Tuesday 29 January 2013

Favourites #1.

Hi there Folks,

I've decided that along with a monthly film round up I'm also going to share with you my favourite things of each month. I'm not going to limit my favourites to any categories, so expect to see a range of different goodies that I've really been enjoying. Let's get to it...

1. Actifry

We got our Actifry for Christmas and we haven't looked back since! We got the 1.2 kg one in black and it cost £109.99. So it is expensive, but I really think it was well worth the price, considering we have used it pretty much every day since we got it. You can eat chips everyday and not feel guilty...it's brilliant. And it doesn't just do chips, you can do egg fried rice, bolognese, risotto, stewed fruit...the list goes on! It comes with a little recipe book too that goes into the evidence behind it and has loads of different recipes in it. Winner!

This is the same as the one we have. Image from here

2. Les Miserables

Since watching Les Mis in the middle of January I haven't been able to get it out of my head. The songs just keep going round and round and round, but I guess it doesn't help that I have the soundtrack on repeat. I must say though, I'm highly disappointed that Who Am I isn't on the soundtrack as I love that song! Seeing Les Mis has also sparked a huge appreciation for Hugh Jackman...what a guy! I've linked a video of him at the Oscars a few years ago...if you've never seen it I highly recommend a watch, it's brilliant (and Anne Hathaway is in it too, she's also really good)!


3. Kindle

I got a Kindle for Christmas off my dad and step mum and I'm really enjoying getting into reading again. Although I've not had huge amounts of time to read as I've had assignments to write, but I've managed to get through a couple of books and I'm currently reading Jon Richardson's book It's Not Me, It's You! It's really amusing and talks about his obsessive compulsive personality disorder and how it impacts on his ability to find and keep a girlfriend. If you don't know who Jon Richardson is, he's a UK comedian who actually comes from the same town as me (woohoo!), he looks like a little elf and his comedy shows generally revolve around his obsessive compulsive habits and perfectionism. It's not the most well written book ever, but it's light hearted, amusing and has highlighted my own little obsessive quirks (having the toilet roll facing the right way, anyone?).

4. The Schuerman Show

My boyfriend thinks I'm really weird for watching day in the life vlogs, but I love them! I love watching YouTube videos anyway - it's totally my flow occupation! I like to say that I enjoy them so much because I'm almost an occupational therapist so I'm really interested in how people like to spend their time, but really I'm just nosy! Anyway, I digress, I've been watching Sam Schuerman's beauty channel for a little while now and I think she's brilliant, she's seems so happy and jolly and says some of the most hilarious things (holy crudmoly!) and when her and her beautiful little family started making daily vlogs again I knew I had to check them out. Firstly, her and her husband are just so ridiculously sweet and secondly she has the most beautiful children ever! And she seems like a wonderful mama and I like this! So yes, The Schuerman Show - check it out!!

5. Simple Moisture Boost Hydro Cream

This stuff is my skin saviour! The weather in the UK can't make it's mind up what it wants to do, so one minute it's freezing, the next it's snowing, the next it's wazzing it down, and then it's gale force winds. That's a lot for my poor, dry, sensitive skin to contend with. But thanks to this wonderful cream my skin has been so much happier. It's quite thick and I tend to use it at night after I've Sonicleansed my face (you can see my review here). It has really helped clear up my dry patches, particularly around my nose where it is chronically dry. Plus it's from Simple so it's not filled with as much junk as other creams and it's not too expensive either, around the £6 mark I think. Which is more expensive than other Simple moisturisers, but they just don't cut the mustard like this does.
Image from here

I think that is everything that I've been really enjoying for the month of January. I love seeing what other people are enjoying so feel free to link your posts and YouTube videos because I'd love to see them!

Ciao for now,

JB.

Saturday 26 January 2013

Go Bananas...

Hi there folks,

I decided this afternoon that I would whip up a little banana bread seeing as I had a couple of manky bananas floating about and I really don't like eating them when they're all brown and gooey. So what better way to use them up than to make some yummy treats.

The basic recipe that I follow is this one from UKTV Food. Because I never seem to have the right sugar, I thought I'd try using half molasses and half golden caster sugar and I also added a some chocolate spread to swirl in and marble it a little. Also, today I chose to sack off the nutmeg and add a very generous sprinkle of cinnamon, because as far as I'm concerned bananas, chocolate and cinnamon are great mates!


