade people are showing 10 years worth of growth...I don't have the energy for it!

So much has changed and happened in 10 years, it's hard to look back and pinpoint the noteworthy things when really there are so many things that contribute to growth including a lot of really sh*t times, so if you think this post is going to be me talking about all the things I achieved then this isn't gonna be for you. 

2019 was a weird bloody year, honestly, it was pretty damn awful at times, took me to some very dark places and then all of a sudden things got a lot better, it really was a tale of two halves. I left an incredibly toxic job and started somewhere fresh and hit the ground running, then when I had a chance to breathe I realised that it had been 6 months already and was no longer the new girl. I didn't travel as much because changing jobs and having a dog, this will change in 2020! I'm gonna get over myself and find Freddie a good dog sitter so me and the boyf can have a week or weekend away together. I finally started a new exercise routine, I joined a spin studio and bloody love it, the ease of fitting it into my routine didn't require any effort at all because it just felt right! This is another thing I will be taking into the new year. During this Christmas break, I did a little bit of decorating in the house because I felt like it's time to just try something new and you know what, I absolutely adore it. I gave up meat in 2019 and it was again, a really great and easy (ish) decision, not get me wrong I did have meat on one or two occasions some were accidental and a couple weren't but I didn't beat myself up, it happens and yep, taking that into the new year too.

I have also signed up to do a charity walk in may, London to Brighton because I really want to do something for someone else and the cause that means the most to me will always be homelessness, anything to support the charities out there that do a lot of good work. Don't get me wrong, it's not an entirely selfless act (very few are) but I am looking forward to the challenge, I want to push myself to do something and be proud of it. There were definitely some really great decisions I made last year that I will continue into the next.

2020 will be a year of doing things, travelling more, doing more for others, spending quality time with friends and family but no doubt the year will have things planned that will change the course slightly but I want to be able to adapt and not take it all so personally. I want to read more poetry, visit more art galleries and just learn more about art and culture in general. I am feeling quite optimistic about the new year because it feels fresh, I'm not going into the year with a weight hanging on my neck.

Making More of Free Time | Lifestyle

I find it very easy to get stuck in a rut, especially when I feel a little trapped with work! I easily lose all motivation and can get a little down but now I have a new job I decided I wanted to make a few changes to my free time to encourage a better work/life balance and actually make the most of my free time. Don't get me wrong, I love to do absolutely nothing sometimes but actually as I get older I realise I find more comfort in routine and a little structure so I thought I would share some ideas and tips on how I am trying to make more of my free time.

Weekdays have always been a bit of write off for me, I get home and I just can't be bothered to do anything of any real interest. I go home, I give the pooch a quick walk, I have dinner and I might have a glass of wine in the eve and that's about it. However when it came to the weekend I didn't really know what to do with myself because I hadn't planned anything in advance. One day I just decided that I was going to organise mine and my boyfs calendar so that we have at least one thing each week that we will either do together or with the pooch as well. At first it's a little daunting to try and figure out what we can do with the dog as not everywhere is dog friendly but it only takes a quick phone call or email to confirm whether the places are and so far we've had a lot of luck with that. I know it can seem a little odd that I am organising free time when surely I should be impulsive and free to do whatever I want but I think when you have a little doggo you do have to plan things more.

In June we took Fred to a Beer Festival in our home town and took him to Brighton over night. These were relatively easy things to book and schedule and we want to desensitise him a little to busy environments because we want to take him everywhere, this meant that for a couple of weekends easily had something to do. On the weeks where we weren't really doing anything at the weekend we decided to go out for dinner at places we really liked or haven't been before.

I have found myself baking a lot more recently, I have always loved baking but sometimes found it difficult to remember to have all of the ingredients, so instead I have bought some bread mix where all you need to add is water. It's something that's really simple and you feel quite accomplished after you have already made it, you don't have to make a big deal out of finding all the correct ingredients. Baking doesn't have to be this massive thing that has to be perfect, simply making something with your own hands can give you a great sense of achievement. In fact, I normally do it on a Sunday afternoon because if I have any time to do absolutely nothing that's when it'll be. Plus I can get on with the house admin whilst the bread is proving/cooking/cooling down! Also, I quite like baking stuff to give to my parents, its a simple gesture that everyone can enjoy!

