Joe Browns Winter Sale is Now On - My Top Picks!

As Christmas comes around, we all know what is just around the corner - the sales of-course! If you want to bag yourself a bargain I thought I would let you in on a little secret. Joe Browns has quickly become one of my favourite online clothing brands to date, and their sale has now started online! (You can view their catalogue here). They have some fantastic bargains that are way too good to miss, I have featured some below which are my absolute favourites, but you can view their catalogue here to see all of the other fantastic bargains. There are great savings to be made - I have already quite the list of everything I want!

Glitz N Glamour Heels Was £34.95 Now £16.95
Sexy Senorita Dress Was £39.95 Now £27.95
Fabulous Floral Zip Around Purse Was £14.95 Now £9.95
Brilliant Button Coat Was £69.95 Now £44.95 

Have you checked out Joe Browns' sale yet?

Happy Christmas From Zoe Lianne

Before the madness starts (well, it kinda has already!) I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a very happy Christmas. I hope you have a fantastic Holiday spent with your loved ones, and have a safe and splendid New Year, too!

Docteur Renaud Raspberry Cleansing Water and Discovery Travel Bag

Are you still taking part in some last minute Christmas shopping? Or have you completed it all and fancy treating yourself? Docteur Renauld have now released their new Discovery Travel Bag; which includes everything you need for a mini pampering session at home or even if you are staying elsewhere.

The Discovery Travel Bag includes a selection of their very best face care products, including; Raspberry Cleansing Water, Raspberry Soft Cream, Raspberry Soft Mask, Carrot Scrub Detox and Apple Eye Cream. I have been using their Raspberry Cleansing Water which I am seriously impressed with it so far.

I have never used their products before so I didn't know what to expect. I really like using cleansers and cleansing waters to remove make up in my skin routine so I was eager to see how Docteur Renaud's matched up to the other cleansing waters on the market. I have only been using this for less than a week and have already noticed how well it removes my make up. It is very gentle on the skin and helps to cleanse and tone too. I have found that the cleansing water leaves my skin feeling really refreshed, and I am impressed with the product so far. It is also lightly scented which is really subtle but a nice touch.

I do usually trial products for a longer period of time before I feature them on my blog, but I have been so impressed with how well this works for me in a short space of time I thought I would include a short summary, and I also wanted to share with you the new Discovery Travel Bag just before Christmas.

 The gift set is brand new and is not currently available on the Docteur Renaud UK website. You can only purchase this from Skin Evolution by telephoning 01452 864574. 

*I was sent the Cleansing Water  for consideration to feature on my blog. No further compensation was given. All views are honest and my own. You can read my disclosure policy on the Contact Tab*

Send A Cow Christmas Gift Campaign

Christmas jumpers have become so popular in recent Years over the festive period, but this Christmas even the cows have joined the fashion herd thanks to UK charity Send a Cow. The charity's ambassador Gloria the cow; a purebred Jersey from Devon, models an 'amoosing' Christmas jumper to help raise awareness of Send a Cow's aim of selling 20,000 festive gifts that will make a difference to poverty-stricken African families. 

Gloria's Christmas jumper has been created to showcase the charity's latest altruistic Christmas gifts catalogue. Send a Cow's Christmas catalogue contains gifts that make a difference to poverty-stricken families in seven African countries. Gifts range from Local Cow (£205), which provides a farming family with milk and manure; Little Donkey (£9) which helps families take good care of their four-legged friends who transport farm produce to market; and Tip Tap (£10), a bestseller which improves hygiene levels in areas where soap and water are luxuries. Send A Cow have a huge range of charity gifts from £5 on-wards - a little really does go a long way in this Charity and will really improve the lives of those suffering in poverty in Africa. 

Send a Cow was started by West Country farmers 25 years ago and has transformed the lives of over one million people. Send a Cow works with families in Africa, teaching them the skills they need to build lives free from poverty and hunger. By providing training, livestock, seeds and support, the charity helps create stronger communities for the future.

Simon Barnes, CEO of Send a Cow states; "this year we've taken the idea of the quirky Christmas jumper one step further, to encourage people to think differently about the gifts they buy this Christmas. Instead of buying chocolate for a friend, why not buy something unusual - for as little as £5 you will greatly improve the lives of poverty-stricken families in Africa. This is our 13th year of the Christmas catalogue and over the years we've raised over eight million pounds to help poor families. We really hope that you will support us this year by buying a gift, to help us change even more lives this Christmas and beyond".

