Author: Suzi Stamp

E is for Evening Skincare Routine

| Suzi Stamp

AtoZ2019E

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge is in its 5th day and that means today’s letter is E!  Today I am going to be sharing with you my Evening Skincare Routine!

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

***This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.***

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My skincare routine of an evening is really different to my morning skincare routine and focuses on cleansing, exfoliation, face masks and rehydrating my skin.

My skin is fairly dry and flaky due to an underactive thyroid in part and also due to the office environment that I work in though my t-zone can be oily on occasion and I get stress related eczema around my nose and on my forehead too.  I get the odd breakout of spots and blackheads, this last week my skin has been pretty bad because of the weather.  I wear make-up every day that I am in work but when I am at home I don’t really wear any make-up unless I am going out or having friends around for an evening in.

In the evening I like to remove my make up using Dr Organic Rose Otto Cleansing Milk with my facial brush.  I like using my facial brush as it loosens all the make-up, dirt and dead skin cells gently whilst also improving the skin circulation, it is a really gentle way for me to exfoliate without being too harsh on my skin.  I follow this up with Dr Organic Rose Otto Toner which removes all traces of cleanser and leaves my skin feeling really refreshed and helps to prepare my skin for the next step in my cleansing routine.

I use my Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1 Clay Mask-Scrub-Wash 2 times a week as a face scrub.  I have been using this product for a few years now and really like that the scrub particles are made from pumice which makes it a more eco-friendly scrub than some others which use plastic micro particles.  The pumice is really fine and works wonders on the drier parts of my skin leaving my skin bright and soft and less prone to break outs due to the eucalyptus and salicylic acid ingredients.

On other days I use Calm Skin Soothing Facial Wash from Superdrug, using my hands to apply and Facial Sponges to remove with hot water.  This face wash really helps to calm my skin and is really gentle without any drying effects.

Once a week, after I have double cleansed my skin I use a face mask.  I prefer to use a clay mask and love Skintruth Equalising Face Mask (which I had as part of a skincare set).  This face mask is salon quality and I found out about the brand through the Beauty Therapy course that I undertook a few years ago.  This mask has been formulated specially for Oily/Combination skin and is perfect for evening out my skin tone and balancing the dry/oily areas of my face.  I use this mask when I feel that my skin is becoming unbalanced and more oily in my t-zone.  I also love N-Spa Skin Glow Mud Mask (which you can get in Asda) and will rotate use of this with the Skintruth mask.  This mask has a very similar effect on my skin and balances out the oily/dry parts of my face.

When I need a bit more moisture I really like Creighton’s Photo Perfect Get Ready Mask. (I bought mine in Asda but they don’t seem to have it available on the website, Creighton’s site have it here though).  This mask is a creamy/jelly mask and is not drying like clay based masks which is brilliant to use when I have super dry patches of skin that are in need of a lot of moisture.  I like to use this mask when I have a hot bath as the steam and heat from the bath really open up your pores and help the product to penetrate the skin.  This mask always leaves my skin looking healthy, glowing, moisturised and peachy soft.

I always remove face masks with my facial sponges and warm water and follow with Dr Organic Rose Otto Toner to remove any last traces of mask from my skin.

I like to follow-up with moisturiser and will use Nivea Soft after I have exfoliated or used a clay based mask.  This is a thick cream which absorbs well into my skin and, come the morning, my skin feels more hydrated.  I use Superdrug Calm Skin Overnight Face Mask once or twice a week and apply to the areas of my face that are starting to look dull and de-hydrated more than applying all over my face as I find this quite a heavy product for my skin, that said, it works wonders and sorts my dry skin, and eczema patches out really nicely!

I also use Superdrug’s Calm Skin De-Stress Balancing Facial Oil in place of a moisturiser, usually after I have used Creightons Photo Perfect Get Ready Mask as it adds an extra shot of moisture to my skin and keeps it looking calm and smooth.

***This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a small commission for purchases made through these links.***

Top 10 Purchases

| Suzi Stamp

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Today, for my Top 10 series (you can find other posts here) I am sharing my Top 10 Purchases.  These items are things that I have purchased over time that I have found to be really useful day-to-day!

