October 2017 Jewellery Box UK Purchases and Review

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Sabrina

Jewellery Box UK – My October Purchases

I love to buy jewellery for friends and family as gifts, there is something about finding the exact thing that you know they would like. When you order it and it arrives all boxed up and beautiful… This blog post is about an order for myself, but I am not ruling out a Christmas Gifts based order before the year is out. Jewellery Box UK have an excellent range and their website is easy to navigate and search.

Upon previous orders from this company I have been impressed with the quality and the choice. So when I wanted some new “every day” earrings (as I like to call them) I knew which website to search.

This time my order arrived inside the Jewellery Box UK personalised envelopes. A professional way to keep the stock separate in transit and you know that all the products are brand new and sealed within their plastic.

Another feature that wasn’t apparent last time I ordered was the addition of the Jewellery Box packaging, bits of cardboard attached to the items.

Having graduated lobe piercings on both of my ears I often purchase earrings that go together, in order for them to look symmetrical. I particularly like sterling silver jewellery and usually choose this metal for my sensitive skin too.

Upon browsing for my usual 2mm, 3mm and 4mm silver ball studs though, I noticed they were now selling a sterling silver and rose gold plated ball stud at a 3mm size. Intrigued, and because I had a discount code, I added them to my basket.

And as you will notice on the image above there is one other earring set, I chose some very tiny arrow earrings. For a very personal reason to me, mainly to cut a long story short, the arrow represents moving forward, and I am currently going through a difficult time in my life, one that requires courage and by wearing my earrings they remind me of how strong I can be if I only believe in myself.

Final Review of Each Item and Links

I only have one small criticism about the order. I don’t like to keep my earrings, after use but between wears inside any plastic, once worn they need to breathe. There wasn’t an option to perhaps purchase a small earrings box to place them in, or add one for free to an order over a certain amount. The order does come in those amazing envelopes and that’s wonderful to send out and also to gift to people, but when it comes to storage, I am now running low on things to put my many earring styles in to. You wouldn’t want to bend any of them.

Also, an option to purchase a small silver cleaning cloth with a large order, for a small discount might be a good idea too? I like to clean my silver jewellery every couple of months with a professional silver cleaning cloth, it helps to maintain them and also keeps them looking shiny. Just a few thoughts for you Jewellery Box, I hope you don’t mind my honesty. The products you sell are amazing quality and I love the amount of choice, but the products need caring for once you’re home using them…

I will now outline each item, the price advertised on the website (correct on the date I published this post) and also give a link to that specific item. As well as my final review scores I will be writing out some relevant information about each item that I know some of you would be wondering about.

Sterling Silver Ball Stud Earrings Set – 2mm, 3mm and 4mm.

Appearance 5/5 (Shiny and Look Great Set Together)
Quality 5/5 (925 Stamps Ensures Metal Quality)
Pin Length 10mm
Backs – Butterfly
Weights 0.42 Gram (2mm) 0.46 Gram (3mm) 0.56 Gram (4mm)
Price £5.95
NB. You can also purchase these sizes individually and in varying metals.
Link

Small Sterling Silver Arrow Stud Earrings

Appearance 5/5 (Beautifully detailed for such small earrings).
Quality 5/5 (Straight and Well Made, Proportional and Straight with 925 stamp).
Shape – Arrow – 9mm by 3mm by 2mm
Length 11mm (Front to Back)
Backs – Butterfly
Weight 0.6 Gram
Price £3.55
NB. The earring pin attaches at the arrow point end of the earring.
Link

Rose Gold Plated Sterling Silver 3mm Ball Stud Earrings

Appearance 5/5 (Shiny and A Good Size for most lobe piercings)
Quality 5/5 (Straight and Well Presented with the 925 Stamp Clearly Visible)
Length 14mm (Front to Back)
Backs – Butterfly
Weight 0.5 Gram
Price £3.95
Link

Thank you very much for reading this review post today. If you enjoyed this then please leave me a comment letting me know, I would really appreciate the feedback. Jewellery Box UK is an excellent online shop to find gifts, they also do regular discounts and a 10% off your first order when you sign up to their newsletter.