Send a Cow's Christmas catalogue is available in print and online. You can find out more information on the cause by visiting their website www.sendacowgifts.org.uk or call 01225 874222.

You can check out how Gloria's fab festive knit was created by viewing the video below!

*I collaborated with Send A Cow creating this post. The video belongs to Send A Cow. This post is NOT sponsored in any way.*

What I'm Thankful For This Year

With Christmas almost over (sob!) we will soon be onto a New Year. Oscar Insurance contacted me recently and asked if I wanted to share the things we often take for granted but am extremely thankful for in a blog post. I thought it would be a nice way of ending the year by looking back at all the things I have been thankful for this Year.

Image Source

Family is something that is really important for me. I am so grateful and thankful for having a good network (be it small) of family around me, particularly my Dad, Sister, Grandma and Auntie. I am thankful for their help and support this Year, and every Year. 

Health is something I am extremely thankful for. I think our health is often taken for granted and sometimes it leaves my mind during life's every-day stresses. It is so important to look after your health and I am grateful that all of my loved ones and the people in my life are healthy and happy.

Life itself for me is something to be thankful for. Yes I have really bad days and I have lows like everyone else, but I really do appreciate that I am lucky for the life I lead. I have somewhere to call home, and I have people in my life that care about me. Every Year I count my blessings for the life I have. You never know what is around the corner in life so I try to make the most out of every day. My life is far from perfect, don't get me wrong - it is important to realise what you have and not what you haven't. 

What are you thankful for this Year?

Oscar is thankful to provide simple, quality health insurance to New York and they just recently started providing in New Jersey as well!  They use smart technology to simplify the healthcare experience and allow members to proactively manage their health. Oscar members can get free primary care visits, flu shots and other preventive care to keep you healthy so you can focus on all the important people and things in your life!

*I was not sponsored to write this post and no compensation was given.*

December Degustabox - the one I've been waiting for!

It is becoming one of the highlights of my Month when my Degustabox lands on my door step - there is nothing better than the surprise of some good food and drink. If you are unfamiliar with Degustabox, it is basically a surprise subscription service where you receive 9-14 food and drink products which are often new on the market or products you might not have picked up on your grocery shop. A Degustabox costs just £12.99 a Month - you can cancel at any time or just order for one Month if you want to, which I think is great. By entering the code M4PE6 at the checkout, you will receive a generous £3 off your next order! I was super excited for this Months box in particular - being festive and all I was eager to see what treats were in store for us this December.

Lets take a peak at what was in the December Degustabox shall we?
 

The Chia Co Chia Oats in Mixed Berry and Chia Shot
This brand is one I have never heard of before, so I was intrigued to learn more about them and their products. Chia is a chemical free seed which contains fibre, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega 3. It is great to add a little onto your every day meals so you can benefit from them. The oats sound really interesting too and in a great flavour, so I cant wait to try them for Breakfast on a cold Winter Morning.

 Pukka Herbs Clean Green Organic Green Tea
I think green tea is a great addition for anyone that wants to become a little more healthy in the New Year. My sister is already obsessed with green tea so she will undoubtedly drink them all before anyone else gets a look in. The zesty lemon flavour does sound really nice and refreshing, so hopefully I will try these too. Pukka have a huge range of other teas so definitely have a look on their website if you are like tea.

 Bahlsen Choco Leibniz in Caramel and Milk
We love Bahlsen biscuits at home so we were pleased to see two packs of their chocolate biscuits in the box. The chocolate tastes amazing, they didn't last long believe me! They are seriously addictive and are a perfect pairing with a cup of coffee.

 Kent's Kitchen Brazilian Moqueca Capixaba Meal Kit
I really like the concept of Kent's Kitchen Meal Kits. They contain the paste, seasoning and the oil to create an authentic dish in 20 minutes. I love these because we don't always have the specific ingredients at home we need, so it is great to have just the right amount if we fancy creating the dish. 
I have never tried this meal before so I am looking forward to adding the ingredients to some fish and seeing how it tastes. Again, this is another great way of trying out a new meal without buying a lot of ingredients you might not use a lot. 

 Eisberg Riesling Italico Wine (alcohol free)
This wine is non alcoholic, which is great for me as I really am not a big drinker at all. I am saving this for Christmas Day so I can still join in with everyone else and have a glass of wine but not drink anything alcoholic. I imagine this would be a great alternative to wine if you were driving or pregnant over Christmas, or anytime really. Eisberg alcohol free wine is created the same way wine is usually created - just without the alcohol content. I have spotted a few other alcohol free wines that Eisberg stock and I will probably try those next. 

