Thursday 13 October 2016

House of Fraser Christmas Top Picks!

Hello Daydreamers!

So, as it's officially Autumn (my favourite season), and we're edging closer and closer to Christmas, I thought it would be nice to share my 'Christmas Top Picks'. I'm a huge fan of anything sparkly and christmas-sy, and I've found some lovely things on the House of Fraser website. So, here are the items that I'm making my Christmas top picks!

*This post was made in collaboration with House of Fraser





Who doesn't love a brand new party dress in time for Christmas?! I plan to treat myself to a sparkly new dress for the party season and I've been loving the Dresses that can be found on the House of
Fraser website. I think that a night out is instantly made 10 times better when you are sporting a new
outfit. As I have lost of Christmas meals / nights out with different people, I plan to buy myself a good quality dress that I really love. I can then wear that to all of the parties and I won't have to worry about what to wear... Shhh! Don't tell anybody ; )
This is my favourite dress of the collection. I can imagine that it would be very flattering on.

In the winter, there is nothing I love more than a lovely hot bath. I think that it's the best way to chill out in the evening. Grab your fave comfort food, a good magazine and pop a bath bomb into a hot bath. There are so many lovely bath and shower gels to be found on the website. I'm in love with the Laura Mercier honey pot bath cream - how cute?! It would also make an adorable gift.


Speaking of gifts, there are an wide array of present ideas over on the website. Gifts  are clearly a huge part of the festive season and I have so enjoyed looking at all of the new gift ideas that are popping up all over the shops websites! I've noticed that alot of the gifts over on the House of Fraser website are more unusual than the ones you can find in other shops too.

Makeup is fun any time of the year, but I find that it is super fun around Christmas. Im excited to begin experimenting with new items before Christmas rolls around. I think that I'm going to treat myself to some sparkly black or silver liquid eyeliner, a pair of long fluttery lashes and a nice classic ruby red lipstick.


It's getting nippy out and I truly think that wrapping up warm and snug in chunky warm Knitwear is the best part of Autumn/winter. Those bobble hats that everyone is wearing  are my favourite and I'm loving the furry mittens that are oh-so-popular at the mo!

I hope that you found this post useful, my lovelies.
I also hope that you don't mind me mentioning Christmas in the month of October!

Thank you for visiting,


Monday 3 October 2016

Overcoming Hardship - Mindful Monday's #1

Hello Beautiful Daydreamers!

A few weeks back, I mentioned that I was going to begin a weekly motivational series for Autumn 2016. I thought long and hard about it and decided that the new series will be called "Mindful Monday's".

I have planned a theme for each of the coming Monday's and I'm super excited! I'm really looking forward to creating these motivational blog posts, and I hope you'll look forward to reading them each week. As this is an Autumnal series, I suggest that before you continue reading, you go and make yourself a hot chocolate, light a scented candle, and pop the warmest socks you have onto your tootsies!


This weeks post is going to be centred around the theory of overcoming hardship.
There is a famous quote (and song), that states "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger", and I firmly believe that this is true. If ever you're going through tough times, it can be productive to look on the positive side of things and simply accept that what doesn't kill you, really does make you a stronger, more experienced and above all, more rounded person.

In a recent life update, I mentioned that 2016 had been a pretty troublesome year for me. I told you about my parents divorce (which all began way back in January of this year) and also how my Mum and I have now moved out of the home that my brother and I grew up in. All of this can sound so miserable and morbid but I can honestly say that I HAVE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER.

After 8 months of total misery, I can finally allow my shoulders to fully drop. When I take a deep breath, I no longer feel myself being filled with anxiety and I am now appreciating every good thing
that happens - whether it be something as small as the sun shining whilst I walk my dog in the evening or something as big as being able to have a new job in retail job that I absolutely love.

What I'm trying to say in a really round-about way is that hardship isn't just life's way of messing with your head. Hardship is what moulds us into strong and well-rounded people. If you're reading this whilst going through some hard times, please believe me that IT WILL NOT LAST FOREVER. One day, you'll look back at this time and see it as a small (and possibly sad) frame of your life' but the main thing is, you'll be able to identify the good things that came from it. You'll appreciate everyday life so much more - and when the 'hard times' become potentially life-changing, the positive mindset that you acquire won't just last for a day, it will last forever, in the process, changing you (for the better) as a person.

My top three tips for overcoming hardship are:

  • Be optimistic. Try to find the positive side of every situation, it truly will make your life better.
  • Look towards the future. In 3 months time, things could be totally different once again - if you remain positive about the future, you hold all the cards.
  • Stay strong. Hardship can sometimes leave you feeling weak. If you opt to remain strong during the tough times, you will power through - and you'll come out the other end a far stronger person!