Even spending 30 minutes at the weekend faffing with my blog feels so much better than just sitting in front of the TV in the evening. I don't think there is anything wrong is just sitting and doing nothing, but for me, for some odd reason, I just get really crabby if I feel like I have done nothing. It's also worth pointing out that sometimes, even though I have planned it, you have to change those plans! We were supposed to go into London with Fred the other weekend but it was just too hot so we didn't and because it was so hot we ended up doing nothing other than buying another damn plant for the balcony (which I low key loved)

The Old Ship Hotel, Brighton | Dog Friendly

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Today I  wanted to share my first experience of staying in a hotel with our little Fred because we've never actually spent any real time away from our home but we wanted to try a trip away in the hope that over time Fred would get used to it. At first I really struggled to find a hotel at a reasonable price to have your dog stay because I didn't realise at the time that hotels always charge extra and some charge in excess of £25 for one night which I thought was a little obscene however The Old Ship Hotel only charged £12.50 which is reasonable. I'm going to be honest about the hotel because I feel like sometimes it's really hard to find the right hotel when you have a dog so I would rather this post be helpful as opposed to just being a positive review, I obviously haven't been paid to write this, just putting it out there in case anyone has any suspicions. 

First Impressions 

There is no shadow of a doubt that this is a dog friendly hotel! When I walked in every member of staff wanted to stroke or play with Fred, we felt so welcome even down to the detail of having a jar of dog biscuits next to the jar of mints for the humans! Everyone was smiling and helpful, the foyer was clean and inviting it actually had a very luxurious feel to it and there was a wedding going on so that should give you a little idea of what the first impressions were like. We booked through Booking.com where I make all of my bookings and the only disappointing thing was that we couldn't check in until 3pm which feels a little later than I would have expected at most hotels but they were fine in letting us just wait around until the room was free. Also, the location is honestly so perfect, it's very close to Brighton pier and right on the seafront! 


The Room 

For me, this is where things start going down hill a little, as you can see the room is fine the decor may be slightly outdated but on the surface I was really happy with it until I started to look a little closer. The first thing I noticed were the carpet stains, I understand that we were in a dog room so of course it's not going to the top tier but it did put me off a little. I know dogs have accidents (ours didn't) but when you sit down and notice the vast amount it was a little disappointing. Also, the sink had a giant crack in it and the chairs had a layer of dust at the back which again was off putting. One nice touch though was that they had put a little dog bed and water bowl in the room which again highlights that dogs are very welcome additions. The room was obscenely hot because of the weather and the fact they left the heated towel rail on but they had a tall stand up fan so that was great! Fred did not like the room at all, it was probably just because it was somewhere new but it was so hot he really struggled to settle down.

Would I stay again? 

No! This is purely because of the price, the cost of this room was £198 (includes £12.50 dog fee) for one night!! Unfortunately there is no way the quality of the room was worth that cost. I completely understand an appreciate that we would be put in a room of that condition because we have a dog, they are hardly going to place us in a premium room when there's a chance our dog could ruin it but it felt very much like a room that they didn't mind if it did get ruined, if that makes sense? If I was basing my stay purely one the customer service and welcome then I would definitely stay again in a heartbeat and I would probably even stay again if the room was around the £130 (excluding dog fee) mark because the location is good but for me the room doesn't warrant the price tag! 

So there we have my little mini review of the hotel, I think in future I would probably opt for an AirBnB because I think Fred would settle a little easier and because we wouldn't have to worry if Fred did bark but also because it would feel like we would have a more comfortable stay and not feel like we are given a below par room just because we have a dog! 

Small Changes to Help the Environment | Lifestyle

I gave up meat at the start of the year and it's probably one of the best decision I made, I do still fancy meat some times but I haven't had anything and I'm quite proud of that! One of the many reasons I gave up was definitely the environmental impact farming has on the planet and this has got me thinking more about how our every day lives are having such a negative impact and I wanted to find ways where I personally could make better decisions. Even the picture I've used above really made me sad because here are the signets in their nest that it surrounded by empty cans and rubbish, of which cans can be easily recycled but, of course, they just end up thrown in the damn river. 

I don't quite know what's happened to me this year but all of a sudden I really care about lots of things, it could be social media making me aware, it could also be old age. I just feel like I need to be doing better, well everyone needs to do better but the only thing I can really control is myself. There are a lot of programmes out there like War on Plastic which is fantastic but you can get a little overwhelmed with the info they give so I thought I would share some easier to digest tips to help the environment .

Reduce the amount of single use plastic - This one is a bloody minefield and I know it's far easier said than done but I have kept it simple like instead of buying shower gels I buy soap, it's zero plastic does the same job. Some soaps can leave my skin feeling a bit weird/dry but Lush also do pretty good shower gel type formulas as well. Also, The Body Shop do a recycling scheme for plastic too, so if you can't recycle a cosmetics/skincare package, take it to boots and they will do it for you! When buying food condiments, I try to opt for the glass jar over the plastic bottle as glass can be easily recycled into more glass products.

