Hello everyone,

I really do hope you are all doing well, and a HUGE hug to all of you for making it through the hardest month of the year whilst in a lockdown. Today's post and youtube video is all about healthy habits that will improve your life in lockdown. These are all things that I do to help improve my mental health and mindset every single day in lockdown. 

I know that so many people are happy going with the flow and that is completely, 100% fine. But I will just never be the person who stays in their pj's all day watching Netflix, because for me personally, I know how much of a negative effect that would have on me as a person. I have spent the past 2 years of my life trying to figure out ways to make myself happy and overcome my mental health problems, and these are just a few things that I do that have improved my mental health in more ways than I could have ever imagined. Please do not feel like you have to do these things, but would have you got to lose...

1. Establish a morning routine...

This is quite possibly one of THE most important things you can do if you want to improve your life in lockdown. When you begin your day with structure and purpose this will then carry on through the rest of your day. I like to wake up naturally, of course make my bed and read a book. I WILL NOT touch my phone for the first hour I am awake unless its essential. I will journal and plan my day and then get ready and go for a walk up the hill. Having structure is one thing that has made days in lockdown so much more bearable and exciting and it truly sets you up for the day and improves your mindset massively. By 12 o clock you would have already accomplished so many things.

2. Read a book...

This is probably on every single blog post about improving your life and self development, but my goodness, reading is a habit that WILL change your life for the better. Whether it be a fiction or non fiction book, taking time away from electronic devices and picking up a book, there is just something so wholesome about it. My favourite books are ones that I know will help my brain and improve my mental state and help me learn knowledge I know will bring me happiness. I love reading a book first thing and not reaching for my phone, because once again, you feel like you have actually done something with your day. I would love to do a self development book post on here, but for now, some of the most life changing books for me have been; The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, Rich Dad poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, The Magic by Rhonda Byrne, Out witting the devil by Napoleon Hill and The Greatest Secret also by Rhonda Byrne. 

3. Write down what you are grateful for...

Reading the Magic by Rhonda Byrne made me realise that in order to receive more in life, you have to be grateful for what you already have. if you think about it, why on earth should you have more of something if you can not be grateful for what you already have. Surely if you are not grateful for what you already have you will never be grateful for more that you get. Writing down and noticing even the smallest things you may be grateful for can be so beneficial and improve your outlook and the way you see things. Even the smallest thing like, I am so grateful for my sleep I had last night, if you are truly grateful for what you have, that is when you receive more...

4. Stay off your phone...

Staying off your phone in the morning when you wake up can make you feel so much more accomplished in your morning. think how much can get done in the time you may be sat scrolling pointlessly through your phone. I can assure you if you try not to go on your phone for the first half an hour to an hour of your morning, you will feel SO much better...

5. Listen to a podcast  

If you do spend a lot of time through out the day on your phone, even if it is just scrolling through Instagram, why not put on a podcast to listen to whilst you do it. This then turns pointless scrolling into learning time. I love to do this because it actually makes you feel like you have done something with your day. My absolute favourite podcast of all time is The school of greatness hosted by lewis Howse. This podcast has so many incredibly inspiring episodes and has nothing that will help pretty much anyone in any situation and it is just a wonderful source of happiness, positive attitudes and a place that will help you to develop an outlook on life that will guide you to happiness. 

6. Plan your day 

This is something I do absolutely every single day in lockdown! It’s something I was doing before lockdown began and it was really having a positive impact on my life. I plan my day from hour to hour just to give me a righ guide of everything I need to do and get done, but of course I won’t panic if I don’t stick to it, it’s just a rough guide. I use my iPad to plan my day as I brought a digital planner from Etsy, which is an absolute life changer, and honestly works a treat. Sometimes planning your day can just make you feel like you have structure added back to your day and stops you from drifting through lockdown life. 

7. Write down your thoughts (journal.... scary word I know) 

For me, writing down my thoughts has some what changed my life. If you suffer with an over active, worried, anxious brain, I could not recommend getting your thoughts down on paper enough. I always heard so many people talk about journaling and thought it was silly but honestly it literally FREES my brain from hours of pain and worry. It can be tough sometimes but there is honestly no trick to it, you just write down your thoughts on to paper, I guess I use it as some form of mental release...