I hope that this post has been a useful read for some of you and if you like, feel free to share your story in the comments below.


Thursday 22 September 2016

Autumn 2016 Favourites!

Merry Autumn, my lovelies.

From reading my latest blog posts, I think it's pretty obvious that I'm loving every. single. minute of Autumn. It's just such a wonderful season! 
Since I love this time of year so much, I have an eclectic mix of 'Autumn essentials', and lovely Autumnal treats. I thought it would be nice to share my Autumn favourites with you today.


So, up first in my Autumn favourites is what you might consider an odd favourite for a beauty blog. It's soup! Now I know this sounds a little crazy but hear me out. I think that 'soup' and 'Autumn' are the perfect pair. I'm particularly enjoying 'Covent Garden' soups at the moment. They're fresh soups which can be found in the chilled section of most supermarkets - and are delicious. I would highly recommend the fresh tomato soup by Covent Garden too.

Another Autumn essential for me is a good book. At the moment, I've been reading (and loving) 'Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes. It's a great, witty book about beauty products and regimes. If you're looking for a light hearted - yet educational read, this is the book for you!

As with any other time of the year, I have been obsessing over candles! The one I have been enjoying lately is the 'White Jasmine' candle by next. It's such a welcoming and fresh scent.

To keep my hair soft and hydrated during the Autumn, I like to treat it with lots of conditioning products. My current favourite are the Garnier Ultimate Blends in 'delicate oat' 

Glitter is great all year 'round, but I hint that it really comes into its own around this time of year. I've been getting my 'glitter fix' in the form of glitter nail polish. I find that a coat or two of glitter polish over a rich autumnal nail polish really brings the nails to life.

Bath bombs are another Autumn essential for me. I know that I'm not alone on this one and I can honestly say at I feel giddy with excitement when I think about the Lush Autumn / Halloween items being released soon!

A lip balm is an odvious essential and one that I've been LOVING is the strawberry EOS that I bought in boots. It really is so hydrating for the lips and it lasts for ages too. 

Chocolate is a staple for most and I've been really enjoying drinking a Cadbury hot chocolate during the evenings. And who can say no to a chocolate biccy or two?! Yum!

Wednesday 14 September 2016

10 Things That Will Make Autumn 2016 Incredible!

Hello Daydreamers

As you may already know (if you've been a reader for years), I love, love, LOVE Autumn!
Everything about the season just fills me with glee. The crisp morning weather; the changing tones of nature; the soft, cozy knitwear and the promise of Christmas.

If you are also an Autumn enthusiast, here are 10 things that will make your Autumn 2016 truly incredible...


Decorate for fall - this may seem like an obvious suggestion, but if you really want to get into the spirit of things, go ahead and get decorating! Whether you simply want to add a splash of orange here and there or go all-out with Pinterest projects, get decorating! It will warm your home and your (Autumn-loving) soul.

Have an Autumn picnic - this is one of my favourite Autumn activities. I firmly believe that picnics should be officially an Autumn pastime. Picnics this time of year are so much better - pack a flask of creamy hot chocolate, toasties, pies, cakes, a box of biccys and you're good to go! Upon entering the park, you'll easily find the perfect picnic spot with all the beautiful surrounding golden leaves. 
I'm just be sure to wrap snug up in your chunky knitwear!

Get cracking on an Autumn bucket list - you can find these all over he Internet, that are a great way of making sure that you manage to do the things you want and prevent time from passing you by.

Treat yourself - lots of special edition foods begin to pop up in Autumn particularly from Mr Kipling
and Starbucks. This is your chance to treat yourself to anything that has 'pumpkin spice' in the title - after all, it's only going to be around for a few weeks and it would be rude not to try out anything and everything ; )

Update your wardrobe - go ahead and furnish your closet with your Autumn style. Chunky knitwear, warm tones, sequins and brogues are common staple Autumn garments.

Plan a cozy night in - if you're from the UK, you'll probably be counting down the days to the first episode of Strictly Come Dancing (I know I am!). Get planning and organise a cozy night in with the new telly and scrummy food. Nights in are more socially acceptable in Autumn and winter and who wouldn't want to keep warm and comfortable indoors whilst it rains and pours outside?!

Take an Autumn walk - if you live near a park, wrap up warm and take a walk through the fresh, frosty trees.

Photograph - there is beauty all around throughout the year, but the beauty of Autumn is even more prevalent. Photos are the perfect way to capture the beauty.

