A couple of Sundays ago, unsure of what to do, I took to the visit England website to see what fun things they recommend. We didn't want to travel too far so I reduced my search to just the Midlands and was intrigued when a page for the Heights of Abraham popped up. I'd never heard of it before but after a little bit of digging I found it was just over an hours drive away, so off we went.
Tucked away in the heart of Derbyshire, the Heights of Abraham promised a cable car, 2 caves and other fun activities. We arrived just after midday and headed straight for the cable car. Parking was a little bit difficult, so if you can I'd probably recommend getting the train there.
After handing over our £16 entrance fee (each) we were soon on our way up the cliff, but not before I managed to drop my foundation and break it all over the floor. Fab, I know. The view from the cable cars was just amazing though, you could literally see for miles! The ride to the top took maybe around 3 or 4 minutes and it really was lovely.
Once at the top we headed towards the picnic area to have part of our lunch which we were absolutely gagging for; sausage rolls as always. After our quick snack we had a wander around the fossil museum which was a little bit smaller than I expected but had a real dinosaur skeleton which I was definitely surprised to see.
By now I was so ready to explore the caves and as we were already at the top it made sense to do the Masson Cave first. In hindsight I would have preferred to do this one last as it was definitely the more impressive of the two. Following our tour guide we walked through small passageways and wandered around the huge cave. It was a little bit slippery but luckily I didn't fall over which makes a bloody change to be honest. There was a fair bit of climbing up steps involved inside the cave and I had wobbly legs by the end of the tour but it was so worth it.
At the end of the cave we emerged at the top of a hill overlooking the little town of Matlock Bath which seemed to be miles down below us in the valley. We ate the rest of our lunch here and I forced Sean to have a mini photoshoot with me as the view was just so gorgeous I needed to have pics in front of it. After taking around 4 million photos we headed down the hill slightly to the Prospect Tower which involved walking up another load of steps to get to the top. If I've learned anything from this experience its that I should probably walk a lot more.
We didn't stay at the top of the tower too long as I was keen to see the Rutland cave which was positioned about halfway down the hill. This meant I would have to walk back up again as the cable cars didn't stop here but I was determined to do it. As I said before, the second cave wasn't as impressive as the first, it was a lot smaller and only had one way in and out unlike the Masson cave which had a route all the way through. That being said it was still fascinating to wander around and learn a few things I hadn't before.
It was then time to walk back up the hill which we did very slowly and reluctantly but we had no choice if we wanted to get the cable car back down the hill. Once at the top I rewarded myself with a well deserved cookies and cream ice cream which made everything better. After I'd munched that away it was pretty much closing time so we headed back towards to cable car for our final trip down the hillside.
Thanks for reading!
x
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Okay so I'm a pretty recent convert to the beauty blender. I've been in love with my Real Techniques Expect Face Brush for longer than I would like to admit but there are just some things it can't do. It's not fab with concealer, however I'd heard about an egg shaped spongey thing that is.
Now I think the original Beauty Blender is expensive, but I was determined to eventually try one out so I went on a mission to pick up a cheap one. I'd seen various brands selling beauty blenders but I was really after a smaller version and thats when I came across these babies.
This 4 pack of mini beauty blenders can be found in Primark at the bargain price of £2.50! That means each individual blender costs just 63p, I know it's ridiculous! I haven't seen anything else like this for less than a fiver and although I don't have anything to compare it too, I'm pretty sure they are all the same.
Now because these teeny blenders are so small they are great to use with concealer and foundation in awkward places such as under my eyes and the creases either side of my nose. I don't use liquid foundation but I do use concealer on the regular and found that using one of these really allows me to build it up in certain areas especially when I have angry spots, which I do quite often lately thanks to Uni stress. I don't recommend these little blenders for doing a full face of foundation however as they are just so small it would take forever to finish your makeup.
So yeah, these are the absolute bargain 63p beauty blenders you should all run out and buy right now! I've seen them in various Primark stores in the UK so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding them.