Stopped using face wipes - My god this was a difficult one for me, I'm not gonna lie I always knew facewipes weren't good for my skin but never really considered the wider impact until it was plastered all over my social media (and rightly so) I don't have an excuse to use facewipes, I have normal facial cleansers that do the job so why am I reaching for the things so frequently? It's probably just a habit but it's one I am happy I've kicked.

Planted bee friendly flowers - Ok so I have become a little obsessed with my balcony garden at the moment and it's a little ridiculous but all of the plants I have are bee friendly. Honestly imagine a world without our bumbley friends?! Awful! If you are fortunate to have a garden or even an area where you can put some flowers in a pot it's worth it. I'm not ashamed to admit the overwhelming joy seeing a bumble bee on one of my plants brings me!

Walk to the shops - I have got pretty damn lazy recently, when I lived in Italy, I walked flippin' everywhere (I had no choice) and over time since being back in the UK I have got lazier with each month it would seem so when the weekend comes I try to walk more which includes walking to the shops to pick up some groceries. I don't really need to be driven to the shops when for me it is walking distance.

Bring in lunch at work - This one is still a bit of a work in progress, working in London you have some many coffee shops and food places, a sandwich in a lunchbox can look incredibly unappealing by comparison. However all those quick food options use a huge amount of single use plastic so if I can move to bringing in my own lunch at least 4 days a week then not only will I be helping reduce waste, I will also be saving a little money each week!

The problem is, we as a society do a lot of damaging things to the environment  due to convenience, the way we shop has never been more easier than what it is now. I think the supermarkets have a massive part to play, they waste an obscene amount of plastic and they are charging more money for unpackaged items/ plastic free than the ones in plastic wrap, of course everyone is going to purchase whichever is the cheapest.

Also, it's worth pointing out that I know there are circumstances where not everyone can give up single use plastics, they may have disabilities and illnesses whereby they need convenient products, I have no problem whatsoever with this and do not think we should demonise everyone for using products that actually make their quality of life better. My issue is there are the people like myself who don't have any excuses to not try at least to make small changes. We've done so much irreversible damage already, I just don't want to continue to make it worse. I'm not perfect, I am definitely still wasteful but I am trying and that's the most important thing right? Hopefully!

Garden Balcony Tips | Lifestyle

We moved into our first home just over a year ago now, I've written a few posts about it but some of you may not know is that our home is actually a Coach House so it's basically somewhere between a flat and a house. We have the entire property, we don't have anyone either side or above us but we have car ports directly underneath the property meaning everything is on first level as opposed to ground level!

The only downside to our home in my opinion is that we don't have a garden and this may some as a bit of a surprise to you but I actually really love plants and a little bit of gardening! A plus side however is that we do have a little balcony which has meant that I've had to get a little creative with my plants! I wanted to share some tips in case someone else was in a similar situation and didn't quite know where to begin.

Firstly, I think one of the most important things to consider is how much sun your balcony area gets during the day. I say this because our balcony is in sunshine literally all day which means we can't really go for plants that need shaded areas because they simply won't thrive where they are! In recent months I have opted for Snapdragons because they love direct sunlight so I know with proper care (lots of watering they should be pretty happy)

Think about the type of plants you buy, whether they are going to be low maintenance or require a bit of time and training (trailing plants for example). I bought a Lavender bush, for a few reasons really one being bumble bees however I realised that Lavender is actually a pretty hardy plant and quite low maintenance in the sense that there was time I forgot to water the thing and this year he has come back really happy and healthy so far!

The primroses in the first picture died on us so quickly it was really disappointing but I knew this would happen because it said they would only flower until May so it's pretty important to check the blossom months if you want to have pretty flowers. In fact, it wasn't just that the flowers dropped of the plants actually died so I'm not sure they were too happy where they were so we decided to plant some Snapdragons in their place and they are thriving! If you want to keep your flowers looking fresh then pruning is really important, some plants only need the dead petals to be removed and that's really simple, a gentle tug and you're done! Whereas my lavender, I literally don't touch until late summer when the flowers have died then I trim the lavender stems right back! If you don't know how to prune certain things then there are loads on online tutorials or ask some family members if they are into gardening.

I'm lucky because I know exactly what types of flowers I want and it's just from past experience and other people's gardens that I do know what they are called but I think if you're struggling to know what you may like then pre-made planters might be a great option. We stumbled across ours in Homebase and it was just full of different types of beautiful flowers and it just looked great, the bees love it!