  1. My Bag.  You can read about what I carry around in my bag here!  I am still super impressed with this bag since I purchased it back in February.  I can’t believe how much it holds and how easy it is to find all my things.  And it is still looking brand new despite using it daily to and from work!Other Views
  2. Cafetière.  I can’t seem to survive without coffee and my cafetière is a constant in my life, whether it is beside me when I’m blogging, or snuggled on the sofa reading, it is never too far away.IMG_3015[1]
  3. Desk.  My desk is so important as it gives me a workspace that is away from the rest of the house.  It is my space to write and craft and suits me much better than working from my living room table or my coffee table in my living room.  When I sit down at my desk to work I become focused on that task and I get less distracted, which was a huge problem before I set up my desk area.  It gives me a sense of purpose.IMG_1591
  4. Salt Lamp.  I never thought a lamp could make that much difference to mood and how I feel.  I use this lamp of an evening, it is set up beside my bed on my bedside table and it really calms and relaxes me and gets me in the mood for sleeping.img_5132
  5. Kindle.  I’ve had my kindle for so many years and now it’s pretty ancient!  I read quite a lot, mostly at lunch times in work and at bed times and purchasing this was a good idea as I didn’t like to cart around a book with me, that and I like to have options when it comes to what I want to read and often I have 2 or 3 books on the go at once.  It has been everywhere with me too, accompanying me on holidays, to festivals and to and from work.img_1434
  6. Zebra Mildliners.  I love highlighters and these are really lovely to use.  I originally purchased them when I was really into bullet journalling and wanted a grey highlighter.  I love that these are not super bright, as the name suggests, these are mild toned.  They are also dual tipped, one end is the traditional highlighter tip and the other end is more like a marker pen which makes them perfect for highlighting and also for colouring in.
  7. img_1324Fountain Pens.  I love fountain pens, and the neon green one is my current go-to favorite.  I love how they make your handwriting look loads better and how they feel to write with.
  8. img_1319Filofax Malden.  The keeper of my brain and the organiser of my life.  I love that you can add different things depending on what you need, from task sheets, to do lists, note paper, drawing paper, diary inserts in loads of different formats.  My Filofax has been used in so many different ways and for different parts of my life and I can’t ever imagine being without it.
  9. img_0204Desk Planner Pad.  I keep this on my desk at home and write down anything that needs doing in the week.  It is a great reminder of what needs to be done, whether it is something to do with my blog, house work or phone calls to make.  I jot these things down when I think of them and then transfer to my Filofax if I need to.
  10. IMG_1571Organiser Sticky Notes.  I like that these sticky notes come in a cute little fold out book which makes them easy to keep with you and the mix of different styles is really useful for different things.  I use the lined notes for blog ideas, the grid for any figures I may need, and the other notes for smaller ideas or to mark pages in my Filofax.IMG_1565

D is for Decorating

| Suzi Stamp

This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

AtoZ2019D

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

Today’s Blogging from A – Z Challenge brings you the letter D and this post is all about decorating!

There is something really lovely, for me, about the whole decorating process, from choosing the colour scheme, the paints and finishing touches to actually starting the decorating process and then standing back and admiring your hard work once you have finished.  But, it doesn’t have to be all hard work, and you don’t need to decorate the whole room in order to refresh your decor, and you don’t always need to paint a wall or put up wallpaper in order to decorate either.  Heres some things you could consider when decorating…

Accent Wall or Feature

Painting or wallpapering one wall or accent feature of a room can refresh the decor really easily and quickly and there won’t be too much of a need to change furniture or soft furnishings much.  In my home I painted the recesses between the chimney breast, the archways in my dining area and the arch between the two rooms.  I painting the back wall part of the archway and chimney breast recesses one colour and then the side wall part another, contrasting colour.  This was quick and easy and required little time (or paint!) and was really cost-effective too.

 

 

You can see the back and side wall detail in the images above.  You could consider painting around windows or doors or even painting the backs of shelving units in order to introduce a pop of colour to your decor.

Tile Stickers/Decals

A simple way to update your bathroom or kitchen is to use tile stickers or decals.  These are really easy to apply and are usually either vinyl stickers that you peel and stick or decals that you soak in water and slide from the backing into place on the tile.  Both options are quick, fairly mess free and look really effective once in place.  There are lots of different sizes to fit most tiles so it is worth measuring the tile and then reading the product description carefully before purchasing.

Window Dressing

Windows let much-needed light and air into a room but that doesn’t mean that they have to be boring or plain.  Switching your curtains or other window dressing can breathe new life into a room without the need of paint and brushes.  Try changing dark, heavy curtains for lighter coloured ones in a softer fabric, adding nets or sheer voiles to your window instead of blinds.  If you have nets, try hanging them at a different height – nets don’t need to hang from the top of the window frame, you can hang them part way down the window so that they still offer privacy but let in more light at the top.  You could think about changing the hanging method of the curtains, instead of a curtain track change to a pole.  You could hang a pretty scarf, a piece of fabric or strings of beads over the pole to add interest to the window.

