Blogs Worth Bookmarking #8

Seeing as everyone seems to writing seasonal content (don't get me wrong, I am definitely not complaining; I've got some great Spring outfit inspiration for some of these blogs); I thought it would be fun to do a 'blogs worth bookmarking' based around Springtime posts. Sitting in our airport waiting to board your flights can be somewhat dull - especially when you've looked around all the duty-free shops and your arm is about to fall off because your hand luggage is super heavy. So, whilst I spent half my time watching Lilo & Stitch and getting super over-excited about the fact that I was waiting to board a flight to DisneyWORLD, Florida; I delved into BlogLovin' and found some rather interesting reads and blogs worth a bookmark... 

Lauren Ellen

This was a recommended blog that I found on another blog, when I was working my way through BlogLovin, one blog at a time. Definitely a new favourite and one that I am certainly keeping in my bookmark folder. 

Carly Grant
I've taken plenty of fashion advice and inspiration from this blogs; I'm loving the Springtime outfits - #goals

Poppy Deyes
Every person needs a 'go-to' lifestyle blog and this is mine...

Pack Your Passport
This lifestyle yet travelling blog is great but it is kind of super bad for me to keep reading; I mean, not in a bad way; on one hand it is an incredible read and there is some great advice within these posts but it is just encouraging reminding me that I should go out and travel/see the world, whilst I'm still young - #travelenvy 

Nettle and Blackberry
How cute is the name of this blog? Seriously? With incredible product reviews and lifestyle tips and guidance; this blog is a must-read on a weekly basis. 

Until the next bookmarking session, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

Life Lately #2

Just to give you a sneak preview of what's happening in my life currently; whilst you're reading this imagine two twenty-one year old girls running around DisneyWORLD, with a pair of Minnie Mouse ears on their heads. Such cool kids, right? Anywho, as we are currently loving life in Disney; here a just a few other things (including Disney) that I've been up to lately... 

NEW PLACES TO SHOP
Addicted in an understatement. Seriously, I'm surprised my bank haven't got in touch with me yet to about how much I've been purchasing from Oliver Bonas & Esty recently. If you want something there is no doubt that Oliver Bonas and/or Esty has got in stock; I think the problem is I tend to find things on there that I don't really need but actually I just convince myself that I need it and I will find use for it. Recently I've purchased a large number of trinket dishes, make up brush pots and quoted frames; yeah I think I need to take a break. Oops. 

THE HOLIDAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED! 
It's finally arrived and my excitement is about to erupt like a volcano. After waiting three months since booking this holiday, there is nothing more excited than meeting up with one of my best gal pals before heading to Gatwick to fly to Disney, Orlando. Ekkkkk! Whilst you're reading this post, I'll no doubt be running around Disney with a selfie stick in hand and Minnie Mouse ears on my head - yes I'm twenty-one and no I don't care! No doubt you'll hear all about my Disney holiday very soon! 

HEALTHY EATING 
Since my last 'that's life', I've been really into getting healthy and eating healthy - no doubt that will be straight out of the window, when I get to America - anywho, I've been really good lately; no snacks, unhealthy meals and I've been hitting the gym regularly. Everything I bake has had a healthy/fruity twist to it; seriously cinnamon and berry granola and apple flapjack are now my two go-to bakes for Summer 2016, I just can't seem to get enough. 

FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

1. When a client tells you personally that you've done a good job! 
2. Having fresh flowers in the house.
3. Being able to have the windows open all day without the risk of freezing to death. 
4. Everyone being incredibly happy and friendly because the sun is finally out. 
5. Finally being able to be in complete holiday mode! 

Until the next time, once again that's life; Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

What's in my Hand Luggage | Long-Haul Edition

Guess who is finally off on their holidays! That's right, me! Whilst you're reading this I am currently sat in Gatwick airport waiting to board my flight to Florida - thank goodness for blog schedulers! Finally after three months (I know three months isn't a long time but it certainly feels like it when you're waiting for a holiday) my best friend and I are jet setting - via Virgin Atlantic - across the pond for ten full-filled, Disney packed and Americanisation days in Orlando, Florida. *Air Grab* It's going to be strange having not seen much sunshine since my last holiday back in June, when I headed off to Portugal with my university chicks for seven whole days of cocktails, sunshine and the high life since we had just finished university. When heading off on holiday, I think the worse possible thing to try and work out is what you're going to wear on the flight; mainly because it's normally freezing in England and boiling wherever you're heading.

Any who, since this is my first long-haul flight across the pond; I instantly turn to our good old friend, Google, to look for what hand luggage essentials are must on a long-haul flight. There were a few essentials that I take with my on every flight; no matter if it's long or short, I go nowhere without the latest technology and painkillers by my side. Oh and no flight would be complete without a tube of Pringles or two - Sour Cream and Onion to be exact.