 Fry Light Infuse Chilli Oil Cook & Flavour Spray
At home, we always use the regular fry light when we are frying food, so it was great to see this Chilli Oil version in the box this Month. This will be great for stir - fry's, I cant wait to start using it. To use, simply add more sprays than normal to increase the flavour.

 Popchips Barbeque Potato Chips
I love popchips - they are quickly becoming one of my favourite savoury snacks. They are not baked or fried and are low in calories as they hold less than 100 calories per serving. I haven't tried this flavour before so I am really looking forward to munching on these over Christmas. 

Gloworm Premium Mixer Drinks
The Gloworm Premium Mixer drinks are a great idea of you enjoy drinking spirits but fancy a change. The drinks are specially blended to compliment a selection of spirits. Gloworm is available in 4 flavours; Raspberry & Orris for Vodka, Cucumber & Apple for Gin, Pear, Spice & Lime for Rum, and Ginger & Lemongrass for Bourbon. My Sister has already called dibs on these to add to her drinks before nights out.

Bonne Maman Orange Coarse Shred Marmalade
I really love marmalade on wholemeal toast for Breakfast. The Bonne Maman Orange Coarse Shred Marmalade tastes amazing. It is really zesty and zingy and also has thick orange peels in the marmalade which makes it taste great in my opinion. I really do like this marmalade and will probably repurchase it after this one has been used up.

I really like the theme of this Month's box. I feel a lot of the products are great for well-being and are mostly low calorie, which is fantastic for the New Year. I am really impressed with the items included in this Month's box. I particularly like the Fry Light Chilli Oil  and the Eisburg non- alcoholic wine. Both of these products are something I know I will enjoy consuming but I probably wouldn't think about picking up for myself, so thank you Degustabox for continually introducing me to fantastic new brands and products I love that I wouldn't of tried before!

Degustabox Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook

*This post contains PR/gifted products I was sent to review and feature on my blog. All opinions are honest and my own. You can view my disclosure policy on the Contact Tab*

Gift Cake from Eat Your Photo

I was super excited to feature this gift cake from Eat Your Photo on my blog, I can''t even tell you. I am obsessed with anything personalized and of-course I love cake, so mixing the two is a complete success in my eyes. Of-course, I am Christmas crazy so had to choose a festive theme for my cake. I picked a photograph of me and my Sister about four years ago at Christmas, can you spot the Christmas tree in the background? As you can see, I also chose the balloon frame design and the words 'Happy Christmas from Zoe and Roxy' for the text on the cardboard around the cake. I thought this would make a great cake to have at all the Christmas festive get together's this Month.

I am so impressed with the quality of the photo on the cake! It is pretty much a perfect print of the picture and completely edible too.The cake arrived packaged really well and there was no damage to the cake at all. I am really impressed with the delivery and packaging overall. Something I was not expecting was the height of the cake. It looks like a medium sized cake (16cm square) and quite a compact cake, but it it a really tall cake at 8cm high and weighs 1.4kg. This cake serves up to 18, which is fantastic value for money.
As mentioned above, when ordering your cake you not only are able to upload your own photo, but you can also choose the outer frame design, the text, the text positioning, the flavour, font and font colour, and also of-course your shipping and delivery preferences.

I have to say, the cake tasted amazing! Not only did I love it, but my Dad thinks its delicious and he is not a big sweet tooth so it is pretty amazing for him to say he likes any kind of cake. We chose the chocolate sponge with chocolate butter cream, which tastes absolutely incredible. The icing tastes great but not too sickly sweet, and the chocolate cake tastes great - not too crumbly or dry - the perfect chocolate cake. The butter cream tastes out of this world. Eat Your Photo also sell a gift cake in the flavour vanilla sponge with jam and cream which also sounds like it would taste delicious.

You can purchase your very own gift cake* from Eat Your Photo here.  As well as gift cakes, Eat Your Photo also sell personalized photo's on chocolate and on cupcakes!

*This post includes products I was gifted to review on my blog. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.*

My Top Picks from Charmed Ivy and Discount Code!