Photos and Pictures

Updating the photos and pictures you display is a really effective way of updating the look of a room.  You could theme your prints for the season or choose a black and white colour scheme.  There are lots of free photo editing apps and softwares available that let you change how a picture looks or try a print service like Photobox where you can edit the images and then have them printed and delivered straight to your door ready to frame.  Another way of updating your photos and images is to change the frames, try ornate frames instead of plain or vice versa.  You could even paint the frames in a colour of your choice to match in with other items in the room.

Soft Furnishings

Decorate your room using soft furnishings like cushions, throws or rugs.  Not only will this add a cozy factor to the room but it will add a visually attractive element too.  Play around with prints, textures, different fabrics and contrasting colours.  If you are really crafty and handy with a sewing machine you could make your own cushion covers really easily.  In the bedroom you could add a runner to the bed or different pillows for the bed or hang a tapestry to the wall.

Decorative Items

Adding ornaments and other decorative items can really bring a room up to date.  Try adding ornaments and other decorative items, like trinket boxes, candle sticks, dishes or vases, in similar tonal colours that clash with the wall colour.  You could remove items that you already have to create a feeling of more space or try adding items to add interest to selected areas.  Grouping similar themed items together on shelves is another visually attractive way of displaying items too.  Play around with how things are displayed and see how the items look together.

Lighting

Lighting can really change the mood of a room and how you view it.  Instead of always having the ceiling lights on why not introduce lamps into the room instead?  Changing the light shades or even the light fitting itself can really change the perception of a room too, instead of a singular bulb you could buy a fitting that has several bulbs instead, or change a fabric shade to one with glass beads attached.

Furniture

Changing your furniture can make a room feel really different, whether it’s getting a new sofa or table, adding a coffee table or removing a set of shelves.  You could have the sofa re-upholstered rather than spending on a new one, or try painting wooden furniture that you already have to update how it looks.  If you have a coffee table you could add a piece of coloured acrylic to the top of it or sandwich a pretty piece of wallpaper between the table surface and a sheet of clear acrylic.  One way I updated my desk was to use printed vinyl which was really cheap, quick and easy, and there are so many different patterns and colours that you can choose which would tie in with most interiors.

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Room Layout

Aside from physically decorating the room this is probably the one that will have the most impact.  Think about how the room is currently laid out and the placing of the furniture, how the room is used and who by, think of different ways the furniture can be laid and move them around.  the lovely thing about this is that if you don’t like it then you can move it around again and again and its sure to be something people will notice!

Which decorating ideas would you try?

 

 

C is for Crafts

| Suzi Stamp

AtoZ2019C

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

Today, the Blogging from A – Z Challenge is the letter C, and I thought I would do a post dedicated to crafts, crafts that I have tried and crafts that I would like to try at some point.  I will be sharing what these crafts are and why they appeal to me.