Do you have any bargain beauty products that you can't live without? I'd love to hear about them!
Now I think the original Beauty Blender is expensive, but I was determined to eventually try one out so I went on a mission to pick up a cheap one. I'd seen various brands selling beauty blenders but I was really after a smaller version and thats when I came across these babies.
This 4 pack of mini beauty blenders can be found in Primark at the bargain price of £2.50! That means each individual blender costs just 63p, I know it's ridiculous! I haven't seen anything else like this for less than a fiver and although I don't have anything to compare it too, I'm pretty sure they are all the same.
Now because these teeny blenders are so small they are great to use with concealer and foundation in awkward places such as under my eyes and the creases either side of my nose. I don't use liquid foundation but I do use concealer on the regular and found that using one of these really allows me to build it up in certain areas especially when I have angry spots, which I do quite often lately thanks to Uni stress. I don't recommend these little blenders for doing a full face of foundation however as they are just so small it would take forever to finish your makeup.
Products Mentioned
So yeah, these are the absolute bargain 63p beauty blenders you should all run out and buy right now! I've seen them in various Primark stores in the UK so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding them.
Do you have any bargain beauty products that you can't live without? I'd love to hear about them!
Thanks for reading!
xxx
So a couple of weekends ago me and Sean popped up to Manchester for the weekend. We only stayed for 2 days but I think that was enough really. I originally planned to go up there to visit an exhibition and do another street style shoot which I won't be sharing on here because I was just not happy with the results at all.
Day 1
On the first day after going to see the Fashion on the Ration exhibition which you can read about on my uni blog we checked into our hotel. We stayed at a Holiday Inn around a mile out from the city centre and I really wasn't a fan at all. The location wasn't great and the room was pretty basic too, that being said we were only using it for a base so that didn't matter too much.
After check in we headed straight into the city to do my pre shoot to prepare for the next day. As you might know I'm working on a street style project for uni so that's what I was hoping to do in Manchester. The shoot really didn't go all that well so I gave in after an hour and did a bit of shopping in the few shops that were still open at that time. I didn't get much, and most of the stuff I did buy only went back the next day.
Once I had finished in the shops it was pretty much tea time. We didn't really know where to grab dinner as we'd never spent much time in Manchester before so we headed to the only place we did know; The Hard Rock. I'd been to The Hard Rock here once before for my 21st birthday and I absolutely loved it so I was excited to go back. We had a burger each and several cocktails, everything was fab as usual and we didn't leave too drunk which is always a bonus. We headed home pretty early as we were both wrecked from the early start.
Day 2
The second day started later than I had hoped. After a well deserved lie in the finally managed to get down to breakfast by around 9am but didn't leave the hotel till 11am. I wasn't too bothered as I didn't really need to start my main shoot until 4pm that afternoon. We again headed into town and I did what I do best; shopping. As we didn't have anything planned we didn't really know what to do. I'm sure Manchester is full of full things but we didn't do our research so ended up just wandering around the city centre. I took some of the previous days purchases back and bought some new things too. We probably spent most of our time in Primark. Honestly that place is massive and I definitely got lost in there several times.
Once I was done shopping we were definitely in need of some grub. Again unsure of where to eat we wandered around for a good half an hour looking for something we fancied. We eventually settled on Wagamama, somewhere neither of us had eaten before but were keen to try out. Well I'm super glad we chose there as our meals were just incredible and the staff were really friendly too. I opted for the safe bet and chose a chicken chow mein style dish but next time, and there will be a next time, I will probably go for something more daring.
After our late lunch it was again time for me to start shooting. I was trying out a new style of street photography this time - candid photography. I'm really not a fan at all. Something about taking photos of people without their knowledge just didn't sit well with me and the images I ended up with just really weren't great so I won't be doing that again!
By the time I had finished my shoot we were both absolutely knackered so it was time to get back on the motorway and return to our beloved Brum!
