1 month challenge to a happier, healthier life

26.04.17


OK lets face it.... how many times have we kid ourselves into thinking we are actually going to make a change in our life. Whether it be for the purpose of losing weight or getting fitter or simply just to become more happy and positive, to be more optimistic! I can't express enough how many times I have said this or felt it and the thing that keeps holding me back is MOTIVATION .... (can someone please point me in the direction as to where I can buy me a whole loada that..... I'm willing to break the bank!)

Perhaps like me you've read a ton of blogs, magazine articles, watched you-tube videos been inspired by people on Instagram..... well tonight ladies and gentlemen is the time to change! MAKE A HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER YOU HAPPEN.... I'd like to say to make it happen in a day but lets face it that's not going to happen! For a month take on a challenge a day, decide which ones you like and want to continue.

Take on the Happier/ Healthier challenge with me and decide at the end of it:
IF YOU FEEL HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER & HOW MUCH BETTER YOU FEEL FOR IT


DAY 1 - SMILE

This may seem like a really obvious way to be happier BUT its true, I read somewhere (probably a teen magazine) that when you smile and continually try to smile throughout the day... you trick your brain into thinking your happy. Sitting and smiling to yourself may look a little awkward why not try and go the extra mile and smile at everyone you meet or pass in your day!

DAY 2- GO TO BED EARLIER

Is it me or do you say to yourself 'right I am super tired.... today I will go to bed early'..... Then before you know it and 6 episodes later of your favourite TV show/ series it's way past your bed time and perhaps even way into the next day! SO decide now to go to be earlier, I may be wrong but I'm pretty sure when you wake up you'll be reaping the rewards.

DAY 3-  WRITING A JOURNAL

If your a nurse like I or work in a stressful/ busy job or you're a stay at home mum or dad that doesn't get to sit down for more than 10 minutes at a time....you will understand the importance of reflection/ you time & expressing yourself. Writing a journal allows you to do all three of these things!

DAY 4- PLAN A TRIP

This could be anything from a day trip to visit family to a summer holiday....  It has been studied and results show that 'most trip planners experience an immediate boost in happiness when starting to plan a trip'.... WHAT YOU WAITING FOR GET PLANNING!!!

DAY 5- SPEND TIME WITH THOSE YOU LOVE AKA FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Nothing shouts HAPPIER to me like spending time with your dearest and nearest lol! I wouldn't go as far to say healthier..... girly meet ups start with food and end with food! Family meet ups scream MUMS MEAN ROAST! seriously though what is better than laughing till it hurts or crying with laughter until it hurts even more. HEY that's where healthy comes in.... a good laughing session is basically a 1 hour abs workout at the gym (I kid myself)

DAY 6- EXERCISE

Does this mean a full body work out... NO not necessarily. Do something that will make you sweat.... for me this will probably be my usual walk up and down the stairs (of course I joke) Get out those running shoes you brought 4 years ago with good intentions and RUN LIKE THE WIND. They say at least 7 minutes of exercise a day will help you feeling healthier. If I can eat a whole packet of chocolate digestives in 7 minutes I'm sure I can go for a run or a fast walk that looks so fun yet so weird! (sorry to any fast walk professionals - what's that even called?)

DAY 7- MEDITATE

When I think meditate I think awkwardness.... I attended a yoga class once and we had to meditate as part of it... picture this lights low, ladies sitting in funny positions and the instructor says out loud " Find your inner peace, flatulence is allowed..... it shows you're truly relaxed!".... lets just say I had to leave after the evils I got from dying with laughter in the corner and ruining the peace that was apparently in the room. BUT seriously the amount of times I have read on health and beauty blogs how beneficial it is to meditate, its worth a try right?

DAY 8- SHOW GRATITUDE

Easy..... each evening write down 5 things you're thankful for in a little book! (Yay another opportunity to buy a new notebook) Whenever you feel low and life is hard check out your gratitude book and don't look back! I think we will be surprised with how much we have to be thankful for!