8. Establish an evening routine 

I must say my morning routine has come along a lot nicer than my evening routine ( I’m currently up at 11:30pm writing this post which is not what I would usually do in my evening routine, but you know I’m hoping I will get there soon). But establishing some form of evening routine may just help improve your day in lockdown. Winding down time is so incredibly important because we need our brains and body’s to relax in order to be in the best state possible for sleep. I love to light some candles, do my skincare routine, turn off my lights and pop something comforting on my iPad whilst I read my book of choice. It just really helps to relax me before bed. And if I really feel the need to go on my phone I will scroll through positivity and inspirational quotes on Pinterest to put me in a really good mood before going to sleep.

9. Stay off your phone an hour before bed 

Now I know it’s currently 11:30pm and I’m up writing blog posts on my iPad, but if I wasn’t feeling so inspired to write this I would pop my phone to a side for one hour before bed, just so I’m not scrolling through Instagram. This just means I can focus on watching relaxing content in the background on my iPad and focus on reading my book and really relax properly before I go to sleep and it works so well and makes me feel so much better for not going on my phone straight before bed.

10.   Watch only positive and comforting content 

I am a sucker for mystery videos on YouTube, however, right not, my brain really is not in the right frame of mind to be watching this sort of content. I just love to watch content that inspires me, comforts me and just benefits my life in some way. Even through out the day I just love watching wholesome YouTube videos and some of my favourites at the moment are, Madeleine Olivia, Lydia Millen and Josie from fashion mumblr. Honestly I aspire to be like these ladies and watching their content inspires me to become a better person and to never give up on who I want to become. I also love popping on interviews with Dr Joe Dispenza because this mans knowledge is just incredible and this is the sort of thing I need to be consuming before bed. Ps if you haven’t heard of Dr Joe, his story is truly inspiring and just incredible... 

 

If you would prefer to watch my content, I actually made a YouTube video all about these 10 habits to improve your life in lockdown, click HERE , if you would like to give it a watch 

I really do hope you enjoyed this blog post, writing self development content and helping others comes so naturally to me and I have never enjoyed writing more, see you next time...

Cristy N 

Thank you 2020...

 

Hello everyone,

A very happy new year to each and every single one of you reading this this evening. I can not quite believe 2020 has been and gone, my goodness was it tough but my gosh did it teach me some lessons I will carry with me for life. (Editing Cristy here; This blog post is a pretty deep one actually I wasn't expecting it to go to such depths so a little note to say mental health in general is the topic for todays post, just for those who may need a little warning; )...

The past two or so months have been massively strange and incredibly tough for my mental health, as I can imagine it has been with A LOT of people all across the planet. I used to think ' I wish I could be someone who doesn't suffer with their mental health' but I actually came to realise that everyone suffers with something in some way shape or form. I feel like my worries and OCD have been playing up a little recently, especially at the back end of 2020, but honesty I am so ready to be my most incredibly positive, happy and grateful self and put all the life lessons that 2020 taught me, into action.

If 2020 taught me anything, it would be; Take care of your self, your soul and your mind, because when you die thats what you take with you and carry forever, you want it to be a good place to be. I found a really amazing quote ...

I think that 'learning to sit with all the things and figuring out what to take with you and what to leave behind ' is a metaphor for facing your problems, sitting down with your thoughts and issues and asking yourself, my god is this truly worth the pain if I continue to carry this with me. I truly believe 2020 was a year full of purpose and learning. Some of us may have already had lots to deal with mentally and some of us may have discovered our problems during lockdown and during 2020. But I truly think that 2020 was the year that taught us, when stripped of holidays, festivals, nights out, going out for dinner, even going to work, seeing your loved ones, you are left with; time and your mind. For some, the mind can be a pretty good place to be, but for others it can be quite the challenge. 2020 made me realise that in order to enjoy life, You have to make your mind a happy and wonderful place to be.

 ' when life is good, you are happy, when you are happy, life is good'

This quote really resonated with me and it made me realise that life can be great because of so many external factors that make you happy, but when you are truly happy within yourself, the simplest of things make you so happy and truly grateful to be alive, you see good in everything and you are just grateful for everything in your life.

2020 was a HUGE year for me, there were highs and lows, but I will always continue to see the world through a positive lens, and that is what I want to take forward in 2021. Since writing my blog post about my OCD in 2019, the feeling I got from writing it and publishing it, with the thought of someone possibly reading it and it helping them made me feel such an incredible feeling inside. I feel like for the past 2 yeas especially, I have come so far with my mental health. Don't get me wrong, I often still struggle ( a lot), but I'm learning every day how to control it, I have really come to the realisation that life can be incredible and if spreading positivity, creating wholesome, helpful content across my social media channels may help just even 1 person, it would truly mean everything...

