Benefit Roller Lash | Review

If there was one item of make-up that I would take to a desert island, it would, without a shadow of a doubt be mascara. Without mascara, my googlier than average peepers look, well, just a bit odd really.


Anywho, for years and years I flitted between brands, from Maybeline to Loreal and back again, switching it up everytime a snazzy new formula was released that promised Giraffe-like lashes in an instant, with no need for falsies and without a clump in sight. Inevitably, none of these quite hit the mark. Until that is, I received, from a lovely friend of mine a Benefit shaped birthday package in the form of They're Real. I finally found my lash nirvana and have repurchased and repurchased ever since. Until now that is. 


You might remember a certain new mascara launch from those make up minxes at Bene-Towers, which saw a free sample of their newest offering, Roller Lash on the front of every Elle magazine in the land. I gave it a go, as my last They're Real was on its last legs. Best. Decision. Ever.


Honestly, if you thought They're Real was a good'un, this little baby is a whole other level. Just one coat and my lashes are lifted, lengthened, curled and voluminous - pretty much the holy grail of lashes, am I right? How does it do this I hear you cry? Well, those Californian geniuses have invented their patent pending Hook'n'Roll brush, a curved, plastic (I know- but hear me out...) mascara wand that has teeny tiny little hooks along each part of the brush. These catch each of your lashes to lift and curl them as you apply, while the lash setting formula keeps the curl in tact for up to 12 hours.


I'm pretty lucky in the sense that my lashes are naturally pretty long but have always found that while lengthening isn't an issue, getting enough lift to create that doe eyed effect took a whole load of eyelash curling and layering up product. Now, I just give my eyelashes a quick curl, apply one coat of Roller Lash and I'm all doe eyed, bushy tailed and ready for the day.


Now, don't get me wrong, They're Real is still an amazing product and one that always did have people questioning whether my lashes were the real deal or not (always a sure sign that you're onto a winner) and should I ever wave, it would be the first mascara that I would go back to. For now though, Benefit, you've done it. I have well and truly found the one.

Lemon Curd Muffins | Recipe

Cake Fork | Mary Berry for Sainsburys ||  'S' Mug | M&S
If theres one thing that will make a particularly testing day a whole lot better, it's a sit down with a really good cup of tea, in my favourite mug, accompanied by something baked. My most recent baked obsession has been courtesy of the British institution that is Marks and Spencer, with their lemon muffins providing the perfect naughty lunchtime pick-me-up. With a hidden lemon curd centre, springy sponge and a big old blob of some pretty tasty icing, they're just the best. On a free Sunday a couple of weeks back, with a muffin craving and  not an M&S in sight, some trial and error ensued, and I managed to come up with my own version at home. They're really simple to make, you'll probably have most of the ingredients already in your cupboard, plus, they only take 15 minutes to bake... you can thank me later!
For six decent sized muffins, you will need: 1 large egg 200g self raising flour 100g caster sugar 150 ml milk 75ml sunflower oil 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of lemon curd for each muffin For the icing: 3 tablespoons of icing sugar (with more to spare to adjust the consistency if needed) Lemon curd to taste
Bowl | Mason Cash
Once you've set your oven to 190 degrees, lined a 6 hold muffin tin with paper cases and weighed everything out, grab a bowl and combine your flour and sugar. In a separate bowl (or jug) , give your egg, milk, oil and vanilla extract a good whisk until fully combined.
Make a well in the centre of your dry mix and slowly pour in the liquid a little at a time, mix until you have a thick batter. Half fill each of the muffin cases, then carefully pop a generous teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each before covering in the remaining muffin mix. Place in the oven for around 15 minutes or until all are an even golden brown colour. Once baked and smelling yummy, place them on a wire rack to cool.
In the meantime, you can get on with making the icing. It's a little bit of trial and error, but you need the icing to be thick enough to place a decent sized blob on the top of each muffin, so three tablespoons and splash of water should do it. Add in a little lemon curd and mix in until it turns a very pale yellow shade.
Plate | Emma Bridgewater
Once your muffins are completely cool, spoon a generous blob of the icing into the middle of each. Serve with a big old cup of tea, a pretty plate and an obligatory cake fork. While they might not be the prettiest looking muffins in the world, they are certainly up there on the taste scale, and hey, it's not like Mary Berry is watching!