DAY 9- PLAY LOUD MUSIC AND SING OUT OF TUNE

Nothing get me in to a happy mood like playing music really loud and singing ma wee little heart out! TRY IT!

DAY 10- READ A BOOK

ALL those that love to read a good book say I...... I! All those that feel there is not enough time to do so in their day say I.....I! All those that waste time on social media accounts before bed say I...I! RIGHT if you answered I to any of those three question PICK UP A BOOK AND READ! (any good suggestions)

DAY 11- ME TIME

Me time will be different for everyone, this may be a chance to catch up on the latest episode of pretty little liars (never watched it.... is it worth it?) OR your chance to have an earlier night without the kids OR perhaps it means your one chance to go window shopping! Whatever you choose... ENJOY!

DAY 12- US TIME

Most people US TIME will be between a Husband and wife, Girlfriend and boyfriend..... for others this may be you and your cat or even you and the nutella jar(yes please!) Make sure you schedule into your day/ week US TIME..... I promise it will make you feel happier and healthier (unless you choose the nutella jar!)

DAY 13- TAKE OFF YOUR MAKE-UP

I would say I'm in the majority...... those that are too tired to take off their make-up when it comes to bed time! (shocker I know) Well why not get yo'self some make-up remover and set some time before bed to get rid of that face full of product.... Woman tell me it will make your skin feel some much nicer! I'm all for nicer skin!

DAY 14- DRINK MORE WATER

Do you ever get to the end of the day and think I DID NOT HAVE ONE GLASS OF WATER TODAY.... I DO and I don't feel good for it! Drink more water and feel healthier and happier for it!

DAY 15- FRESH AIR

Get out and feel fresh. Fresh air is good for ..........digestion, strengthens your immune system, apparently It makes you happier and it gives you more energy and sharper mind.

DAY 16- SECRET ACT OF KINDNESS

This one speaks for itself, find a way to show kindness secretly! Today my husband left some lovely succulent flowers in the kitchen with a little note and cream egg.
1. Ed's not a massive fan of succulents
2. The cream egg was a gift to him
and 3. I needed that little note today to pick me up as I struggle through this cold!
Secret acts of kindness really can change someone's day!

DAY 17- GO RUNNING

Runner or not, today go for a run..... Be assured you will feel healthier for it!

DAY 18- BUDGET

Sit down and budget your month, ingoing and outgoings it may be an eye opener to where you can change things to save money!... Nothing better than changing from sky to BT because it means you'll be saving an extra £14 each month (this is not an ad for BT)

DAY 19- TRY A NEW RECIPE

Sometimes its easier to reuse the same 10 favourite family meals over and over again each week, fajitas, lasagne, chicken pie, curry, tuna pasta yeah you get it.......WELLLLL try a new recipe (Mary Berry has some great ones... love that lady).

DAY 20- Take a Bath 

How often do you take a bath.... a proper bath with candles and bubbles.... urm like NEVER, perhaps when you're ill? well today take a bath, you know how amazing it feels after it!

DAY 21- DIGITAL DETOX

A recent report by Public Health England found that excessive “screen time” – more than four hours a day – was linked to anxiety and depression in children and young adults. In contrast, face-to-face time reduced anxiety. But 70 per cent of those aged 16-24 surveyed say they prefer to text rather than talk...... SAY WHAT... That is scary! SWITCH OFF!

DAY 22- DO SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T DONE IN A LONG TIME

Get out that sewing machine you haven't used in years because its too much effort, or find a recipe and BAKE.. you know you'd be happier once your eating the cooked goods, call your friend to ask to take pictures of her cute baby bump.... photography was once your passion.. what happened?

DAY 23- BUY FLOWERS

A home full of flowers is a home made.... (personal opinion of course), Go to a supermarket, florist or your parents garden (lets face it ... its better than yours and free)!