Gold Dipped Amethyst Necklace £6.50

Catch Your Dreams Limited Edition in Red £5

Purr - fect Timing Watch £6

Knuckle Rings £0.50

I am a big fan of costume jewellery, I love being able to swap and change different pieces that don't cost the earth to match my outfits and my mood. A brand I really like is Charmed Ivy. They stock such a beautiful selection of rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches and head chains. If you like simple yet stunning costume jewellery, head over to Charmed Ivy. I absolutely love the amethyst necklace and the dream - catcher necklace, they are so dainty and different. The cute kitty watches are so affordable, and the knuckle rings are a complete bargains at just 50 pence a piece! Fantastic prices.

I have a discount code for you for a generous 20% off - simply enter Snowman at the checkout. 

Win a designer shopping experience, pamper session for 2, luxury hotel stay and more with Rush Shop!

Hi everyone - I thought I would give you another heads up of another great competition you could take part in, this time with online beauty and hair retail Rush Shop. They are giving one lucky winner the chance to start 2015 with a brand new look. Rush Shop have teamed up with Reiss and Malmaison London to make the lucky winner's New Year go off with a bang!

To enter, simply click on the link here to enter the competition. It is an online treasure hunt where you need to identify the virtual London location of a sleighful of luxury goodies! All you need to do is search for the clues to the sleigh's whereabouts and the prize could be yours. For clues, check out the Rush Shop Facebook and Twitter pages.


What could you win?
 - pamper session for 2 at the award - winning Rush Salon: The House of Rush in Piccadilly - complete with a cut and blow dry
- An aesthetic service in the salons Epsom Skin Clinic
- A luxury 2 night stay in West Smithfield at the London Malmaision Hotel with a tasty three - course dinner included
- A designer shopping experience for 2 to the value of £500 each in the Personal Shopping Suite at Reiss on Regent Street
- A year's supply of hair care and styling products selected by top stylists

How does that sound? Fancy winning all of that?! Take part here.

The Rush Shop Christmas Drop launches on Monday 1st of December 2014 until Tuesday 30th of December 2014.

Recipe: Bread and Butter Pudding

I was recently offered the chance to share a recipe with you all on my blog, which of-course I jumped at the chance. I love food more than life itself and I could not say no to making bread and butter pudding, the classic childhood favourite. I will be sharing with you the recipe, but you can also read it in full on Sunrise Care's website here.

Ingredients:

6 Slices of white bread, 30g salted butter, 15g currants, 60ml semi - skimmed milk, 20ml double cream, 20g caster sugar, 1/4 lemon (zested), Pinch of greased nutmeg, 150ml vanilla custard, 2 eggs, 20g brown sugar

Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to gas mark 4/fan 160 C/180C and butter the baking dish.
2. Butter the bread, cut off the crusts and arrange a layer at the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with half of the currants.
3. Repeat step 2 until the slices of bread and currants have been used.
4. In a seperate bowl cream together the eggs with the sugar until pale yellow, then add the milk, double cream and lemon zest.
5. Pour the mix over the bread making, ensuring all of the bread is covered.
6. Sprinkle with mutmeg and brown sugar.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
8. Serve with vanilla custard.

The pudding was super easy to make and I really enjoyed making it! I wanted to stick to as close as the exact ingredients as I could, but I did use raisins instead of currants in my bread and butter pudding because as a family we prefer them, and I also used ordinary custard and mixed some vanilla flavouring with it as I couldn't find 'proper' vanilla custard anywhere - I looked in four large supermarkets and none of them had it. Other than that, I stuck to the ingredients and the recipe and I am really happy with the results! I don't want to sound big-headed or anything, but it tasted absolutely delicious. I had so many compliments on how amazing the bread and butter pudding tasted - it was a definite hit in our house! It is great to know I am able to prepare a slightly healthier dessert for the family with ingredients we usually have in already. I am definitely going to have a read through more of their recipes and choose what to cook next.

This recipe (and others which you can view here) were created by Sunrise Senior Living's award winning chefs. Sunrise Senior Living specialise in assisted living in Edgbaston and other locations. Sunrise Care  know the importance of how our nutritional needs change as we grow older, so it is important that we look at the way we cook our meals and see if we can make any changes to make our meals a little more nutritiously balanced. 

*I was gifted the money to pay for the above ingredients. I shared links to Sunrise Care and their recipes in this post. No further gifting/ compensation was given. You can read my disclosure policy in the contact tab above.*

My Christmas Tree and Lights: LED pink lights review

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

I absolutely love decorating the home at Christmas time. It is probably my favourite festive activity of the Month of December. I love how it makes the home look cosy and ready for Father Christmas! It instantly puts me in a great mood when I enter the house and see the tree lit up with pretty decorations and lights. This is our Christmas Tree this Year. We have kept baubles very limited this year, as we feel  that these beautiful LED lights from LED Hut look fantastic alone.