Crowd & Co. | A Cooper & Hill Shopping Revolution

Now that grown up life has well and truly begun and shopping splurges courtesy of a fab little thing called the student loan are a thing of the distant past, we all want to bag a bargain-am I right?

As I've got older and (potentially...) slightly wiser, I've found myself leaning more towards investment pieces. Instead of fast fashion, I tend to opt more for things that are high quality and will last beyond the time it takes for the next issue of Vogue to hit the shelves. Problem is, in the long run, it's fab, but it can be a little, well, a lot more expensive. 


That's where a fab new concept from a company called Cooper & Hill comes in. Based in the UK with 25 years experience manufacturing beautiful, high quality leather bags for the high end market, Cooper and Hill are a company determined to make luxury affordable. The company offer a range of ready to wear bags as well as made to order items plus a unique bespoke service which allows you to create a bag to your own individual design. 
An email dropped into my inbox a couple of weeks back with all of the magic words that a 20-something handbag-addict wants to hear. Premium quality, handmade in the UK leather bags, at prices that won't make you need a stiff gin and tonic before peeking at your bank statement. 

The concept that the London based company are pioneering goes by the name of Crowd & Co. In effect, it's power in numbers. They will place a range of products on their site with a link to register your interest. There's no comitment to buy whatsoever, but you just register your interest with an email address. The more interests an item gains, the lower the price will be driven.

For example, take the company's Saville Mini Portfolio, a beautiful leather portfolio, big enough to pop your tablet in with plenty of handy pockets for all your other bits and pieces like your phone, cards and pens. Basically, a bloggers dream! 

Anyway, the portfolio usually retails at £159. By the beauty of collective purchasing, people registering their interest within the allotted time and sharing it around a little on social media, the price can be driven down to as little as £40 according to the clear targets of 250, 500, 750 and 1000 interests. Once the time is up, everyone that registered is contacted via email with the final price and an opportunity to purchase, no strings attached. Amazing right? 

You can check them out at www.cooperandhill.com, and take a peek at their current leathery offerings, there's still a while to go before the time on the current products is up and the next ones are introduced so it's definitely worth a look, after all, it is payday!

Lemon Curd Muffins | Recipe

Cake Fork | Mary Berry for Sainsburys ||  'S' Mug | M&S
If theres one thing that will make a particularly testing day a whole lot better, it's a sit down with a really good cup of tea, in my favourite mug, accompanied by something baked.

My most recent baked obsession has been courtesy of the British institution that is Marks and Spencer, with their lemon muffins providing the perfect naughty lunchtime pick-me-up. With a hidden lemon curd centre, springy sponge and a big old blob of some pretty tasty icing, they're just the best.

On a free Sunday a couple of weeks back, with a muffin craving and  not an M&S in sight, some trial and error ensued, and I managed to come up with my own version at home. They're really simple to make, you'll probably have most of the ingredients already in your cupboard, plus, they only take 15 minutes to bake... you can thank me later!

For six decent sized muffins, you will need:

1 large egg
200g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
150 ml milk
75ml sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of lemon curd for each muffin

For the icing:

3 tablespoons of icing sugar (with more to spare to adjust the consistency if needed)
Lemon curd to taste

Bowl | Mason Cash
Once you've set your oven to 190 degrees, lined a 6 hold muffin tin with paper cases and weighed everything out, grab a bowl and combine your flour and sugar.

In a separate bowl (or jug) , give your egg, milk, oil and vanilla extract a good whisk until fully combined.


Make a well in the centre of your dry mix and slowly pour in the liquid a little at a time, mix until you have a thick batter.

Half fill each of the muffin cases, then carefully pop a generous teaspoon of lemon curd on top of each before covering in the remaining muffin mix.

Place in the oven for around 15 minutes or until all are an even golden brown colour. Once baked and smelling yummy, place them on a wire rack to cool.


In the meantime, you can get on with making the icing. It's a little bit of trial and error, but you need the icing to be thick enough to place a decent sized blob on the top of each muffin, so three tablespoons and splash of water should do it. Add in a little lemon curd and mix in until it turns a very pale yellow shade.

Plate | Emma Bridgewater
Once your muffins are completely cool, spoon a generous blob of the icing into the middle of each. Serve with a big old cup of tea, a pretty plate and an obligatory cake fork. While they might not be the prettiest looking muffins in the world, they are certainly up there on the taste scale, and hey, it's not like Mary Berry is watching!


