A funny old week in photos

Outfit post / New boots / Boots haul / Salmon wellington for dinner! / New bag / Daisy enjoying the Christmas displays

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

This week has gone pretty slowly. Isn't it weird how that happens? It's no longer than any other week but it just feels different. Anyway, not much has really happened. Last weekend I spent most of my time with family and seeing my new little nephew and this weekend has been pretty much the same. Yesterday my mum, dad and I took my nephew and Daisy to Cadbury Garden centre to see all the animals.

Daisy loves looking at the rabbits and the fish and there's a giant plastic shark she likes to say hello to as well. She's not keen on the birds though and I don't blame her, they're horrible! She had fun playing in the play area and also running around the Christmas displays, which are always really impressive each year. This year they've dotted giant children's books around the centre and have decorated them really nicely. Later on Vince and I are off to my mum and dad's as it's my mums birthday! Dad has taken her out for lunch so we're just going to pop in for a cup of tea and drop off the presents!

Yesterday I went a little mad in Boots...as usual. I picked up a few new bits of skincare as well as nail polish and makeup, all of which will be featured on the blog I'm sure. The whole point of me visiting Boots was to see if the Barry M stand was carrying all of the new products and surprise, surprise it wasn't. It only had the new matte nail polishes and none of the new eyeshadows or glitter polishes, which is really annoying! I may have to pay a visit to town next week and see if I can spy them somewhere! I need to get my hands on them!

What have you been up to this week?

Toni & Guy Shampoo for Advanced Detox

Toni & Guy Shampoo for Advanced Detox - £5.99

Recently I've been trying to take better care of my hair. I know you're not supposed to but I wash it every week day before work and dry it with a hair dryer so obviously that will be doing some damage. I was regularly going to the hairdressers every six weeks or so but it's become so expensive and I was finding my hair didn't look much different afterwards. I thought to myself that I'd rather pay money for some treatments for it to see if they might help.

I've used Toni & Guy's HairMeetWardrobe products before and I really liked them so I decided to try out a few other bits from their various ranges. I picked up the Advanced Detox shampoo in the hope it would help my hair a little. I'm really glad I purchased it as it makes my hair feel so, so soft for the rest of the day after use. I actually couldn't believe how soft it felt.

It really gets in there and cleans your hair, getting rid of product build up and residue and I could really feel the cleanliness after use. Unlike a lot of hair treatments you do have to leave it in and spend ages standing around in the shower or dripping wet het all over the place, you simply use it as a normal shampoo. I followed it up with a normal shampoo afterwards and am just so happy with the results.

The bottle says 'for occasional use' so I've been using it once a week as a bit of a treat for the hair. Sometimes I even follow it up with a conditioning treatment for the ends too. For £6 it's pretty reasonable as it's a good size and will last absolutely ages.

Have you tried it? What's your favourite hair treatment?

Autumn treats

Yankee Candle Soft Blanket*, Yankee Candle Fireside Treats*, Yankee Candle Spiced Orange*

Recently I was asked if I would like to review a couple of products from the Scented Candle Shop and of course I jumped at the chance, I mean they sell Yankee Candles so I bit their arm off for the opportunity.

I could have chosen some candles by brands I hadn't heard of before but if you know you like a brand then it can't hurt to stick with what you know best. So I went ahead and chose three delicious scents. Fireside treats, Spiced Orange and Soft Blanket.

The Fireside Treats and Spiced Orange are exactly what you would imagine, gorgeous warm scents with a real kick to them, while Soft Blanket is a comforting, soft scent that smells exactly like a new born baby's blanket. It's so sweet. Admittedly it's not very 'autumn' like but I don't think it's really a scent for any particular season so I thought I'd give it a go.

Like most of you know Yankee Candle's last an absolute age. I have one of the small jars in Cinammon Stick and I've had it for about a year and it's still not finished. I currently also have Turquoise Sky and Vanilla Satin in large jars but these are more for the summer months so it's really nice to have some more for autumn/winter. Although Vince isn't very happy about it and wonders why I need so many candles. Men just don't get it do they?

I'm so glad the scents I chose are absolutely delicious as I obviously didn't get to give them a whiff before buying so I bought them completely blind. The names of each of them really represent the scent well. With a lot of other, cheaper candles you read the name of it and think 'oh that sounds nice' so give it a whiff and it smells disgusting, but that's definitely not the case here. All of them smell absolutely delicious and I think I made the perfect choices. My house is currently full of the scent of autumn, I love it!

I love their online store and if you want to find scented candles please click on the link to find more.