DAY 24- CREATE A BUCKET-LIST

I don't know what will make me more happier, being able to write a list (I'm obsessed with lists) or ticking things off that list! Think summer, winter, spring, autumn and create that bucket-list of things to do and achieve! You'll be sure to feel happier!

DAY 25- FOCUS ON YOUR FAITH

Religious or not... take time to focus on your beliefs, your morals etc....

DAY 26- BINGE WATCH YOUR FAVOURITE TV SERIES

How good does it feel when you get in yo PJ's, buy treats, cosy in your duvet and binge watch that favourite programme of yours! THIS WITHOUT A DOUBT MAKE ME HAPPY... if you've never binged watch on a TV series (YOU'RE MISSING OUT OR JUST WISE) start with Prison break, designated survivor, call the midwife or once upon a time.

DAY 27- DE-CLUTTER

Choose a cupboard, draw or shelf and de-clutter! Perhaps the thought of this fills you with dread, de-cluttering is actually said to be a good way to de-stress. Think about the cleanliness and order your house will feel!

DAY 28- SET YOURSELF UP FOR A SURPRISE

Every time you find a £10 note in a jeans pocket you haven't worn in a while... doesn't it feel like the BEST DAY EVER! You know where I'm going with this..... Leave a chocolate in your bag, new mascara in the bathroom cupboard or money in a pair of trouser that you only wear on hot days! 

DAY 29- SAVE UP FOR SOMETHING

Ok so this obviously can't be done in a day BUT start today, get an old jar or old piggy bank that looks cool but never used for its actual purpose and add some money. New camera, £40 jeans, cath kidston over the shoulder bag.... yeah my list is kinda endless BUT choose one thing and save for it.... the happiness that comes when you reach your goal... it feels so good! You can justify buying it!

DAY 30-  LAUGH AND KEEP LAUGHING

Need I say more?....




There you have it, ONE MONTH TO A HAPPIER, HEALTHIER LIFE! 

A is for ADVENTURE



A is for Adventure.

So i have to get something off my chest..I'm an adventure junky. I believe life is made for us to live and to experience and to fall in love with this adventure we call life...and long story short life is the grandest adventure of them all don't you think?

So to start of our A-Z list of things which we love and things which make a happy life.
I chose A and i chose Adventure. You can make an adventure right where your feet stand.

Here's a list of the top ten adventures i have yet to live that i just cannot wait to tick off:


  • Go Sky Diving
  • Go Camping Up A Mountain
  • Visit Hawaii
  • Sleep Under The Stars
  • See The Northern Lights
  • Do A Colour run
  • Learn To Surf
  • Take A Boat Ride In Venice Italy
  • Cliff Jump In Australia
  • The Biggest Adventure of all. Fall Completely In Love. Get Married. And teach my kids that life is the greatest adventure of them all.



We want a life filled with adventure, both big and small then we got to chose it. It's all down to you. And i don't know about you but i choose adventure and i'll choose it every time.

Love life, and turn our can'ts into can's and our dreams into plans.



                                                                  Jade xx

Take me to Vienna


Someone very wise said the following: "Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true. When will you realise...Vienna waits for you."

VIENNA IS WAITING FOR YOU PEOPLE. It is a definite go to destination to put on your lists. It ticks all the boxes: Great Food, Great sights, Great vibe and just an overall great place to visit.

Me and Lauren have both always dreamed of going away together and so Vienna was calling our name. We visited Vienna in November, we highly recommend going at this time or anywhere close to the Christmas period. The Christmas markets, lights, ice skating, and  Christmas spirit made the trip perfect.


This is a trip we are never going to forget, we had an unforgettable experience.
If we were to describe our experience in Vienna in one word it would be: Magical. It was kind of too good to be true, At the end of every day we were there we would look at each other and just be in awe of the day we just had. There is so much to see and explore, and the beauty of it all is breath taking. We couldn't go to Vienna and not eat the famous Wiener Schnitzel - if you go you must try it. We ate at the famous figlmuller Restaurant. Here's a few of the many (hundreds) of photos we took.









