We're not quite at the end of the month yet, but I thought I'd get a head start and discuss what I've been loving throughout June.

First is this Dune coin purse that I purchased from ASOS. I used this an awful lot while I was on holiday as it's the perfect size for a small bag and even has a ring attached to the inside where you can keep your keys. There are also a few card slots, so you can store anything from your loose change to a credit card, or even your I.D for those all-important nights out.

A little random, but I've really been loving peach squash this month. It's unbelievably thirst-quenching, dontcha know?! I find I drink a lot more water when I add this, which is definitely a good thing so it gets a big thumbs up from me!

Now it's officially Summer, (if you're from the UK, please try and hold back your laughter) it's time to store away all your hats, coats and scarves (psh, yeah right) and release your stash of sunnies. I bought these last year from H&M, but I love the aviator style and have worn them countless times. They look so similar to the RayBan ones too and only cost £6, so a huuuuge saving if you're not ready to splash the cash just yet on designer sunglasses. Oh, and the case is from H&M too, just in case you wondered.

I've already dedicated a whole blog post to this bag here, but it deserves another mention because I've just started using this again recently after storing it away during the winter months. It's a Marc Jacobs 'Sally' bag, and just before I ramble on, isn't it cute?! I bought this last year as a treat after passing my driving test. It looks rather small but holds a surprising amount; it's the perfect size for everyday use and being black and white means you can easily wear this both during the day and at night.

Lastly, I just have to mention these shoes as I've practically worn them 24/7 this month. These are Carvela moccasins, and my gosh they're SO comfortable. I spotted these in TK Maxx for thirty-something pounds (RRP £75) and they've done me so well; they also go with everything so I literally just slip them straight on and run out of the house!

What have you been loving this month?

Chloë

x

Good afternoon!

It's been a diddly-darn while since I last wrote on my blog, but today I thought I would do a 'What's in My Bag' style post for those of you who like being an itsy-bit nosey and enjoy seeing what others carry in their bags on a day to day basis.

The bag I'm currently using on my days off is the Marc Jacobs 'Too Hot to Handle' Satchel - I love it! The size is so practical and the colour goes with everything. I'm usually always a sucker for black handbags but I thought the cement colour would be a nice change; I certainly haven't had any regrets. I purchased this bag last year (more about that here) and have been wearing it everywhere recently.

So... yeah. I carry quite a bit of tat around with me. The purse is a little on the large side and takes up rather a lot of space, but it can store so many pennies and cards that I refuse to downsize. The Louis Vuitton 'Cles' is what I use if I'm running out the house or on the move and don't require every loyalty card under the sun. It's such a handy little pouch - it's big enough to store cards as well as a couple of coins and also has a keychain where I like to keep a spare house key.

Yes, the pink glittery thing is indeed a braces case. Hopefully I won't be needing it for much longer, but currently I have an upper removable brace so I take the case with me everywhere as well as a mini toothbrush and toothpaste. SO sexy.

Ahh, perfume. I have used the same one for years. It's 'Viva la Juicy' by Juicy Couture, and I still love it as much as I did when I first smelt it. It's floral without being too overpowering or sickly sweet. The only niggle I have with this is that it doesn't seem to last long on the skin, but that's nothing that a fresh spritz can't fix.

Now onto the not-so-interesting stuff. A black Bic biro (other brands are available!) is somewhat of an essential, right?! You never know when you might need to take note of something when you're out and about, and while you can just whip out your iPhone and jot things down in the notes app, nothing beats physically writing something down.

A mini makeup bag is another essential. There is nothing worse than having a long-distance relationship with your makeup bag during the day, especially if your skin likes to get oily midway through the afternoon. Powder is essential. Other products I like to stash in my bag are lip balms/lipsticks and a waterproof mascara for teary-eyed emergencies.

Mini hairsprays deserve all the awards. They're rather bulky to carry but do allow you to say goodbye to unwanted frizz and flyaways. Alongside the hairspray, I always have a hairbrush on me just in case when my hair gets knotty.