I hope you will find something nice for you or a loved one if you take a look. Remember this is not my first review from this great company, click Jewellery Box on my main page categories to see more.

✩ Sabrina ✩

How To Make Your Own Autumnal Looking Bracelet

Posted on October 18, 2017 by Sabrina

✩✩✩ Welcome to Sabrina’s How To Make! ✩✩✩

Today The Post Is “How To Make Your Own Autumnal Looking Bracelet”.

✩ Before We Begin… What You Will Need;

Elastic + Scissors to Cut
Seed Beads in Red/Orange/Yellow/Brown/Green
Leaf Shaped Beads – Any Colour That Matches The Seed Ones
Other Autumn Coloured Beads In Various Sizes – You Need A Few Large Ones
Crimp Beads – Large Enough To Thread (3mm approx)
Creative Inspiration from Nature or the Internet or Me!
Bead Board – Not Essential – A Pot or Bowl so Beads don’t roll away though…

✩ Time Frame ✩

A bracelet like this would usually take me around 2 hours to make from start to finish. That includes doing a basic design for it and placing the beads on to my board for a general idea of what the finished piece may look like.

✩ Video ✩

If you would prefer to watch my video first and come back to this blog post later on then by all means do. It might be easier to see how I make mine before you attempt your own, if you’re a first time maker.
The link to my channel is here.

How To Make Your Own Triple Thread Autumnal Bracelet

✩ Step 1. ✩

Once you have designed your bracelet, be it in your head, on a bead board or on paper, assemble the components you will need in order to make it. Gather them all together in one place and make sure it’s well lit and a flat surface.

✩ Step 2. ✩

Begin by cutting your elastic to size. You will need three identical lengths if you wish to do a triple thread. If this is your first time beading then I would recommend you either try a single thread or a double if you’re feeling creative and adventurous. To start measure around your wrist, then leave at least an inch or 4cm of elastic over, in order to manipulate the beads and tie at the end.

If you’re not confident with using the elastic to pull on and off you can buy a bracelet clasp and attach that on to either end, it’s very simple and if anyone needs help leave me a comment.

Once you have the one, two or three pieces of elastic, you then need a 1mm/2mm/3mm crimp bead to hold them in place. Let’s say you’re doing a triple, you need to thread all three pieces of elastic into the crimp bead, make sure they are level and leave a 1cm over hang (at least), then using flat edged pliers, squash the crimp bead flat into place.

You’re now ready to start your bead design.

✩ Step 3. ✩

There is NO Wrong way to have designed it, it’s your bracelet!!! Go for it! Start by using a small bead, remember that symmetry often looks good at times but you can literally do whatever you want!

TIP: Remember if you’re doing a triple thread to work out matching lengths between the sections. If you want one that looks like mine then figure out what beads go together, larger and smaller, before you thread them. That way you can make the bracelet look more 3D and it will stand out as the sections don’t lie flat against the skin.

✩ Step 4. ✩

Keep working your bracelet until you are 100% happy with it. Remember by doing a crimp at one end nothing will fall off while you’re working (providing you’re the one holding the other end!!!). And that way if you don’t like a section you can just slide them all off and start again.

TIP: Once you’ve finished your bracelet pop it down and look at it carefully. Make sure there are no sharp beads that may hurt you when you wear it. Also make sure that you have enough room to tie at the end but it also will fit comfortably over your wrist.

✩ Step 5. ✩

Once you’re finished with the design, happy with it, and you know that you have plenty of room to finish the bracelet, then you need to choose a large bead in order to cover up the ends. I ended up having to change my plans during the end of my video, I had a large red and black bead picked out, but it wouldn’t fit. I ended up having to use a dark green, which was fine, it still fitted in with my Autumn theme.

