SUNDAY BRUNCHIN' AND BROWSIN'

Happy weekend pals! I fancied doing something a lil bit different on the blog today, I feel like I've done lots beauty posts and so I thought I'd share a bit of what I've been up to this weekend, this post is going to be a one of a series of posts about things to do in my home town.  I know a few of my followers are from my little hometown of Chesterfield or live very near by so I'm giving you a few ideas of ways to spend your weekend if you don't famcy wandering too far whilst sharing what I've been up to with you guys so love a little further afield.

I've been dreaming of Sunday brunch all week and where else would I head to other than my favourite bistro in Chesterfield, Bottle&Thyme? I love this cute little bistro, the atmosphere is wonderful thanks to the super friendly staff and cozy interior. The breakfast menu contains everything a brunch lover could dream of from pancakes and waffles to a full English with a smashed avacados on toast chucked in for good measure. I went for the pancakes with mixed berries, honey and Greek yogurt which was ofcourse amazing as always and mum opted for scrambled egg on toasted sourdough with added bacon. If you live in or around Chesterfield and haven't tried Bottle&Thyme yet then babes you're missing out. They recently won not one but two awards at the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards for Best Newcomer and Best Customer Service, and they thoroughly deserve it as every member of staff is welcoming and so friendly. I could go on but I really think the awards and the pictures really speak for themselves, get over there!

Every last weekend of the month our little market town hosts the Artisan Market, a little celebration of everything handmade and unique. There are a collection of stalls including food stalls, decor bits and pieces stalls and accessory stalls. I love spending the a Sunday morning browsing all the different bits and pieces and I rarely walk away without buying anything. So after stuffing our faces at Bottle&Thyme we made our way down to the market. This time I picked up some macaroons from Klass-Kitchen, I got a selection of different flavours including hazelnut, salted caramel and raspberry and yeah ok I couldn't help myself and may have eaten two before even taking these pictures, and they were heavenly! I've already looked them up on insta and you can actually inbox them to order some of their delicious goodies. I also grabbed a couple of locally made ales for Conor, cos I'm the best girlfriend ever. Obviously. Not gonna lie beer ain't for me, give me a fruity cider any day but you can keep your beer. Conor on the other hand loves the stuff. I picked up two that are made by Buxton Brewery and to be honest just picked the ones I thought sounded nice, Pale and Wild Boar, and yes maybe I did pick them because I liked the packaging. Anyway there's a little description on the pictures down at the bottom and again you can find them over on Instagram. Right so I wouldn't really be me if I saw a stall selling bath bombs and didn't buy some now would I?! The Wax and Works stand was probably my favourite, candles and bath bombs galore, I grabbed a pack of the Rose scented bath chill pills, essentially mini bath bombs and my mum bought a Fairy Dust wax melt. I can't wait to run a bath tonight slap on a face mask and drop a few of these babes in the tub, Sunday chills at their best.

So that's been my Sunday, spent brunching and browsing and now I have to get back to Stranger Things 2. I only have one episode left to watch and I can already sense the ST2 withdrawals starting to kick in! I hope you've all had a fab fun filled weekend! Oh and also, we didn't steal the dog. We actually dog sit and furry little fella is Teddy.

A NOT SO ORDINARY DUO FOR FRESH SUPER SOFT SKIN

Ok so I might have gone a tad crazy with the old skincare shopping this month but after seeing this brand being so highly recommended by so many of my favourite bloggers it was pretty much top of my list last payday. The Ordinary seems to have popped up on my insta feed out of nowhere with it's minimal look and clever sounding product names I had to read all the descriptions carefully, spent a lot of time getting the products mixed up and still maybe picked them on a whim.

I ordered the Lactic Acid 10% and the 100% plant-derived squalane, which both sound terrifying to a chemical skincare novice but after reading the product descriptions and figuring out what both of them actually do I decided to give them a go. So as I've said in a previous post I've recently started suffering with eczema and I have a few little patches on my cheeks so I obviously have to be careful what skincare and makeup I use because the patches can get irritated quite easily, so when I ordered the products I was slightly nervous about the effects they were going to have on my skin, I really wanted to love them but obviously if they irritated the eczema they were going to be big no no's.

So the Lactic Acid 10% is by fair my favourite of the two, this one is a lightweight serum that you apply in the evening after removing make up and cleansing and leave to soak into the skin. The Lactic Acid basically exfoliates the skin and targets uneven skin tone while the other ingredient Tasmanian pepperberry reduced signs of inflammation. I've been using this a couple of times a week, not every evening and I don't want to irritate my skin, and my skin has been feeling a lot fresher as well as looking more even and glowy after just a couple of uses. I get red patches on my chin and cheeks regularly and this has really helped to reduce the redness and generally even out my skin tone and my skin looks a lot fresher and brighter. I also really like the fact that it's a lightweight serum it doesn't feel thick or like my skin can't breathe and it doesn't leave a oily coating it completely soaks into my skin and leaves it so fresh and soft.