So I guess from now on, you may be seeing a little more posts across my social media relating to mental health, positivity, self help, self help books, and just in general how we can try to over come the issues holding us back in living the most incredible life... 

Just a little note to say; we all have our own ways of dealing with our problems, I respect that not everyone may agree with my mindset and ways of thinking and thats okay. I realise that everyone has their own luggage and have a different way of carrying it and that IS OKAY too. I am also NOT a professional, I have NEVER trained or qualified in any Mental health studies, my words are purely from what I have experienced in my own journey of my mental health, I know you will all be kind and respectful of that. If me sharing my experiences and how I deal with them can help and resonate with just one person, I would feel truly blessed ...

See you next time and keep smiling 

Cristy N 

  

My New Favourite additions to my Winter wardrobe...

 Hello my lovelies,

Long time no speak so absolutely huge apologies for that. I can't believe we are half way though another lockdown. I do really hope you are all doing really well and relaxing and working on yourselves. I can't wait to share with you some new content coming very soon, but to start with of course I had to share with you all my new favourite additions to my wardrobe.

I have fallen in love with the autumnal colour palette of creams, chocolate browns, nudes and burnt orange and have found they have joined by wardrobe so well and go with so many of the pieces I already had. If you have been following me for a while now, you will know I very much so wear my clothes a helming of a lot and rarely actually go on a big shopping spree, but this autumn I thought I would treat myself to some new boots and a few new dresses. And of course some things that were going to keep me cosy in lockdown.

1. Shein Knee High crock boots 

These new Shein brown knee high boots are just my new favourite thing. I have seen so many amazing pairs of these floating around on Instagram but I finally found a pair that were affordable with a heel height that wasn't too high. I had seen a pair on asos that were beautiful, however, they were a stiletto heal and quite high and I just new they may be a little uncomfortable and I wanted something I could throw on for a day shopping around town. These ones only cost me £30 which I thought was a bit of a bargain too...

Click HERE to shop the brown boots 

2. PLT Nude dress 

This beautiful dress I got from PLT goes perfectly with the brown Knee high boots, I just absolutely love the look of the two paired together. The quality of the material of the dress is actually so cosy and thought it would be a perfect dress to throw on in lockdown if I was feeling a little extra and not wanting to wear joggers. I also love the little frill detailing around the hem, it just makes it look that little bit more feminine and suitable for my style. 

Click HERE to shop the PLT dress 

3. Zara Chunky black boots 

These Zara boots are quite possibly one of the most 'out there' pieces I have ever had in my wardrobe, especially for my style. I always really didn't like the style of Doc Martins and never thought I would hop on board the chunky boot trend, but the more I saw people on Instagram styling them, the more I kind of fell in love with them. And THEN, I found these ones on Zara that had pearl embellishment on the side and just thought the pearls really made them a little more me. These were only £39.99, which for a boot like this, I thought was really good value. I styled them with the pLT dress too and thought they looked lovely a little more feminine paired with a little dress. 

Click HERE to shop the Zara Boots. 

I hope you loved the new additions to my wardrobe as much as I do, look out for some festive content coming soon yay...

Cristy N 

x x x 

What I have been wearing so far this Autumn*...

 Hello everyone,

I hope you had the most wonderful weekend, today I wanted to share with you some of the pieces I have been wearing this Autumn, because I can't lie, I have been loving these recent autumn trends and autumn fashion this year. If you know me, you know I love spring fashion and everything pink and floral, but I have a new found love for neutrals and an autumnal colour palette , which is so exciting. So here are some of the lovely things I have been wearing recently.

Some of these pieces were kindly gifted from Katch.Me*, and I must say, I am so pleasantly surprised by the quality of these pieces, for the price, I must say they are wonderful quality. They have so many lovely pieces on their website, and I love how many autumnal trends they have on their site. 