The main feature of our tree this year is this set of LED Outdoor Christmas Bunch Lights in pink* from.LED Hut. As you can see, they are really striking pink which of-course I instantly fell in love with! The lights are on a wire cable which adds a really cute and shabby chic touch. The wire is very thin, and you able to spread the wire out if you want to which makes the lights look so much more versatile to your average LED lights on a standard wire. I really like this feature as I am able to arrange the lights how I want to in a decorative and presentable manner.  I have spread the lights from the top of the tree as I think this looks really pretty. I am not the most clued - up on LED lights and their technicalities but my Dad tells me that the lights are really good, and was very impressed when I un-boxed them! He says that they are really good quality and that he hasn't seen any lights quite like these. They are very thin and really easy to bunch together and put them in different positions which is something I have never really seen or noticed before with LED lights. The pink lights are so pretty on our dark tree, but I would love to arrange the lights outisde too. The lights slightly change to a purple/blue glaze colour when you are looking at them, which is so pretty and looks like the colours change!

There are 18 LED's on each lead, and each lead holds 10 x 1.8m of light.

I absolutely love that you can use the lights both indoor and outdoor, meaning they are really multi - purpose. 

The lights make such a lovely feature wrapped around the tree or would even look great wrapped around a bush, mirror or a bed frame. I am planning on continuing to use them after Christmas in another area of the house. The photographs do not do the lights justice, as it is quite difficult to photograph LED lights in the dark without the entire picture looking out of focus, so apologies for that! They are definitely a great sight to see when the room lights are out!

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Do you use a lot of decorations and LED lights?

*I was sent the lights to feature and review on my blog. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.*

Clothes Show Live 2014

Last weekend saw me attend The Clothes Show Live 2014, which was held at the NEC in Birmingham. I have been a few times before and I have always really enjoyed going along and watching the show; it is always a fantastic show they put on and this Year was no different. The show took place in the Alcatel Onetouch Fashion Theatre and it really was such an amazing display they put on. Not only did the models look amazing, they were also amazing choreographers and put on a fantastic show. The music and the set up were both perfect matches to the show and to the clothes. Oh, and the clothes! The gorgeous models showcased an array of different clothing items and accessories which were beautiful, I definitely have a lust list full of a lot of the clothes I saw showcased on the catwalk.The show itself was inspired by New York, and I feel that the clothes, settings, backdrops, choreography and music really went well together and suited the theme. The show lasted around 50 minutes and really was a pleasure to watch. Before the show, Rick Edwards and Jim Chapman presented and we also saw X Factor's boy band 'Stereo Kicks' perform a cover song, as well as Amy Child's sharing with us her new clothing collection which was available to buy on the day.

Of-course, as-well as watching the fashion show, the event saw a huge amount of exhibitors in the hall ranging from fashion, clothing, vintage, jewellery, beauty, tanning, hair, cosmetics, candles, lifestyle, accessories and much more. Brands I loved seeing at The Clothes Show were Elemis, W7, Rimmel, Lee Stafford, Flamingo Candles, Elsie and Fred and Silly Old Sea Dog. Both me and my friend Clare had a good browse around the hall a fair few times during the day and we saw a lot of lovely things. A lot of the beauty brands were offering their goody bags for set amounts of price, but we both passed on them as we both admitted we have way too much make-up at the moment that we don't use that often so we didn't want to add to it! I did pick up a Lee Stafford goody bag though, which cost £15 and was full to brim of full sized hair products. I also picked up the Cosmopolitan Magazine which came with some samples. I always grab Cosmo while at the Clothes Show as I usually pick it up anyway with my weekly shop.

I had a great time at The Clothes Show and was so impressed with the fashion show. I really recommend going to The Clothes Show next year if you are big on fashion and love to watch the show, or even if you just fancy a good bargain and get yourself some fashion and beauty must-haves. 

*I was given a press pass to attend the event for the day.Thank you Clothes Show Live for providing me with the pass!*

Christmas Gift Guide 2014

Hi everyone. You may have noticed I have blogged about various products on my blog recently which I think would make fantastic gifts. I have been writing my Christmas Gift Guide Series for a few weeks now; and now that it is getting more closer to Christmas, I thought I would house them all together in this one blog post for easy reading. I have also included links to other items I have featured recently which I think would make great gifts. I have listed the link to each blog post below, I hope this helps!