The 100% Plant-Derived Squalane is a tiny bit disappointing. I really really wanted to love both of these products and I honestly do like this one but there's just something about it I can't get on with.
It's basically an oil that you apply after cleansing and toning morning and/or night before priming. Squalane is used to hydrate the skin and leave it feeling plump and soft and guarding against dry patches. You can also use it in your hair, just add a few drops to towel dried hair for extra shine and protection from heat. Ok so what I don't like about this product is that it just wouldn't soak into my skin, I don't know if it's because I have combination skin and I can go through quite oily phases but it just didn't soak in at all I found myself touching my face after up to half an hour after applying the product and there was always some oily residue left, BUT I do love the product when I use it in my
hair I've used it the last couple of times I've washed my hair and after blow drying my hair looked so shiny and healthy and it just felt super soft. Personally I just don't get on with the product as a
skincare product but it could be great for people with dry skin and I'm definitely going to keep using it as a hair protection product!


Both products are super affordable at just £5.50 for the Plant-Derived Squalane and £5.80 for the Lactic Acid, they're only 30ml bottles but you only need to use 3 or 4 drops of each a day so they are brilliant in terms of price! Have you used either of these products? Or any The Ordinary products?

AUTUMN READING LIST

Hola guys! I hope you've all had a pretty fab week! Mine's been pretty hectic with work and interviews but yesterday was pretty relaxed with a yummy brunch with Conor then we headed into town for a browse round the shops and a plenty of Terrys Orange Hot Chocolate, yeah guys it was just as amazing as it sounds! After that Conor headed to work and I headed home to chuck on the comfiest jammies I could find and grab a new book! 

I always go through phases of turning into a total book worm and reading about 5 books in a row then I can't get into any books at all for a few weeks. At the minute I'm going through my read as many books as possible phases, I think it's something to do with the colder seasons there's nothing better than getting cosy under a pile of blankets in front of the fire with a cream and marshmallow topped hot chocolate with a new book. So I thought I'd share whats on my To Read list at the minute. 

At the top of the list is a book I saw everywhere during the summer but never thought to pick up, its The Girls by Emma Cline and I've actually just finished it! Finally. The plot basically follows Evie who falls in with a bad group of girls lead by a mysterious guy called Russel which leads to a tragedy in the summer of 1969. Seeing as I'd heard so much about it I expected it to be incredible but I have to admit it was a bit hard to get into and I feel like it never really got going, it kept feeling like it was going to get exciting and then nah. I did like it don't get me wrong, it's a good story line but it was quite slow. 

The Muse by Jessie Burton has been on my list since the beginning of the year and I'm really excited to get into it. Jessie Burton also wrote The Miniaturist which I heard really good things about but again never picked up! Duh when will I learn. So The Muse has a double plot line starting in 1967 with who begins working in a Gallery in London working for the glamorous Marjorie Quick, when a they discover a lost masterpiece with a secret. The plot then flashes back to 1936 in Spain where Olive Schloss an art dealers daughter becomes entangled with and artist and revolutionary. I love stories that entangle two plot lines and both sound really interesting so I'm excited to get stuck into this one!

I love Lindsey Kelk! I've read pretty much all of her books and I've defintely red all the I Heart series. The series stars Angela who after finding her fiance with his pants down decides to change her life and run away to New York, the series follows her as she makes new friends, starts a new career and falls in love. Yes it is chick lit and yes it might be kinda cheesy but they're so fun and easy to read and I just love them! I think this is the 6th and sounds like the final book in the series so I'm looking forward to finding out how things pan out for Angela.

Last but no means least on my list is Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough. I really like getting into gritty drama books, I loved Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins and I See You and I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh which all such good books if you haven't read them already then DO IT, so when I saw this on the shelf I was instantly drawn to it. The story follows three different characters who's lives become entangled when Louise meets David a succesful and charming guy but all things change when she meets his wife Adele. Louise becomes obsessed with the couple and the flaws begin to show, both are hiding terrible secrets but how far will they both go to keep them hidden? Exciting huh?!

So I'm about to get back into my Beauty and the Beast pj's (I'm 24 so what) get under a pile of blankets and throw myself into one of these plotlines. Have you read any of these books? Do you have any recommendations for me to try?

GLOSSIER FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Unless you've been living under a rock you'll have seen this brand all over social media this week, my news feed has been taken over by the simple and oh so aesthetically pleasing packaging and pink has been everywhere. Thanks to the beauty gods the New York cult beauty brand that is Glossier finally started shipping to the UK. I've been dying to try this brand since I saw it popping up all over my favourite blogs and I can't begin to explain my excitement last Monday when I could make my wishful thinking a reality! Think along the lines of a five year old on Christmas morning x finding a forgotten bar of chocolate in the fridge. SO FREAKIN EXCITING. 