The C word - minds out of the gutter please, not that 'c' word... you know what I mean - Christmas!
Now I'm sorry to those of you that refuse to acknowledge the festive season before December 1st, but I think it is so much fun to begin planning gifts and decor around this time of year.

Bake - whether it be your long-gone auntie Peggy's famous apple crumble, or a forgotten recipe from
 your Autumn Pinterest pin board, go ahead and get creative in the kitchen.

So I hope that this has inspired you to make he most of  Autumn 2016 and do let me know in the comments if you go ahead and do any of these things.

Thanks for reading, my loves.


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Tuesday 23 August 2016

New Bedroom Room Tour!

Hello Everyone!

Have any of you been around long enough to remember my 'Home Corners' series?

Well, since I recently moved house, I decided to so an updated bedroom tour.
As we were unable to move into our new place right away, I had been planning this room for months on end and I'm so excited that the time has finally come to share it with you lovely lot!

So, without further ado, here is my new room...



I bought these pretty sparkly sequin voile nets from Amazon and I decorated the metal tie back (which was already attached to the wall) with these pretty pink crafting flowers, also from Amazon.


I opted the oh so popular 'Liervik bed frame' from IKEA. I decorated both the headboard and the foot of my new bed with fairy lights- you know me, always looking for somewhere to 

incorporate the fairy lights!

White cotton broiderie angleise bed set - 'bittersweet inn', TKMaxx
Pastel pink pillowcases - Primark Home
Fluffy white cushion - Sainsbury's
Two little pink crochet cushions - ASDA
Sparkly sequin cushion - BHS

I also purchased a pair of lavender-scented pillows from the brand Silent Night, they make relaxing at night time so much easier and I'd highly recommend them.



The white shabby-chic bedside table was purchased from Dunelm.

White vintage pull-chord lamp - IKEA
White flowers and glass vase - Sainsburys
Additional decorative pink flowers - Amazon
Strawberry EOS lip balm - Boots


This vintage dressing table is also from Dunelm.  
The stool was included and I fell in love with it the the minute I saw it!

Pink bow makeup bag - Claire's Accessories
'Sparkle' perfume - Next
Pretty pink lip balm tin - Primark
Rose gold bird trinket pot - Avon


And finally, here is my 'stationary corner'

Pink heart desk lamp - Home Bargains (also available in Quality Save)
Gold glitter notebook - Sainsbury's
Floral storage box - The Works
 Pink decorative multicoloured pens - Amazon

So I hope that you found this post interesting and if you're planning on moving or even just re-decorating, maybe this gave you some inspiration.

If you'd like to read more tour posts, 
here is last year's 'Home Corners Workspace /Desk' post -


I hope that you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed making it!
Thank you for stopping by,


PS I'd like to do more room tours showing you the rest of my new house, so do give me a follow if this is something that you'd be interested in :)


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Sunday 10 July 2016

Another Smart - Casual OOTD!

Hello everyone

 So, since my first OOTD recieved so many comments from you lovely lot, I decided to go ahead and do another one!




Close up on the shoesies, featuring Daisy's paws.

Clothes
Powder-blue chiffon shirt - Primark - £10
Scallop edged black shorts - Boohoo - £12
Black opaque tights - Primark - £3
Black heeled suede brogues - George at ASDA - £20

Accessories
Black and cream bunting necklace - New Look - £6
Gold beaded bracelet - Accessorize £2 in the sale -yey!

 And since you all liked the dogs being featured in my last OOTD...


Honestly, everytime I go to do an outfit of the day, they want in on the fun!

Hope you liked this post my loves :)

Thank you for following and commenting!

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Sunday 26 June 2016

A Summer-Time Afternoon | First OOTD!

 Hello Daydreamers

If you've been reading any of my most recent blog posts, you will already know that I'm dotty for this time of year. I just love everything about Summer, including the fashion!

I needed to find an outfit that would be suitable for a warm Summer morning walk and also, an afternoon family meal out. I popped onto Boohoo.com and I wasn't left disappointed, there are so many beautiful items available at the moment, it took all of my will power to not go on an all-out online shopping spree!

 So anyway, as this is just a quick post, here is the smart-casual outfit that I chose...




 
Here's Daisy. She wandered in, whilst the pictures were being taken so I let her join in on the fun!  
I don't think that I've ever mentioned her on Blossoming Daydreams before?!

Clothes
Dress - Boohoo.com - £12
Black opaque tights - Primark - £3
Blush bow dolly shoes - Boohoo.com - £10

Accessories
Rose-Gold Bracelet - Debenhams - £12
Flower ring - New Look - £3

and here is a little peek into the not-so-glamourous-constantly-mitered-by-dogs life I live...