Crafts I have tried

  • Artist Trading Cards.  I discovered Artist Trading Cards (also known as ATC’s) several years ago through a friend on Live Journal (remember that blogging platform?!).  These are little works of art that are made on card that is 2.5 x 3.5 inches in size (the same size as playing cards).  The artist creates artwork on them that is, usually, in their normal style and then these would be traded with other artists, a bit like business cards would be traded among business persons.  I really liked making ATC’s as the size was perfect to create on and less daunting than a full size canvas and I liked how quickly you could make artwork.  I also liked how versatile you could be, trying new techniques or skills you have learned.  I have not made any for a while as I don’t have anyone to trade with….
  • Calligraphy.  Calligraphy is a really intricate and ornate form of handwriting that is undertaken with an ink pen and special pen nibs.  Sometime nibs are wide, others are really flexible and can produce a huge, stunning range of different effects.  You can find loads of videos on the internet of people practicing calligraphy and I’ve spent many an hour mesmerised by the whole process.  As with all hand lettering, this is something that you really need to take time over and practice to achieve really good effects.  I really wish I had the patience to sit and practice daily to improve my writing.
  • Candle Making.  I have written a whole post on candle making which you can find here.  I really like being able to make candles as presents and with the range of scent options available you can make something truly personalised to that persons style.  I have since started to make wax melts which is a perfect way to use up any left over wax and scents.
  • Card Making.  I started out making cards for friends and family back in the early 2000’s as I couldn’t always find cards that I liked or that were suitable.  I really enjoyed the whole process, from thinking about ideas for cards, hunting for the right papers and making embellishments to seeing the face of the receiver when I gave them the card I had spent time making.  I enjoyed it so much that I started to make and sell them.  I stopped making cards when I started uni as I didn’t have the time and my creative energies were spent on my class projects but I’m now slowly starting to get back into making cards for family and friends again.
  • Ceramics.  I played around with ceramics in the 90’s when I was in school and I really loved making things from clay and glazing and firing them.  I was never really sure how they would look until they came out of the oven so there was always an element of surprise.  I would really like to try this again but don’t have the space for a ceramics oven or the funds to be able to afford to take this up at present.
  • Collage.  I was not really interested in collage until I started my Foundation Degree in Art, Media and Design where we made boards of inspirational images to use as part of our research and development stage for projects.  I really like the look of some of the collages you can find online, some of them are really well thought out and clever.  I have been thinking about using a pinboard and making my own that I can change around whenever I fancy, full of quotes and images that I find inspirational.
  • Glass Painting.  I dabbled in glass painting a few years ago and decorated vases and bottles using old nail varnishes and a black fabric paint as the design outline.  The things I created were given away as gifts.   I like the idea that you can turn even a simple coffee jar into a work of art and the object gets a new lease of life instead of being binned.  I think that combining candle making with glass painting to create decorated candle holders with the hand-made candle inside would be a lovely way to mix these two skills.
  • Jewellery Making.  My interest in jewellery making started as a kid when my Mum and Dad bought me a book about jewellery that came with some beads and jewellery findings.  I devoured the book from cover to cover and then re-read it several times!  I made all the projects in the book and then went on to buy tons of seed beads from the local market.  I learned to weave them into patterns and made bracelets, necklaces, rings and ankle chains from them.  Since then I have branched out into making charms and key chains from lots of different things like shells and toys from crackers.  Jewellery making is really fun and you can make things as complicated or as simple as you want and it’s really nie to be able to wear something you have made and get compliments on it.
  • Knitting.  My Mum taught me how to knit when I was small though I never got further than the basics and can knit a pretty nifty scarf in basic stitch now.  I dip in and out of knitting but get frustrated because it takes a lot of time to create something as I am so slow.  I also find I have to really concentrate or I forget where I am and what I am doing and drop stitches and make other mistakes so it’s not something I tend to do.  I really admire people like my mum who seem to be able to create really lovely things like jumpers and toys and appreciate the effort and time that goes into this craft though it’s not really something I can see myself getting fully immersed in.
  • Polymer Clay.  Polymer clay is so versatile.  I an’t remember when I first discovered polymer clay so I must have been fairly small at the time but it is something I always have in my craft stash.  I have made beads from it, card toppers, little trinket dishes and little ornaments.  I love that this medium can be used for so many different things, doesn’t take up too much space and you can bake it in your home oven to harden it.  It is available now in so many finishes too.
  • Print Making.  When I was a kid I used to love carving up potatoes and making prints with them and since then I have tried other methods of print making including etching, lino printing, screen printing and something my college tutor called glue prints.  Glue prints are one of my favorites and really easy to do, all you need is some thick card and PVA glue and a print medium like paint or ink.  PVA glue is used to create the image you would like, and you build up areas with layers of glue and leave it to dry in between.  Once the layers are dry you apply your print medium then place it face down onto damp paper, rub the back of it then lift up.  I’ve not done this for a while but I do have plans and ideas that I would like to try at some point soon!
  • Scrapbooking.  Scrapbooking was a natural progression as it used the same skills, and items, that I had already gained from making cards.  I started out with a 12 x 12 inch scrapbook and papers and really liked to record my memories in a creative way.  Since then I have diversified and have used other sizes of scrapbook.  I currently have a La De Dah journal that I am using as a scrapbook.  I love that you can add anything and everything to a page, whether it be journal pages, quotes, images, embellishments and really, the only boundary is your imagination.

Crafts I’d like to try

  • Book Making.  I love the idea of making my own books to journal in and would love to use all sorts of different papers.  I have seen so many lovely hand-made books and really want to give this a go at some point in the future.  These would make really lovely presents too.
  • Felting.  I really would like to try my hand at felting different things.  From what I have seen, there are so many amazing things you can make felting from cute little critters to flowers and jewellery besides a whole host of other things.  I think that I would make some felt embellishments for cards and scrapbook pages.
  • Floristry.  Floristry seems to be a craft that could be really calming.  I like the idea of creating beautiful decorations for the home using flowers and greenery.  And there really is nothing better than the scent of fresh filling your home afterwards!
  • Macrame.  Macrame is the art of knotting strings and has become really big in the last few years and can be found in wall hangings and plant holders, bags and other decorative objects.  I love the look of some of the wall hangings that have been made using the macrame technique and really would like to give it a go to create something of my own to hang up.
  • Mosaics.  I have always loved the look of mosaics and how versatile it can be in interiors, from frames to vases, table tops and floors, it is a way of injecting interest, pattern and colour to a range of different objects.  I like that you can create a mosaic using all manner of materials not just coloured tiles.
  • Soap Making.  I would like to learn how to make my own soaps and create my own scent for them and make different soaps for different types of skin.  These would be lovely to gift to friends and family as well.