This post contains PR samples

Wednesday Wishlist #95

White Stuff - Candy Leather Contrast Strap Across Body Handbag - £32.50
Bella Across Body Hazelnut Handbag - £65
Ondine Across Body Leather Dark Teal Handbag - £35, 

When you think of autumn you think of autumnal colours such as yellows, mustards, browns and reds but I came across these bags from White Stuff and absolutely loved the alternative autumn colouring.

The hazelnut colouring of the first across the body bag is quite autumn-like but the other two are extremely bright and colourful and not necessarily something I'd usually go for, but they're just so pretty I had to include them. Across body bags are really practical as they leave your hands free for other stuff but they can make the shoulders ache a bit. These ones are a really nice size, perfect for a day trip or shopping trip. They would make a nice change from my big Zara shopper bag.

I particularly like the simplicity of the blue/brown bag and for £32.50 it's actually a lot more reasonable than I thought it was going to be. I usually find the product, fall in love and check the price afterwards.

White Stuff is not a brand I have brought from before but I'm pleasantly surprised by what they have to offer. The bags themselves are really great quality and look much more expensive than they really are. The brand has a very english countryside feel to it and it's definitely a name I will go back to and have a browse of in the future.

What bags are you coveting for autumn?

*This is a sponsored post

Dove Nourishing Body Washes

Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash - £2.40*
Dove Go Fresh Nourishing Body Wash in Blue Fig and Orange Blossom*

Recently I received an email that for a change, actually caught my eye. It was about the new nourishing body washes from Dove and it came with some pretty interesting statistics that I thought I'd share with you.

The reason it caught my eye was because it stated that 33% of people say we feel irritated and grumpy throughout the day if it gets off to a bad start. I have to say I'm definitely one of those people that feel like this if my mornings don't go to plan. If I get stuck in lots of traffic while driving to work or if I forget something then it can really spoil the rest of the day.

A bad night's sleep is one of the top reason's for people being grumpy through the day. This really affects me too so if I don't really sleep properly then I'll be tired through the day, which usually leads to grumpiness.

So with these statistics in mind Dove has come up with some new body washes that aim to get your morning off to a good start by nourishing your skin deeply and leaving you feeling relaxed and ready for the day.

I received two of the new body washes, one in a normal scent and another in a luxurious blue fig and orange blossom. You can't go wrong with an unscented/normal body wash. This lathers up really well in the shower and leaves the skin feeling supersoft for hours after application. It's a rich and creamy body wash and you really only need a tiny amount as a little really goes a long way with this.

The blue fig and orange blossom smells amazing! I don't think I've tried anything that's scented with either so it was a real change for me. I usually go for fruity and sweet scents but this one is so powerful that it really wakes you up. It also lathers up really well and leaves your skin smelling super fresh and feeling super soft.

For just under £2.50 these are well worth buying as they'll last absolutely ages. They're a lovely treat for the skin and they truly get deep into the skin and nourishes it well!

Autumn florals

Autumn has arrived! I'm so happy to be in tights and boots, lovely! I bought this skirt when I went to Primark last weekend, I think it was around £12 and it's a lovely thick skirt with a floral pattern. It kind of reminds me of granny curtains but it's cute, cute, cute. It's slightly longer on me than I wanted so I have rolled the waistband once or twice but other than that I really love it.

I wasn't sure what to team it with so went for a basic baseball top, which also has grey sleeves. The tshirt is pretty see through so I've had to put a vest top underneath but that only means it'll keep me warmer!

While I was in Primark I decided I needed some new ankle boots and I spied these desert style boots along with another similar pair. I couldn't decide between the two so I bought both and I love them! They're really comfy and warm and a bit chunkier than what I normally wear so I'm enjoying stomping around lots!

Have you delved into your autumn wardrobe yet?

A new arrival week in photos

Dog print sheets / Hedgehog print duvet! / New Yankee candles / Charlie

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

First of all - if you haven't already noticed, I have a lovely new layout! The lovely Helen, whose blog I'm a huge fan of, recently tweeted looking for people who wanted their blogs redesigned as her boyfriend is building a portfolio so I put myself forward and I am so, so happy with the results. It's EXACTLY what I wanted and more to be honest as they thought of things that hadn't even crossed my mind. I particularly like the cherry image in the header, so pretty!

This week has been one long wait for my sister's baby to arrive and he finally put in an appearance late on Wednesday night. I met him on Friday and he's a cutey. That's coming from someone who isn't a fan of kids too but I guess I'm biased as he's related to me. He's very quiet and makes funny noises, like a puppy! My niece is very good with him already and now she's a big sister, just like me! I haven't posted a pic on here just yet as he doesn't yet have a name and I want to check it's ok with my sis first before I post a picture, although he is allover Facebook already!