Cycle Date

When you've had what feels like the longest week at work, stuck indoors, sometimes all you need by the time Saturday finally rolls around is a good few hours in the great outdoors. On Friday evening, we left our weekend plans in the hands of fate with Dan and I making use of our Date Night Jar.


So, on Saturday morning, I donned the gym leggings, comfy layers and trainers, we packed a bag, grabbed the camera and popped off to rent some bikes. Now for those that know me particularly well, the prospect of me getting on a bike, voluntarily no less, is nothing less than laughable. In fact, when it was mentioned in a Facebook status, I immediately revived a concerned text message from Tom asking 'Why on Gods green earth are you on a bike?', which may just sum up my feelings to organised outdoor activities. Maybe this Northern air has had a strange effect but there I was, pedalling away, on this neon yellow beast.



We cycled along the Manifold Valley cycle path, which runs for 8.5 miles through the lovely Staffordshire countryside alongside rivers, rolling fields full of Spring lambs and even a cave if you fancy a bit of a climb, finally ending up in Manifold. It's entirely flat so for those cycling novices amongst us, it's ideal plus, it has plenty of rest stops along the way for mid-point ice creams and a well earned sit down.


Six miles in, I was somehow still alive and to Dans surprise, still capable of mustering a smile, although that may have had a little something to do with Dairy Milk ice cream.


Now, as someone who hasn't been on a bike since a family short break to Centre Parcs in 2009, a 17 mile round trip on a mountain bike, did have the potential to break me as a person, especially when we throw in the fact that to a certain lovely boyfriend of mine, who in a former life competed, biking is second nature. By around the 7 mile mark, the promise of a pub lunch and alcohol was seemingly the only thing spurring me on.



Despite my rubbish fitness levels, it was so lovely to get out and about and properly see the area that is essentially on our doorstep, for once, not through a car window. It might not be the sea and I might not have sand between my toes, but I do feel incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful place. You know, I think I might be getting used to this country-life...



And finally, if only as proof that Dan was actually there and not just in charge of the camera, I give you this absolute treat. Two guesses at which point this was taken. If my face here doesn't just scream 'GET ME TO THE PUB' i'm not entirely sure what does. 

With an 8.5 mile cycle back to the car and bruising starting to well and truly come to light (lets just say, pillows have come in incredibly handy and next time, we'll be making use of gel seats) we made our way, slightly less enthusiastically, back along the path and back to the car. I think we can both safely say that the nap we had as soon as we stepped through the front door was the best nap we've ever had.

Jamie's Italian | Birmingham | Review

What better way is there to spend a bank holiday than a meal with friends? Nothing right? Good Friday saw us do just that as we took a little drive down a very rainy M6 to check out Jamie's Italian at the Bullring. It's somewhere that has been on my list to visit for quite some time and with a full day off from work and a long weekend ahead it seemed like the perfect way to kick off Easter.

jamies italian birmingham restaurant food italian food

Now, it's no secret to anyone that knows me, that where recipes are concerned, I usually turn to the foodie wisdom of a certain Mister Oliver. Whether it's his foolproof Risotto or that Mozzerella Al Forno that is a firm family favourite, his italian dishes are some of my favourites to cook so I was pretty excited to try some in a restaurant setting.

jamies italian interior

As none of us were drinking, we started things off with some homemade lemonades, the perfect little refresher and always better than the fizzy kind. I opted for strawberry, one of many options which ranged from classic lemon to pomegranate. Really fresh and definitely tasty enough to keep the gin and tonic cravings at bay!


I went for my usual bread board to start , with a seeded cracker bread, sea salt and Rosemary focaccia (which was particularly amazing!) ciabatta and some really good olive tapanade. I will probably never ever learn that bread boards are never a one person thing, but hey, nobody ever minds helping me out a bit! The others opted for the Italian nachos- deep fried, cheese filled ravioli with a salsa dip and the pork scratchings. Now to sway Dan away from ordinary nachos is a real feat but they went down very well so a big 10/10 for that one.


For main I went for chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce which was served on a crostini and topped with lemon dressed rocket. I also got some polenta chips with rosemary and parmesan, out of sheer curiosity. It was really lovely, quite light despite the creamy sauce and I especially enjoyed the polenta chips, which have well and truly altered my opinions of polenta! Dan went for his usual burger and triple fried Funky Chips with sea salt and rosemary which proved to be a big hit while Carrie and Chris went for a prawn linguini and the sausage pasta.