1. Detailed Hoodies and sweatshirts

If you know me, I guarantee you would never have thought I would be wearing a hoodie as part of my weekend wear, but Honestly I can not tell you how much I am loving a bit of comfiness this autumn. We have had such a strange year, but a wonderful thing that has come from it is how acceptable loungewear has become and I am living for it. I love a hoodie that is soft and cosy and this one is just that, I am in love with the colour, it goes sooo nicely with white and cream, and I love the writing detail on the front too. I styled this with a cute little broderie skirt to make it look a little more feminine, my chunky trainers and a simple little cross body bag from Zara. I love how simple this outfit is, but so cosy at the same time. 

Here is a link to the sweatshirt:

https://www.katchme.com/products/cream-st-moriz-oversized-sweatshirt-briana

Click HERE for the KatchMe loungewear...

2. A little bit of faux leather 

Faux leather pieces have been an absolutely favourite trend this autumn, I love the look of a leather dress, leather jacket and even these incredible leather shorts. They are unlike any other shorts I had seen on any other website which is amazing because they are such a lovely, flattering style. They kind of flare out and are a little shorter at the sides so make your legs look really long and can be worn with ankle boots, knee high boots or even chunky trainers. Again, I love the neutral colour of these shorts and they can be paired so well with almost any colour. I am loving the all neutral outfit with a pop of gold.

Here is the link to the shorts:

https://www.katchme.com/products/cream-flared-faux-leather-shorts-adalynn

Click HERE to see KatchMe's Vinyl items

3. Teddy Jackets 

I had been looking all over for a cute little jacket I could throw on, on those days that are not too cold but also not too hot and this jacket was perfect for that. I absolutely love the cropped style and goes so nicely with a pair of comfy trousers or a midi dress. I have also styled it here with some cycling shorts and a really cute little top with frill detail underneath to show that little bit of my feminine style. But I think it is so cool and edgy and I absolutely love throwing this on over almost any outfit.

Here is the link to the Jacket:

https://www.katchme.com/collections/coats-jackets/products/white-button-up-teddy-jacket

Click HERE to see KatchMe's coat selection 

Honestly thank you so much to the lovely team at KatchMe for the gorgeous pieces, its safe to see they are being worn well and incorporated so well with my pieces I have already got in my wardrobe. What is your favourite autumnal trend right now?

Cristy 

X X X 

What I got up to for 23rd Birthday...

 

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. As some of you may know it was my birthday last week and I had the best time celebrating, so of course, I thought I would share with you some of the wonderful things I got up to. Of course it wouldn't be a birthday if I didn't make the most of it the entire weekend, oops. So on Thursday myself, my mum and my sister kelly went to the wonderful Bush inn in Hereford.

The lovely guys at The Bush Inn had kindly gifted me this experience and My goodness I could not have been more excited. I had been back in February for Molly's birthday and we had the spring bench, so this time we were lucky enough to try the Autumnal picnic bench. It is basically an afternoon tea styled picnic bench with an array of sweet and savoury goodies. 

Myself and kelly had the Hot dog, chips, cottage pie and chicken strips and mum had the vegetarian option which looked just as delicious, which consisted of a halloumi cheese burger, potato skins, chips and  halloumi bites. And then we all had the chocolate covered apple, popcorn caramel flapjack, brownie layered millionaires shortbread, and the most incredible Biscoff cheesecake. And then as for drinks, the bench comes with a little mini bottle of cola, Appletiser and a little gin fizz. I also had the most amazing Pornstar martini too as a little added extra. 

Honestly I could not recommend this place enough, it is unlike anything I have ever seen before, so original and I think the only place I have heard of that does something like this. The food is amazing and the amount of food you get for the price, RRP £20.00 per person, is just insane. You are basically getting a starter, main, pudding and mini drinks for £20.00 which is amazing. The size portions are also so big so absolutely worth every penny. 

We also sat in one of their amazing outdoor garden pods which just added so much to the experience. The sun was shining and it was so warm and cosy inside even in the middle of October. You can also connect your phone to their little bluetooth speaker so its like your own personal little space within the pub. 

I just wanted to take the time to say a HUGE THANKYOU, to the wonderful team at The Bush Inn Hereford, you were all so incredibly lovely and accommodating and so helpful with every aspect of our afternoon. I am honestly blessed to have come and celebrated my birthday here. Honestly I could not recommend The Bush Inn enough, especially if you have a birthday coming up and you wanted something cover friendly to do. 