Thanks for reading!
x
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Okay so like most girls I'm a big shoe fan; from trainers to heels I have a nice selection. Lately though I've been living in my converse and that has to change. I've slapped up a wishlist of the shoes I'm loving at the moment in the hopes that I'll get some inspo and move away from my fave pink trainers!
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PINK SHOES
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BLUE SHOES
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YELLOW SHOES
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PURPLE SHOES
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BLACK SHOES
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It's very dangerous to create wishlists when I have access to my student loan but I'm determined not to spend too much of it on shoes and clothes! Let me know what your favourite shoes are in the comments or over on twitter!
Last May me and my family went on a little holiday to the beautiful island of Rhodes in Greece. I didn't really talk about it on here as I had so much college work to do when I got back but I finally got around to sorting out my photos. I've decided instead of telling you all about my trip, I would just talk about the 4 things you have to do while you're visiting!
Ancient Kamiros - We travelled here on our last day in Rhodes as a bit of a spur of the moment thing. We were running out of ideas and as we had a late night flight we really needed something to do. Probably around 10pm the night before I was flicking through my guide book and happened upon a page all about Kamiros. It looked amazing and as far as I can remember students got in for free so we hired the car for one last day and headed off to visit the ruins.
Ancient Kamiros has been called 'the Pompeii of Greece' and while it's not really as big, it's definitely impressive. I will mention that there is very little information on site so it's worth doing your own research beforehand or picking up a guide book. The place is also full to the brim with harmless lizards which will happily sunbathe the day away. I'm so glad we chose to spend our last few hours in Rhodes here as I really haven't seen anything like it before.
Ancient Kamiros has been called 'the Pompeii of Greece' and while it's not really as big, it's definitely impressive. I will mention that there is very little information on site so it's worth doing your own research beforehand or picking up a guide book. The place is also full to the brim with harmless lizards which will happily sunbathe the day away. I'm so glad we chose to spend our last few hours in Rhodes here as I really haven't seen anything like it before.
Go Snorkling - I'm a proper little water baby; there's nothing I love more than spending my holiday splashing about in the ocean. You'll never catch me in the pool and there's only really one reason for that, there are no fish in them! Grab some goggles and a snorkle too if you struggle to hold your breath and get in that ocean! All of the beaches we went to that week were jam packed with wildlife that you just won't see over here in the UK. If you take some bread in with you too, you'll soon have tropical fish swimming all around you.
Acropolis of Rhodes - Ruins are kind of my thing. I love wandering around a good ancient structure, so this place was always going to make my bucket list. Although the Temple of Apollo seemed to be under repairs when we visited last year, that still didn't take away from the overall impact of the site.
This place is a little tricky to find and you will probably need a car to get here - even if you are staying in Rhodes town. The car park isn't very well sign posted and it's quite a walk from there too but honestly it's worth it. Below the temple is a large theatre and sports stadium and beyond that is a large grassy area with bricks strewn about. Similar to Kamiros, there is little to no information available here so keep your guidebook handy!
This place is a little tricky to find and you will probably need a car to get here - even if you are staying in Rhodes town. The car park isn't very well sign posted and it's quite a walk from there too but honestly it's worth it. Below the temple is a large theatre and sports stadium and beyond that is a large grassy area with bricks strewn about. Similar to Kamiros, there is little to no information available here so keep your guidebook handy!
Village Of Lindos - I've probably saved the best until last. The Village of Lindos honestly has my heart. This place is the Greek equivalent to an English chocolate box village in the cotswolds. It is completely unruined by anything modern, so be prepared for a lot of walking unless you fancy taking a donkey taxi that is. A word of warning, we did take a donkey taxi and honestly we regretted it immediately - they don't seem to be treated all that well.
While you're here I would recommend a quick look in The Church of the Panagia. The craftsmanship that went into creating this little place is incredible. Another quick warning for the ladies, you will be asked to cover up your shoulders and legs, which may mean like me you have to wear two awkwardly sized blankets around you in 40 degree heat. Lindos beach is also well worth a visit to relax after a day of walking around the tiny winding streets.