Push the large bead on to the end of the bracelet that you just completed, and ensure it’s large enough to contain all the threads. (If you’re not sure see my video or one of the photographs).

To complete your bracelet you will need a large crimp bead, and some pliers and a steady pair of hands. What you need to do is gently remove the first original crimp bead from the end that we began with using the pliers, you should now have two sets of loose ends, each have between one and three elastic strands.

You need to thread all (up to six) pieces through the new crimp bead. Once through you clamp it down hard using the pliers, and then you pass the ends through that large final bead you placed on. The ends should fit through the larger bead so they cannot be seen now. You’re finished!

✩ If you don’t know much about beads…

There will be some of you out there reading this and thinking, what are all these?! Well here is a little guide from me about the basic types of beads and then I will do a list of my top places to get beads from too!

✩ Types of Bead ✩

Seed Beads
Small beads in every colour you can possibly imagine! Also known as just “Round Beads” they can be very tiny or they can be up to 3 or 4mm wide. I used a variety of colours and sizes in my bracelet, take a look at the images. Nowadays you can get a range of Seed Beads, some in Triangular Shapes and even Square! These are hard to find but so fun! Usually made from glass that is heated and cut and molded until it is smooth.

Glass Beads
Completely made from Glass they are often more expensive and quite heavy compared to plastic. They can often be incredible colours and patterns though, depending on what you’re making worth the price for a couple. Usually quite large in size and oval or round is easy to find.

Bugle Beads
Small but long cut beads, Bugle beads are found in many colours and lengths. Usually round ended tubular shapes, they can be as small as a couple of millimeters (0.5) but also very long up to 2cm.

Crimp Beads
Usually only a couple of millimeters in diameter, they are used to hold jewellery sections in place. They are used by being squashed using pliers. Delicate and often in silver colour, they range in sizes and are usually sold as a small packet.

Gem Stone Beads
Gem Stone Beads are just that, made from actual rock, stone or precious gems. Usually more expensive than your standard plastic ones but you cannot believe the quality and the beauty of some available.

Faceted Beads
Beads that are cut so they that have many sides to them. They are often shiny because of their multiple faces and are usually made from fire polished glass.

Delica Beads
Delica is the modern term for a Japanese bead that is perfectly cylindrical and often small in size. They are thinly produced so they have large holes through them.

Rondelles Beads
Very compressed originally round beads, often have many sides and make great finishing beads. Also ideal as spacers, thin ones can often be made of wood or glass.

Shaped Beads
Such as Flowers and Leaves. Usually made from Plastic or Glass in varying sizes and colours. Pick them up at good bead shops or online.

✩ Other Cool Beads To Look Out For ✩

Pearl Beads
Crystal Beads
Drop Beads
Wooden Beads

✩ Where I Get My Stock From ✩

Amazon Sellers
Bead Shops
Hobby Craft
The Works
Dunelm

After Something Specific? Search Online.

I’m happy to answer any questions about how I do things or if you get stuck pop and message me on social media, I would be happy to give you advice.

Thank you for reading this blog post today, I hope you have all enjoyed an insight into my lifestyle as a hobby jewellery maker! I love making things and experimenting, why not give it a try if you have the time 🙂 If you enjoyed this a lot and would like to see more posts like this then please leave me a comment letting me know, I would really appreciate the feedback.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Snacks That I Am Loving Right Now

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Sabrina

Snacks That I Am Loving Right Now

So I am a huge snack lover! I might not look it as I’m naturally slim, but I love my chocolate, crisps, yogurts and fruity snacks! Among other things! I do eat a banana and a bowl of strawberries or raspberries most days, but what else do I snack on. Well today I am telling you honestly, that for the past several months, these are the products that I have been buying and munching on…

On the blog today I wanted to share with you all some of my favourite latest buys and eats! Some of which I have been eating a lot of to maintain my current weight due to health reasons. For someone like myself getting the necessary five fruit and veg a day plus ensuring my calories, just isn’t enough. So I also choose healthy snacks such as these as my in between treats.

