DIY cushions

One of my best friends got married back in June and as her bridesmaid i wanted to give her a special keep-sake gift which was original and unique to her. I thought personalised "Mr & Mrs" cushions with their wedding date would be a nice touch.

What you will need:

- textile marker (i bought the edding 4500 from Amazon)

-Tracing Paper

- Cardboard or any sturdy object

- linen/cotton pillow cover 

- stencils or printed letters of your choice

-iron

First draw over the printed stencils with the tracing paper over the top using the fabric marker to make it stand out.

Put the tracing paper on sturdy cardboard and position it under the pillow cover for a hard surface to lean on. I bought linen covers from EBAY and at first i used a DVD, but the case was too dark and i couldn't see the outline properly so i switched to white cardboard.

Carefully draw the outline of the letters and numbers first and later colour them in. To fix the letters so they won't smudge iron over them without the steam function. 

Voila! it's really that simple! 

Holiday Empties

These are a few travel - sized empties from my recent holiday to Corfu. 

Korres Basil Lemon Little Moisturising Body Milk - 50mls

I liked the smell of this but it ran out very quickly as it didn’t foam on the pouf! I wouldn’t recommend this for holidays but instead for weekends away or when you go to the gym.

Korres Aloe & Soapwort Little Shampoo For Frequent Use - 50mls

This left my hair refreshed but not greasy the next day. I tend to wash my hair everyday on holiday so i needed something that wouldnt be too heavy in my hair. However, i wish i bought a full size version as it ran out quite quickly. 

Korres Body Butter Guava Extra Moisturising Cream For Dry Skin Conditions - 50mls

This was very moisturising as it states and the smell is refreshing but not overpowering. I used it over my normal moisturiser, when i knew my skin was going to take a beating from the sun or water, or when my skin felt tight or itchy, especially after being in the pool or on the beach. When it ran out i cut open the tube and there was lots left, i hate anything going to waste! I will definitely be repurchasing this in the bigger version for the approaching winter months.

Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Nourishing Body oil - 115mls

This smell has a very overpowering scent of lemons, to the point if someone entered the room ten minutes after applying they would say, “are you using your Mama Bees?” So be warned! Admittedly, i don’t like the smell of lemons but after the smell subdues it is quickly forgiven as it makes your skin feel so beautifully soft and silky, especially using it when you're damp right out of the shower. Sophia also stole this a few times to use this when her skin felt tight. This originally was a present for a friend but they sent two by mistake and i’m very glad they did! It lasted for two different two week holidays so i would recommend taking this abroad with you.

Tara Smith Working Curls Conditioner - 100mls

My hair is quite dry at the ends but greasy on top so i need quite a nourishing formula while at the same time one that won’t make my hair greasy the same day. I like to leave my hair dry naturally and this light formula didn't leave my hair too fly away or frizzy. 

King Of Shaves Alpha Oil Shave Oil Sensitive Skin - 15mls 

This little shaving oil is so compact but little goes a long way with this product. It lasted for nearly two weeks before it ran out, using it every couple days. It is actually a men’s product but i tend to prefer men’s shaving oil/foam to women’s for some reason (am i the only one?) It was handy to use as it comes out in a blue colour which makes shaving quicker. However, if you don’t rinse the razor properly it becomes clogged with oil. I think i would stick to my La Roche-Posay Homme Shaving Foam in the future. 

Do you prefer travel size or the standard size when you go away?

Insanity with Shaun T

Last year i embarked on a journey to become toned and fit

in a short space of time, while being completely healthy and in control. I turned to Shaun T. Insanity (the name gives it NO justice) is a 63 day high intensity workout DVD programme complete with a nutrition plan designed to give quick - but safe - results. Shaun T is your very own personal instructor who barks instructions such as "dig deep ya'll," "let's goooo!!" and "watch Tanya." To which i reply with a few swear words and the odd tantrum on the floor. There are ten different workouts to do which are split into three groups: the last four weeks are meant to be harder than the first four weeks, with a recovery week in between. 