 

B is for Beauty

| Suzi Stamp

Today is the second post in the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge.  If you would like to read more of this series of posts you can find them here.

AtoZ2019B

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

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Beauty, so it has been said, comes from within but, sometimes, we all need a little help with the outside too in the form of makeup.  Today, as part of the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge, and today being the letter B I’m going to share with you the beauty items that I use.

Primer

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I use the Flawless Original Primer by Barry M as my base for my make up application.  I really like this primer as it’s not sticky like some primers can be, it is really easy to apply and you only need a tiny amount.  When I use this my foundation applies really nicely and seems to last a really long time compared to when I apply foundation without a primer.

Foundation

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I currently flit between 2 different foundations W7 Genius Feather Light Foundation in Buff or Collection Illuminating Touch Foundation in Warm Vanilla, depending on the type of coverage I need.  The W7 foundation has a fairly light coverage, the consistency is really runny but it blends well and dries to a powder like finish which I love as I can save a little bit of time by then skipping powder.  I love that this has a dropper applicator that gives a precision application directly where you need it, I then blend with a beauty blender for the best finish.  The Collection foundation is a slightly darker tone but matches my skin tone perfectly.  This has a pump top and it has a nice, thick consistency.  I have found that you need to work quickly with this product as it seems to set quite fast though I do like to use a powder once I have applied the foundation just to make sure it is fully set.  I like that this product is a fuller coverage and is brilliant for when my skin is not looking its best.

Concealer

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I use Maybelline Dream Brightening Creamy Concealer in Light I love that this concealer is a pencil design and twists up from the base to access more product.  I use this before foundation under my eyes to illuminate the area and after foundation to conceal any spots or blemishes that may not have been covered by foundation alone.

Powder

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I use Revolution Luxury Banana Baking Powder to set my foundation.  I really like that this powder is really fine and helps to brighten my skin tone.  Under the twist off lid is a salt and pepper type of shaker lid and I sprinkle this onto a buffing brush before applying over my foundation.

Contour

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I use the Collection Highlight, Blush and Bronze Trio for contouring, though as you can see, I have hit pan on the blush so I only really use this pallet for the highlight and the contour now.  I really like that this product is easy to apply and blends really well.  I use a contour brush to apply the powder and an angled blush brush to apply the highlighter.  The only thing I dislike is that the highlighter seems to be a bit hard in places so it looks weird in the pan but it doesn’t seem to affect the application.

Blush

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Technically this is a highlighter and not a blush but the pink tone of this Revolution Rose Gold Ingot Highlighter lends itself well to being a dual purpose product – a highlighter and blush all in one!  This product is not too sparkly or overly shiny but adds a warmth and a golden tone to cheekbones which looks really pretty.  I love using this product on bare skin and with foundation, either use makes me look really healthy!  And this is the third purchase of this product I have made!

Highlighter

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This highlighter pallet, Revolution Ultra Cool Glow, is my favorite to reach for when I am going out for the evening.  I love the variety of different coloured highlighters and like to match them to my eyeshadow colour or the colour of the outfit I’m wearing.  A little goes a long way with this product as they are super pigmented and bright.  And, I have a confession to make, when I bought this product I didn’t realise it was a highlighter pallet, I was looking for an eyeshadow pallet that I could take with me to a festival and grabbed this quickly in a rush… but, I do love a product that has a dual purpose and these highlighter colours have made really nice eyeshadows too!

Eyeshadow

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These eyeshadow products are my go to shadows.  The first is the Make Up Academy pallet in Poptastic (which seems to be discontinued though the Silent Disco Pallet seems to be very similar….), the second are loose powders from the Sugar Skull Collection by Concrete Minerals (I have the full set of these and also the Zombie Girl Collection)  These shadows seem super bright in the pan and pots but all have a really buildable colour, blend really easily and you can create so many different looks with each collection.  I don’t always wear these together, sometimes I use a grey or silver shade as a base and add a pop of colour along the socket line or combine 2 or 3 different shades to create a super colourful smokey eye.