I think it doesn't matter how big your area is outside, having little bursts of colours around it can't help but make you smile and the bees will thank you for sure.

Interview Preparation | Lifestyle

If you read my post the other week on handling rejection from job interviews then you will know I have been on the hunt for a new  role and it has been a ROLLERCOASTER of emotions but now I have managed to get myself a lovely new job (thank god). During the interview process I notice how much the landscape had changed and thought I would share with you guys some tips/things to be aware of.

Video Calls - Ok so video phone calls are a thing now, a lot of companies that I applied for asked to have a video call even though we were in the same damn city and just around the corner. There are many things to consider with video call such as location, connection, phone or laptop and the major one for me is that sometimes the interviewer will forget they are visible so may yawn which can be really off putting and equally they can see you so be mindful of how your come across.

2 hour long interviews - This one took me by surprise and it could just be the fact I was applying for jobs that were Director level but the expectations are high these days. It mean you have to take time off work whether you use holiday or throw a sickie which actually makes things really hard. One company expected me to have 7 interviews and a presentation, the 2 hour interview was set up of 30 min presentation followed by three 30 minute back to back interviews with 3 different people and that wasn't even the last stage. I didn't go ahead with the rest of the interviews because I didn't think the role was worth it.


Questions - In the many months of interviewing it took me to find a job this was one area I actually got a lot better at. There are many things I like to ask but the two that I think you get the most honesty from are "What are the biggest challenges you face as a company" and "How do you measure success for the person in this role". The first question gives you an insight into where potential struggles could arise in the future but also how well the person knows their business. The second question gives you an understanding as to what the expectations will be of you, whether it's purely about client retention or whether you'll be measured by the revenue your digital channel drives.

Rejection - I don't want to say you should be prepared to not get the job because it will put you in the wrong frame of mind when going for the interview but I guess it's more about understanding that rejection can be a part of the process. Wouldn't it be amazing if we all got the job we interviewed for first? But that's just unrealistic.

For me, I think the best interviews are always going to be face to face with a person you can get a vibe from, sometimes you instantly thing "I can work for that guy" and if I feel that then I am far more likely to go for that role if offered. You have to go with your gut, know what you want and what your limitations are, don't just accept a role because they have offered be sure that they are giving you what you really want, whether it be salary, responsibilities or work/life balance.  

Self improvement | Lifestyle

The first thing you should know about me is that I love my career and the industry I have chosen, it has taken me all over the world, I have spoken on a panel at an event, I have lived in another country, I love it! Recently work changed  and I wrote a post highlighting that I was looking for something new because things got pretty bad. The thing is I didn't quite realise just what sort of impact this was having mentally and I realised things really needed to change, I needed to switch my brain back on again! I met up with a friend who I used to work with and she made me think about my own wellbeing and that I should start thinking of self improvement and invest more in myself, this was a little eye opening I must admit.

The hardest part for me was deciding where to start, there were so many areas of myself I was utterly miserable with so which one should I begin with? After a while I thought the thing that made most sense was starting my blog back up, I mean I pretty much had a year out and no wonder I felt like my brain was decaying, it was because I lost my hobby/interest! Instead of thinking about something new to write, I just locked it away and just said "I'm uninspired, I can't write" which is true but the only way to get inspired is to bloody do something, to write words down, to go out on a walk to do small little things and just get the brain working again! I think I didn't really like my blog for a while but now I feel like I am at a bit of a turning point and I hope to keep this blog as more of a personal space to write my thoughts down and not just a review site (nothing wrong with a review blog though).

Another thing I started doing is any form of exercise whether it's going for a walk or a 10 minute workout videos on days where I was feeling very sloth like I found doing something made me feel a lot better. I didn't really wanna join a gym because I worried about how to fit it into my life. I get up early enough as it is and get home pretty late, did I really want to limit my time even more with Chris and the pooch during the week? Definitely not! I started to change my thought process and understand that I can and should be doing some form of activity (before anyone starts, I'm speaking from an "abled" perspective, I understand that not everyone can be active for 10 minutes and that "active" is different for different people) I know for a fact I could easily fit 10 minutes in my day to start with. I'm also fortunate because we have a dog and he will always be up for going on a walk even if it's just around the streets! 

You may have seen my post about Short Stories and it's really changed my reading habits, I find myself picking my kindle up far more these days, than what I did before so much so I have actually stopped listening to music on my commute. I have no problem with people walking around in headphones but the issue is some become so isolated that they completely forget what's going on around them, in fact I could write a whole other post on that so let's stop there! I find if I am reading on my commute it makes me feel more relaxed and just a little more focused in general because the genre I choose to read always leaves me guessing which I think is a good think to keep the brain ticking over.

