The City Girls UK Blogger Event

A week and a few days ago I attended a wonderful event set up by Lorna from Life by LDE and Holly from Tea and Blush called quite fittingly The City Girls UK. These two lovely ladies have brought together bloggers from the north in two fun filled events, their first event being in Sheffield last year and the second that I was lucky enough to attend, right here in Leeds.

The event took place at The Liquorist on Greek Street, which is a bar I hadn’t heard of until the event. The decor inside was astounding, seriously...so much dark wood, crystal chandeliers and beautiful velvet vintage style chairs, not to mention the mirrored staircase (see below...it’s a pleasure). After ordering a cocktail (Long Island Ice Tea...ah thankyou) I met some of the other lovely bloggers and we all had a chuckle over the rearranging of items that began for those much needed ‘perfect’ photographs. 

Before we started the afternoon of chattering and socializing we had a talk by a lady, Suzie from Leed’s Women Aid, which is a fantastic charity who help local women who have experienced domestic abuse and violence. It really was both shocking and inspiring to hear what they do for these women and how this kind of thing can tick over without anyone really knowing about it. Us women are strong and powerful, never should we be made to feel any less by anyone. Take a look at their website here to find out more about what they do and how you can help, even if just volunteering or donating a few pennies. It really is an amazing cause! 

The way then became clear for us bloggers to rush off to talk to some of the brands and get to know each other a little better. Piling through the archways we discovered some incredible brands had set up little tables with goodies for us to have and a chance to get to know the brand! Some of those were Benefit, The Bodyshop UK, Nails by Ivy, Manuka Dr and Kendelle Clothing. We got to talk to each brand about any new products that were coming out or tips on how to stay looking healthy. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to network and have some fun along the way. 

I immediately ran over to Benefit (sorry, not sorry) to try out their latest Licence To Blot stick which I’ve been lusting over for quite some time. What I didn’t expect was to come away with blue eyelashes and purple eyeliner. I kid you not! I’ve always been a little scared of colour on my eyes….but after having They’re Real Mascara in Blue and Eyeliner in purple...i’m hooked. 

Not to mention Voss Water, Twig & Dot, Virtue Ice Tea and Michael ‘OMara Books had also left us some of their products to take home! Could this day get any better I began to think after almost breaking my arm with the amount of goodies I had stuffed in my bag. Yes...yes it could. Along comes raffle time which the proceeds went towards a donation to Leeds Women’s Aid. We managed to raise over £200 which was then matched by Holly’s work, huge clap on the back to us bloggers!! I’m never one to win raffles or tombolas...seriously, NEVER! Buuuut, I only went and bloody won didn’t i. I was the lucky receiver of a set of any lingerie from their new SS catalog AND a swim set. I’ve just picked out my choices and may well do a blog post on them soon, probably not going to be pictures of me in the lingerie though…..just sayin. Then...my number is called again….and there comes along a bottle of yummy Henny & Joe’s Chai Syrup, delicious. I’m finally having a lucky streak, wooo!

After more cocktails, chatting, giggling, and having general girl time we were surprised with a box of brownies! From a choice of salted caramel, praline, hazelnut and a few others I obviously had to go for salted caramel, my fav!

As the event came to a close we were handed goodie bags filled with treats, it seriously felt like christmas! The bag itself even had a personalised logo on the front, with The City Girls brand. I’ve included a snippet of what was inside the bag, but will be doing individual posts soon on a few of my favourite items. Lorna and Holly really went all out for us and made this the best experience possible. So much hard work and time must have went into the organisation of this, and for girls who work full-time as well as blog they completely baffled me to how perfectly arranged everything turned out. But they are living proof that we can do it girls! Anything we set our minds to is achievable!

A fantastic day filled with new friends, inspiring stories, fun goodies, lots of laughter and a few cheeky cocktails. 

I can’t wait to see what The City Girls do next…
@TheCityGirlsUK


Thanks for reading!

LIFE | EYE OF THE WOLFE #3

Stay fit. Go to work. Do food shopping. Socialize. Write blog posts. Plan the following week. Go to work again. Get to the gym. See family. Pay bills. Have enough sleep. 