Eyeliner and Mascara

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I like to use different mascara and eyeliner depending on the look I am going for.  Day-to-day I tend to use George Va Va Volume Mascara – Black as it doesn’t tend to flake or smudge and just enhances my lashes a bit.  It is also really easy to remove which is a plus on week nights!  I like using Model Co Eye Define Pencil – Black for a softer eye look and this pencil is perfect.  It is soft and doesn’t drag the skin, is really easy to smudge out if I want a softer, more subtle look or can be left as it is for a more defined look.  I like to use Collection Extreme Coloured Lengthening Mascara – Black if I am going to be going out after work or on the weekend if I am out as it really defines my eyes and makes me look more awake.  And it is true to its word – it really does add length to the lashes with just one swipe!  And for a more defined, cat eye look I really love Essence Superfine Eyeliner Pen – Black as it is a felt pen design and is has a really accurate, precision application which is just what you want for a sharp eyeliner look.

Fix

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I really loved this product but it was discontinued a while ago.  I was really lucky to snag myself a few of these from Amazon not too long ago but I’m down to this last bottle.  Collection now do another spray for setting make up with called Primed and Ready Make Up Fixing Spray which I am considering getting once I run out of this.  This spray is fab for fixing make up in place once you have finished applying it, the handy spray pump ensures that the product mists finely over the skin and covers well.

Lipstick

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Rimmel London Kate Moss Lasting Finish shade 107 is one of my favorite shades of lipstick.  It is not too dark or light, can pull any make up look together and the shade is good for day or night.  I really like the formula, it is creamy and feels moisturising, it lasts a fair few hours and doesn’t seem to bleed or feather.  I really like all the Kate Moss lipsticks and own a few darker shades that are perfect for evenings.

What are your go to beauty/make up products?

Asperger’s and Me

| Suzi Stamp

I have Aspergers, or as some would say “high functioning autism”, though I hate the “high functioning” part.  If you have flu, it’s neither described as “mild flu” or “heavy flu” or anything like that, it’s just the flu.  So I have Aspergers, or autism.

“Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger’s, is a developmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests.” (Wikipedia)

I was diagnosed back in the autumn of 2017 though I had an idea way before that, back in 2015, that I had Asperger’s.  It was a relief to get my diagnosis, I finally knew that I wasn’t the weird kid obsessed with art and stationery who was easily overwhelmed by things.  And neither was I the loner that was forever seeking acceptance from the other kids at school.

This presents several issues to me – I have a difficulty in verbalizing things and often have no idea what to say, sometimes what I do say can be classed as inappropriate.  I get overwhelmed by certain things, like certain noises or tones of noise and it can be difficult for me to follow a conversation in noisy atmospheres.  I have difficulty processing things like feelings and can bottle things up until I erupt.  I don’t handle stress particularly well, and can get stressed out pretty easily in certain situations.  I have a hard time concentrating if there is too much noise or other triggering factors.  I don’t like being interrupted when I am working on something as I like to focus fully on that and that alone, this means it can be hard for me to switch my focus to something else and then return to what I was doing before.  I talk too much about the same subjects, usually something I’m super interested in which can mean that I monopolise conversations.  I have a hard time deciphering what people can mean and need people to be really clear in what they say.

But, it’s not all bad…. I love arts and crafts and am really creative.  I do something with a high degree of attention and focus and have an eye for details which others may have missed.  When I set my mind to something I will work hard at it.  I’m a really fast learner, probably because I enjoy learning.  I love researching topics and knowing the ins and outs, whys and whats of subjects and will read every book or article about that topic too.  I have a BA (Hons) in Photographic Art and have a job.

Aspergers is just me, or I am just Aspergers and it is part of me.  I don’t really think about the fact that I have it, to me it is just part of my personality.

Recipe of the Month – April

| Suzi Stamp

I love this recipe for a Mediterranean Wild Mushroom Pie, not only is it lovely hot with vegetables but it is perfect to have cold with a salad or as part of a picnic or lunchbox feast!

The original recipe can be found on the Vegan Recipe Club website.

Ingredients:

1 (500g) block of vegan shortcrust pastry ( I have used JusRoll which is available in most supermarkets or Genius brand pastry)
1 large onion
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 fat clove garlic, crushed
200g squash or pumpkin, in small pieces (though I have used aubergine in place of squash)
2 small courgettes, cut in thin slices
250g wild mushrooms, halved or sliced  (Or mixed mushrooms – I have used chestnut and white button mushrooms)
15g fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
100ml dairy-free cream (e.g. Oatly)
2 tbsp sundried tomato paste (or basic tomato puree)

Method:

1. Roll out the pastry and line a flan tray with a loose bottom with the pastry. Remove any excess pastry around the rim of the tray and blind bake (* see below) for 15 minutes at 200˚C.