Here a few things that I will be chucking into my hand luggage, to keep me occupied during my nine hour flight to Florida:

The Beauty Must-Haves

• Simple Kind to Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes
• Nivea Pearl & Beauty Anti-Perspirant Roll On 
• Carex Aloe Vera Antibacterical Hand Gel 
• Hairbands 
• Nivea Smooth Nourishing Hand Cream: I love this stuff, it would've have unexpectable for me to leave it behind. 
• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion: Aeroplanes make my skin so dry. 
• Vaseline Lip Balm - Rosy Pink: There is nothing worse than having dry skin and lips. 
• Garnier BB Cream: Easy to apply, and adds a little colour, so I don't standout as a pale English man. 
• Bourjois Paris Healthy Balance Powder - No. 53 
• Powder brush 
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste: A fresh breath is needed when you've been on a nine hour flight! 

The Entertainment and Technology

• 2-in-1 Neck Pillow 
• Sony Headphones: Sometimes, in-ear phones get a little comfortable. 
• In-Earphones: Suitable for a nap when needed. 
• Eyelashes Eye Mask: There always seems to be one person on the aeroplane, who like to have the light on when you're trying to sleep - so I'm coming prepared! 
• iPad: Including Pitch Perfect & Tangled - Classic movies, if I do say so myself!
• Books: 'All The Bright Places - Jennifer Nixon' and 'Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty' 
• Fluffy socks: There is nothing worse than cold (especially cold feet) on an aeroplane because it takes forever to warm up again. 

The 'Can't Leave Home Without Otherwise You Really Won't Be Going On Holiday' items 

• Travel Wallet: (including US Dollars, Passport, Train Tickets, ESTA and Disney & Universal tickets) 
• River Island Purse 
• iPhone 6: Uploaded with kick-ass tunes and plenty of memory space for selfies. 
• Principle Sunglasses: Need to be prepared when I land across the pond; bring on the sunshine! 

Until I've landed across the pond, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

April Favourites

Just to bring some reality into this blog post; we're one quarter of the way through 2016 - seriously Christmas and New Year feels like a lifetime ago. Anywho, writing my April favourites is rather exciting; why you might asked well for one, it's the end of another glorious but rather hectic month of working life and second, it means FLORIDA IS ALMOST HERE! In fact this post comes to you from a girl sat on the train heading to Gatwick as you read - everybody put your hands in the air like you just don't care! *insert monkey with hands over its eye here*. 

Two of my proudest moment during the month of April were;

1. I motivated myself enough to go to gym consistently - if you know me this is a big deal; most of the time I would rather sat at home and eat multiple packs of Cadburys chocolate fingers rather than hit the gym. 

2. I managed to pack my suitcase to Florida without having to sit on it to close it and I was under the weight limit too. *Air Grab* Seriously when I flew to Portugal with my university chicks last year; my case was overflowing and I was only going for week but Florida I'm going for ten days - how does that work? 

Anyway in amongst of all the chaos what with working life, holiday shopping and a social life, I've still managed to find a few favourites...

1. Arian Oil Shampoo & Conditioner 

With the Great British weather unfortunately not on our side, my hair has taken a turn for the worse - seriously Snow in April? What's that all about? And it seems we've had every storm in the English alphabet past through our country in the last few months; no wonder my hair needs some help. I love the results, my hair feels silky and shiny and I can really see the difference, it is making to my hair. The smell is incredible and you only need a pea-sized of both shampoo and conditioner; which saves on re-purchasing and costs dramatically. 

2. Monin Amaretto Coffee Syrup 

Since trying Amaretto Chocolate Brownie at Christmas; I've been on the hunt for Amaretto Syrup to flavour my regular-sized weekend lattes. Thank you Dolce Gusto and Monin, for bringing some amazing things in our lives. Pre-warning, you can not Amaretto syrup in shops; I've looked everywhere, no luck as of yet. However my hunt comes to an end, when I remembered my trusty sidekick, Amazon. So my Spring afternoons are now very much spend sitting in the back garden (weather depending, of course) with a Amaretto flavoured latte in one hand and probably some form of cake in the other. 

3. Nails Inc Superfood Base Coat and Kensington Caviar Top Coat 

Don't you hate it when you've just painted your nails and one chipped almost instantly? Well not anymore; it's true what they say, go from something a little more extensive and it 100% works. Over the years, I've bought many top and base coats for my nails but not have seemed to have the desired effect and certainly haven't done what it's says they will do. At £14 per bottle, it is a little more than I would normally pay but still it's the best top and base cost since sliced bread; this colour on my nails at the moment has been one for two weeks and guess what... No Chips! 