Then there is, of course, my phone. It could easily be mistaken for an extra body part as I never go anywhere without it... i'm sure you can relate!

What are your handbag essentials?

Chloë

x

Today I wanted to try something a little bit different for lunch. Lunch is somewhat of a privilege for me as I typically don't have a break during my standard working day. 

As today is my day off, I decided to venture out in the pouring rain to go and pick up some goodies to make my very own plant-based pizza. 

I bought two thin and crispy pizza bases from Sainsburys along with a bag of spinach, some sweetcorn, a tomato and some tomato purée. 

Whilst the oven was heating up, I spread the tomato purée out onto the base and shredded up the spinach to add as part of the topping. Then I sprinkled on some sweetcorn and basil along with some diced tomato and placed it straight in the oven at 200 degrees for around ten minutes. Et voilà! It was absolutely delicious and totally guilt free! I was very impressed with how it turned out considering it was my first attempt; here's to many more in the future!

I'm currently sat writing this whilst being drenched in sunlight.

No, I'm not in a foreign country, I am in fact sat in the middle of my lounge in England enjoying the sunlight pouring through the windows. Madness, I know.

Today I wanted to share my breakfast with you. Well, not literally, but I took a few snaps on my new camera (Canon EOS M) which I'm loving right now. The image quality is dreamy! My only niggle is with the battery life, but that's hardly surprising considering how much the little guy can do; there are tons of cool features and to be able to produce SLR worthy images from a camera that is about a third of the size is phenomenal!

Anyway, back to breakfast. This morning I woke up with a spring in my step, despite being struck down with a cold/cough a few days ago. There's a bug going around at work (that I'm blaming on the builders for coughing and spluttering everywhere) and it's honestly infected 80% of the workforce! So, with having the constant need to cough or sneeze every .2 seconds I decided to go back to basics and keep my breakfast simple by just having porridge. Delicious porridge at that, mind.

To make:

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup hot water (boiled)
• 1/4 cup almond milk (I used unsweetened but it's personal preference!)
• 1 banana
• coconut sugar to sweeten

I've recently discovered it's a lot quicker to mix the oats in a bowl and wang them in the microwave than slouching over the stove stirring like no tomorrow to make sure the oats don't stick to the pan.

All you have to do is pour the oats into a bowl, add the almond milk and wait for the kettle to boil. Then, pour the desired amount of hot water in and mix everything together before placing in the microwave for 30-40 seconds (depending on the microwave's wattage). It may look like a watery mess at this stage but fear not; the heat from the microwave will help it to thicken. After removing the porridge from the microwave, all that's left to do is add your desired toppings! I opted for a banana, some strawberries and a sprinkle of dried cranberries.

Aaaaaand you're done. A quick, easy & super tasty breakfast that's ready in just a matter of minutes :)

Hi lovelies!

This week seems to have been a somewhat lazy yet productive one for me, with the majority of my time being spent trawling the interweb gawping at anything and everything. I made a few rash purchases; some Soleil Tan de Chanel bronzer, a snazzy black and gold studded handbag that I had my eye on months ago (that I saw in a Zoella video) and a new camera somehow winged their way into my shopping basket... oh, the life of a shopaholic. 

Seriously though, i've been lusting over cameras since early December but couldn't make my mind up in time for Christmas. It was a struggle, but last night I decided it was to be between the Olympus Pen E-PL7 (definitely a favourite amongst bloggers right now) and the Canon EOS M. The EOS M is the slightly older model as its sparkly, new and improved M3 and M10 siblings are out now, but truth be told, I was after something affordable and didn't think the tilting screen was worth the extra £100+. You may have noticed that both of the cameras mentioned above are 'compact system cameras', or CSC for short. Essentially this means you can produce the same high-quality images that you would on a DSLR, but without the added weight and bulkiness of a larger camera body. Think the offspring of a DSLR, if you will. It was a tricky choice believe me; the Olympus Pen E-PL7 is certainly a super camera that would be sure to win 1st place in a technology beauty contest... the white one is so pretty! The Canon is certainly a lot less streamline but does have some advantages:

1. You can purchase a lens mount which allows any existing Canon EF lenses to be compatible - perfect if you already own lenses for a Canon DSLR
2. It looks a little more robust, thus less likely to get damaged
3. It's a Canon... 'nuff said.

