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29 March 2015

Black & White Photography Project Week 38


We took our neighbour to the hospital this week and whilst we waited for her we visited the park, it was a gorgeous morning and the sun was shining. The blossom was starting to emerge and made for a beautiful upwards shot! Beautiful in colour but equally as lovely in black and white.

25 March 2015

Dermatique Review

I have suffered with dry skin for many years now. So, when I was approached by Dermatique to try their Recuperating Cream and Balancing Hair and Body Shampoo, I jumped at the chance.

I have combination skin, a greasy nose and forehead and a dry chin, cheeks, around my nose is also a problem area in the winter when colds are rife.

The Recuperating Cream itself is colourless and odourless, meaning those with a sensitive nose aren't irritated by it, it also means it contains no perfumes which can irritate the skin. For me though, I hate strong smelling moisturiser and anything that smells synthetic which this doesn't.


You don't need a lot of the moisturiser to get coverage over your face and it actually makes quite a good primer under makeup, my main t-zone does get a little shinier as the day goes on but not too unsightly and instead looks rather dewy.

It is also really good on hands and I have a few dry patches on my feet which are also helped with the  moisturiser, it is easily absorbed and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy.

The Balancing Shampoo is absolutely wonderful too, I have been a fan of Tigi for years but after learning about how these shampoos can strip the oils out of your hair making them produce more I have been trying to find more gentler options.

With this shampoo, I have found that my hair isn't as greasy in the morning, it is is also unbelievably soft, softer than I have felt in a long time and less frizzy after drying. The dry skin I normally suffer with on my forehead has also gone.


It also smells wonderful, not too overpowering. The only one thing I find difficult about the shampoo is that it has a very thick consistency so with wet hands it can slip off before you've rubbed it into your hands and hair.

The Recuperating Cream is  £29 which is about on par with what I would normally pay anyway, only requiring a small amount means it will last a while.

The Balancing Shampoo is £19.50 for 250ml, with a 750ml bottle of my usual being available for £9.99 on the face of it it seems a little expensive. However if you are suffering with dandruff, eczema or psoriasis then there isn't really a price you can put on something that helps. It is also in line with similar products using natural products.

I will definitely be using this as my moisturiser from now on and will see how long the shampoo lasts and then hopefully replace this with some more from Dermatique since it is helping.

NB: I was sent these products to form a review, all words and opinions are my own.

24 March 2015

Come on Summer

Todays weather has been a bit British, you know sunny one minute, snowing and hailing the next followed by more sun and some thunder.

So it's got me thinking about summer again, dreaming of warm evenings, trips to the beach and watching the sun set, exploring, finding beach treasure are just a few of the things we like to do.


Picnics on the beach, snuggling under towels damp and covered in sand, with our house move on the horizon not much else has been on my mind of late but the sun today certainly helped take my mind off things.


What are you looking forward to now the days are getting lighter and warmer?

22 March 2015

Springtime Footwear with Mastershoe Myshu

A few weeks ago, I was approached by Mastershoe Myshu, to see if I was interested in trying out some of their range.

I chose the Puma Classics trainers in a fab, bright and perfect for spring, Monaco Blue and Sunny Lime.



They are a great pop of colour and great for wearing with turned up jeans, leggings or shorts, they are  not too wide which is great for my feet, however they did rub a bit on the back of one of my heels.


I really love the colours, there were several great options available from the Mastershoe Myshu website and all with free UK delivery.  


With several other fabulous brands to choose from including Joules, Camper, Merrel, Hunter and Geox to name just a few, there is a huge range for whatever your tastes.


The website was easy to navigate, with the option to search by brand, gender and size making it easy to find all the pairs they have in your size, then dispatch and delivery within a few days making shopping with them super easy. 

NB: I was sent the shoes for the purpose of this post, all words and opinions are my own.

Black & White Photo Project Week 37


Another flower from me this week, this one is from my garden. I will certainly be sad to lose the beautiful plants in my garden when we move.