 All day, every day we came across Christmas markets. But they weren't just any Christmas markets, these were the type of markets it takes you hours to get round every stall. But so worth it.















One of our favourite memories from Vienna was taking a horse and carriage ride around the city. The beautiful cobble stoned roads did make it a bit of a bumpy ride. But where better to get round the whole city than in a horse and carriage am i right?


 Hot chocolate was a MUST. I mean we are BIG hot chocolate fans in our family. But yes go to Vienna around Christmas time but Yes bring layers and Yes be prepared to buy a lot of hot chocolate because you'll need it. ( i wasn't complaining...this was probably my 5th cup.)


One of our favourite moments was on the very first evening of the trip. We went to Karls Platz and there was a huge ice skating rink right in front of the town hall. You have to go there at night, when it's all lit up it is simply magical. 


       Smiles all round in Vienna.
Vienna is full of surprises!!!





We wanted to go on a spontaneous trip so why not Vienna. We regret nothing. We fell in  love with Vienna.
Life is supposed to filled with spontaneous choices which create lasting memories. Next spontaneous trip of our dreams: Venice, Italy (watch this space.)

The A-Z Happy Life Saturdays!


Yay!..... us five sisters have decided to work on a little something! For the next twenty-six Saturdays we are dedicating our blog posts on our A-Z's that make up our 'Happy Life' It will involve some of our favourite products and yummy food, our obsessions and places we have visited or.... have always wanted to visit and much more! To make things easier or perhaps a little more exciting each Saturday we will take a letter starting with A and take turns writing posts... expect product reviews, giveaways, freebies and a whole 'lotta' happiness!

The Happy Life Blogging days:
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays (A-Z)

Follow us on all our platforms and watch this space for some exciting things we have planned.





Bucket Lists


Am I the only one who LOVES bucket lists?! Or the only one who struggles to keep them realistic and achievable?



Although somewhat difficult to write, bucket lists are great! What I love is that you can literally make a bucket list on anything and everything! For example, you could make a: seasonal (summer, autumn, winter, spring), a new years (2017), a more specific (fitness), or a lifetime bucket list. There's ENDLESS amounts!

Have you ever heard of SMART targets?? It stands for:
S-specific
M-measurable
A-achievable
R-realistic
T-time-based


Don't follow it. Bucket lists are supposed to be random and fun, things that you probably wouldn't do everyday- you don't have to know the exact details of it. Okay, maybe don't completely disregard the SMART targets, because it needs to be at least a little bit realistic and achievable otherwise it'll be sitting on that list FOREVER!

BUTTTT....
It's all about making it FUN, or even something you just need to improve/ randomly want to do.
Anyway, I figured I'd share with y'all some of the things on my 2017 bucket list. The majority of the list is actually things I want to improve on, but there's a few random things on there also...


(here's just a page of my bucket list)


GET FIT-
Okay I know what you're thinking,"that's not going to last long", well it's worth a shot! I guess the simple answer as to why I wanna get fit is because I'm not a big fan on the way I look, so I'm gonna get ma muscles on!

BE MORE: CONFIDENT, LOVING, POSITIVE, FORGIVING, HONEST-
Clearly there's a lot of things I want to be MORE of! It's never too late to be more of something, especially loving. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. I'm just trying to have a brighter outlook on life- like Pres Thomas S Monson says: "you do not find the happy life, you make it".

FINISH A STORY-
You would not BELIEVE how many books I've started writing but never finished, and one of my biggest 'goals' is to complete a story because I dunno I just love writing and one deserves to be finished.


Other random  ones include:
- have a water gun paint fight (with white clothes)
- change my hair
- learn to drive
- be a 'vegetarian' for a week
- dance in the rain


Sooo here's just a few of the things on my 2017 bucket list, I hope you kinda get the gist of how bucket lists should be, or at least recognized and appreciate how much I LOVE them.