The weather has been absolutely mental this week. One minute it's been sunny, then cloudy then torrential rain. It's so difficult to dress for it and this week was officially labelled as autumn time as I got the black tights out. I quite like autumn to be honest, it's not too hot and not too cold and I love the pretty, colourful leaves too. I received some new Yankee candles this week and I purposely chose some autumn scents so keep your eyes peeled for a review this week, I'm so looking forward to lighting them. They smell scrummy!

What have you been up to this week?

Wednesday Wishlist #94

John Lewis - Sasha Patent Leather Bow Detail Ballerina Pumps, Molly Court Shoes, Sledge Court Shoes, Izzy Square Toe Ballerina Pumps 

This week's wishlist has turned into a bit of an expensive shoe-fest. I'm a huge lover of beautiful shoes but unfortunately I'm not really a wearer of them, which is a shame.

I adore pretty high heels and cute flats but you'll most likely catch me wearing tatty pumps from Primark than anything lady-like. I can't count the amount of times I've bought a pair of heels in the past and have never worn them. They always end up sat in the back of my wardrobe and then get reluctantly sold on eBay or simply chucked out!

Shoes are quite a good way to add a bit of interest or an edge to an outfit and it's also a great way to express yourself. I particularly like wearing bright, colourful shoes with an otherwise plain outfit. I have a pair of black flats with coral toes but they pinch so much I can barely walk in them. The coral flats above are ideal and I love the shiny material too, but beware scratches! Eek!

Close favourites of mine from the above are the cute and girly black heels with bow detailing. They just look so luxurious and lovely and I would expect them to be as well for that sort of price. I adore the scalloped edging on these and they'd just give such a feminine feel to an outfit, the heel size on them isn't too bad either!

I also really adore the square toe flats I've included in the list. These are pretty formal and 'meeting' like but I can't get over the square toe, I love it but it kind of reminds me of The Witches from the Roald Dahl book too. I included the nudey pumps because I just wish I could get away with wearing something like this. They're so pretty and clean but I know I would just get them scratched to pieces instantly.

What's on your wishlist this week?


*This is a sponsored post

Trends I'm loving: Leather trim

New Look: Grey Leather-look Trim Tshirt - £8.99, Dark Blue Animal Jacquard Leather-Look Trim Skater Skirt - £17.99, Grey Leather-Look Trim Jumper - £22.99, Parisian Red Check PU Trim Shorts - £19.99

Leather is a tricky item of clothing. Personally I like to stay clear of it unless it's a cool leather (fake) jacket, but lately I've been really, really loving leather accents on clothing. Just a subtle hint of leather (again, fake) really gives a top, skirt or shorts a really interesting edge.

I've seen this absolutely everywhere, it seems to be part of a bit of an edgy/alternative trend and I've already got in on the trend and have purchased the above tshirt as well as another from Zara. The leather trim look is perfect for the autumn season as it really toughens up an outfit without much effort. In particular I'm loving leather trim necklines as while it gives an interesting twist to the top it also acts a a kind of necklace, meaning you don't have to worry about accessorising because your accessory is already built into the top. I say it's pretty genius to be honest.

As I mentioned I already have the above black/white leather trim top and I absolutely love it. It's really comfortable and quite loose fitting so easy to team with jeans or skirts. There was a red/black version I was keen to buy as well and I may need to go back to the shop to get it. I also really like the tartan shorts with the leather waistband, however I fear nobody would actually see the band unless you wore a cropped top or something tucked in. The leather trim trend fits well with tartan and the whole 'alternative' look that I've spied taking up a good portion of the New Look shop floor. I personally love tartan but only on other people, I am too much of a wuss to wear it myself.

What do you think of the leather trim trend? Will you be buying into it and accessorising everything you own with little hints of leather or pleather?


*This is a sponsored post

A foody/shopping week in photos

Naughty Dominos! / Gourmet Burger Kitchen / Homemade takeaway! / New Dove bodywashes to try / Primark haul! / New hedgehog print bedding / Doggy print! / Booties / New skirt / Oops, another new skirt.

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

Oops. This week has turned into a bit of a foody/shopping explosion. We both failed no takeaway September spectacularly on Tuesday with a Dominos, Vince also made homemade takeaway food such as noodles and curry and we both pigged out on Gourmet Burger Kitchen yesterday too. We're also planning on having a takeaway tonight, oops! We just can't stop ourselves.

Yesterday Vince had a very rare day off so we went to Bristol to do some shopping. We looked around Cabot Circus but weren't really interested in going in anywhere apart from Primark. We spent absolutely ages in there and I spent WAY too much money but I love what I got and hopefully will be able to take a few outfit photos when it's not chucking it down with rain.

I was aiming to tidy the house and do the cleaning but so far I've spent the day on the sofa on the laptop and I also popped out and met my sister for a quick shop and a hot chocolate in Costa. Now I'm about to have some lunch and then pop to my mums this afternoon, looks like the cleaning has gone out the window! Oops.