And here is the finished product....



It turned out delicious! However, there was some major crumbling going on...that could be due to the sugar, but I don't really care because it all eats the same!!

I really want to try some other yummy flavours in my banana bread, does anyone have any recipes they could share for next time?

Ciao for now,

JB



Wednesday 23 January 2013

Scrub-a-dub-dub.

Hi there Folks,

Today I thought I'd share my views on the Rio Sonicleanse with you all. I'd been interested in a Clarisonic for a fair while but I just couldn't justify spending over £100 on something to clean my face with. I'd heard of the Sonicleanse before and then I saw this video that A Thrify Mrs made about it and that got me thinking. When I watched the video it was right before my birthday and my boyfriend was struggling for what to get me so I suggested it and the rest is history.



That was nearly two months ago and I've used it pretty much everyday since I got it, give or take a couple of lazy days, and I really really love it. I'd heard that the battery on it wasn't the best, A Thrify Mrs said that hers had lasted 3 weeks initially and had got progressively less as she'd charged it. But I charged mine up at the beginning of December when I got it and it's only just needed re-charging yesterday...so that's over 6 weeks of use! However, as it's only just been recharged I can't say whether or not mine has decreased. I don't know how long other people use theirs for each time either, I personally only do 2 minutes because I have sensitive skin and I feel like that is plenty, so maybe that's why it lasted so long, but I'm so impressed none the less.

Like I just said, I have sensitive skin and it's also pretty dry, so I was worried that the Sonicleanse would aggravate it or make it worse but I've found that used with a good moisturiser, its helped get rid of some of the stubborn flaky bits, especially around my nose and on my forehead.

I've also been impressed because I was fully expecting to have an awful purge stage right around christmas with loads of nasty breakouts, but I really didn't. I've never been one to have breakouts anyway but I was expecting a couple so I was pleasantly surprised. I've only found that I've had a couple more on my cheeks which I don't normally get, but that's only been in the last couple of weeks when I've been quite stressed with uni work etc., so that could have contributed.

I've been using it with my Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser which I've really been enjoying and it has such a lovely smell, nice and fresh! I've also used it with the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser as this is what I used before I had the Soniclease and I have a stockpile of it from when it was on 2 for £4, but it works nicely also.



Because I haven't used the Clarisonic before I can't say whether or not it compares to it, but to be honest, it doesn't have to, I like it just as it is and I'm quite happy to stick with the cheaper option!

Have any of you ever tried one of these snazzy 'giant face toothbrushes' (this is what my bf calls it...he knows nothing!). Please do share what you think!

Ciao for now,

JB

Sunday 20 January 2013

Update...

Hi there Folks,

I'm so naughty, I totally said in like November that I was going to start blogging regularly again...epic fail!! I won't make up any excuses, I just did not have the time. So I thought I'd write a little update of what's been going down over the last couple of months! In the 6 weeks before Xmas I was on placement, which was such a wonderful experience, but what with having to plan what I was actually going to do with the clients, plus research, plus writing reflections and working in the evenings and weekends, I was just spent!

Then it was christmas, which was wonderful! It was the first one my boyfriend and I had actually spent together which was so nice, every year my parents say they aren't doing a big christmas and they definitely lie! So yes, it was lovely to go back home and spend time with both out families and eat, drink and be merry!

Then I had my dreaded assessments...urgh! They really seemed to step it up a level in third year, I didn't think they'd be too bad and I never really get stressed about work, but this time I did! But three weeks of solid work, two written assignments, one presentation and one all nighter later and I'm done! Well, at least until the next lot are due in...slightly terrifying that in 7 months I will (hopefully, touch wood) be a fully qualified occupational therapist!! EEEEK!!

So yes, this has been my life! I really want to try hard to at least put three posts up a week, I'm not going to make any promises as I'm pretty sure that my work load is going to go through the roof very soon, but I will try my best!

I thought I'd share a few photos with you all of what I've been up to lately, just to liven things up a bit! Ooh also, I'm trying to do some sort of photo a day challenge on my instagram (jordybuzz), so feel free to follow to get a daily snippet of my life, come say hi if you do!



birthday meal - sonicleanse - pretty ice - xmas stockings - xmas tree - my dog having a rummage - uni work - two of my faves - kindle time - cosy socks - amazing film - make up play time. 


Hope you're all well!

Ciao for now,

JB