Good Shoes Take You Good Places


Everyone has an obsession with one thing or another.. mine is SHOES!!! In particular, casual footwear! I am always looking out for unique shoes that catch my eye! I feel shoes definitely complete my outfit and so I decided to put this blog post together to show you some of my favourite shoes I own and why I love each pair.. and it is true, good shoes do take you to good places! 



Old Skool Vans  
£55.00
The Old Skool are the Vans classic skate shoe, featuring a black suede and black canvas, making wearing trainers more of a fashion statement. I love these shoes as they complete a casual outfit, and because of being black and white, they can be worn with pretty much anything! 






All Star Converse
I love the bold colour of these converse, making them stand out from the rest of the outfit.. maybe because this blue is my favourite colour! This particular pair of converse is slim fit, making them fit my feet perfectly! Converse have always been a winner! 





Nike Trainers
When deciding on a pair of shoes, one particular popular choice is Nike! Nike offer the perfect comfort, I literally feel like I am walking on air when I am wearing these! They are the best fit when engaging in sport activities, but what i love most about this particular pair of Nike trainers, is that they don't just have to be worn for sport, they can complete pretty much any causal outfit too!




Flowery Vans 
I love, love, loveee the style of these Vans! I love how defined this shoe is to detail, being covered in flowers and the fact that they are so unique to the Van brand; i do not know anyone else that wears them! These Vans are super comfy and offer a 'pretty' look to a casual outfit. 



                      

Soulcal & CO
These shoes are perfect for the chilled, casual look! They are great for the summer vibe, and everyone loves a slip on shoe! Another bonus is that they are super cheap but give rich quality.



Nike SB Stefan Janoski 
I love the contrast of the Nike tick against the blue canvas of the shoe, making a striking appearance. These shoes give super comfort and are practical for any activity! I love the cool, chilled vibe they portray!




Mascara Review



Ok so I guess its right to say that Mascara is a such a personal choice.... so personal that there will be so many different opinions that perhaps its hard to actually know which Mascara outdoes them all.....some prefer the WOW "your'e wearing mascara" look where others go for the "are you even wearing it?" even those that say they don't wear make-up probably own a particular brand of mascara that they wear occasionally. I guess to come to a conclusion, we ladies love a good lash and in order to get that ultimate lash we need a good mascara. We often love to share our favourite things as sisters and when doing this blog post we discovered we may have one thing in common.... OUR LASHES MASCARA !!
Rimmel London Wonder'Full Mascara Waterproof & Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara

I've used Rimmel products for a little while now... 13 years to be exact (WOW I'm old) I love this particular mascara 'WonderFull' I feel it gives me full coverage and actually gives me those lengthy lashes. I read somewhere before that using two different mascaras when doing your eyes helps with length and bulking out your eyes. I was born with naturally long lashes..... I know I know I'm lucky... but I prefer the more bulkier eye look by using the 'WonderFull' & 'Scandaleyes' together I feel I get the overall look that I can wear everyday and when dressing up. 

       

RIMMEL WonderFull waterproof - £7.99
RIMMEL Scandaeyes waterproof - £6.99
Check out BOOTS 2 for £10 on selected RIMMEL prodcucts HERE


Rimmel 100% Waterproof Mascara Black 1 & Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara

Rimmel London 'Scandaeyes' mascara is the way to go. It's really easy to apply, stays tidy and stays on all day. It's the only mascara I've found that gives as much volume as I want. I feel that it gives that natural, not too much, not too little.... Just right!
I always apply a coat of Rimmel London's waterproof mascara, hey you never know if that movie is gonna tug at those heart strings.... You got to be prepared.


RIMMEL Scandaleyes - £6.99
RIMMEL 100% waterproof - £5.29

 Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara

I love the thickness of the 'Scandaleyes' mascara brush which brings big volume... It's all about the volume for me. I love that WOW feeling after putting it on, I feel that it stays fresh all day and I like that in a mascara... even when being outdoors there is no need to top up during the day!.... Oh and did I mention its a super duper good price!