Some shots of insane Insanity

Apparently you can lose up to 1000 calories in one 60 minute session. I kid you not i do sweat like a beast during all the workouts so i wouldn't be surprised. Also i take regular water breaks during the workout as those people in the video work like machines, i actually do not know how they do it!

I take pictures of my front, side and back and take down all my measurements before i started the actual workout programme,  then every week after. I love seeing the results and squeal at delight at my measurements. For me, the measurements are the most important: i'm quite heavy anyway so i don't really take notice of what the scales have to say.

So how am i doing? 

The first time i did it, i didn't stick to the nutrition plan but i followed the programme religiously. In the 63 days i did not skip one workout which im quite proud of myself for. I lost 5% body fat and went down a dress size :). I won't put up any before and after pictures as they are in my underwear but i will include my measurements.

That's a total of 8.5 inches lost altogether!

Im on day four of insanity at the moment. I woke up at 6am to do todays and when i say i hate getting up a minute early for anything, i HATE it. I was sulking at Shaun T during the first five minutes!

To be completely honest i don't really follow the nutrition guide properly, i just drink loads of water throughout the day and try and get a lot of greens and fruits in my diet. The worst part of it for me is to not skip breakfast! I think if i followed the guide i would get absolutely amazing results though. 

My tips

You HAVE to be committed. I cannot stress that enough. Last year i went on holiday with my work for two weeks and was getting up an extra hour early so i wouldn't have to face the intense Mallorcan heat. It feels like torture at first and i've ached in places that i didn't know existed. BUT after about a week you enjoy the feeling of feeling energised and actually look forward to the workout. It becomes addictive in a way.

It also helps to keep a little journal of how you are feeling during the progress. Furthermore you could ask someone to do it with you, even if they do it in their own home. Or you could even go online and join a forum of people who are also enduring it. I found that journalling and bitching about it to my friends really helped the process. Also looking at 'before' and 'after' videos on Youtube helped me when i had a hard day at work and just didn't feel like exercising. 

I like treat myself to a professional massage every now and again, as a reward of how well i'm doing.  Also, what i've been doing recently is "shopping my stash," by treating myself daily to the more high end products that i only usually use on special occasions. This is just to pamper myself for all my hard work!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcsewEUNkn4 - Shaun T speaks about Insanity on Youtube.

Click here to buy Insanity! - it is three monthly payments of £33.00 and £6.95 p&p. It seems like a lot of money but this isn't the last time i am going to do the programme. 

Clinique hair care - perfectly straight straightening cream

Clinique hair care - perfectly straight for medium/thick hair -150mls

My parents bought this for me for Christmas last year and it's just been sitting in my hair box since. As it was being abandoned i decided to try it out and if i didn't like it to give it away to someone who would appreciate it. Well i'm glad i tried it because i absolutely love it and it works really well for my hair type! My hair is naturally curly and it's not very often i blow dry or straighten my hair. I don't really like straightening my hair with my GHDs because i find my hair becomes limp and thin and greasy looking after just a few hours. This cream gives my hair a nice texture and shine to it without weighing it down and leaving my hair feeling greasy. I have medium length hair and i use about a 50p size amount all over (including the roots) and then style my hair as usual. The product states that is for medium/thick hair and i don't have thick hair at all so maybe if you have thick hair use a little bit more.

The picture on the left is after i used Clinique and quickly blow dried it (just with a paddle brush - i was in a rush). It's not incredibly straight as i don't like it styled to be poker straight: i like a little flick at the end. My hair lasts like this until the next time i wash it which is normally two or three days after. The picture on the right shows you just how curly my hair can be! I would give this product a 3/5. I like the smell and the consistency of the cream. I like how it leaves the hair shiny without leaving my hair greasy. However i think it is hard to purchase and it may have been discontinued since my mother purchased it. I found some travel ones on ebay but other than that i don't think anywhere else are selling them, which is a shame because i think it is a really nice product!