How has your week been?

Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Purifying Clay Mask

Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Purifying Clay Mask - £8.99

Oh I just love face masks! After recently trying an Una Brennan moisturiser I was intrigued by some of the other products from the brand and while I was shopping in Boots I came across the brand in stock. I had no idea it was sold in Boots so it was a great surprise and I decided to get myself a lovely new facemask.

I really like clay masks and this one is no exception. It's a great size so will last absolutely ages and I was interested to see if the 'deep clean' claims really worked. I smothered it on and left it for around five to ten minutes while it hardened. There's something about clay masks that are really weird but satisfying at the same time. The clay usually hardens and then I spend ages smiling and frowning to get it to crack, odd.

It is quite a thin clay mask though and you could easily rub it in before it dries but however tempting it is you should probably avoid doing so. The mask smells really lovely and the tea flower really comes through quite strongly.

It's really easy to remove with warm water and my skin felt wonderfully soft afterwards and really clean and refreshed. I really feel it unclogged my skin to a certain extent and after using it my sister commented on how dewy my skin looked, so I must be doing something right!

Have you tried this? What are your favourite face masks?

You can call this a warning

Look out, here comes the Autumn! I've been bringing you tshirt dress after tshirt dress but this one is my Autumn/Winter look with the addition of some tights. Haha. I bought this dress for a mere £5 from a blog sale and I really love it but it's a tad short so the tights are definitely needed.

I love the Aztec style print but I decided to add a little belt just to break it up a bit. I'm not even sure where I got the belt to be honest and it's a bit chewed thanks to Charlie but I think it works well with the dress, it's just annoying there are no belt loops to hold it up! Other than the belt I'm not sure it needs many more accessories, it's quite busy already so I've decided not to add a chunky necklace or anything like that.

This is a perfect casual, every day dress and although I haven't yet it will definitely be something I wear to work regularly. I could even add a pair of heels to smarten it up a little bit. I do love a dress that is so versatile.

Let me know what you think and don't forget to check out a few extra photos over on my Facebook page.

Wednesday Wishlist #93

New Look: Influence Red Knitted Mini Skirt - £19.99, Navy Denim Jersey Skater Skirt - £14.99, Burgundy Leather-look trim Boucle Jumper - £19.99

I officially love autumn. Not only because of the coloured leaves and the autumn sunshine but because it brings fashion trends like the above.

I absolutely adore the dark shades of wine and berry and this year is no exception. I especially love the boucle patterns and leather-look trim that's made an appearance this year. Skater skirts are also huge at the moment and I personally love them. I need to get my hands on a denim look one like the above, I can just imagine it paired with some lovely warm tights and a jumper or tee. I definitely need an autumn wardrobe overhaul.

What's on your wishlist this week?

Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara

Collection Longer Lash Lengthening Mascara - £2.99

I wasn't in the market for a new mascara really but I've used the brand's Skylash mascara and really liked it and because it's so cheap I thought I'd make a cheeky new purchase. The orange packaging is what caught my attention and the fact it claims to lengthen lashes, which is something I'm always striving for.

After rotating it with my Natural Collection mascara I've come to the conclusion that while this is a good mascara, it's not one of the best. I definitely prefer the Skylash mascara, which really lengthens the lashes well and gives them a bit of curve too. While I like the thin brush, the Longer Lash mascara regularly clumps and leaves mascara under the lashes, which irritates my eyes. This has happened on a number of occasions. The brush also has a lot of wispy bits on it as you can see above, almost like fur running down the brush, which is where I think the clumping comes from.

It does give the lashes a bit of length but I've found better results with other mascaras. I guess it's just a case of trial and error. I think this mascara is good if you don't want to end up with thick, spider leg-like lashes as the brush is very delicate and soft and it's a reasonable price too so I don't mind so much that it's not as good as I was hoping.

Have you tried this? Let me know what you think.

A no takeaways week in photos

New MUA eyeshadows / New face mask / New haircare / Jack Daniels chicken / Chicken in white wine sauce / Pasta salad

Follow me on Instagram - @cherryp13

September has become no takeaway month and the first week has been quite successful, at least for me anyway. Vince failed spectacularly since September 1 when he had a fry up, followed by a KFC lunch the next day and an all you can eat Chinese buffet the day after. I however am still going strong. We did a massive food shop last weekend and spent more than £100 so we really need to use up what we have and I've enjoyed some lovely dinners this week cooked by Vince, which you can see above. The photos never do them justice though, maybe I should take them properly on my Canon.

Surprisingly this week has gone pretty fast. The whole family is just waiting for my sister to go into labour now. The baby is due on September 11 so fingers crossed he will be early or on time! I'm so excited to have a little nephew!

How has your week been?