In the two years that I've been blogging, I have never made an OOTD post. 
As I had so much fun putting this together, I think I'll be doing more in the future!
Would you like more OOTDs? Let me know what you think :)

Thanks for visiting, lovelies,

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Saturday 25 June 2016

Good Things Skincare Range Review!

Hello Everyone

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

So you may have seen me on various social media channels singing praises for the Good Things Skincare range. I feel like I've said it multiple times lately, but I truly love this collection!

I have very dry skin and oftentimes in the past, I would find skincare products that I thought I loved. They would start off being highly effective in removing the makeup and cleansing the skin but then with continued use, my skin would become more and more dry/irritated. The problem would progressively get worse until I discontinued use of the product, and would have to embark upon the dreaded mission to find new suitable skincare.

This has happened more times than I care to admit, but alas- I have found (and been using for quite some time) a collection of products that are moisturising, refreshing, beautifully scented and perfectly packaged!

This Good Things range is fragranced with the sweet scent of honey- which in my opinion is perfect for summer.  

Each product:
  • Has a scent that varies in 'sweetness'
  •  Is free from parabens, mineral oils and sodium laureth sulphate
  • Effectively hydrates the skin whilst cleansing

The first product that I tried from the range was the creamy cleaner- and oh me oh my, by 'creamy' it means silky soft, super rich and ultra moisturising. 

I like to pat my face with a warm, damp face cloth. I then smooth a fifty-pence-piece sized amount over the skin. I gently emulsify, allowing the product to do its thing! After around one minute, I take the face cloth and glide it over my skin, removing the cleanser and in turn, removing every last trace of makeup.

If you already have quite oily skin, I'd imagine that you'd be able to use this without a moisturiser because it does leave a soft film of moisture over the skin.


Whilst I was in Boots, the sunshine-yellow packaging of the manuka honey refining face scrub quickly caught my eye. The main ingredients include manuka honey, oats and sweet almond oil.

The scent of this one is quite mellow and very calming. This scrub is not at all abrasive and I actually like to use this on a daily basis. 

The naturally exfoliating particles in this product are small pieces of oat. They work together with the sweet almond oil (which is naturally rich in fatty acids) to polish away rough skin cells and the manuka honey helps to balance out moisture levels. 

As I mentioned before, I have dry skin and my mum actually has quite oily skin. We both love this product and we've actually considered purchasing several and 'stocking up' just incase it ever gets discontinued!


Aaahhh now for the clay face mask!

With all of the lovely hot weather we've been fortunate enough to get lately, I've been enjoying applying a cool face mask during the evening. On one particularly hot day, I decided I wanted something extra cooling on my skin and in one slightly crazy moment, I decided to place this little tube of joy into the fridge (as you do!) for around 30 minutes.

After applying the cool mask to my face, my skin felt ultra refreshed. The smooth formula initially goes onto the skin just like any other mask- smoothly and easily. After about five minutes, you'll begin to feel your cheeks and chin becoming tight- nothing too drastic, just a little firm. I like to leave this on for around 15 minutes and once the clay is set, I rinse with warm water but I think that the required time would vary depending on the skin type. 

The sweet honey scent is definitely most prevalent in the daily moisturiser.

When I first bought this, I only used it in the evening, after removing my makeup/cleansing. Since I love the product so much, I have now transitioned into also using it in the morning.

The formula is very light and airy. When I apply it to my face, it does not 'mask' the skin like some heavier moisturisers can tend to do and despite the lightweight texture, it is extremely moisturising. Any tight/dry areas on the skin are quickly tended to and I have found that after it has sunk in, this product leaves an ideal base for liquid foundation. 

So there are my current skincare loves!

As you can probably tell, I'm super impressed. I have been using these products for around three months now and my skin just keeps on getting better by the day.

I hope that you enjoyed this little review and I'd just like to say, thank you to everyone that has followed this blog. I took a look on Bloglovin' this morning and I was astonished to see that Blossoming Dadreams now has 2,700 followers.

I'm so happy to have you lovely lot here, reading/commenting :D

 Thanks again everyone,

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Sunday 5 June 2016

W7 'In the Nude' Eye Shadow Palette

Hello Everybody!

 *This post contains PR Samples.

Today, I'm going to be reviewing the W7 'In The Nude' eye shadow palette. It's been dubbed as a dupe or the Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette and for several months, I've been keen to try it out. 


As you can see, the 12 eye shadows are neatly packaged within a cream-coloured tin.