While you're here I would recommend a quick look in The Church of the Panagia. The craftsmanship that went into creating this little place is incredible. Another quick warning for the ladies, you will be asked to cover up your shoulders and legs, which may mean like me you have to wear two awkwardly sized blankets around you in 40 degree heat. Lindos beach is also well worth a visit to relax after a day of walking around the tiny winding streets.
So those were the 4 things I think you absolutely must do while you are on holiday in Rhodes! There's so much to do there really and honestly I would recommend hiring a car if you can get one. The island is quite big and you can get a car from €25 a day which I think is fab!
Will you be jetting off anywhere nice this summer?
Thanks for reading
x
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So I've tried and tested a fair few beauty products in my time but nothing gets as rigorously tested as the mascaras I buy. I have very short lashes and teeny tiny eyes so most days I rely on a good mascara to give me a boost in confidence. Today, despite the slightly misleading photograph, I'm going to talk about just two of the best mascaras I've ever used!
Too Faced Better Than Sex - I've talked about this before and I'll no doubt talk about it again. This absolute beauty of a product was a complete impulse buy whilst I was on holiday last year. I opted for the travel sized version as it was half the price of the regular size and I've never looked back.
The Better Than Sex Mascara is a little bit pricey, coming in at £19 for just 8g of product however, I do find this lasts a while. I know you should replace a mascara every 3 months blah blah whatever but I got a good 6 months out of my travel sized version.
I've written a full review of this baby before so you can read that here, but the main things I love about this product is; the solution - quite thick but not at all clumpy, the brush bristles which really fan out my lashes, and the cute pink packaging.
Maybelline Lash Sensational - I don't think I've ever done a full review of this product before but it sure as hell deserves one. I've been using this mascara ever since someone pointed out that its basically a dupe for the Benefit Roller Lash - another fab mascara that didn't quite make it into my top two. It virtually does the same job but at a much cheaper price.
Whereas the Roller Lash is a pretty pricey £19.50 this little beauty retails at just £7.99 saving you over £10 to spend on more beauty goodies. In all honesty this is the best budget mascara I've ever used and I'm really surprised more people don't rave about it.
To sum this product up, the solution is fab and only improves once it dries out a little, the brush really lifts and curls your lashes however it doesn't fan them out, and the price is just fantastic. This product delivers high end quality at a fraction of what you would usually pay.
These products are honestly the best mascaras I've ever tried, and believe me I've got through a few. Although you can't really compare the two as they do different things, for me Better Than Sex Takes the gold here as it gives me an effortless false lash effect. If you're on a budget however, you really can't go wrong with Lash Sensational.
Shop The Post
1. Face Of The Day - Similar to outfit of the day but a little bit easier as you don't need anyone else to take your photo! I've done plenty or these in the past, here is my latest one if you need a bit of inspiration.
2. Restaurant Review - I love reading a good review of someone's dinner and I definitely love writing about my own experiences! You can read my most recent review here.
3. Your Own Recipes - Can't afford to go out or don't want to? Whip up your own food and talk us through it step by step. This is especially good if you cook up something a bit different!
4. Product Reviews - Have you been using a product you are absolutely smitten with? Or did you buy something you bitterly regret? Tell us about it! I write reviews literally all the time, here is a recent post about a product I just couldn't get on with.
5. Blogging Tips & Tricks - If you've been blogging for a while you might have learnt a few things along the way. I lap up blogging tips and I know a lot of others do too! You can read some of my blogging tips here.
6. Whatever Is On Your Mind - Have a rant, talk about something you are passionate about! Get it all out and let the opinions roll in. I can't get enough of honest raw content, I think it's something blogging is slowing losing..
7. Your Day Out - Been anywhere fun lately? Write it up, tell us a funny story about it.
8. Photo An Hour - I've been meaning to do this since forever but life has just been getting in the way. Just take a photograph every hour for one day and tell us about it.
9. Floor Outfits - If you don't have anyone to take your outfit pics just display it on the floor. Fold your clothes neatly, add accessories and snap away. These kind of photos do really well on Instagram so don't forget to upload it there too!