There’s so much we need to do whilst remembering to breathe too. Sometimes life can get a bit on top of you and you end up not doing what you needed to because something else cropped up along the way. Then you start to feel bad for not doing that thing you were meant to do the day before *sigh* We don’t have enough hours in the day it seems, and those of you with kids...I raise my glass to you because along with all of the above, you have another little person depending on you and taking up 110% of your time. Hail all mums and dads out there!

I’ve come up with 5 ways to manage your time or just some tips that I follow in order to make sure I've done what I need to when I need to whilst giving myself some time to relax!

PRIORITIZE

It’s easy to do the tasks that you like first...like socializing or sleeping! But i’ve found if you get the boring or annoying things out of the way first, you feel better for being productive and you know exactly what you need to do next. Personally i write lists, lots and lots of lists. Put the most important, must be done task at the top and work your way down. 

GOALS

Set yourself a goal, for example…

• I want to sit down and write 4 blog posts tonight so that I’m up to date for the next week.

• I’ll call that company before 12pm tomorrow.

Giving yourself a deadline, an attainable one by the way, there’s no point in setting yourself something you won’t stick to like getting to the gym before 6am every morning, if you do that again I raise my glass to you.  If it’s something that has to be done, like paying a bill, set yourself the deadline for a few days before so you know it WILL be done. 

DOWNTIME

When I say this I don’t mean your spare time that you should be relaxing, I mean those moments like when you're stuck in traffic or waiting for a train etc. Start thinking about your day ahead or prioritizing the things you need to do when you get to work or home. Then once you're where you need to be you already know how you're going to get stuff it done and how to make a start.

LIMIT MULTITASKING

Yes, it’s brilliant when you multi-task and it works. But more often than not, by splitting up your focus and concentration on two or more things means your probably not able to do them at the best ability you could. Of course certain things like writing and listening to music can happen simultaneously and it’s all good, but try writing, watching TV, talking on the phone and eating a sandwich...no, you’ll either have mayo on your top or you’ll drop your phone. Try and focus on one thing at a time!

REWARD YOURSELF

After all of that time managing and task completing you deserve a break. Grab a cuppa and watch some mindless TV or a film you’ve been dying to see. When you accomplish something that was difficult or time-consuming, celebrate! However you choose to do it make sure you're giving yourself credit each day for being productive and getting what you needed to done! Okay, okay, so maybe a Matilda sized chocolate cake after every accomplishment could end up being counter-productive….but, you get my gist right?

Even if these tips aren’t right for you or you have other ways of managing time, just make sure your not living life just going through the motions. Managing your time efficiently means you’ll have more time doing productive things and also more time to do the things you love. 

What's your favourite way of making sure you get stuff done?

Thanks for reading!

SISTERHOOD OF THE WORLD BLOGGERS AWARD 2015

So this was an unexpected and heartwarming surprise when I opened up my Twitter notifications. The lovely Lauren over at Lauren Selwood nominated my blog for the Sisterhood of the World Blogger Award! I think the idea of awards within the blogging community is a really nice way of acknowledging each and every one of us, be it an experienced blogger with 100k views per month or a beginner blogger just starting out (we’ve all been there). The ideas, opinions and writing can get a bit much at times and these little nominations just remind you that there’s a whole community behind you for support. 

This award aims to ‘recognize the unique voices of women bloggers around the world’ ….awwww yay bloggers! 

Now I did find a few variations of the rules regarding number of questions and nominations. So I've stuck with the basics and chosen 4 nominations, cuuuz that’s my lucky number!

Rules

1. Thank and link the blogger who nominated you.

2. Answer the 10 questions your nominator has provided.

3. Nominate other bloggers.

4. Create 10 questions for your nominees and notify them of their nomination.

Thanks Lauren for nominating me, here are my answers to your questions, got me thinking here you did!

1. WHY DID YOU START BLOGGING?

I’ve always loved to write, whether it’s random notes in a notebook or fictional stories. Combing that love and my obsession with beauty and hair, it seemed a no brainer. But the main reason is so that when I’m older older older I can look back at what I got up to, what I liked, what I didn't like and who I was.   The world is changing and fast! 

2. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BEAUTY BRAND?