As well as heading to the Bush Inn, myself, my family and sam went for some lovely food across the weekend which was so lovely. We ate some lovely Italian food at the local Italian restaurant Gianni's and also ate breakfast at one of my favourite spots , The Curious cafe and Bistro where we had some amazing breakfasts. On my actual birthday, which was Saturday 17th October lol, myself and sam took a trip to Bristol, ate some lovely food and I must say I was a very lucky gal. We had the most amazing meal at Cote Brasserie in cheltenham and then went to the Wine bar and drank lets say far too many wines with our friends Molly and Xander. 

Honestly, THANKYOU, to my friends and family and Sam to always making my birthday so incredibly special each and every year. I love you all so much!! 

I really hope you enjoyed my little birthday post!! Let me know if you go over to the Bush Inn, you won't regret it!! 

Cristy 

X X X 

A New Cotswold Coffee Spot: Edible Art Patisserie...

 

Hello everyone,

Today I am talking all things coffee spots in the Cotswolds, and today's spot is all about the brand new Patisserie, Edible Art. Based in Montpellier courtyard in Cheltenham, Edible art is the loveliest coffee spot if you love the whole concept of 'coffee and cake'.  So of course I had to recommend this place to the lovely Charlotte from StyleSplurging.net . It was so lovely to finally meet Charlotte and have the loveliest coffee and cake date at this beautiful cafe. 

I must say on first look of the cakes, I was absolutely amazed, there were so much to chose from (especially if you go early morning) and they truly are a work of art. There was an incredible looking cake that I'm pretty sure was actually a real life pear, that is just how beautiful and believable these cakes are. 

I had the Penut butter and caramel choux bun, and I must say it was quite possibly one of the best pastries I have ever eaten. I can only describe it as a very large prefiterole with the most incredible peanut butter flavoured cream in the middle, and in the centre of the cream was running, gooey caramel, with I believe a caramel coating on the top. So as you can see it was very yummy.

And although their main star of the show are the cakes, I must say the coffee was amazing. It was hot, huge and in general a really lovely coffee. I love that the standard coffee size is so big, as I find in some places the sizes of the coffee is just so small and can often be not very hot. So after drinking lots of coffee in the cotswolds, I was highly impressed with the coffee here.

The coffees were around the average price of the coffee in cheltenham, around £2.80-£3. The cakes are on the more expensive side, however, I am really not surprised because you can tell just how much love and care and precision goes into to every single one of their patisseries. Theses would also make the most incredible birthday gifts as you can take away in the most gorgeous gift boxes and bags. I must say I would be very happy to receive one of these as a birthday gift.

Do let me know if you take a visit to this lovely little patisserie based in the cotswolds, you will truly love it.

Cristy N 

x x x 

A Week Away in Devon...

Hello everyone,

 I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the Autumn months, although it has been about 25 degrees recently. Myself and Sam and his family were lucky enough to make it away to Devon a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to share with you some of the things we got up to and the photos we took. We had such a wonderful time and it was so lovely to go away and just relax and enjoy each others company.

We stayed in a wonderful place called Pickwell Manor, which is basically a Manor House converted into multiple apartments that are self catered. It was unlike anything I have stayed in before because from the outside it looks like a hotel, but inside is all divided up into lots of separate apartments which I thought was such a fab idea. We stayed in a lovely apartment room that had a kitchen and luckily enough we had two outdoor baths, which I must say were just amazing, especially at night. it was like having a hot tub on the terrace. It was just lovely.

We stayed for a week around 5 days and spent the first night of our holiday in Exeter which was also lovely and turns out Exeter is now one of my new favourite places. We had some lovely cocktails and food on that first evening which were some of the best cocktails I have ever had. 

We went on some little days out to some Devonshire villages, including Ilfracrombe which was lovely and we had one of the best ice creams we have ever had here. We also had a classic fish and chips and took a walk around the town. We also took a trip to Croyde and walked down the beach which was also so lovely to explore a new place. We also went to woolacombe which was probably my favourite beach, and I am almost certain this beach won an award for the most cleanest beach in Britain. We hired surf boards and the lovely man in the surf hire beach shop right on the entrance of the beach very kindly gave us a free surfboard for me to learn on which just made my day to be honest. We had such a lovely day spent on woolacome beach and it was honestly the most perfect day!

So here are some of the snaps we took on the holiday. I also did make a Devon vlog if you would prefer to watch our adventures, you can watch the video HERE 

I honestly had the most wonderful time away and it was just so lovely and so needed!! I love having some time to unwind and relax with my second family 

Cristy 

 X X X

What I have been wearing into Autumn...

