Recent Reads Reviewed #6

It's Not How Good You Are, It's How Good You Want to Be by Paul Arden - 5/5

I’ve owned and loved Paul Arden books for years so decided to re-read the three in my collection. This one is the first in the series and is basically like a pocket guide to success in life and business. I really resonated with the author’s words relating to creativity and design although I could see this book appealing to a broad range of people. It was also an extremely quick, easy read as are the others.

Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden - 5/5

Sometimes sequels can be a bit of a disappointment but Arden’s second book was equally as good. The author continued with his fresh, innovative ideas around graphic design and life. I can’t recommend the series enough.

God Explained in a Taxi Ride by Paul Arden - 5/5

I loved that the author tried something different with this book, I thought the concept of learning about religion in a taxi journey portion was excellent. His explanations were made very clear and accessible. I still give this book five stars but it’s my least favourite out of the three I’ve reviewed.

Infamous by Lauren Conrad - 3/5

This is the final book in the fame game series and holds a special place in my heart for sentimental reasons. I’ve slowly been making my way through Lauren Conrad’s fiction series as a light read on holiday which has taken me forever to complete. The basic plot focuses on friends living in Hollywood being filmed as part of a reality hit show which is loosely based on The Hills. It’s a fluffy, escapist read which at times I enjoyed but was dissatisfied with the ending sadly.

We Were On a Break by Lindsey Kelk - 5/5

I went into this book with mediocre expectations but was delighted to find it had quite a bit of emotional depth to it, interactions between the characters were written well, particularly Liv’s set of friends who had me in the giggles. The basic plot revolves around a break up between Liv and Adam and as the story progresses we see whether they find a way back to each other or not. I heart this novel, it would make a perfect holiday read!

Do you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction? 

Will you be doing any reading over the Easter weekend? :-) Xx

White Chocolate Cornflake Cakes with Mini Eggs

Hi and welcome to my first Easter inspired blog post for 2018. I’ve had the baking bug lately and have been busy in the kitchen making things for Easter. I first started browsing inspiration on Google images and someone had made cornflake cakes but with white chocolate. I thought this was a great adaption to a classic. I then referred to my Cakes & Cookies for beginners book by Usborne cookery school for a basic cornflake cake recipe, I kept exactly to this but instead of using milk chocolate I used white chocolate. Afterwards I decorated with mini eggs which was my own twist.

I hadn’t made cornflake cakes in what seems like forever, I forgot how simple they are! I was pleased that my white chocolate alternative was a success, it gave the recipe a slightly different look and taste. I can see myself experimenting further next time, for example I could use a different cereal or replace the mini eggs with some other themed treat. If you are wanting to whip up something quick for Easter I recommend you give these a go. You could even wait until after the weekend to use up left over chocolate eggs.

Are you going to make any Easter treats this holiday? 

Wishing you a lovely week whatever you are doing. :-) Xx

The Smeltery Restaurant at Mima Review

Following my previous post I wanted to share with you my thoughts on The Smeltery, a stylish restaurant part of the Mima gallery in Middlesbrough providing wholesome food and a great atmosphere. My friend and I were visiting the art exhibitions and we stopped for a bite to eat, I was really excited to try this eatery as I’ve seen some positive reviews on it.

We both had a chick pea, potato and greens salad, which I found unusual and very appetising. I’ve never really had anything like that before so it made a lovely change. The prices were fairly reasonable and the décor was on trend and arty. Overall I would love to go again, particularly to try other things on the menu, they seemed to have some interesting options that I imagine change quite regularly.

I give the restaurant 5/5 stars and would recommend you give it a go if you are in the area. It makes a great afternoon particularly if you check out the Mima art gallery as well which is free. Click here for the official restaurant website and here for the Mima website.

Does this look like a place you would like to visit for a meal?

Have you been anywhere interesting lately? I would love to know! :-) Xx

Review and Tour of Middlesbrough Mima Art Gallery

The Mima, short for Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art is a large art gallery in Middlesbrough centre square. I went with my friend before Christmas, to view the latest exhibitions and have lunch in their restaurant. I enjoy visiting it when I can, and I had a lovely afternoon with my friend. I’ve been a visitor to the Mima for a while now, I used to pop-in more regularly when I was at the local University. It’s probably one of my favourite galleries in the area, the exhibitions are always changing, so you can expect to see new things quite frequently.

The one we saw was full of colour, striking imagery and cheerful pottery. The exhibition spaces are very spacious, and there are many floors with different things being shown. They often have classes, workshops and the occasional craft fair too. I would recommend you visit if you are in the area, it is free entry throughout and there is a restaurant called The Smeltery as you walk in. I will be doing a review of that soon. More info on Mima here.

Do you like to visit art galleries? 

Have you heard of the Mima before? :-) Xx

Daily Routine Beauty Products Haul

Hello! I hope my lovely readers are well, today I’m back with a beauty/toiletries haul. I did some shopping on the Superdrug website as well as popping into my local Co-op. I don’t normally visit the Co-op in our next village but I was after some foodie bits for my Brother’s birthday, and decided to browse the toiletries section while I was there. Through word of mouth, I knew that their own brand was cruelty-free so I was curious to see how they compared to places like Superdrug. Sadly with Superdrug online, they have changed their postage policy, and you now have to spend £10 or more as a beauty card holder to get free delivery which disappointed me.