2. Remove the pastry from the oven and leave to cool while making the filling.

3. Cut and slice the onion finely before sauté it in a pan with vegetable oil for a few minutes. Crush the garlic and add to the pan.  Cut and cube the squash and add in with the onions and garlic. Stir over heat until the squash begins to soften.  Once the squash has softened you can then add in thinly sliced courgettes, mushrooms and roughly chopped parsley. Stir together and add any salt, pepper or other seasoning you may require.
4. Add the cream and tomato puree into the pan and stir through until all ingredients are combined.  Taste and add further seasoning if needed.

5. Add the filling to the flan dish and then bake in the oven for around 20 mins at 200˚C until the pastry is golden.  Keep checking so that the pastry doesn’t burn.

 

* To blind bake, place pastry in baking tray and cover with a piece of baking paper. Weigh it down with ceramic baking beans or regular dried beans. Any excess pastry can be made into decorations or kept in the fridge for a couple of days.

A is for Apps

| Suzi Stamp

AtoZ2019A

You can find information about the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge here or read the rest of my A to Z posts by following this link.

A is for Apps

Today kicks off the April A-Z blog Challenge (you can find all other related posts of mine here (for all related A-Z posts) and here (for all blog challenge posts)).  I have chosen the topic of Apps for this first post.

I’ve not long upgraded my phone from an iPhone 6 with a memory capacity of 16gb to an iPhone 8 with 64gb of memory space and what a game changer that has been!  I found, with my 6 that I was always having to back up my photos and delete things from my phone as it was constantly full, usually it was images that took up all the memory space.  I hardly had any apps as I didn’t really have the space for them and only had basic ones that I used constantly on my phone.

I have so many apps now, I don’t really want to count how many… but today I’m going to share with you some of the ones I have on my phone and let you know what I like or dislike about them.  I shall place them in the categories I have them in on my phone.

1

  • Readercoin I downloaded this a few months ago.  It is an app that you can read books or listen to audio on, and you earn “coins” by reading or listening and giving feedback.  I like the concept and really enjoy reading but, the books available on the app are either really old books or they are not very well written.  And I’m not that keen on reading on my phone.  That being said, I like having it on my phone incase I forget my kindle at any point or have some extra time to kill.  I’ve not used the audio part of this yet so I can’t comment on that.
  • Weather Live  I use this app, not particularly regularly as I’m mostly indoors, but if I have plans to go out for the day or want to do something outside then this is weather app is the one I use.  It seems to give the most accurate weather for where I am.  I really like that there is a section on the app that lets you report what your weather is doing if it is different to the weather report.  I’m not so keen on the pop up ads, and to get rid of them you have to pay which, for the amount I use it I’m just going to put up with them.
  • Bitmoji  I downloaded this last month and wish I had downloaded it a lot sooner! If you don’t know what Bitmoji is, it’s an app that lets you make your own avatar.  You can customise hair, accessories, clothes and loads of other things too!  It makes sending texts and WhatsApp messages more interesting!

2

  • Enlight This is a photo editing app that I have used for several years.  It is a fairly simple app to use and I like the different effects you can add to images and that there is so much creativity in this app, such as blending 2 images together.
  • PS Express Another photo editing app that I have used for years.  I tend to use this app for fine details such as red-eye reduction and blemish removal as the control in the app is really good.
  • LogoScopic  I’ve had this app since just before I started this blog.  I downloaded it as I wanted an app that was easy to use to create logos with.  This app was probably the best one that I downloaded out of several and the one that I have stuck with.  It is really easy to use and you are able to create custom logos quickly.  The only thing that I don’t really like is that there is no feature to view all logos, each category of logo has several folders of images that you can customise but you need to scroll through them all which can be a bit annoying.
  • Canva  I only recently discovered Canva but it’s now one of my go-to apps for creating Instagram pictures and all sorts of other graphics for the internet!  I’m still learning all about this app and what it can do but so far I have not found anything to dislike about it!
  • ColorStory  I’ve yet to use this app but I downloaded it after reading about it in a magazine.  I was intrigued as the app has been designed by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman who created A Beautiful Mess (which I used to love for the filters!) so I thought I would download this and give it a go at some point!