I think quality time with myself is another thing I have completely given up, it's a easy as having a bath with a bit of music and a glass of wine, it's having a train journey to somewhere else, I actually really like spending time on my own and it's something that I should do more often! Even if it's just grabbing a coffee after I get my nails done instead of rushing straight back home, just a bit of time to faff! 

One really small but actually quite important thing I have recently started to do is take a damn vitamin! I know for a fact that I do not eat enough veggies, I eat more now since going meat free but I know it's not quite enough so to try and change that a little I have started to have a Berocca in the morning or if I miss that I will have a vitamin b complex tablet to just try and keep my energy levels up!

These are the absolute basics but the problem was I wasn't even doing the basic things so it comes as no surprise that I was feeling so crap! I know it sounds so simple but in all honesty it is very small changes that make a difference or could lead onto bigger changes. The thing I have to remind myself of is that self improvement is a constant thing, it's something that needs to evolve with me as I grow and change.

Dealing with Rejection when Job Hunting | Lifestyle

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

Getting a new job is bloody hard guys isn't it? If you're anything like me then even whittling it down to the places you'd want to work is tough enough and then you have to actually go through the interview process. I have seen it too often where people jump into roles because they are simply fed up of their current situation but they often end up not as happy as they thought they would be because the industry is still the same regardless of company. I only apply for job that I genuinely think I would love to do which means I'm a little fussier than most but I don't think that's a bad thing as such.

I recently went for my dream job, it was somewhere I really respected, somewhere I have wanted to work for such a long time and it was a role I had no shred of doubt I could 100% do and do it well in fact. I didn't get the job, 3 interviews including one presentation the whole process dragged on for over a month with very little updates and little information. The whole thing was am emotional rollercoaster and I was devastated when I didn't get the job but the honest truth is I wasn't good enough and there was someone better.

Unfortunately recently this seemed to be a common theme with my job opportunites, someone is better or I'm just not what they are looking for! It's not even that I have a bad CV because it does get me through the door, in fact it gets me through the door and then I get to the final stage and for a variety of reasons I just don't get the job. I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm perfect, another role I went for I completely messed up because nerves got the better of me, it was a video call and I got distracted by little things the interviewers were doing and I know I didn't answer many things right, I knew as soon as I put the phone down that I had messed up. When the recruiter confirmed my suspicions, I cried like a bloody baby, I mean don't get me wrong I kept composure whilst in the office but I had to go to the bathroom a couple of times to just have a cry because not getting a job you have invested so much time into is soul destroying! Sometimes it's not even just the fact you didn't get the job, sometimes it's the thought of not being able to leave the job you're so miserable in which is the hardest part. Then the feedback comes and you end up feeling really pissed off because some of their reasons you don't agree with or they are "stock" answers which shows how little they know you, an excuse basically.

In all honesty, I didn't handle rejection very well it had the biggest impact on me and I just didn't know how to make it better, the one thing I didn't do was give up. I still kept checking every day, I didn't apply everyday because otherwise I could end up with something I really didn't even want but I kept looking. I also didn't quit my job, now there seems to be a narrative online where people tell others "you more of what makes you happy", "don't do something if it's bad for your health", "I quit my job and look how happy I am" but unfortunately none of those things will pay your damn bills but unless you are in a very privileged position to do that, it isn't realistic. I knew I would get a job eventually but I just had to continue on and keep my head down to get through each day but I have to admit it definitely felt like I wouldn't find anything at times.

You are absolutely allowed to feel like sh*t, you are absolutely allowed to be angry, you are absolutely allowed to tell people to shut up when they try and make you feel better the generic comments about how the company "doesn't know what they're missing" but remember these pals just want to support you in any way they know how. The only thing you shouldn't do is give up, just keep pushing up that hill because the job will come and it will feel even better when it does.

Personal touches to our Home | Lifestyle

Let me first start by saying that I bloody love our home, it's perfect for us right now and we are so lucky that it's a new build and doesn't need anything done with it! By new build I literally mean it's a newly built house but they are the homes that are super energy efficient and have a lot of stud walls, if you have ever visited or bought one you will know they are a wonderful blank canvas.