So yeah, I went for the Canon. I figured it would be far more economical seeing as I already own a couple of Canon lenses and I've had my DSLR for years so I'm familiar with the settings. I'm hoping this means my blog photos will be nothing less than exceptional from now on!

Do you own a compact system camera?

Chloe

x

We're vastly approaching the end of January and it's suddenly occurred to me that I haven't written a blog post since last year... *gasp*. This year I haven't set any resolutions as such, but I have decided that it's time I started being more optimistic and appreciating the little things in life that truly matter. The year of 2015 saw me pass both my driving theory and practical tests first time, leave the country to visit the wonderful city of Paris with one of my closest friends and take the plunge to go ahead and get braces. Those are probably quite mere achievements in the grand scheme of things, but I am certainly not the most confident of beings so I'm rather pleased that I managed to get those things done and ticked off my ever-growing 'to-do' list.

So, what's next for 2016?

Well, I'm currently off work for a couple of weeks due to the shop undergoing refurbishment, so it's left me with lots of free time that I've been spending verrrry wisely trawling the likes of Expedia for any last-minute holiday deals. I'm pleased to say I've already got the first mini-break of the year all booked in for March so I'll be returning to sunny Spain in a matter of weeks.. yay! Also this year I'm hoping to step up my career game and look for another job with longer hours because, well, how else can I afford to live the lifestyle of a serial jet-setter?! 

In terms of accomplishments, I'd love to improve on my Spanish (seeing as Spain is practically my second home now!) I've already downloaded an app called Duolingo which is brilliant for learning the basics and it incorporates reading, writing, speaking and listening into each lesson which is great. I'd also love to plan and organise more mini-breaks for this year as I've really grown to adore travelling (despite not yet venturing outside of Europe, ha!) In general, I'm hoping to just spend this year having a good time and experiencing new and exciting things.

What are your plans for 2016?

Chloë

x

It's a dark, dingy day here in England; the perfect opportunity to grab a cuppa and sit and write a new blog post! I should perhaps be spending my time a little more productively by wrapping the mountain of presents that seems to have just magically appeared in my bedroom, or maybe attempting to fetch the Christmas tree down from the attic, but right now I'm going to pretend that I don't have a list as long as Santa's beard containing all the things I have to do and crack on with this random, rambly blog post.

So I haven't spent as much time on my blog as I would have liked over the past few weeks, but I have a very *OMG* life update to share (well, it probably isn't that exciting to any of you).

I HAVE BRACES.

Dun dun duuuuuuun.

Ok, hear me out. I've been told many times by my dentist that I don't physically need braces, but over the past few years I've grown increasingly insecure about my teeth and I always think that if you have the chance to correct something then it's definitely worth pursuing. I'm currently sucking up saliva every 2 seconds like some freaky Henry Hoover and have a terrible lisp, but i'm trying to convince myself that, touch wood, it'll all be worth it in the end. 

Since i'm over 18, the NHS paying for my treatment was completely out of the question and so I am funding everything myself (I'm sure my poor bank account is currently in mourning). It's certainly very costly and unfortunately i'm not some millionaire who can pluck thousands of £50 notes from the money tree growing in the back garden, but I see it as a lifelong investment and that's the way I've had to come to terms with it. In terms of braces, I wasn't a candidate for Invisalign as I was told by the orthodontist that it would have no effect on my teeth. To cut a long story short, I've had to go with the gold old-fashioned metal bracket/train track braces which will hopefully give me the results I'm hoping for. I currently have an 'Upper Removable Appliance' which is supposed to widen my top arch and stop my front teeth from biting down on the train-track braces that are on my bottom teeth. Oh, it's all very complex! Much to my, er, horror, I've been told I'll have the URA for six months before then having train tracks fitted to my top teeth. Right now I'm a little bit frustrated at how silly I sound when speaking (good job I don't have to read that sentence aloud!!) Also, eating has become the biggest chore ever. I physically can't bite down anymore as I have to wear the URA whilst eating, but even when I take it out my top teeth hit the top of the train tracks on my bottom teeth so my back molars still don't touch. I understand this is completely normal and it's just something I'll have to get used to, but right now any solid food is out of the question so I've just accepted the fact that I am now somewhat of a smoothieholic.