I wanted to try skincare first as I've been going through a bit of a new skincare dry spell

for a while and just relying on the same old lotions and potions on a daily basis, so I thought I'd spruce up my collection. I ordered the phase one set which includes the Milk Jelly Cleanser, Moisturizing Primer and your choice of Balm Dotcom flavours. I got this to basically cover my cleansing, moisturising and priming needs, all wrapped up in one handy package. The 4 days between ordering my goodies and receiving them seemed like a bloomin' lifetime and by Friday I felt like some kind of John Lewis Christmas advert waiting for the postman to arrive with happiness in a little cardboard box. But oh lord was it worth the wait. I practically ripped the parcel out of the poor postmans hand and rand straight upstairs to reveal this pink amazingness inside the box, I'm only slightly exaggerating when I say I'm pretty sure angels sang when I opened that box.

First up is th Milk Jelly Cleanser. I heard really good things about pretty much all the Glossier products but this one seemed to be top of everyone's list in regards to skincare. So it's described as a "jelly" bit it feels more like a light thick serum and it smells quite chemically which I didn't expect but I got over that as soon as I used it Friday night after using a Miceller water to remove that most of my make up, I used a couple of pumps of this to wash the last of the make up and general day to day mankiness off and my skin felt so soft and fresh afterwards. It doesn't lather up like a soapy cleanser so even though it smells a bit chemically it doesn't feel like it. My first impressions of this product after just a couple of days using it morning and night before bed are really good seeing as it left my face feeling as soft and fresh as a baby booty!

Next in my package was the Moisturizing Primer. I really struggle with both moisturisers and primers because I have combination skin which means some days I'm dry as the Sahara and others my skin feels greasy AF but I read quite a few reviews of this product on the Glossier website saying that this product was perfect for combination skin so I thought I'd give it a whirl. It's a little bit funnier than I'm used to as I use quite rich moisturisers normally and Benefits Porefessional primer has been my go to for quite a while. I've been using about a dollop about the size of a ten pence piece and rubbing it into my skin in the morning after cleansing and before makeup. It takes a few minutes to completely soak in but I have found my makeup applies a lot smoother and it looks really glowy and fresh on top of the primer. I also have small patched of eczema of my cheeks so I have to be careful with what I use on them as they can get irritated really easily but in the past few days I've notice them clear up slightly so I'm so happy with this babe so far. 

Last in my set was the Balm Dotcom which I chose in Rose because, well I'm me duh. I'm really bad for not using lip balm as often as I should to say that matte lip products are my favourite so I'm determined to keep this product in my bag at all times, for lip dryness emergencies. It's quite thick and I've only been using a tiny bit as I'm so used to wearing matte lipsticks the stickiness of the balm still feels a bit weird to me, but I have to say this balm doesn't leave my lips feeling sticky or slimy at all, yay! It has a slight pink tint to it which I really like because it adds a bit of colour when I'm not using a lipstick. It's another pat on the back for Glossier! 

I also got a free sample of the yet to launch Glossier perfume, which smells so clean, fresh and luxurious, pretty much everything you'd expect from a brand like Glossier.  I can't wait to hear more about the launch and the price. I'm guessing the price won't be too crazy as the price of the other products are reasonable so lets hope we hear more about that soon! 

So you can get all these products individually but works out a couple of pounds cheaper to get them as a set for £35 for all 3 and then you're eligible for free shipping too, WINNER! If you use this link (here) you can also get 10% off your first order! I definitely recommend all three of this products and I think Glossier is going to become of my must have skincare brands, I can't wait to order my new batch of goodies, I thinking make up this time! 

Have you tried any of these products? Do you have any recommendations? 

&OTHERSTORIES BATH AND BODY HAUL

So since payday I've been a tad obsessed with all things bath/body/beauty. I saw Kate's all time beauty favourites video recently and instantly fell in love with the &otherstories body souffle she talked about. I've been into the &otherstories Leeds store a couple of times for a browse but I stupidly never picked anything up, just appreciated the ridiculously aesthetically pleasing packaging. So I popped straight onto the website and browsed through the bath and body section.

I added a lot of products to my basket but eventually calmed myself down and ordered three things. They arrived a couple of dates later and I couldn't hide my excitement when I got home from work to find the package on the kitchen table, cos even the packaging is perfectly instagrammable - and that's what you look for in any product really, obz.