After not an awful lot of persuasion, we all decided to go the whole hog and take a peek at the dessert menu, it's rude not to, right?! Dan went for a brownie, which I must say looked incredible, Chris opted for the cheesecake, which looked enormous (we were assured by him that it was mostly cream though!) and myself and Carrie went for 3 scoops of ice cream. I would, without a doubt recommend the salted caramel, it's seriously good, I also went for chocolate and honeycomb which were good but not a patch on the caramel.


One thing I think we would all agree on is the fact that our waitress was amazing. She completely knew her stuff reeling off the specials and lists and lists of lemonade and ice cream flavours, despite us being completely rubbish and forgetting various flavours by the time she got around the table, she was super lovely and very patient!

All in all, we all had a really lovely evening, it's the perfect place for a post-shopping Italian lunch break or, like us, a meal with friends but I think one thing we all agreed on is the fact that although it was good, there was nothing about the food that was overly remarkable. It was all very nice but nothing that you couldn't find in another Italian chain like Strada or Ask which for somewhere headed by Jamie Oliver came as a bit of a surprise. Price wise, it was pretty reasonable working out to around £25 per person which for three courses, didn't seem too bad at all. All in all, I had a fab time with tasty food and lovely company and while its somewhere I would recommend to a friend in search of a decent Italian, it's not somewhere i'd rush back to immediately.


*This was a gifted opportunity in order to review, however, as always, all opinions are 100% honest and 100% my own. 

Surviving Mothers Day


Mothers Day. A day to celebrate all of the incredible things the mummies of the world do every day, a day to sing the praises of that incredible lady that carried you around for 9 whole months, dried your tears when you fell over in the playground, taught you how to bake a cake and advised you on the perils of boyfriends in your teenage years.

The lady that told you off for being horrible to your siblings, made you cringe when she wanted to be a little too involved in the details of your love life but equally, made you properly laugh more than anyone else ever has.


What does Mother's Day mean when you don't have that wonderful lady around to celebrate it with? It's hard not to get angry when all you're faced with is tv adverts, floral supermarket displays and 'don't forget Mothering Sunday!' stamps on your post. Harder still not to get jealous of everyone else that has their mum at the end of the phone.

Since July 2010, I've spent the weeks from Valentines Day to mid March dreading doing the weekly shop or just popping into town knowing that the very word 'Mum' will be printed on everything from banners to teddy bears. Newspapers will be filled with inspirational mum stories, restaurants with Mothers Day menus and shops with the types of card that would make her a little teary eyed before being safely stowed away in a memory box.


Knowing that my Mother's Day card would have nowhere to go and any flowers I bought would have to sit atop a gravestone is harder than I ever could have contemplated. I'm not the only person in the world that's facing this big old world of growing up without their mum, I'm one of billions for whom the thought of Mothers Day is tangled up with bitter sweet memories.

A mum is a figure that no matter how much you think you do already, you will never fully appreciate until they aren't there anymore. Until you realise silly things like the fact that you never got around to asking her to write down her famous pie recipe or the fact that with just the smell of certain beauty products, you're instantly transported to being cross legged on her bedroom floor intently watching her apply her make up.


There are moments that will hit you and you realise that you won't have her there to help choose a wedding dress, to calm pre-wedding jitters, to celebrate your first proper job, your first child or your first house. It's those kind of thoughts that make days like today the hardest.

I'm incredibly lucky that I had my amazing mum for as long as I did. Luckier still that my parents surrounded themselves with a little network of very special ladies who have become my little band of adopted mummies so even though my real one isn't around, I've got plenty of people I can call for a much needed mumma-chat.


You might be asking yourself why, if I find Mother's Day so hard, have I dedicated a whole post to it. Primarily, because there are people all over the country who today will be facing their first Mothers Day without their leading lady, two in particular close to myself, and I just wanted to extend a bit of a virtual hug.

For those of us that don't have the option, thank your mum. Tell her how much you appreciate her, how much she inspires you, makes you laugh, annoys the hell out of you sometimes. It's little moments like that, silly seconds in time that you will carry with you always.


To all the mums out there in all of their guises, you're doing an amazing job and if, in the future, I can be just half the mum my own was, I'll consider my life well spent.


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