Apologies if I just bored the pants off you; I just thought I might use my blog to document my 'braces journey' so I can look back in a couple of years time and laugh at my moany past-self.

Have you had braces? What was your experience like?

Chloe

x

I'm 99% sure i'm going to sound like a broken record for saying this, but HOW ARE WE INTO A NEW MONTH ALREADY?! Where on earth did August go?! In the words of every fangirl from 2012, I simply "can't even".

Anyway, you may or may not be wondering where the heck I've been for the past month. Well, I shall tell you. August was a very bittersweet month for me this year. Amongst my brother's birthday celebrations there was a great deal of sadness as we mourned the loss of my grandad. Even now, a couple of weeks on, it feels completely surreal saying that... in my head I imagine him to still be here, sat on the sofa overlooking the garden with The Daily Mail in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Like my mum has always done in these situations, i've kept busy by going into work and trying to carry on as normal, but I then find that I almost feel guilty for not sitting myself down and taking the time to actually think through what has happened. You get so caught up in the moment that in a way you don't want to think it through because you don't want to believe it's real. 

But, as harsh as it sounds, life goes on and you have no choice other than to come to terms with what's happened and cherish all of the memories and the good times spent together. 

One thing that has helped me tremendously, however, is Pinterest. I find it somewhat comforting to read through inspiring/relatable quotes and it's reassuring to see how many "likes" or "re-pins" something has as a little reminder that you're not alone.

I know there's only a small number of you that follow my blog, but it still means so much to know that there are people out there who are interested in what I post. This was very different to my usual blog posts so I hope you don't mind me being all "totes emosh" and personal! I'm sure i'll be back to writing about the bargains i've picked up off Boots' clearance shelf sometime soon!

Chloë

x

While i'll admit i'm no great lover of the rain, there's nothing I enjoy more than popping the kettle on, brewing the world's strongest black coffee and fetching last years onesie out from under the bed so I snuggle up on the sofa for a good few hours. Today is certainly one of those days (yes it is July, but it is England i'm talking about). What better way to spend a dull, dreary day than loading Expedia up on my iPad and searching for a last-minute, three-day break somewhere hot and exotic.

After hours of trawling the web comparing hotels and flight prices I feel i've made headway into actually booking somewhere during October, yippee! Many of you probably already know that I work in a shoe shop, and the weeks leading up to when the children go back to school is a NIGHTMARE let me tell you. Think walking upstairs into a vibrant, shoe-filled room where you're greeted by screaming infants and groups of families impatiently waving tickets in the air hoping to be the next ones that are served. I do like my job and my shifts soon whizz by when it's busy, but when you're continuously serving one family after the next for hours on end it can feel a little bit like you're working behind a till in a supermarket - the families are the groceries on the conveyor belt and i'm the cashier trying to scan everything through the till at 100mph... see what I mean?! On top of that you have every single type of foot to contend with: wide, narrow, small, big, young, old, bunioned, smelly... the list is endless and quite frankly i've had to stop before I start thinking up excuses as to why I can't possibly work tomorrow. 

Anyway, back to holidays. I've been fortunate enough to visit many of Spain's provinces while I was growing up as the country has always been a family favourite. My parents were always jetting off to Spain long before I was even born so I guess it's just been instilled in me to love travelling there too. While i'm not too fussed about which area to visit, Mallorca has caught my eye as Palma airport has plenty of hotels nearby - perfect for when you're only holidaying for a few days. This is always a factor I take into consideration as there'd be nothing worse than going on a short break only to spend a large proportion of time (and euros) travelling to and from the airport. I'll be sure to update this post to let you know if this goes ahead or not, but for now i'd like everybody to keep their fingers crossed so I can be up, up and away from the UK!