This is a tough one! I’m going to have to say MAC, probably based on the fact that it makes up 70% of my makeup collection. But a close second would have to be Sleek, their contour kit is a godsend!

3. WHAT'S YOUR DREAM JOB?

A free-lance arts fundraiser. Now you’re probably like...a what? It’s hard to explain without writing you a 4000 word dissertation on it, but I basically want to build up a reputation and clientele list in order to aid Arts companies to continue to run and entertain the population! My fantasy job (as in a job i’m never realistically going to do, not like a fantasy dragon trainer) would be…. an FBI agent! 

4. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL ANYWHERE WHERE WOULD IT BE?

Florence! I have some weird urge to go, the buildings, the culture, i must go one day! If i could travel anywhere right now, somewhere hot and sunny….BALI!

5. WHERE IS YOUR DREAM PLACE TO LIVE?

L.A or Amsterdam. Two very different places but they both have beautiful scenery.  The houses in Amsterdam are all so unique, the canals are never ending yet L.A has enormous properties with loads of land and sun. Both! I choose both!

6. WHO INSPIRES YOU TO BLOG?

Hmmmm, because I've always wrote, I don’t know if a particular person has inspired me so much as my love of reading and writing. 

7. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MEAL?

Chicken and Riiiiiice.

8. WHAT IS YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE?

Most definitely The Sims 4. I’m 23 years old and still not ashamed to say i play it, it’s obsessive. Like i get to control people. Virtual. Not real. People.Without feelings. It’s a game okay!

9. MOVIES OR BOOKS?

BOOKS. I have a profile over on Goodreads (amazing website if you love books) and you can set up a reading challenge which records how many and which books you read that year. So far, my goal is 100 books and I've read almost 30 i think? Now that I’m done with uni I expect that will increase very quickly!

10. WHAT DO YOU SPEND MORE TIME DOING, HAIR OR MAKEUP?

Make-up for sure, I get distracted by trying out new looks and then remember that I actually have to get ready to be somewhere. Then again, when I wear my hair straight it can take about 2 hours from wet to finished!

Okay, so that’s all done and dusted. My 10 questions for my nominations are as follows…

1.What’s the most difficult part of blogging?

2.What’s your favourite part of blogging?

3.Who is your favourite celebrity and why?

4.What TV series are you watching at the moment?

5.Winter or Summer?

6.Tell us something weird and wonderful about yourself?

7.Best memory from 2014?

8.Do you plan things or let them happen spontaneously?

9.Which power couple; Beyonce & Jay-Z or Kim and Kanye?

10. Favourite city?

The beautiful bloggers i’m nominating are….*drum roll*

missjosiana at  www.missjosiana.com

xclaireabella at www.xclaireabella.blogspot.com

Tasmin at www.grandoisedays.blogspot.com

Sinead at www.daintydollmix.com

Anyone else agree that this a fun way to get us all connecting?

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | What's In My Gym Bag

I don't know about you, but I love reading blog posts where you get to have a bit of a nosey in other people's bags and homes. That woman sitting opposite you on the train with the beautiful Marc Jacobs bag resting on her lap...don't you ever wonder what is inside such a beautifully elegant bag? Well, I a few months ago I did a 'What's In My Bag' post which you can check out HERE.

And now I'm going to show you what's inside my not-so elegant gym bag! Why? Because it's a large part of my life. I'm probably in workout or dance gear 80% of the week due to university, rehearsing and generally going to the gym. So read on and be as nosey as you like! 

Sports Bra 

The most important item in here in my opinion. No-one wants to see me receiving a black eye mid run on the treadmill. This particular one has been in my gym wardrobe for a while, it has medium support, so does the job and is white which means it goes with any gym outfit I choose.

Leggings

This is the one part of my gym clothes I love to mix up. Rather than just get black leggings (of which I have in abundance) I instead tend to choose patterned or coloured leggings to add a bit of fun to my outfit. You can get some awesome galaxy and rainbow ones from Nike and Adidas, but for options a bit cheaper, Primark honestly do some brilliant workout wear. 

Low Armhole Vest

I always try to find these kinds of tips for the gym, they cover me up enough but then give me the large holes where I can get a breeze to my stomach, but no risk of side boobage thanks to my trusty sports bra!