I was so excited when we got the keys I just wanted everything in ASAP and some of my decor choices were "that'll do" as opposed to "I love it, let's buy it". Having been here for nearly a year now, I am starting to look around and just feel a bit meh about some of our house bits and it all started with a trip to Homesense because we saw a lovely lamp and I though that style would be perfect in our house and it would replace a lamp which at the time I liked but now I feel nothing about it. The lamp we picked is the Tintin Floor Lamp from Homebase and was only £50, it's very sleek but the thing I love most about it is the pattern it creates on the wall when it's switched on, this adds another dimension other than just being for light, it almost creates a textured look.

I was targeted online by Ink and Drop via Instagram and absolutely fell head over heals in love with this skull print I thought the contrast of the black marble and golden skull would look very dramatic against a white wall.I hark back to my greebo (colloquialism?) / Goth days where I really loved skulls but the truth is I always have, for example Alexander McQueen is my absolute favourite designer and,of course, skulls played a massive part in his designs so I feel like they have always resonated with me on some level.

I recently fell in love with a little Florentine picture of the Duomo and thought it would fill up a little space that I wouldn't normally have hung anything there. However the original place I wanted to put it I discovered we couldn't because there were wires basically everywhere so we had to place it somewhere else. I think the reason I like this picture so much, aside from the fact I lived in Florence it's more the combination of the Duomo with the normal flats surrounding it, it's the simplicity and beauty of Florence that was always on your doorstep. Plus the little green shutters reminded me of my flat while I was there.


I really like white walls and I think going for things that are black or contrasting works really well. I would much rather go for items that create a conversation or are a little unusual, I could go and create a gallery wall of inspirational quotes but these little touches are more us! 

5 Things about getting a puppy | Lifestyle

I haven't mentioned it on my blog, mainly because I haven't blogged, but I got a puppy in July last year!! As you can see, he is a gorgeous French Bulldog called Freddie and since getting him my life has changed quite a lot, for obvious reasons. I wanted to write a post just highlighting some of the ways having a dog/puppy had really changed our lives and habits. It's worth just pointing out that this is just my experience and there are so many factors to consider such as breed, age of dog, house environment etc! 

For as long as me and Chris have been together we have always talked about French bulldogs, we absolutely love them but we also done a lot of research before getting them to understand the numerous health problems Frenchies could have. Originally we did want to adopt a rescue dog but we had concerns because we didn't have a garden (we live in a coach house) and we would have to adapt ourselves to the dogs needs which could have been quite difficult, so we decided that getting a puppy would be a better option because we could influence the dog's schedule in a better way to suit our lifestyles. Frenchies are known for being dogs that like apartment living, the require less exercise so a garden isn't essential and they like company (Chris works from home) so this breed seemed to tick a lot of boxes for us. I have grown up with dogs so knew a lot about them but it's very different when you get your own and I think it was a bit of a shock to the system for me but I wouldn't have it any other way!  

Moving onto the main things that I noticed starting with...


You can no longer be spontaneous  - This seems like an obvious one but I found it quite hard when we first got Freddie because all of a sudden we had this nugget to think about when we wanted to go out by ourselves. It has gotten a lot easier now he is 10 month old but when he was a tiny puppy they can't be left alone for very long at all. Now we understand his routines and know that he sleeps from pretty much 6pm onwards we know we could go out for dinner in the evening and he would be completely fine for a couple of hours. This is something I bring up a lot when people say "oh I want to get a dog" I let people know it does change your life and you have to have enough time for them otherwise it isn't fair. 

They bring you unconditional love - My god, this dog loves a cuddle and a snuggle! He loves a little snoozy cuddle in the morning after he has had his first morning walk and he will literally grumble until you sit down so he can sit on you! The way he runs down the stairs when you come in, sniffing all my clothes and bags to see where I have been. Sometimes Chris will go out and it'll just be me and Fred and it's really lovely because it isn't lonely at all, especially when you have him snoring next to you on the sofa! 

You worry about them all the time - This is a major one for me that I am trying to get over but honestly, I worry about what he eats, how much he exercises, whether he is getting too hot, whether he needs to pee, whether he is warm enough, have I played with him enough, how long he has been in his crate for? I didn't realise how much my thoughts would be consumed by Freddie but it's all a learning curve. You start to realise that dogs needs are actually quite basic and they are very resilient animals, I would even go as far to say as this pooch is spoiled. 