17 March 2015

New House, New Kitchen/Diner, New Design

We are currently in the middle of a house move, we are moving into a new property and it has a fabulous kitchen/diner, this has led to lots of browsing for new dining tables and furniture to fit into the space.

First up Habitat, they have some wonderful pieces at the moment. I absolutely adore this dining table set, some chairs to snuggle, watch telly in and read a book for the kids whilst I cook dinner. Then this absolutely wonderful desk, which I have the perfect space for, it means I can use it to store my gorgeous vintage pyrex and cups and sauces in too.

The rug is bright, colourful and perfect for adding a drop of colour to the bare rooms. I am also in love with this dinner service, I love the fact you can mix and match and I think this looks better than having all the same pattern.

Habitat Kitchen


Next up, John Lewis, a similar collection to Habitat. I love this table, chairs and bench, in fact I am loving the idea of a bench, more people can squeeze on when we have people round. The children both have Stokke Tripp Trapps, which add more colour and mean that we only need a couple of chairs.

I'd also add a beautiful rug and some fabulously colourful plates and bowls for a pop of colour to the room. For the computer, there is this brilliant and moveable ladder desk, an ingenious idea which I have the perfect corner for.


John Lewis Kitchen


Alas though, I need a new vacuum first and there will probably be a few fixtures and fittings required so these will have to wait, but it's better to have an idea of what I would like, right?

15 March 2015

Black & White Photography Project Week 36


I do love flowers in black and white, this anemone is so delicate.

 photo 4d06e438-4e6a-4f3b-88b2-0c1093350397_zps361ad0e9.jpg

9 March 2015

Beautiful Jewellery for Mother's Day

Recently, I was approached by Chisholm Hunter to see if i would like to review a piece from their Mother's Day range, not one to turn down jewellery and having gazed in the window of their Nottingham store on more than one occasion, I said yes.

There is currently a divine selection to choose from and the Bronzallure range did not disappoint, I was sent a beautiful rose gold plated bracelet with chalcedony charm, this sent my magpie tendencies into overdrive, and that of my daughter, who cooed over it before being told it was for mummy!

The shipping box was beautifully presented and inside was a fabulous wood effect box containing the bracelet, it shone in the sunlight and I love the rose gold, just beautiful for any skin tone.


The bracelet itself is chunky and the clasp feels sturdy, like it will not break easily. I love the attention to detail, with the tags displaying where it was made and the Bronzallure range name.

It is a fabulously rich colour and I knew instantly what I would style it up with, although at the moment this outfit will have to wait, the rose gold goes perfectly with this gold and black dress and a pair of black patent heels.


But it isn't just for dressing up, I wore the bracelet to tea at my mother in laws house, it didn't feel out of place and just added a bit of glitz to an otherwise every day outfit.


I love how this bracelet looks against my skin, even with my pale complexion, it doesn't wash me out and sits fabulously against my wrist, although this wouldn't be something I would chose myself I am glad I was sent something a bit different. I haven't really worn jewellery much since my children were born, nothing worse than having to pull it off them as they try to chew it or want to wear it themselves.



This will give me a bit of something to glam up my work outfits, trips out with friends and date night. The bracelet costs £89 which I think is about right for a piece of jewellery like this, and because it is so wearable I wouldn't consider it too expensive either. 

The bracelet comes with matching necklace and earrings, perfect if you like to match, I have also put together a Pinterest page with a few of my other favourites so do pop on over and have a look.




Finally, if you fancy getting yourself 10% off at Chisholm Hunter, then you can use code BLOG10 at the checkout (T&Cs apply).

NB: I was sent the bracelet to review, all words and opinions are my own.

8 March 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 35



Over on Instagram yesterday there was lots of pictures from Blog On Cymru and I was inspired by those pictures to put together some patterns for Capture By Lucy's #capturingcolour. I love the spoon in black and white.

1 March 2015

Black & White Photo Project Week 34


I think this is my favourite picture from the last week, I adore the treasures we collected from our day out at Newstead Abbey.