Waist Shaper

Now this is a a new staple in my gym bag as of pre Summer gym sessions. I saw these workout waist shapers being raved about all over the net and due to my love of anything fitness related I snapped one up to see what all the fuss was about. It took a while to get used to, being sucked in and kept sucked in for an hour and a half of sweating and struggling to breath as it is, let me tell you, it's hard. After a few times wearing it whilst working out, it almost became enjoyable to know more improvement would come of it.  I picked up mine from WaistShaper UK which you can access HERE! 

Adidas Originals Jacket 

The walk to the car and then into the gym is cold okay? Yes, I drive to the gym, it's like 4 miles and with our temperamental English weather, I ain't being stuck in no thunder/rain/snow storm! This jacket is warm yet thin enough to wear at the start of my gym workout until I warm up properly and can then tie it round my waist until I'm finished. 

Nike Reflective Running Shoes 

Now, before we start, pink is not my best colour. It just so happens these were the last in my size and had all the qualities I wanted in a running shoe. The reflective side means IF, and I repeat, IF I walked or ran to the gym, I'm being safe if it happens to be dark. The grip is amazing on these too, no risk of flying off the treadmill or slipping on the stepper. 

Wooly Scarf and Gloves. 

Obviously these two items vary depending on the weather and my ability to remember to put them in, oops. However since we're still dealing with those super windy and rainy days they definitely come in handy and I can bury my face in my scarf and protect my hands from frostbite pre and post-gym workout. 

Powerade Water Bottle

Hydration is key. Simple as that, and it's large so I don't have to worry about running back and forward to the water fountain every 20 mins. I drink a lot of water which helps with avoiding inevitable headaches I seem to get but also does my skin a world of good.

Headphones

Because no one wants to listen to 20 other workout grunts and breath. Plus when the right song comes on, my motivation level increases tenfold. Who else almost sings out loud whilst pedalling like your in a race on the bike? Just me? 

Michael Kors Perfume 

'Gym' is not a scent I'd like to wear today thankyou! A quick spray of this beauty means I can still run any odd errands before off home for long shower, it smells so good and although yes the bottle is slightly inconvenient for my gym bag, I can't help myself.

So there we have it, the contents of my gym bag revealed for everyone to see. I won't lie and say there isn't a packet of chewing gum, apartment keys, a scrunched up receipt, a hair grip and my phone rattling around in there. But I'm guessing they may be pretty standard in any girls bag.

What's the item you couldn't live without in your gym bag? 

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | EYE OF THE WOLFE #2

Fresh out of university, the main thing on our minds is probably finding a job....or as I may have mentioned last week, deciding what to watch on Netflix! Sidenote: OMFG Orange Is The New Black Season 3 XD.

So you’ve found a job, you're waiting in anticipation to start, probably nervous and excited all at the same time. Am I right? Well that’s definitely how i’m feeling as I’m due to start a new job soon. There’s a few little things I’ve been doing to help me prepare and stem those unwanted feelings that i thought i’d share with you career gals out there!

RESEARCH YOUR COMPANY

Obviously, I presume you know who your working for! If not, that's probably NUMBER ONE on your priority list. Type their name into Google and have a good read of their goals, motto etc or if you know anyone who used to work there or who still does, ask for a bit of information so you can go in knowing your stuff! No doubt you’ll get trained but it makes you look inquisitive and motivated if you have a bit of background knowledge on the role and company.

PLAN THE JOURNEY TO WORK

Getting to work can be the worst part of the day, the hustle and bustle, the early morning, the travel... so find a way to work you can enjoy. If there’s a scenic route from your house, take that...providing it doesn’t turn into a cross country marathon! You’ll feel better getting to work having seen some beautiful sights on the way. If you live in the city like myself, make yourself a great playlist that gets you psyched up for the day, you can annoy/impress your colleagues with your constant humming of that song you’ve had stuck in your head all day, happens alllll the time. Travelling on a bus, train or driving can get very samey...music and/or some nice sights can help you start of your day right.