UPDATE: The (much needed) short break went ahead, hurrah! Although, the original plan of visiting Mallorca went completely out the window and I actually ended up in Barcelona for four days! You can read more about that here.

Today I thought it would be a bit of fun to step away from my camera and delicately-arranged pieces of makeup and trawl the web in search of a 'questions' tag, so that's what i've done. I came across a set of questions on Zoella's blog (you can view her answers here) and thought I'd have a go at answering them myself - so here we go!

What is your current fashion obsession?
I'm really loving striped T-shirts at the moment. Whether they're navy and white or red and white, i'm really into the stripes right now.


What is your current makeup obsession?
I'm getting really into using The Balm's 'Mary-Lou Manizer' highlighter at the moment - It's amazing!


What are you wearing today?
Unfortunately I'm still lazing around in my work uniform, so I'll have to go with a navy cardigan, a magenta-pink blouse and navy trousers. Nice.


Hair?
Curled... I'm all about that volume.


Do you nap a lot?
Rarely... I've discovered that I can't have a nap for just a few minutes and bounce straight back up again. I either nap and end up sleeping for hours on end or just fight through the tiredness!


Why is today special?
Because the Morrisons delivery is due later..


What would you like to learn to do?
I'd love to learn to speak Spanish and I could do with brushing up on my French too.


What's for dinner today?
Gluten-free spaghetti so I can beat the bloat!


What are you listening to right now?
The kettle is boiling if that counts?!


What is your favourite weather?
When the sun is shining and it's warm enough/socially acceptable to wear shorts in public!


What's the last thing you bought?
Some brown hair dye to cover over my ombré.


What are your essentials when traveling?
Mainly beauty-related bits like make-up wipes, a good cleanser, moisturiser etc. on top of a mirror, hairbrush and a toothbrush.. with toothpaste.


What's your style?
Classy not trashy, ha!


What is your most challenging goal right now?
Deciding what I should do with my life - hmph.


If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Somewhere super sunny, lively and exotic like Barcelona :)


Favourite vacation spot?
España!!

So there you have it! Feel free to answer these questions on your own blog - I'd love to read your answers!

Chloe

x

The month of May has been a rather exciting one for me as I was able to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world - Paris. I went along with one of my friends from high school who, I have to say, was exceptional at directing us to and from the centre of the city via the metro. (Honestly, I'd probably still be there now if it wasn't for her leading the way!)

We stayed for three days in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris. Our hotel was only a ten minute walk away from the train station so it was really handy to travel to all of the different tourist attractions we wanted to visit during our stay. 

Below are just a few of the photos I took while we were out and about:

The Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles

Eiffel Tower

Arc de Triomphe

Champs-Élysées

Notre-Dame

Pont de l'Archevêché

The Louvre

So there you have it, a super-short blog post highlighting just a few of the many stunning landmarks we visited during our three days in Paris. I hope to return to the city someday, but for now I'll say Au revoir to France as I get ready to pack for my next holiday to Spain. Next stop, Malaga!

For a very long time I've been researching what it takes to live a fit and healthy lifestyle. Well, when I say researching, I do mean merely googling different workout routines and meal plans every couple of days but still - you get the idea. To be honest, I don't typically love exercise but it is something I'm trying to incorporate into my life at least a couple of times a week. The one thing that used to bug me was never knowing how many calories I'd burned after a workout. It's all well and good making sensible food choices and counting calories, but after exercise you run the risk of over-eating if you don't low how many calories you've manage to torch.

This is where my new gadget comes in, the Polar FT4. This is a heart rate monitor which allows you to track how many calories you've burnt during your workout and also lets you know your average and maximum heart rate zone while you're exercising. It's basically like having your own personal trainer on your wrist! I've used this a couple of times now and I definitely wouldn't like to be without it - it's SO useful.

To use it, simply attach the Polar transmitter to the front of the belt and place it around your chest. You need to dab the black strip of electrodes with a little bit of water before you exercise so you can get an accurate measurement of your heart rate, but then you're good to go!