RIMMEL Scandaleyes - £6.99

Volumising Mascara from Collection & Colour Contour pro.

Okay, so the two mascaras that I use are: the volumising mascara from Collection and another that I got from a Colour Contour Pro set. Unlike the others, I shop cheap- but that doesn't mean I do not get good results! I apply the pink Collection one as a base and then add the black mascara to really VOLUMISE!! That black one works wonders I tell ya.... Previous mascaras I have used which are just as (if not more) amazing are:
- Kate Rimmel London
Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara (Same as the other girls)
-Turbo Volume Express Maybelline New York
and the W7 Wild lash.
Like I said all of them work miracles... just remember you don't have to spend tonnes of money to get a great mascara.


COLLECTION volumising - £3.99
Colour Contour Pro. 

Extreme from Collection

Everybody tells me that I shouldn't bother wearing mascara! Well for my small lashes and even tinier eyes I like to make them noticeable!.... and I feel that this mascara seems to do the trick. I love this mascara because it's so cheap and doesn't need a top up during the day... Definitely recommend.

COLLECTION Extreme - £2.99 (2.50- in Boots at the moment!)

These are some of our favourite mascaras..... What mascara do you use?


10 of my favourite blogs to follow

What is Blogging?

"A blog is a frequently updated online personal journal or diary. It is a place to express yourself to the world. A place to share your thoughts and your passions. Really, it’s anything you want it to be....."

I have been blogging on and off for a while and LOVE it! Its my way of being able to fulfil a hobby, a way to release any thoughts or feelings and a way of having fun. So when I decided to ask my four awesome sisters to join me in this hobby they all agreed and WOOLAA we have created this little space on the internet to share our likes our dislikes, DIYS or more like failed attempts, our travels and our wishlists... I think you get the idea! Are we unique?... some may say blogging with your 4 sisters makes you unique but honestly there are so many bloggers out there and well I want to dedicate this post to share with you 10 of my favourite bloggers which you should check out!

LIFESTYLE BLOGS

NO#1

"Hello there, I’m Poppy.
I’ve very, very recently just moved back to Brighton after not living here for almost four years – spending three years studying Fine Art and then one year living in Central London, I’ve finally decided to head back. I’ve been dwelling on the idea of a space where I can curate my images and ramble to myself for what feels like forever now, and after months of planning my site is finally ready to show you all!. If you are a lover of food, travel, art, and most importantly people, I would love for you to join me on this journey. Posts will be going up every Wednesday and Sunday at 5pm!"

I love following this blog, Its full of beautiful pictures, lots of yummy food recipes to try and a great read. If you like all things lifestyle you'd love this!

NO#2

"My name is Zoe, I’m 26 years young and a writer and enthusiast of all things “Beauty, Fashion and Life” related. Once Upon A Time, In February 2009, after indulging in various other Beauty Blogs as a way to read up on the latest goings on in the Beauty world, I decided to join in on one very boring evening, and “Zoella” was born......I chose to write about the things I liked, the things I felt passionate about and share my love of photographs. Before long, I had a small following of people that enjoyed reading what I’d written, and this was amazing in itself, as really,  Months and years passed, and the following grew to millions (somehow). Now my little space under the name “Zoella” has expanded to YouTube with weekly videos and daily ramblings on two channels “Zoella” and “MoreZoella”

I have been watching 'Zoella' youtube videos on and off for a while now and when I came across her blog I instantly fell in love with a) the design and b) the content. I would say honestly I am not into make-up all that much BUT I do wear it and love reading product reviews......

TRAVEL BLOG

NO#3
"I’m Rosie, a roaming blogger who’s lucky enough to call London home. I fill these pages with my life & adventures. It all started as a way to stay in touch with friends & family but it soon grew and now I have readers who I consider my extended friends & family all over the world."