So I ordered the Miami Muse body lotion, Punk Bouquet hand cream and Sardonyx Fire body scrub. I went forward and backward between the body scrub and the body souffle for a while but I eventually decided on the scrub because I really love a good body scrub, I love the really coarse ones that feel like they're really exfoliating my skin. The Sardonyx Fire scrub doesn't disappoint at all it smells amazing, like all the &andotherstories products do, its has a woody base smell with hints of vanilla and a floral tone without being too girly and sickly. It lathers up really nice too and it just feels so luxurious and expensive even though its only £10 and a little goes a long way so I think it's going to last quite a while!

Next up is the Miami Muse body lotion. This is probably my favourite product of the three. Every time I smell it it smells even better than I remember. It's really musky and sweet at the same time with fragrances of cotton candy and pink pepper. I've been putting it on every night and my skin is feeling so soft, sometimes I really dislike body lotions because they can leave like an oily residue on my skin but this soaks in completely leaving my skin feeling silky smooth. The body lotion is only £7 for 350ml which is such a good price for the size of the bottle and the quality, this is definitely going to be a forever product for me.

Last up is the Punk Bouquet hand cream which smells amazing too, obviously. I bought the mini tube for £4 as I just wanted to give it a go and I'm normally a bit funny about hand creams because they always seem to take forever to soak in probably and my hands always feel a bit slippy afterwards but this ones is perfect, just like the body lotion it completely soaks in without the horrible oily residue. It has a vanilla base scent with a hint of rose, and we all know how I much I love rose scented anything! You can buy the bigger bottle which is £5 for 250ml so a bit smaller than the body lotion but I prefer the handy mini tubes which are perfect for popping in your handbag, especially with the weather getting so bloomin' cold.

All in all I'm so so happy with all three products, &otherstories is now one of my favourite places to get body and bath goodies. I'm already adding a few to my Christmas list! Have you tried any of the &otherstories products?

LEMON AND ELDERFLOWER SPONGE

Hi gang! It's been a such long time since I fell off the blogging wagon and I've been preparing to throw myself back into all things blogging and Instagram recently so I thought the best way to get back into the blogosphere would be to share a new recipe with you guys! Because who doesn't love cake?!

I made this gorgeously light lemon and elderflower sponge this week and not being big headed but it was bloody UHMAZING. I adapted a Nigella Lawson recipe to create this babein' cake and just added a few extras to give it a fresh Jeranfj twist. Classic sponge cakes with a twist are always some of my favourite recipes to make whether its chucking in some chocolate powder or fruit and they're so quick and easy anyone can make them! 

Ingredients 

250g unsalted butter 

350g caster sugar

4 large eggs

zest of 2 lemons 

350g self-raising flour

8 tablespoons of milk

Lemon curd (for filling) 

2 round cake tins buttered and lines 

For the syrup

juice of 1 lemon 

2 tablespoons elderflower cordial 

For the buttercream 

500g icing sugar 

250g unsalted butter 

4 tablespoons elderflower cordial

Method

preheat the oven at 180C and butter and line your cake tins and leave to one side 

 cream together the butter and sugar and add in the lemon zest and eggs one at a time beating them in thoroughly. Gently fold in the flour, I always find it best to add a couple of tablespoons at a time to get the mixture really smooth, then add the milk and mix until smooth. Careful of any hidden flour lurking at the bottom of the bowl! 

spoon the mixture evenly between your two cake tins and pop in the oven, preferably on the same shelf for even baking, and bake for 45 minutes. Try not to curiously open the oven door while your cakes are baking or they'll sink, you can do the anxious GGBO style sit in front of the oven and stare nervously at the baking cakes if you like. 

while your cakes are baking beautifully in the oven move onto the syrup and butter cream. Mix together the juice of one lemon and 2 tablespoons of elderflower cordial in a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl soften the butter and sieve in the icing sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time, this step is a tad messy so prepare for little puffs of icing sugar wafting into the air and covering every surface of the kitchen in a layer of powdered sugar. When you have mixed in the icing sugar add in the elderflower cordial a tablespoon at a time, you might not need all the elderflower cordial so be careful not to add too much and make the mixture too runny, it should be quite a stiff consistency and kinda stick to the spoon when you lift it from the bowl not just drip off. Once the mixture is smooth and ready pop it into the fridge till you're ready to add it to the cake. 

once the cakes are baked use a skewer to poke holes into the surface of the cake then pour the syrup over the two cakes and leave to cool completely in the tins. I left mine for about half an hour to make sure they were totally cool. 

when the cakes are completely cool add your lemon curd (as much as you fancy!) and buttercream and sandwich the two sponges together, finish with a sprinkling of icing sugar and lemon zest and Voila! One light zesyt lemon and elderflower cake to make even Mary Berry the queen of sponge cakes proud. Now grab a cuppa, a good book and a big chunk of cake and have a nice relaxing afternoon! 

Will you be giving this recipe a try? If so let me know how you get on!