10. How You Take Blog Photos - Images on blogs are always a big thing for me. If your photography is good I'm probably going to stick around and if you have a post telling me all about how you do it I'm definitely going to read it!
11. Your Collections - Do you collect anything? Lipsticks, books, ornaments or even stamps! Show us your stash. Tell us about how your collection started, why it started and if you have any favourite pieces!
12. Daily Routines - Do you have a skincare routine, fitness routine or just anything you do on the daily without fail? People are nosy, they want to know.
13. Travel Diary - If you've been on holiday lately you should write a day to day diary of what you did. If your blog is more image than text based do a photo diary! If you fancy a butchers at my travel diaries you can find them here.
14. Travel Plans - If you haven't been away tell us where you would love to go! Write a list of places you can't wait to visit or plan an imaginary holiday in a blog post.
15. Seasonal Posts - Is Christmas coming up? Or is Valentine's looming? Do a gift guide, tell us what you are planning to do on the day or if you hate that particular holiday tell us why!
16. Pets - Everyone loves a cute animal, I know I could spend hours looking at puppy pics! If you have a pet I'm sure you have a thousand funny stories you could tell about them.
17. £20 Outfit Challenge - Grab your friends and a little bit of cash and head down to your nearest charity shops. You have £20 with which to find a whole outfit! Blog or Vlog about it! You get some funny content and the charity gets a bit of money, everyone wins!
18. Room Tour - I literally love room tours! I think its because I'm super nosy but I can't get enough of seeing how other bloggers live!
19. Go For A Walk - Get out, leave the house, take your camera with you. If that alone time doesn't help you think up some new content then post the pictures you took, you can't lose.
20. Wishlist - I post a wishlist every few weeks packed full of all the things I'd like to buy. I know I'd never be able to afford half the things on there but it's nice to dream.
21. Storage Ideas - I really like to see how others store their makeup, jewellery and other bits and bobs. It's easy to let things get messy so I occasionally scour the internet for storage tips. You can see my jewellery storage ideas here.
22. Collaboration Posts - Struggling for ideas but have a few blogger friends? Get together and brainstorm. You could do one collaboration post together or even make a series out of it. You might have seen my latest collab with the lovely Amanda which we love posting every month.
23. Theme Makeup - If you have an obsession with makeup but don't really try new things out that often, why not give a themed makeup look a go? A few months back I tried my hand at some pokemon inspired makeup and although it's not my best look, I enjoyed doing it!
24. Events - I post a lot about events or days out and I do love reading about a good blogger event too. I know not everyone will be able to go to one of those but I'm sure there are lots of other things happening near you.
25. Do A Challenge - There are always new fads to try out online, why not give one of them a go and blog all about it? I recently tried to go vegetarian for a month and if you've read my posts you'll know how that ended...
26. Tags - I'm forever being taged in new things and honestly I really do love taking part in them. If you haven't been tagged in anything don't worry, just make you own tag up!
27. Hotel Reviews - If you've stayed in a hotel/ hostel/ campsite or anything similar lately you could review it! Just make sure you have a couple of good images to go with the post. I recently posted about my hotel in Warsaw which was just gorgeous.
28. Hauls - Everyone loves a good haul, we all just like to be nosy and see what people have bought. If you've picked up more than 4 or 5 items in one go, snap some pics and show us what you got.
29. Budgeting Ideas - If you are pretty practical with your weekly wage or if you just know how to get some good deals tell us. I really like to see how people budget and I'm always looking for discounts online so if you know a few tips, tell us!
30. What's On Your Phone - Do you have apps you can't live without or is there a game you're addicted to? Tell us about it. Sometimes I think these kinds of things would be easier to talk about in a video but a blog post could work just as well.
So I hope these ideas will come in handy for any fellow bloggers facing the dreaded writers block. If you have any other post ideas I'd love to hear them, either leave them in the comments or tweet me!
Thanks for reading!
xxx
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