6 in 1 Care Set available from Itsawot - link | Bye Cig Starter Kit - link | Wall Print from Chatter Box Walls - link |  Photobox from IWOOT - link |  Di Palomo Eau De Parfum in Tuscan Rose - link |   Living Nature Skin Care Minis for Oily and Combination Skin - link| Living Nature Skin Steps Gift Set available from Botanical Brands - link 

Balance Me Super Spa Duo Gift Set available from MyPure - link | Acorelle White Orchid Gift Set from MyPure - link | Frame Again - link |  USB Travel Shaver from Itsawot - link |  Bellisimo Lips - link |  Heat Holders Neck Warmer - link |  Silver Daisy Earrings from Martha Jackson - link | Jam Transit Wireless Headphones - link

As well as my Christmas Gift Guide series, I have also been blogging about a few other ideas I have had for presents. As you know, I am a Christmas fanatic, so I have tried to cover most gift related ideas on my blog this year. You can check out my Top Picks for Tech Lovers post here, where I talk about a few finds perfect for that tech mad girl in your life. I also wrote a post sharing a few gift ideas that are a little bit different to your average woman's gift here. With gifts ranging from a half pint glass to a brush roll, there really is something for everyone. I also shared my top picks priced £20 or over on a post here, which features brands such as Smiggle and The Gluttonous Gardener, so something to suit everyone's tastes! As well as sharing a few gift ideas I have found online with you in those posts, I also shared a Christmas wish list of my own - maybe you will find some inspiration? You can check that out here.

I shared my favourite Christmas Decorations from The Christmas Boutique here, so if you are yet to deck your home out ready for Christmas, definitely have a quick look as they have some beautiful decorations suitable for any home, and they have super quick delivery too! I have also reviewed a set of pink LED Christmas lights from LED Hut which you can view here.
Do you know anyone that would love a food hamper for Christmas? You could always buy them a Degustabox for Christmas, which is a surprise subscription box full of food and drinks. You can check out all of my Degustabox reviews here if you want to know more.
If you are a fan of the Boots 3 for 2 on gifts, I shared my top picks on my blog which you can check out here.. I have also written a blog post on my top picks for Christmas Jumpers for the festive Season. Finally, I have listed some great gift websites on my Prepping for Christmas post if you are still looking for those last-minute gifts.

Jam Transit Wireless Stereo Headphones

I commute to work every day, and I like to listen to music during my journey. I have a love/hate relationship with most earphones and headphones, as I get so frustrated when the wires get all tangled up! Wireless headphones really appeal to me, so I was eager to give the Jam Transit Wireless Stereo Headphones a go. 

Jam Audio are a brand I am fairly familiar with. They specialize in portable speakers and headphones, and are well known for the fantastic sound - quality that their audio products feature. 

The wireless aspect of the headphones are probably my most favourite part about them - no tangles, no fuss! The wireless headphones work through Bluetooth. You simply turn the headphones on, and turn your Bluetooth on on your device (computer, iPod, phone etc). All you have to do is search for the headphones through Bluetooth and connect them - and that is it! You are ready to listen to music! I have never tried wireless headphones before so I am pretty impressed with the entire concept, why had I never tried wireless headphones before?!

The headphones come complete with a USB cable to recharge them with. The battery power lasts 11 hours before needing to be charged, which is pretty impressive battery life.

The Jam Transit Wireless Stereo Headphones * are very comfortable to wear. You can extend them for your own comfort. They look very sleek and stylish; available in three colours: red, black, and white, I love that the black set I have look stylish and professional. 

The sound quality is quite simply fantastic. I have never used headphones quite like them; the music sounds perfect with no crackling or disruption. You can hear the bass well, too. 

You can easily adjust the volume or change the tracks from the headphones themselves, as there are button controls on one of the ear cups, as well as an on/off button.. The headphones also have a built-in microphone to use to take phone calls. 

Jam Audio claim that the Wireless Stereo Headphones are wireless for up to 10 metres, so I put them to the test. I put my iPod downstairs and walked all around the house. I am really impressed to say that I feel that the Bluetooth connection between the headphones and the device does work from just over 10 metres away. I think this is really useful - you can keep your device safe in your bag when you are commuting while still being able to listen to music. I have also used the headphones while cleaning and doing errands around the house while my iPod is put aside to charge. I imagine the Jam Transit Wireless Stereo Headphones would also be great if you were listening to music while exercising as you wouldn't get tangled up. 