VAMP UP YOUR WARDROBE

An excuse to buy new clothes! Yaaaay. Honestly, it’s a very brilliant, very valid excuse! Since I used to juggle university and a part-time job, my wardrobe was primarily workout wear and dance gear. In serious need of some new business formal items! Buying a few pencil skirts, nice shirts and some work trousers can help you to feel fresh and sassy when you walk through the door everyday. Mix and matching some of your more casual clothes with business wear is always fun too. Just make sure you check your company's dress code! No bikini’s in an office, no suits on the beach.

IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS

There may be a few things you can brush up on if you have some spare time before you start. Sales jobs, why not explore some new ways to build up rapport with customers or if your working in a more office based setting, what about looking up some Excel or Word tips and tricks. Being on top of your skill set and knowing what you're good at when you start a new job will give you an inner confidence boost that will shine out to your new employers.

FIRST DAY

It’s finally here and guess what...you’re going to be fine. The first day of anything is daunting, school, college, university, jobs. You’ve had loads of first days, and did you make it through them. HELL YEAH! Although your at work to...yep, work! Your also there to enjoy your job, you chose this job for a reason, look at it as yet another chapter in your life. Don’t take yourself too seriously but commit yourself 100% and you will succeed!

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | Eye of the Wolfe #1

Why, hello there again, fancy seeing you around these parts.

You may have noticed this space has been a non-existent, dusty little corner for a good few months, something i'm not too proud of. However, I am proud of the fact that I've now finished University after a looooong four years.

I DID IT! I BLOODY DID IT!

I thought i’d do a little series on my blog every week called …., ‘Eye of the Wolfe’. It’s going to be a weekly post every Friday/Saturday with a little insight into some of the things I get up to, with hopefully a few words of advice too. Let’s see how it goes!


After finishing all the exams, essay’s and assignments, we all inevitably get that stomach curdling feeling….WHAT THE HELL DO I DO NOW?!
Don’t panic, it’s a normal feeling, myself and every friend post-uni has had this feeling, the first thing to do is stop, look back and realise how well you’ve done, you’ve managed to get through three years of hard work and even harder partying, I jest! Go you! Now is the time to have some well deserved rest...and that doesn't have to mean lying in bed day after day watching Netflix, or alternating between the sofa, then bed, back to the sofa, I must admit I did take up these activities for a few days after my final hand in. By rest I mean taking the time to do what you want when you want! Obviously work might take up some of your days if you have a part time job, or even the majority of your week if your lucky enough to have a full time job lined up after finishing. But whatever you choose to do after these stressful few months, just remember don't put more pressure on yourself, live comfortably for a few weeks knowing you've just worked your ass off and can have some time to relax!


After deciding to follow my passion and study Dance as a career, I enrolled at Leeds Beckett University, formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University! I've learned so much over these three years here ( I also did a year at Teeside Uni - not for me AT ALL) ...and not just in terms of education, but also in terms of my self. Yes yes, we hear all this stuff about 'finding yourself at uni, it's the start of a new beginning, bla bla. Which yeah I guess it kind of is, but I've noticed it's also completely up to you to mold your experience of uni yourself.
There aren't any teachers to keep you in check, so it's up to you to get to class and if you decide to walk halfway to uni and then turn around for the comfort of your bed that's okay too. That's not imagination, I actually had a friend who did that....almost everyday haha. Naming no names! Personally I wouldn’t advise doing so every day...yes, even if your head's splitting in two after chucking back those shots that are 'so-cheap-you-won’t-know-your-own-name-after-5’ and the last thing you can think of doing is sitting in a lecture theatre, or attempting to pirouette across the room. It's difficult, it takes motivation and it takes determination to get that degree at the end of it all. But you can do it!

Nerves, fear and pressure are three emotions I've felt frequently throughout my time, but those are also three emotions that have pushed me forward and made me keep going. So now as I take a step into a new chapter of my life, i'll always remember those difficult mornings where i pushed myself to get into class eyes half open, those never ending days in the library and those hours filled with stress as you attempt to submit an essay online with no internet connection. But what i'll really remember is the people I've met along the way, the support network I've built up in a new city, the nights out filled with dancing, fun and mischievous adventures, the feeling of relief when you get your marks back at the end of a semester and most of all the huge sense of achievement now that I've finally come to the end.

University can be daunting, exciting, pressurizing, interesting and downright challenging. Whether you decide it's for you or not, to me it's another jigsaw piece in the puzzle that is my life which fit perfectly.