 

Hello everyone,

I am so happy that we are finally heading into some of my favourite months of the year. Autumn is one of my favourite times of year, not only because its my birthday but because I just love the cosy atmosphere, the hot chocolates and the fact that its candle season. And of course I love autumn fashion, because its still not too cold. 

I have been pinning photos on Pinterest boards, and saving lots of fashion posts on Instagram to autumn outfit ideas and I am loving all the new trends that are appearing. I am absolutely loving the neutral tones and colours and of course whites and nudes. I feel like I am going to be spending the majority of autumn in Zara as they have the most perfect neutral basic pieces. 

I have also found so many pieces I already had in my wardrobe that I had loved wearing last year that I know I will love wearing this year too. Including this Femme luxe white shirt that I hadn't actually worn before, (here is the link to a similar one as I couldn't find the femme luxe link)but thought it would look perfect with some chunky trainers and my Abbott Lyon nude bag.

Another neutral outfit I have been loving recently is my Pleated cropped culottes with a white top and either chunky trainers or my white slider sandals. I feel like this colour looks so nice with white and can honestly go with any colour too. 

I can't wait to start wearing more and more autumnal outfits and seeing what is out there to wear. I have seen so much inspiration from instagram and Pinterest and I can't wait to try out all the new trends. 

What will you be wearing this Autumn?

Cristy 

x x x 

6 Places to visit in The Cotswolds...

 Hello everyone,

Because of having the most gorgeous 2 weeks of non stop sunshine here in Cheltenham, I thought I would share with you the best places to visit in the Cotswolds. I have lived in the Cotswolds all my life and its safe to say its one of the most beautiful places ever and I honestly feel so happy to be such a short drive away from these lovely places. So here are some of my favourite places to visit in the cotswolds. 

1. Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire 

Bourton on the Water has to be one of my favourite places in the cotswolds, because t reminds me so much of my childhood and spending so many lovely days there in the summer. This little Cotswold village is absolutely beautiful and has so much to offer, with the beautiful , but extremely cold, river running through the entire village! So on a hot day, this is a lovely place to come for a picnic and be able to paddle your feet in the water. There is also so many lovely pubs and places to eat, tea rooms, ice cream parlours and cute little trinket shops to wonder around. it is honestly such a beautiful cotswold village and one of my favourites that I highly recommend visiting. 

2. The Real Flower Petal Confetti fields, Wick

The flower confetti field in Wick are just one place you have to visit during the week that it is open. There are just fields of beautiful flowers and I believe this year they also had a sunflower field too. It costs around £5 per entry and you can spend the day walking around the confetti fields and I must say this is one place that is just wonderful for instagram photos. 

3. Broadway, Gloucestershire 

Broadway is another of my favourite little villages in the cotswolds and actually only about 20 minutes from my home. Again there are so many beautiful cotswold stone homes and pubs and tea rooms so the perfect place to get yourself a classic afternoon tea. I also highly recommend the ice cream too, there is often a man at a cute little pink and white ice cream stand selling scoop ice cream and then the little tea room that sells whip ice creams for just £2 with so many amazing toppings. Again its a beautiful place for instagram shots and the broadway tower is a lovely place to go and have a picnic in the sunshine. 

4. Cotswold Lavender 

Cotswold lavender is another amazing Instagram spot, a little like The confetti fields, this is a lovely place to wonder around and take in the beautiful scenery. Fields full of lavender plants and flowers and is honestly beautiful. Last year you could actually take a little picnic and spend the day there however this year I believe due to cover that the rules may have been a little different. Unfortunately the lavender has been harvested now but if you get the chance to go next year I would highly recommend. 

5. Pitville Park, Cheltenham 

Another place really close to home is Pitville park in Cheltenham. This place is the perfect picnic spot for the summer and also a lovely place to get an ice cream and take the doggies for a walk. There are three cafes to chose from that do provide outdoor seating for a spot of lunch and the park is entered around pitville lake which is beautiful. You can also pay I believe It is £7 to ride a boat on the lake which is just the most perfect summer afternoon activity. This place is one of my favourite places to go to catch up with friends in the summer.