I was in need of a new shampoo and conditioner, the Co-op’s own brand has some great options at reasonable prices. They had a few other bits like face wipes, shower gels, etc. which I might have another look at next time I pop in. Original Source is one of my favourite shower gel brands but I had never previously tried the coconut one, so we will see how I find this. My online order with Superdrug was mainly Mother’s Day gifts but with a few bits for myself. I repurchased my favourite E.l.f concealer and treated myself to a day cream by Superdrug Vitamin E. A few reviews will be coming up shortly.

Co-op Purchases

Co-op Coconut and Honey Shampoo £1.09

Co-op Coconut and Honey Conditioner £1.09

Original Source Coconut and Shea Butter Shower Gel £1.00

Superdrug Purchases

Superdrug Vitamin E Moisturising Day Cream with SPF 15 £2.99

E.l.f Beautifully Bare Lightweight Concealer Stick (Fair/Light) £5.00

What beauty/toiletry brands are your favourite for everyday?

Which shops do you gravitate towards for these? :-) Xx

Winter Clothing Haul

So I’m a little late with this haul, as I picked up these bits in the January sales, although I only got around to photographing the items last week. Originally I thought I would miss the sales, but a couple weeks into January, Peacocks had been doing some tempting further reductions. I popped in one Sunday morning, this seems like a good day for me to go because it’s so quiet, and luckily they had a good selection out on the rails. I don’t do as much clothing shopping now but my top tip would be to buy things when you see them as much as possible because often they go out of stock and then you’ve missed your chance. I think winter is one of my favourite seasons to shop for as I love layering and woolly accessories.

I picked up four items, each in Peacocks on sale which came to £21.50 which isn’t too bad. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to wear many of these items because spring was on its way but with the torrential snow we’ve been having I’ve just been wearing these pieces up. I think the beige bell sleeve jumper is my favourite item, I love the fit, and bows on the sleeves. The t-shirt was more of a basic item, and with it being from the men’s section it’s fairly long with a relaxed fit. The burgundy jumper is so slouchy, I can see myself wearing this item a lot. Lastly I couldn’t resist this black and metallic pop pom beanie hat, and I love it!

What I Bought from Peacocks

Burgundy slouchy oversized jumper SALE £16 £8

Cream t-shirt from the men’s section SALE £7 £3.50

Beige bell sleeve jumper SALE £20 £6

Metallic bobble beanie SALE £8 £4

What’s your preferred season to shop for clothes? 

Which item is your favourite from this haul? :-) Xx

The Snack Diaries | Part Seven

Cadbury Milk Tray
(From unknown, price unknown as gift.)
This is a classic that I would think most people would recognise, in our family we gift each other this thing quite a bit. My brother got me this one on my birthday. Of course I’ve had it before, but haven’t reviewed it on my blog. I mostly tend to go for Galaxy over Cadburys for buying chocolate in a block but the milk tray is lovely, and nice for sharing.

Victoria Bakery Victoria Sponge Cake Mix
(From Heron Foods, price unknown as gift.)
My brother kindly gifted me this for my birthday, as he knows I love to bake. My expectations weren’t that high, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this brand of cake mix to be excellent. I have inserted a few photos of my Victoria sponge, I put jam in the middle and dusted icing sugar over the top. I’d be happy to have this again.

Tick Tock Rooibos Organic Tea
(From Too Good Farm Shop, price unknown.)
My parents bought this particular tea at the Too Good Farm Shop, at the time we were trialling out caffeine free tea, and I really enjoyed the taste of the Tick Tock brand. It does have a little bit of a herbal taste to it, which I don’t mind. I could see myself repurchasing, or trying something slightly different from the brand.

Whitworths Yogurt Coated Peanuts
(From Poundland, £1.00)
I got a few of these little Whitworth treat bags for my birthday, with a range of things inside. This particular one was okay, and I could snack on it quite happily but it didn’t blow me away.

What have you been snacking on lately? 

Are you a Cadbury or Galaxy girl? :-) Xx

Blind Date with a Book for Valentine’s Day

So yesterday while I was in town, I popped into my local community book shop. I had a browse of the shelves but nothing was really catching my eye. Luckily I was directed to their mystery books, packaged in brown paper with little clues to what kind of book may be enclosed. I thought this idea was such a good one, and also went well with the Valentine’s theme. Of course I didn’t know what book I chose to begin with, but after reading a few of the clues in the book selection, this one seemed most fitting to my taste.

As you can see it’s described as a chick lit with romantic plot twists and a countryside relocation. It also didn’t sound like I had read it before, but it grabbed my attention. Today I decided to unwrap the book package (after photographing it of course!) and I was thrilled to see a Jill Mansell novel, I’m aware of this author but I’m yet to read any of her work. The girly pink cover is so pretty, and I can see that it fits the Valentine’s theme perfectly.

I will include this book in one of my recent reads post, once I’ve finished and reviewed it. On the day I picked up a few other books from different charity shops. Let me know if you enjoyed this twist on a regular book haul post. I thought the community book shop did well with this idea!

Have you heard of blind date with a book? 

Would you like to try it too? :-) Xx