If you are looking for a great all - rounder gift this Christmas, why not purchase some wireless headphones from Jam? Give the gift of easy - listening on the go to that special somebody in your life. 

*I received the Headphones to review. All opinions are 100%  honest and my own*

Favourite Blogs To Read #3

In the past few Months I have shared a few of my favourite blogs to read, and have decided to continue writing these posts every so often to share with you some fantastic blogs I have found.


Make Up Savvy - link
I am sure you have all heard of Fee's blog. A definite must read if you love your beauty. I love Fee's finds, she always shares great deals on her blog.

Sophie Rose Hearts - link

Sophie's blog is another favourite of mine. Her photography is fantastic and I can only wish I could write in such a flare as great as hers.

Miss Budget Beauty - link
I started watching Khila's videos before I began reading her blog. I love how honest she is in her writing and her videos, I always trust her judgement on products.

Couture Girl - link
Kayleigh's blog is another I really admire. Her photography is stunning. I love reading her posts, I wish I was as creative as she is with the variety of beauty she writes about.

I would definitely recommend having a read of these blogs!

Christmas Wishlist 2014

SONY Cyber Shot DSC-WX220B Compact Digital Camera - Black - link | JOBY Gpod Mini Magnetic Gorillapod - link | Lee Evans Monsters DVD - link | DKNY Be Delicious EDP - link | MORPHY RICHARDS 47095 Accents Coffee Maker - Black - link

It isn't often I write wishlist posts. I don't really ask for anything from Santa (or anyone else) at Christmas. I don't usually have anything in mind for gifts but this year I have a few things I would quite like. Here is my list to Mr Claus himself. Of-course I would never expect all of this! That would be quite greedy of me. I will probably pick a few of these bits up after Christmas in the sales. 

The one item I would really love this Year is Lee Evans Live DVD of his stand up show 'Monsters'. I have quite a collection of his DVD's as he is favourite comedian, I will be sad to see him retire from the comedy world.

The gorrliapod would be really useful for when I am taking photographs for my blog and just for fun. It stretches and is really flexible so you can attach it to almost anything. 

I would love a new camera as I am hoping to improve my photography in the New Year, the one I like the look of is the Sony Cyber Shot DSC WX220B. 

A very cheeky wish would be a coffee maker like this one from Morphy Richards. I love coffee and I am quite a lazy person so a coffee machine I am sure would be my best friend!

The last item on my list is the DKNY Be Delicious perfume. I am obsessed with zesty and fruity scents and I love this. 

I am sharing my wishlist as part of a competition which is being held by the lovely people at Festive Lights.  Check them out if you are looking to deck your home out for Christmas!

Recipe: Double Dark Chocolate Fairy Cakes

Double Dark Chocolate Fairy Cakes

I really like baking, but I tend to stick to super easy recipes as I am just not that adventurous. Today I thought I would share with you a little creation I made this week, which was Double Dark Chocolate Fairy Cakes. I simply made fairy cakes the traditional way and added some dark chocolate products in to make them a little more interesting. I used two products that I received in my Degustabox last Month, which were the Dr. Oetker Premium 90% Extra Dark Chocolate and the Dr. Oetker Fine Dark Cocoa Powder. 

What you need:

Eggs,  Self Raising Flour, Butter/margarine, Sugar, Water, Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Cocoa Powder, Cake Cases, Bowl (which is suitable to put over a saucepan on the hob), Saucepan, Whisk, Spoon, Mixing Bowl, Baking Tray

How To Make Double Dark Chocolate Fairy Cakes:

Pre - heat the oven to gas mark 5.

Mix together 125 grams of butter/margarine and 125 grams of sugar in a bowl. 

Add into the bowl 125 grams of self - raising flour and mix.

Add 1 or 2 eggs and whisk all together.

Add a sachet of dark chocolate cocoa powder and mix until all blended.

Equally distribute the mixture into cake cases, and put them onto a baking tray in the pre - heated oven.

Wait 15 - 25 minutes for the fairy cakes to cook, while checking them frequently.

Add warm water into a small saucepan, then put dark chocolate into a bowl and put that on top of the saucepan.

Put the saucepan onto the hob and use a spoon to help melt the chocolate.

Once the cakes are cooked and the chocolate is melted, remove them carefully and turn off the oven and hob.