6. Gloucestershire Docks

Gloucestershire docks is one place that I really need to start visiting more. Me and Sam actually went on the ice rink back in the winter and its actually such a lovely part of Gloucester. There are so many lovely restaurants and shops within the outlet centre. Myself, mum and same mum Ali actually took a trip down their last Friday and had the most lovely girly afternoon. We went to Settebello Docks restaurant for a HUGE pornstar martini and some bruschetta which was incredible. We then went to their cafe and had a coffee and some Italian cakes too which were also so nice and the coffee may just be on of the best coffee I have ever had. 

I really hope you enjoyed this little cotswold guide and do let me know if you visit and what you think. Also if you have any more cotswolds requests, do leave it in the comments as I would love to visit some new places. 

Some of my favourite Summer Dresses...

Hello everyone,

I'm so happy to be able to start wearing some of these beautiful dresses that have been sitting in my wardrobe for some time. So I thought I would share with you some of my favourite dresses that I have worn and will continue to wear for the rest of the summer.

1. Blue Porcelain LilyLulufashion.com dress 

This dress I purchased just before we went into lockdown back in march and its safe to say its one of the most beautiful dresses on my clothes rail. It's unlike anything that has ever been in my wardrobe before. I was actually inspired by the blue porcelain dress from House of CB, however, the house of CB one was around £139 and as soon as I saw this on lilylulu, I knew I had to get it as it was only £30. Of course the quality is not as good as my house of cb dresses, but honestly this one is perfect for the price if you are not wanting to spend over £100 on the house of CB one. I love styling this one with a pair of white heels and a statement necklace with a cute little white bag...

2. Femme luxe white midi dress 

This dress is actually relatively new to my wardrobe and one which is soooo incredibly comfortable and perfect for an evening meal and cocktails. I love how comfortable this dress is and that the rouching details mean you can eat as much as you want and they kind of hide the beer belly. I also love the sleeve details and that you can wear them off the shoulder or pulled up onto your shoulder to create straps. I Love a white dress paired with gold jewellery, so I would style this one with a chunky gold chain necklace and statement earrings...

3. House of CB Corset Dress 

For me, House of CB is the QUEEN of all dresses. These dresses are quite possibly a work of art. Although they are of course more on the pricey side of things, they are honestly so worth it. This corset dress is just beautiful and the quality of the fabric is unlike any other dress/ piece of clothing I have ever owned. This one I wore on New Years eve and it was the most perfect New Years dress, I love how these dresses are just unlike anything else you see online and the styles are always so original. Because this dress is such a statement piece, I like to keep my accessories quite simple with this one...

4. House of cb Pink Sleeve Dress 

Now this dress is another beauty from House of CB, this one was actually my graduation dress that I wore last year. it was honestly the most perfect graduation dress, although I graduated on the rainiest day in November, I still loved wearing it. The quality of the fabric again is just wonderful and I am always in love with a puff sleeve detail I feel like it makes an outfit look so much more unique and put together. I feel like again the puff sleeve detail just makes the dress look so detailed and you don't need to focus too much on your accessories because the dress says it all. 

Thankyou so much for reading, let me know some of you favourite places to find summer going out dresses!!

Cristy N 

x x x 

 

My Skincare Favourite and tips for glowing clear skin*....

Hello everyone,

I hope you are all doing well, today I wanted to share with you some of my favourite skincare products that I have been using this summer that I find have worked really well with my skin. it's safe to say that the best way I have found to keep your skin clear is deffinitely drinking lots of water and not wearing foundation. I always seem to see such a difference in my skin when I do not wear foundation or much make up on my face. In the summer I don't like having too much make up on my face anyway so the summer time is the perfect time for me to try and clear up my skin. My skin isn't necessarily sensitive or too oily so for me, I love trying new products and seeing if they work for my skin... So here are some products that I have been loving recently and incorporated within my summer skincare routine...

How to get your skin glowing 

 If you want glowing skin, I find using A heavy duty moisteriser a great way to get your skin glowing. Of course this is great if you have dry skin and I would definitely say my skin is more dry than it is oily so for me I love to use a pretty heavy moisteriser. one of my favourites is the Garnier Lavender cream*, this one is of course affordable and perfect for my skin. I find it so nourishing and really helps with the dry areas I get on my face and I love using this in the morning and before bed. 