3

  • Calm  This app is really useful and I like to use it when I can feel stress, anxiety and panic starting to build.  I put my headphones in and use the breathe section which helps to regulate breathing and just focus on the breath and really helps to control those panicky feelings.  I also really like the scenes section where you can choose different background nature sounds to play, and if you go back to the home screen of the app a video will play the chosen scene.
  • Insight Timer  Insight Timer is something that I downloaded after undertaking a mindfulness course around 2 years ago.  Though I don’t use this app much anymore I do like that you can choose length of meditation, what sort of meditation you want (spoken word, sounds etc) and there is a vast number of different meditations to choose from.  For me, the only problem is the sheer amount that you can choose as I can take forever to select a meditiation and I waste more time looking for a meditation to follow than actually meditating.
  • Breethe  I’ve not used this app for a while but still keep it on my phone as the free meditations are really good.  I used to like listening to the “Wake Up with Intention” meditation in the mornings but got out of the habit when I was off from work.  There are a few good free things with this app but I found a lot of the content you have to be a subscriber to access and for me that cost is way too expensive.
  • Headspace  This is another app that I’ve not used since switching phones.  I did love that it would send through little notifications in the day called “Mindful Moments”, I chose to have 4 sent through a day but you could set it for as many as 5 times a day.  I also liked that you could set a reminder for meditation at different points in the day too.  Again, the only thing I’m not too keen on with this app is that there is a huge cost involved with unlocking all the content which I just can’t afford.
  • MoodNotes  I’ve been using MoodNotes since November.  It is a kind of emotions journal where you can record how you are feeling along with a diary entry.  You can then choose to add further emotions to your entry, both negative and positive.  There is a section with questions that you can use to “enrich” your entry and helps you to look at things from a different perspective or analyse your thoughts and feelings surrounding journal events.  I find this app really useful as there are analytic sections that show data including mood trends and insights that cover mood over time where you can see percentages of how your mood has been.

4

  • TouchNote  This app makes sending your own personalised cards and postcards really easy and quick!  I downloaded this a few years ago before going on holidays as I wanted to be able to send postcards to my family and not have to worry about finding a post box or stamps on the way!  This app made sending postcards so easy and it was lovely to take photos specifically to make into postcards too.
  • Thortful  Another card sending app, this one supports artists who have designed the cards.  There are so many to choose from which would suit anyones taste and style.  The cards are printed on really lovely quality cardstock and can be sent straight to the intended person or sent to you to give to the recipient.  I use this company fairly regularly and am always impressed that the cards turn up on time and are really good quality!

5

  • Forks Over Knives I use this app when looking for new recipes to try out and there are so many to choose from!  The layout of the app is really easy to navigate and the recipes are broken down into type – breakfast items, sides and salads etc, so you can always find appropriate dishes for each meal time!  I’ve not yet used the resources section where you can find things like meal planning and a Cooking School.  I have used the shopping list section which is really useful when you have decided on a recipe and can add the ingredients you need to the list.
  • Foodsaurus  I’ve yet to use this app but it is a translation service for ingredients into different languages.  I can’t remember why I downloaded this app but I remember thinking that it may come in useful one day.  The time has not yet come to find out though….
  • Olio  This is such a good idea.  It’s a bit like freecycle but for food items that you may have overstocked on, tried once and didn’t like or items that are close to their use by date that you are not going to use or items in your food cupboard that you know you won’t get around to using.  You can advertise the food on this app or find food in your area that may otherwise end up being binned.  And with so much food waste going on worldwide I really think this is a fab idea!  Unfortunately, not many people in my area seem to know about the app or use it so it’s been a bit hit and miss but I totally recommend it and is something that I really would like to see people using more!

6

The above apps I have not really used yet but downloaded as I wanted to explore ways of scheduling my content to go live on Instagram and Twitter and getting more creative with my Instagram feed.  I did schedule a post from Tailwind but even though it said it had posted to my Instagram it hadn’t and I’m not sure why.  These are apps that I’m interested to have a play around with and find which one works best for me over time.

  • Wunderlist  I used to use the Notes app to keep a running list of things that I needed to do, usually all the different things I needed to get done were all bundled together into one note and it was really disorganised.  I found Wunderlist through a friends recommendation and love that I can make lists of differnt things and switch from one list to another so easily and add subtasks too, for example I can add “write beauty post” to my Blog list then add subtasks for that particular thing like “research moisturizer, take photos of products” etc rather than list them as individual tasks.  It really helps me to keep on track with what needs doing for each big task.

7

  • The Moon Calendar  I’ve had this on my phone for ages, so long, in fact, that I can’t really remember a time when I didn’t have the app.  I love this app, it tells you about the moon cycle on a day-to-day basis, gives you ideas for self-care and different rituals, has a to-do list, intentions that you can add your own things to (like quotes and photos) and a journal section.  (I did pay for some of the functions on this app through a gift card I had for my Birthday).
  • Countdown!!  I use this app pretty infrequently but I do have count downs active on there as I really like knowing how long until or since certain events (like my Birthday, how long I’ve had this blog, how long I’ve been in my home, how long until Roxy’s Birthday etc…).  I find this app super interesting and easy to use and it adds a sense of excitement to events that are coming up too!

What apps do you have on your phone that you would recommend?  What are your thoughts on my apps?