 The palette comes complete with a double ended eye shadow applicator. One end is (the mostly dreaded) sponge applicator and the other is (the far less dreaded) brush applicator. I wasn't really expecting much from the brush side, but I must say that I'm pretty impressed. It's small enough to accurately apply eye shadow into the crease of the eye, and it's lovely and soft too. I'd always choose my original eye shadow brushes over this one but if I was traveling, and happened to forget my brush roll, I'd be thankful for the applicator provided.

The most impressive thing about these eye shadows is definitely the pigmentation. 
They're velvet-soft to touch and each one blends like a dream
I find that the warmer-toned eye shadows in this palette really flatter the colour of blue eyes and this palette is perfect because it's filled with warm bronzes and subtle blush pinks which are known to be ideal for those with fair skin and blue eyes.

All in all, I think this palette is a bargain at £9.99 for 12 highly pigmented eye shadows
it's excellent value for money and I'm now keen to try out the other two W7 eye shadow palettes.

Have you tried any of the W7 eye shadow palettes?

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Thursday 26 May 2016

Taffy Mail - May Box

Hello Everybody!

*This post contains PR samples

Today I'm going to show you a fab subscription service called Taffy Mail. 
This is an American candy subscription service, and it's the first one in the UK!

Here is what was inside the May Taffy Mail box...


First up is one of my all-time-favourites. Reeces peanut butter cups have been my favourite American candy ever since we got them over in the UK. 
These are white chocolate cups which just make them even better!

These care similar to Reeses peanut butter cups, in shape and packaging however, they're filled with a whipped cream centre. The 'whipped cream centre' definitely seemed more like a soft marshmallow centre. I found these to be super sweet and two was definitely enough.

These baked snacks remind me of ritz cracers, or cheddars. 
They're super salty and reallllly cheesy.

I'm not usually a fan of watermelon flavoured sweets, however these bubblegum pieces are actually pretty good.

The flavour of this fizzy drink is what I can only describe as 'tropical' it's super juicy and super carbonated too.

Cotton candy (or candy floss to us Brits) flavoured popping candy - super fun and unusual too.
Do any of you know if it's true that Aussies call candy floss / cotton candy 'fairy floss'
If it's true, then that's the cutest thing I've ever heard!

I thought these were delicious!
They reminded me of after eight mints and as I love chocolate and mint, these were sooo good. 

I'm thinking that these sweets are the american equivalent to what we call 'jaw breakers'. They're fruity hard sweets. I was pleased to find that there were a total of 5 different flavours inside the pack.

These individually-wrapped chocolate cakes with cream / icing inside apparently have 250 calories per serving and a 'serving' classed as two of the cakes.
As they were super sweet (but super delicious), I found that one was just enough. So for 125 calories, these cakes were great. Especially with a good cup of tea - how British of me!

I have seen Corn Nuts here, there and everywhere lately. I was super excited to try them out but in all honesty, I was a little disappointed. They're pretty tasteless and they tend to leave an artificial after taste, however that being said, my Dad was happy to have the and he said they were "very good" which is high praise, I guess.

These super cute ice cream cones which are just  40 calories for the two, whoop!
They are very similar to pink 'n' whites in taste and texture, however the ice cream shape of these treats is much more fun, in my opinion.

Fun sized vanilla-flavoured nougat coated in milk chocolate. 
This was so tasty and I wished it was a bigger. I think that I actually prefer american chocolate to the UK's chocolate.


Two tubes of Laffy Taffy which we definitely don't have here in the UK.
They're super chewy and super sweet. The blue raspberry one stained my tongue bright blue for a significant amount of time, the novelty wore off pretty quickly to be honest haha.

Super chewy nougat covered in dark chocolate - this is one of my favourites and only 190 calories for the whole bar.
If we had these in the UK, I would definitely be addicted!

I placed these sweets into my car as the current 'driving snack'.
I've never tried root beer before, however I can't say I'm overly impressed. These jellybean-like sweets reminded me of minty mouthwash to be honest, but I guess some people probably love these.

Who would have thought that salty pretzels and sweet chocolate would taste so good together?! This is another of my favourites.

A huge bottle of Hershey's chocolate syrup, this would be fabulous on pancakes - mmm!

It was so much fun to look through the box and try out all of the different american candy items. I'm pleased to say that I loved more things than I hated and I do love trying new things, so it was a super fun experience!

If you would like to check out Taffy Mail, click HERE to go to their website. 

What's your favourite American candy? Also, do Aussies really call candy floss 'fairy floss'?

I hope you enjoyed reading this lovelies.

Thank you for stopping by,


P.S. if you're new to Blossoming Daydreams, I'd love for you to follow :)

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