4. My Disney Experience App  

If this app wasn't in my favourites his month, I would have seriously been surprised. Not only can I countdown to my holiday, I am also plan my holiday from England; from what rides we want to go to booking breakfast with the characters - I think I'm slowly convincing my friend, who I'm going to Florida with, that breakfast with the characters is a must! Not to mention, instead of waiting in queues for hours (you know how us British folk like to queue) we can book our fast pass passes through this app, so no more waiting in line for us. 

NOTE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TO FLORIDA - This app may have been around for a while but I've never been to Florida; so please be patient whilst I catch up with excitement. 

5. Vaseline Body Moisturiser 

Just like my lifeless, winter batter hair; my skin has unfortunately taken a beaten from this wild Great British weather that we've been having lately too. Not cool. So, as any normal girl would, I hit Google and started to look for the best moisturiser I could find - obviously it needed to have a reasonable price tag; I found one body moisturiser for £48. *insert shocked face emoji here* Vaseline have done body moisturisers for a while now but I always found the cocoa butter one really greasy but that was quite a few year since I lasted used it, so I thought why the heck not, lets try it again. I'm so glad I did. It's not greasy in the slightest, it's soft, smooth and has amazing coverage on my skin and the best part is you don't need a lot either. 

Until the next time, when hopefully my favourites will be filled with items from my Florida holiday, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

Spring Spotify Playlist

This post comes to you written by a girl, who is a little over excited (and hopped up on one too many Gingerbread lattes... Oops!) that the countdown to her holiday is down to single digits but also the fact that Spring has well and truly arrived in Britain. The thought of iced-lattes, long countryside walks and fresh flowers in every room indeed makes the thoughts of Spring amazing. Anywho, with the change in seasons, I thought that there was nothing better than accompanying my long countryside walks or morning commutes to work with a kick-ass Spring Spotify Playlist; so here are my chosen tracks for Spring 2016:  

1. Fifth Harmony - Work From Home 

This is my official jam for 2016. Seriously, where do I sign up to become a member of Fifth Harmony? #FriendshipGoals 

2. Little Mix ft Sean Paul - Hair 

After their Brits performance, I didnt think they could top it. Seriously, this music video is #Goals; I'm officially a 2016 #Mixer

3. The 1975 - The Sound

4. Ellie Goulding - Army

Never a massive fan of Ellie Goulding but she is starting to really grow on me; I think this song I've had on repeat numerous times this month. 

5. Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend
6. Randy Newman - You Got A Friend in Me 
(Toy Story Soundtrack) 

7. One Direction - History

Um, it's the last song that One Direction are going to release for a while; of course I'm going to treasure it but listening to it over and over again. 

8. The 1975 - Chocolate

A classic; even if I do say so myself! 

9. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman

#StrongIndependentWomen 

10. Meghan Trainor - No

11. The Lion King Soundtrack - I Just Can't Wait to Be King 
A classic, even if I do say so myself! 

12. Mandy Moore - When Will My Life Begin 
(Tangled Soundtrack)

13. Lawson - Money

14. Nick Jona ft Tove Lo - Close 

Radio 1 Big Weekend #Exeter; come at me! 

15. Twenty One Pilots - Stressed Out 

16. Coldplay - Adventure Of A Lifetime

It seems a lot of boy bands are 'on a break' at the moment but Coldplay will never disappoint 

17. Charlie Puth - One Call Away 

18. Nathan Sykes - Give it up 

I may or may not have a little soft spot for him *inset monkey with hands over eyes emoji here* 

19. Add Disney songs x 8 

I'm heading off to DisneyWORLD, Florida in a matter of days, it would be rude not to have Disney songs on my playlist (to be honest, it would be wrong not to have them on my playlist, even if I wasn't going!) 

20. Idina Menzel - Let It Go 
(Frozen Soundtrack) - Every Disney-loving individual will know why this song is in my playlist. That's right, its amazing! 

21. The Jungle Book Soundtrack - The Bare Necessities 
Who doesn't love Baloo the Bear? 

22. Jodi Benson - Part of Your World 
(Little Mermaid Soundtrack) 

23. Mandy Moore ft. Zachary Levi - I See The Light 
(Tangled Soundtrack) 

24. One Direction - Drag Me Down 
Uhh Hello! It was filmed in NASA and will forever be an incredible song! 

Until the next seasonal Spotify playlist comes about, Au Revoir!
Love,
Lauren xo 

Cinnamon & Berry Granola Bars

When it comes to a healthy snack, you just can't beat a good bar of granola. Especially when the mixture consists of cinnamon and plenty of berries. This simple, easy to follow recipe makes granola-baking easy and they are perfect for breakfast, a mid-morning or late afternoon snack and after a workout. I love the soft flapjack texture with the sweet taste of cinnamon and berries that follow; add a morning cup of coffee into the equation, it's the perfect mix. Believe me when I say once you start granola-baking, you'll never look back... 