Add a thick layer of chocolate onto each cake and put them into the fridge to set.

Finally, once the cakes are set, enjoy one with a nice cup of tea!

*This post contains two products which were sent to me to review. All opinions are 100 % honest and my own. You can view my full disclaimer policy on the tab above*

Winter Degustabox

I cannot believe this Year is near the end! Winter is fast approaching and I am seriously excited for Christmas now. I have thoroughly enjoyed having a Degustabox the last few Months and the Winter box was probably the box I have been most excited about and anticipating... we all know how crazy I am over festivities (and of-course the food that goes with it!) so I was really eager to see what was included in the Winter box.

If you don't know what Degustabox* is, it is basically a Monthly surprise subscription service, where you pay £12.99 per box and receive 9-14 food and drink products which are usually new on the market or things you might not normally pick up on your food shop! I really like the concept of Degustabox, as it has certainly got me and my family creating new and different meals we would never normally cook, by using things we have received in the box. The price of a Monthly box works out much cheaper than if you bought the individual items seperately, too. 

You can use my code 0U7A0 to receive a generous £3 off your bill when you purchase a Degustabox! That makes the box only £9.99!

Lets take a peak in the Winter Degustabox!

Salsa & Mesquite Kettle Chips

I love Kettle Chips, they are so addictive. I have never tried this flavour before but they sound delicious. I think we will probably be saving these for a buffet around Christmas time as they are always a hit! Kettle Chips are available from most supermarkets, costing around £2.19 per pack.

Cool Dawn Recovery Drinks

I think that these Cool Dawn Discovery Drinks sound really cool! They are a herbal detox drink which aim to prevent bad hangovers. With Winter and Christmas parties just around the corner, I am sure that these would be useful! I haven't tried these yet but I am looking forward to seeing how they work. Watch this space!

Lindt Lindor My Melting Moment

Lindt Lindor are in my opinion the very best kind of chocolate, so I was thrilled to see a handful of the 'My Melting Moment' chocolates in my box. These taste amazing and I can not wait to start munching on these at Christmas! They cost just 65 pence per chocolate.

Kent's Kitchen Flavour Shots in Garlic and Coriander

Flavour Shots are a great way to add flavour to meals. I really love the sound of this flavour, and may possibly use this with chicken in a wrap or with pasta. Costing just £1.85, I think these are a great way to spruce some spice into regular every day meals.

Branston Caramalised Chutney

This is definitely my least favourite product in the box, I just simply don't like the taste of chutney! I know this will be appreciated by someone else in the family, just not by me. 

Pip Organic Drinks in Cloudy Apple

These taste really delcious! Pip Organic Drinks are well - known for their award winning range of pure and organic smoothies and juices. Cloudy Apple tastes sweet but also very fresh! I am intrigued to try more of the range. 

Montano Italian Cider

Cider is a great drink for the colder Months, it really puts me in a festive mood! (of-course drinking responsibly). Montano Cider is an elegantly crafted Italian cider so I am really eager to trying this and seeing how it tastes. Montano recommend drinking this with an Italian meal, which I may have to do the next time I have spaghetti bolognaise.

Holy Cow Curry Sauces in Madras Chettinad and Mughlai Korma

I have never heard of this brand before but I am so looking forward to cooking a curry with these very soon. The flavours are very up my street and I can't wait to try them! We love korma and madras in our house, so these are perfect for us! I may share some photographs on my blog if you'd like to see? 

Holy Cow are authentic Indian curries which are made from natural ingredients and contain no srtificial colours or persvatives. They are also gluten free and suitable for vegeterians and coeliacs.

Sample Present: Drink Me Chai Spiced Chai Latte

I have actually tried this before and I really, really love it! I like chai tea and have tried a few different products from the brand so I can't wait to drink this. It tastes just that little bit more spicy which adds great taste to the chai latte. I would definitely recommend this to pretty much anyone!

Once again I really am impressed with the variety and the selection of products. All apart from the chutney I either absolutely love or I am really excited to try! A few of the products will probably by kept aside for Christmas and celebrations over Winter (the Cider, Chocs and Kettle Chips!) but I know everything else will be consumed pretty quickly. I feel the majoirty of the products are real Winter Warmer foods and drinks - as well as some of the products being really good for you, too.

Degustabox Links and Social Media: Website | Facebook | Twitter 


*This post contains PR samples/items which were sent to me for consideration to review. All opinions are 100 %  honest and my own. You can view my full disclaimer policy on the contact tab above*