Who else has just finished uni and is feeling like i am?! 

Thanks for reading!

LIFE | Waterfall Walks

The other day I was thinking about the direction and purpose of this blog. I don't want to make a half-arsed effort this time round, my old fitness blog Step by Step became a staple in my life for a good 43 days (good effort Amiee *eye roll*) I'm proud to say I managed to write about the Insanity workout and my meals EVERY SINGLE DAY. Then I got lazy and started university again so it came to an abrupt end unfortunately.

With this blog, I can write about what I love and share it with you! But then I think the best thing about having a blog is that I can look back at all these memories. The world is changing so fast, and we constantly have something else to look forward to, another plan to make, sometimes we can end up forgetting the good memories in the past. So I want to be able to look back through things I used to love, and places I’ve been and the times before everything gets all hover-crafty and super technological.

So a few weekends ago, me and a few friends decided to leave behind the hustle and bustle of Leeds city life and drive a gazillion miles, or 43, into the country side. I always used to be a ‘why on earth would you want to walk…outside…where it’s windy….and cold’ kind’a person but I can admit I have been converted. Once I’d wrapped myself up properly (I’m always the one without a coat, complaining it’s cold….I know, I know!) and we arrived, I began to appreciate the sights around me, even took a few pictures too didn’t iiii.

Ingleton falls are waterfalls…..in….. Ingleton. I don’t wanna go and give you a big backstory about this place, because to be frank I don’t know it, and I just want to write about it as I saw it. We parked up in the adorable little village with curvy hills, narrow roads and pebble-dashed cottages then walked the rest of the way to the actual waterfall trail. Yep, an official trail, 8 km I’ll have you know. And I made it! As it was quite a fresh day outside, the trees and ground were coated with that glistening frost that’s not quite there yet you’ll slip on your ass as soon as your foot touches it. Beautiful, but dangerous to those of us without shoes that have grip. And to be fair it did make everything seem magical…or my dream of being a pupil at Hogwarts whose letter just got lost in the post may yet be a reality. As you’ll see in a few pictures we took a wilder beast with us! Kidding, we took my friend Sophie’s Japenese Akita….everyone, meet Oscar! He’s good at scaring away bears and forest-lurking creatures, but he’s a big softie really and looks so cute padding around in snow.











The whole walk was alongside this river, it went on for ages, just miles of bubbling water and rocks! What had me the most was how tall and huge the trees were here, seriously they were like those tree men things from Lord of the Rings. But still, we walked and walked, i tripped a few times, then we walked some more.





The waterfall below was the largest of the trail and probably about half way round i'd say. More stairs winding into the hill took us to the very top, and as i looked down i realised it's not what it looks like in films. It looks vicious. The water crashes off every rock and pools into the black waters below. Quite scary, but at the same time beautiful and mesmorizing.






This marks the start of the end. We began to walk back just as it turned to twilight (my favourite time of the day) ...I love how the sky takes on a deep blue sometimes almost purple hue and everything looks so peaceful. Oh but first, the moon. During the day. Above mountains. The photo is slightly blurry however it never fails to amaze me when the moon shows that clearly during the day.

Look! A heart and an A. Ta-Da! With Love A. It's me!

Once we arrived back into the cute little cottagey town, we stumbled upon a little cafe with THE most amazing cakes and pastries on little cake stands. Frumenty and Fluffin. It was such a quirky space. Each wall painted a different colour, every chair a different cushion, the walls were covered in mirrors and pictures. Seeing the choice of desserts up front, it only seemed fitting after walking a loooong 8km we deserved a treat, right? Right! We chose the huge butter scones filled with a heap of whipped cream and jam. Another swirl of cream dolloped on top and a strawberry to finish, they were so big the full size cake box wouldn't close. Ooooops.











All in all, i thoroughly enjoyed my day frolicking among trees and waterfalls. My legs ached, i wont lie, from the sheer amount of steps but the fun and views and memories definitley make it worth the pain. Sometimes i feel i can get wrapped up in the social media, tv and work sides of life. It's refreshing to get out into the country, breathe in some fresh air and stop for a moment.

Thanks for reading!