Although I do love a heavy duty moisteriser I do also love a water based moisteriser for the day time and especially in summer. I love this Antipodes Baptise H20 hydrating water based moisteriser , this one is perfect if you have spent a day at the beach and in need of a moisteriser to cool your face down and bring a little life back into your skin. I love how easy and light this moisteriser is and I like how easy it is to apply to your skin if you are out and about. This one of course is a little more pricey than the Garnier one however, it is a great product and worked very well on my skin type.It also makes your skin glow as it is a water based moisteriser so makes your skin look so so healthy. 

Keep it minimal

I deffinitely would say I like to use only a few products on my skin at a time, I know that a lot of people have about 8-10 steps in their skincare routine but I like to keep it minimal and as little products as possible as I find the more products I use on my skin the more I break out and then you have no idea which product has caused you to break out. So, I like to keep it minimal maybe 4 products in the morning and 4 or more at night. I like to of course make up remove and face wash, tone, moisturise and then eye cream. One of my favourite toners is the Galinee Face vinegar. Whenever I wash my face or remove my make up with micellar water or a cleanser I will 99.9% of the time have make up or dirt left on my face, so I will pop some of this toner onto a cotton pad and just wipe it over my face to give it a little extra clean. This one actually does smell a little vinegary but for me I like that because that means it is a little more natural which is always a bonus.

I also love the Galinee foaming facial cleanser. I love a light facial wash for the morning and this one was so refreshing and perfect for a light wash of your face in the morning. I have had this one for about 5 months now so I can assure you it has been tried and tested to the max and is pretty much empty, so you can tell that I do love it. 

Bronze up 

This is one thing I LOVE to do. I love to try out new face tans and bronzers so I don't have to wear too much make up. If you are wanting to clear up your skin, the best way is to stop wearing foundation and find a face tan that you love and works for you. I always find having a tanned face can make me feel 100000x better, even if I have a few spots or red areas, having a tanned face can make me feel like they are almost unnoticeable. Some of my favourites have been the Garnier Ambre solace face spray tan. This one for me is one of my top 10 maybe even top 5 products, it is absolutely amazing and works so well on my skin, it doesn't break me out and gives me an instant sun kissed look over night. I also have tried the skinny tan face oil however, I would say the garner one does give more of an overall better tan.

Of course sunshine is another great way for tanning your face and getting rid of your spots, however, I wouldn't say you should keep your face in the sun too long as this can have more negative long lasting effects...

I really hope you enjoyed this post and thank you so much to the brands mentioned for sending me over these wonderful products. See you soon...

Cristy N 

x x x x

A weekend Away in Newquay...

Hello everyone,

A very long time no speak which I can only apologise for. Life has been slow getting back to normal, which I must say I am very happy about. This meant I was able to travel on down to my favourite place and have a little mini break with Sam and some of our friends. I thought I would share with you some of these cute little snaps I took. I honestly an not tell how much I did not want to come home, so much so we were incredibly tempted to stay longer, but I am hoping we can make it down there one last time before summer is over. 

We stayed in a lovely air b and b called 'Lazy Days' which I would highly recomened, if you are looking for a lovely little home for the week that is close to pretty much the beach, town and harbour do give this place a look as it was ideal.  We were pretty lucky with the weather and it only drizzled on the first day for a short while. But the rest of the weekend was just beautiful and I must say a Cornish sunset is one of the best. I'm not really too sure why I love Newquay so much but I think I just enjoy the lifestyle and how relaxed everyone is and everyone is just 10000x more friendly by the sea. Being a town gal, I would definitely say the beach life is more for me. 

Newquay in the sunshine is just beautiful and the beaches are just incredible! my favourite beach is of course Lusty glaze but unfortunately it was shut so we spent the weekend down on Fistral. Honestly the water was so clear and you could litterally see the bottom of the sea bed which is quite rare in the UK. The best ice cream ever was also purchased on Fistral so I highly recommended getting down there and getting yourself a Cornish fudge ice cream or Mango and passionfruit sorbet because It is UNREAL. 

The harbour is also beautiful and one of my mum's favourite places to go, she always says how much she wants to live down by the harbour so she can walk Milo every morning down there. It is honestly beautiful and makes a lovely morning walk, especially in the sunshine. You can also sometimes see the little sea lion that comes into the harbour for fish from the boats which is so lovely. 

It was so lovely to get away, but so sad to leave too, I could have honestly stayed here for another month. But if you do end up going down to Newquay, I would highly recommend, it such a beautiful place and the people are just wonderful humans.

Thankyou so much for reading, see you soon!

Cristy N 

x x x