Once you've finished your workout you can rinse the strap with water to clean it and then let it hang to dry ready for next time. With the FT4 model you cannot sync the watch wirelessly to receive your workout results but you can use the Polar website to keep track of everything by typing your data in manually. This may be too much effort for some but if you're serious about keeping track of your workouts you shouldn't find it too tedious.

I really think this a great piece of kit for those of you who may be looking for an accurate estimation of how many calories you've burned during exercise. It's really simple and easy to use and it comes in a variety of colours - always a good thing for those fashion-conscious gym-goers! I opted for the green one as I thought it'd make a nice change from pink, but there are also silver and blue options available on the Polar website here.

26.2.15. Exactly two months ago marks the day one of my closest friends gallivanted halfway across the world to visit Australia. The way I've phrased it sounds like she chucked everything into her suitcase and dashed off on a last-minute getaway, but the trip was planned waaaaay in advance!

I thought I would share with you some of the lovely gifts I was given - mainly because they're WAY too cute not to and perhaps it would provide some sort of present inspiration to any of you who may be holiday-ing and wondering what on earth to bring back for your friends/family/pets etc... (i'd probably advise against the kangaroo earrings for pets though... just a thought).

Just to clarify, this clearly wasn't bought in Australia but during the stop-off in Singapore.. heheh.

It's Tuesday, and my room looks like an absolute pigsty. To be completely honest, I still have so many presents from Christmas just floating amongst the piles of clothes and wrappers and God-knows-what. Anyway, today I made a start at clearing the decks and found many empty product bottles and containers which inspired me to write this blog post... maybe my messy room was actually a blessing in disguise!

First up is the Boots Vitamin E Night Cream. This is extremely moisturising and sinks in really quickly - i'm not a fan of those creams that take forever and a day to absorb into the skin! I really can't fault this: it's nourishing, affordable and makes my skin feels super smooth and soft afterwards - an absolute winner!

Next is the Max Factor Lash Extension Effect Mascara. I absolutely LOVED this throughout the year of 2014. The wand was perfect at keeping those pesky clumps at bay and the mascara itself really elongated my lashes without making them feel dry and rock-hard. 

Another one of my favourites now - the No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser. This is lovely for removing stubborn makeup and can even be used around the delicate eye area which means you don't have to each for a separate product. As you can probably tell, this isn't an empty bottle, but I have repurchased this twice since my old one ran out, promise! For a more in-depth review, please see an older blog post of mine here.

This is something I don't actually remember buying, the Dove Instant Hydration Nourishing Lotion. I'm a little bit lazy when it comes to body moisturisers, but this is wonderful. It's very runny - I'd describe its consistency to be similar to cleansing milks, but this means it's very light and sinks into the skin very quickly. 

Last of all is this Pantene Perfect Curls Hair Mousse, which I swear I've owned for years and years. I rarely use hair mousse as I do fear it may weigh my hair down, but this one was lovely and left my hair looking shiny and feeling lovely and soft. When wearing my hair curly I didn't particularly notice  any difference to how well-defined the curls were, but if you're only looking for a mousse to make your hair that little bit shiner and more manageable then I'd definitely recommend this one.

What are some of your favourite products that you've used up? Did you repurchase any?

Chloe 

x

If you've been a loyal follower of mine for a while, you may have noticed that my blog has undergone a little makeover. I've switched up the design of my blog a couple of times before, each time feeling a little pleased with its new look but not 100% satisfied. I wanted something crisper and more professional looking, and after trawling the internet in search of a template and dabbling with some super brain-puzzling HTML, I think I may finally be happy with the way my blog looks... hooray!

Of course you can just buy a template and save yourself the hassle, but when you have to work on your design yourself you really become aware of how much work is put into each design, and trust me - it's A LOT. I started switching things up at around 10am this morning. 

It's now 7:20pm. 

I haven't  even left the house today and I feel like a zombie with square eyes.

But my blog looks pretty now, so it's worth it... right?

Have you ever attempted to delve into the deep, dark world of HTML?