Sometimes I feel like I take living in the UK for granted and how lucky we are to have London as our Capital! I wouldn't go as far to say that I'd want to live in London... but day trips are the best. This lady has some great reviews!

SISTER BLOGGERS

NO#4

"Sister’s, never were there such DEVOTED SISTER’S. We feel as though we are the luckiest girls in the world to live down the street from one another. There is nothing better than a built in best friend, and we’ve lived this to the fullest! Together we want to show you our passion for the three F’s: our families, fashion, and food. Although we agree on so many things such as diet coke is better with ice, cherries, and a little coconut, we feel as though we are two individual personalities striving to better ourselves on this crazy journey we call LIFE."

I think its fair to say these two sisters are totally awesome! I love their blog, these sister blogs inspired me to start a blog with my sisters... its so much fun working on something together. Go check them out!

NO#5

"Welcome to A Beautiful Mess! We're Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman. We're sisters. Together we own A Beautiful Mess, a women's lifestyle company focused on creating happiness every day through a homemade lifestyle. On this blog we share home decor projects, recipes, and crafts, as well as bits of our life here in the Midwest."

These two sisters certainly know how to blog, I love their colourful blog design. If you're looking for crafts you'll find some amazing ideas on this blog... Who doesn't love a new craft project.

NO#6

"Hey Guys! If we were in the Spice Girls we’d be Ginger, Sporty and Baby..but to our friends (and everyone else we know) we are Hannah, Bethany and Rebekah. And we are the Bistas! 3 sisters, 3 countries, 3 pieces of tape! We appreciate good eyebrows, pretty little liars, tie dye everythang, pizza and crazy adventures! We wanted to start this blog to share our loves, life and all the fun in between that we experience being 3 sisters and best friends seperated by distance but never by heart."
I love these girls and their blog, they also have a youtube channel you should be sure to check them out! 3 sisters in 3 different countries... how amazing is that!

COUNTRY BLOGS

NO#7

"I’m Claire. A self-confessed wine-slurping city girl with lots of high heels, no wellies and a real dread of rain. My fiancĂ©, Jim, and I are ditching the Sydney rat race for a ‘tree change’ in the good old British countryside. Our very spoiled pug, Winston, is coming along for the ride too.Travelling through Asia before our new life of chocolate box cottages, bluebell woods, rain and lots of mud begins. What *ahem* could possibly go wrong?Bringing you the best of travel, food, country life and lessons learned along the way."

One day I would love to live within the countryside, with my cosy log burner and front garden with a picket fence, I guess the cottage from 'The Holiday' comes to mind! This ladies blog is amazing! What a life change.

NO#8
"Welcome to Country Life Experiment!Whether you are here for the home grown, home made food; the tips on living simply; the occasional creative project; or just because you’re a country person at heart (or even if you just wish you were); then this is the place for you!"

I stumbled upon this blog not too long ago and fell in love with the 'freshness' of her blog (if that is even a word)..... You have to try her Lemon and Blueberry Tart HERE!

FOOD BLOGGERS

NO#9
"Hey there! I’m Benjamina – most people call me Benji. I’m a twenty something year old Londoner who loves making pretty cakes and other yummy bakes. I had the privilidge of being one of 12 bakers on the seventh series of The Great British Bake Off and finished as a quarter finalist."

Ok so I know I am not alone in saying 'The Great British Bake Off' is like the best TV show ever! Check out Benjaminas cooking blog for her yummy recipes!

NO#10
"Welcome. Minimalist Baker is a website devoted to simple cooking. All recipes require 10 ingredients or less, 1 bowl or 1 pot, or 30 minutes or less to prepare."

Then last but not least this clever lady and her husband blog about lots of yummy things that don't use tonnes of ingredients or crazy utensils that you never own! I love it!

As you can tell there are some amazing blogs out there that offer some fun inspiration for craft projects, places to visit, yummy recipes to try and lots more! You may be thinking by now..... that I waste time or perhaps have too much time! I promise its good positive reading haha!

Thanks for stopping by!