As the summer is fast approaching, it's time to think healthy and I know, putting nuts, seeds and berries into baked goods isn't everybodies cup of tea, but that's the beauty with granola, you can pretty much add or take away any ingredients that you want too; you could even give Mary Berry a run for her money... 

 Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes | Makes: 12

GRANOLA INGREDIENTS:

• 100g Butter 
• 200g Porridge Oat 
• 100g Sunflower Seeds 
• 100g Sesame Seeds 
• 50g Chopped Walnuts 
• 3 Tbsp Clear Set Honey 
• 100g Light Muscovado Sugar 
• 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 
• 100g Dried Fruit {Cranberries, Blueberries, Cherries or a mix!}

HOW TO MAKE: 

1. Pre-heat oven at 160c (or fan 140c or gas mark 3 - pending on your style of oven!) 
2. Line your choosen baking dish with greaseproof paper and butter, in order to stop your granola from sticking to the baking dish. 
3. Mix up all your oats, seeds (sesame and sunflower) and nuts in a mixing bowl; once mixed pour into a deep roasting dish and place in the oven for 10 minutes until lighter toasted. 
4. Whilst your seeds, oats and nuts are turning golden, warm the butter, honey and sugar in a plan on a low heat, stirring until the butter has completely melted. 
5. Once melted, remove the oats from the oven and add into your melted butter, along with 2 teaspoons of Cinnamon and 100g of dried fruit; leave on the hob and mix until all the oats are well coated.
6. Once mixed, tip the content into your lined baking dish and press down lightly with a metal spoons until even. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes. 
8. After 30 minutes remove from the oven and leave to cool in the baking dish; once cooled remove from the baking dish and cut into twelve bars. 

Until the next baking bonanza, Au Revoir! 

Love, 

Lauren xo 

Life Lately #1

Am I currently sat here writing this post whilst consuming a vast amount of Easter egg chocolate? Yes. Yes I am indeed. But what can I say, that's life. But it got me thinking... Every Friday night I think about having two full days all to myself; no work, no commitments, I can do what I want, when I want and then BANG! By Sunday evening, I am wondering where the weekend went, setting my alarm for 6:30am and heading to bed early. Life of a full-time worker, eh? Anyway, since I am absolutely rubbish at keeping a diary, I thought what better way of documenting what's happening in my life than writing a post about it. That's life I suppose... 

WORKING LIFE 
Since January, my working life has been somewhat hectic to say the least. I've taken on more challenges and developed more skills, that I could of ever hoped for within such a short space of time. No day is ever the same, which I suppose is what makes it so interesting and diverse from a normal office job but the one thing that I would say is the most consistent element of my working life, is having a coffee as soon as I walk into the office in a morning. That I don't think will ever change.

MAKING AN EFFORT

Whilst I love the 'lazy wear look', I've recently had a good clear out as I am trying to 'up the effort' with my wardrobe - not just for work but my everyday clothes too. I've been trying so hard to find my own personal style, which has been fun but kind of pricey at the same time. I am getting there; slowly but surely. 

Don't get me wrong, I do make more of an effort for work but whilst just chucking a t-shirt and jeans on with a pair of really comfy Converse is great for comfort, it doesn't really make me feel good. Since 2016 is about getting out of my comfort zone, I thought that making a effort with my wardrobe is definitely a good start. 

HEALTH & FITNESS 
Now that I'm working Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm and whilst I enjoy my job, sometimes sitting behind a desk all day makes me feel rather lazy, so I have finally decided to join a gym. I've been a member of a gym before but unfortunately I was never motivated enough to actually get fit and health, like you're meant to when you join a gym.

Anyway the difference between this time and last time is I've actually taken time to talk to a personal trainer and they've planned a programme out for me - which makes such a difference compared to going to the gym with no plan and no idea what you are doing. So, that would have to be my first tip for beginners heading to the gym: Talk to a Personal Trainer and get a programme sorted! 

Since starting the gym, I've motivated myself by getting some fab fitness wear from USA Pro, Nike and H&M and believe it or not, feeling great in fitness clothes will definitely get you motivated for the gym. 

FIVE THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

1. Watching Disney movies back-to-back 
2. Discovering my love for reading and Nutella on toast once again!
3. Getting back into Fitness
4. Starting to think about what to pack for Florida! Eeeek! 
5. Reuniting with two of my besties (via Google Hangout; hopefully it will be face-to-face soon)

Until the next time, that's life, Au Revoir! 

Love,

Lauren xo