Training takes time - Toilet training and teething are by far the hardest things to deal with when you have a puppy. We have been quite lucky in the sense that Freddie picked up on toilet training quite quickly but there were SO many accidents, sometimes they were our fault because we didn't notice him giving us the signs to go out and other times it was him being a little sod and doing it for attention. Now he lets us know if he wants to go out by walking down the stairs and sitting by the front door or by trying to get our attention to leading us to the front door, he is quite a clever little thing. 
Teething is another thing which I personally find very hard, don't get me wrong I have seen the damage other puppies have done and Freddie is nowhere near as bad as that but he has ruined  a few things, more specifically our bed. We have a wooden IKEA bed which I loved, it was brand new when we moved in and Freddie for some reason took a liking to crawling underneath it and chewing the inside bed legs! This really, really drove me insane, I do like nice things and I am fussy so when I see something I love being destroyed it almost pains me (dramatic much?) We tried a lot of different things to get him to stop but it almost became a habit to get attention, so fortunately we found a bitter apple spray and it stopped him immediately. People assume that a puppy should be fully trained at 7 months and it's just unrealistic, it takes a lot of time and there will be numerous little slip ups, they are animals after all. 

Crate training was the best decision for us - This is a slightly controversial one as many people still have mixed views on crate training but honestly it was the best decision for us. We decided to get a crate when he was small but we decided we would only use it at night, as I never wanted a dog on my bed not only for comfort reasons but I can have a slight reaction to dog fur on my skin, and then when we were not in the house. We never used it as a punishment tool and only wanted it to be a comfort for him when we weren't around. I know people who crate train and then get rid of the crate when the puppy is old enough but we are still using it. We really struggled to work out how to move from the crate to the dog bed and most people say after the crate they just let the dog sleep on the bed which isn't something I am willing to do, so we have found ourselves keeping the crate as he seems perfectly happy to go in there at night! 

Having puppies is so frickin' hard but they are so worth it, the more time you invest in them the more you get from them! 

Going Meat Free | Lifestyle

Image by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

I'm not gonna lie, I never thought I would be writing a post about giving up meat and if anyone knows me they know that I was a huge meat eater of all kinds, so when I told people they all just wanted to remind me of all the great meals I will be missing out on but to be honest I knew it just wasn't going to change my mind. I also want to point out that whilst I no longer eat meat, I do still eat fish and shellfish, for me I knew that I wouldn't be able to give up meat and fish at the same time if I did there was a higher chance of me giving up. 

Last year I often thought "oh I would like to give up meat but I just don't think I can" and I kinda left it at that, I didn't really try to reduce my meat intake or anything like that, I just felt like it was a nice idea. Then we got Freddie our adorable little French bulldog and I think this was when I really started to question things. When Freddie was little he reminded me of a piglet, he had this little flat nose, a pot belly, he would grunt and snuffle around the house, he had these ears that just pointed straight up and I couldn't help but see a pig! Then I started thinking, "why is it ok to eat pig meat but I am shocked and disgusted that other countries or cultures eat dog meat?" As time went on, I stopped seeing chickens, cows, pigs, sheep as meat and instead as these lovely little animals like Fred because the reality is there is no difference, so if I can eat pig meat then I should be fine with others eating dog meat - and this just didn't make sense. When January came I knew that this year was the right time to give it up. 

When you start picking apart the meat industry there are so many things that I have been uncomfortable with for a long time, the impact it has on the environment, the welfare of the animals, the hormones that are pumped into the meat to bulk it up and make it cheaper to name a few. The supermarkets don't help because getting cheap meat is very convenient, local butchers are few and far between and if I could shop at a butchers who could tell me more about the meat I was eating then I would have a different opinion but that's just not realistic anymore. Additionally, I think now more than ever is easy to eliminate meat from your diet, there are so many "fake meat" alternatives and I know those are also processed but if you wanted to avoid those types of replacements you could because veganism and vegetarianism is becoming more popular. Personally, I do eat some of the meat alternatives like Linda McCartney sausages with my Sunday dinner, or the No Chick pieces for a stir fry (if I'm not having prawns) sometimes it's nice to bulk it but with the meat replacements.  

The thing that surprised me the most was how easy it has been so far, even when I am drunk and offered meat I am still like "no, meat free". It just seems and feels like the right thing to do which is why it has been so easy and because I do still have fish it's definitely been a softer transition. Another reason I still eat fish is because there are more options to available on a menu when eating out with friends, if I don't like the look of the veggie options then I am guaranteed the fish option will appeal to me. There are times I have thought about meat, thinking I would quite like to have a burger or something but I just know I won't get one because there are some fab meat free alternatives around that taste just as good as anything else! 

Work FOMO | Lifestyle

Ok so we have all heard the term FOMO right? It's that feeling you get when you don't really wanna go out but then all your pals are going out and you don't want to miss out on the things that might happen when you aint there. It's that anxiety you get when you think something else is happening in your absence and usually it's a term that is used are friends or social gatherings or events even. I get FOMO a lot but my problem is't necessarily related to my pals but it's actually associated with work. I get this overwhelming sense that I am missing out on too many things which actually limits the amount of time I take off work and certain days I choose to take off. 

Mini House Tour | Home

As you may already know, me and the boyf recently bought our first home together and it's just been so amazing! It's taken me a while to figure out this type of blogpost because I wanted to take lots of pictures but sometimes the lighting isn't right or sometimes we have the clotheshorse up so it's hardly that pretty. Instead of showing you a room by room tour, I thought I would share little snippets of our place. 


The Living Room and Kitchen
We have an open plan living room and kitchen which is really handy for use because we quite like having a chat when one of us is cooking. As our coach house is a newly built property it means everything is neutral colours and we really wanted to find a way of adding fun colour without it being too drastic, so we added yellow but with grey to compliment the harsh yellow shades. 

This little coaster is one of the rose quartz ones from Anthropologie the colour looks a little odd here but I am still trying to figure out the camera on my phone. The side table was bought from Home Sense and it's actually taken me a little while to love this table but now it just seems to fit perfectly. 

Black and chrome in the kitchen, I mean it just makes sense doesn't it? The Kettle and Toaster are from Morphe Richards and have little rose gold accents on them so it adds just a dash of colour in. 

The Bedroom 
We have kept things very simple in the bedroom, it's probably the most neutral of ours spaces just because I love white bedroom furniture so I definitely had a but more influence in this room. 

Personally I would rather inject a bit of colour with flowers and I just love having roses by the bed, I'm such a flower person anyway! Also, that little book under my rose trinket is from 1808 - it's filled with verses and poetry about different life stages.

The boyf actually has two guitars and we have the acoustic one in the hall way, music is one of his biggest passions so I definitely wanted to make them a bit of a feature in the house. 

Ah, my pride and joy sitting on top of our wardrobe, I have always wanted a Fortnum hamper and for Christmas one of my work partners gifted it to me and I just love it. I used it to put the bedding in and it just looks lovely sitting up there. 

I haven't taken pictures of the bathroom purely because we don't have any natural light so every photo has a yellow tinge to it and they just look odd coupled with the rest of the pictures above. Our bathroom is tilled floor to ceiling basically and has a giant mirror which is a bit of a pain to clean but I adore our bathroom so much! 

There we have a little snippet into our new home! 

Blog Update | Blogging

I feel like a lot of bloggers lately are falling out of love with their little space on the internet and to be honest I am too! I have had my blog for just over 4 years and whilst I've had my ups and downs I have always managed to just keep it ticking over at least, but here I am with one post scheduled and all out of ideas for any future posts. It's not that I don't like writing any more because I actually really do, I think it's just that I am losing my voice lately! 

If anyone has read my blog as of late, all the beauty posts are just reviews of The Body Shop products and it just feels so suffocating, it's almost like they are the only brand I choose from which isn't necessarily true, I do like a lot of their stuff and, herein lies the problem, it's easy content! How have I got to a stage where I only post stuff that is considered easy, surely I should be posting stuff that I am really excited about. I mean don't get me wrong, everyone has some filler content in some blog posts but all of a sudden it seems to be my only content...! I do love beauty but since going cruelty free it does get harder to try out new things because as soon as you find something you love you just cling onto it for dear life! 

Also, I feel like my lifestyle content is lacking that certain something is used to have, I barely even write about food anymore and you guys know I love my food. Sometimes I'll go out with the intention of taking a few blog pictures for a foodie post, take one picture and then literally forget to take anything else, seriously so annoying from a blogger perspective. I also haven't baked in MONTHS and when I do, they never quite look good enough for my blog so what's the point. Even when I write opinion pieces about how I don't quite fit into the blogging community  or even my love/hate relationship with social media no one really engages with it, so it seems a little pointless. 

I used to be so strict with scheduling posts but now come midweek I genuinely forget, how have I got to a stage where i genuinely forget to do a simple task that I have been doing for years? One reason I have other stuff going on and that is no longer  priority, which is absolutely fine but I need to figure out a way to work blogging back into my life again. Work is just busy all the damn time and actually quite mentally draining right now, so when I get home I don't even want to look at another laptop in all honesty! 

Things I am 100% clear on are that I do want to carry on blogging, I do want to write home content, I do want to carry on writing about beauty - I just need to find a way to do that! So I think I am going to reduce my content down to one post a week until I am up to speed and loving my blog again!