I just wanted to state that I am by no means encouraging people to eat poorly, because we all need to eat healthily, but you can make room in your lifestyle for tasty treats and indulgent items such as the products I’m going to be talking about today. Everything in moderation alongside a diet rich in vitamins and drinking plenty of water. Light exercise if you cannot get to a facility to do so. And remember, we are all built differently, so don’t compare yourself.

Now, where were we? Ah yes, my current favourite snacks!

1. Nomadic Oat and Yogurt Pots – These Cereal and Yogurt Pots are Divine!

Tasty, Great Textures and Great as a Snack or for Breakfast! You can get them in Tesco! There are currently 4 varieties, Chocolate, Strawberry and Blackcurrant and Blueberry. They are all delicious, I have tried them all. Not only are they convenient for a quick breakfast but they are also a wonderful snack between meals. They contain bio-live Irish Yogurt and come in several flavours.

I prefer the chocolate one out of them all, but really enjoy the strawberry too. I tend to mix the two pots together and then throw some sliced banana on top or some raspberries. Both work extremely well with both flavours.

They even come with a folded spoon inside for those of us who have to eat on the go!

If you want to know more about Nomadic and their other great products check out their website here.

2. Pop Chips! Wow have you tried these?

Delicious, Light and Melt on the Tongue with Amazing Flavour! I have found them in most large supermarkets and they come in a few flavours now too, but the sour cream and onion is my fave. They are Gluten Free and contain nothing artificial whatsoever! With only 95 calories a bag you can afford to be naughty with these.

3. Perkier Bars! Tasty and Gluten Free as well as a variety of other cool and healthy things!

Not only do these taste great and there are many varieties, but they are Gluten Free, Dairy Free and don’t have any artificial colours or preservatives in either. I got a sample to try through work, but you can purchase these delicious bars in health food shops and big supermarkets stock them in the ‘Free From Ingredients’ isles. The one I had was this (see images below) a Quinoa Bar with Goji and Cranberry. It was naturally sweetened by adding pineapple juice and contains a natural source of vitamins and antioxidants.

4. Pringles – New Sweet Chilli Flavour

I adore the majority of Pringles flavours, but this new one is absolutely delicious! With a great flavour and crunch and then the aftertaste of chilli, phew! So Yummy! You will have to of course try for yourself and make up your own mind, but if you like tasty with a kick, these are for you!

5. Cadbury Chocolate Yoghurt Pots – Various Side Treats

Have you tried one of these yet? Most supermarkets sell at least one variety. There’s Buttons, Flake, Chunks, at certain times of the year they do special pots like Oreo, Mini Eggs or Freddo Faces! (There have been others too!) A delicious treat for any time of the day, and nice if you want to increase your calcium intake but don’t want to eat anymore chocolate. A tasty Dessert with extra Cadbury pieces on the side!

And that concludes my current snacks!

Thank you for reading this short blog post today, I hope you have all enjoyed an insight into my current snacking habits. Do let me know on social media or via a comment if you decide to try any of these items after reading my review. Thanks! And remember folks, everything in moderation with your fruit and veg to be munched on as well!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Little Books of Calm Colouring Reviews

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Sabrina

Today I am reviewing the “Calm Colouring” Books series created by David Sinden and Victoria Kay. Calm Colouring is an activity that I partake in regularly, it really helps me to relax. And when the images are as beautiful and as intricate as they are in these books, you’ll see why in a moment.

So why do I use them? As some of you regular blog readers will know, I have suffered with some anxiety the past few years that stems from my surgery and other health issues. I deal with it in several ways, but on days when I just need to lose myself in something, I found that adult colouring books really have helped.

My family bought me the first book, “The Little Book of more Calm Colouring” and I loved it so much that I ordered the first one of the series off Amazon which is called, “The Little Book of Calm Colouring”.

Inside are pages of hand illustrated designs where each one has an inspirational quote on the left and a picture to colour on the right. For example here is one quote from Leonardo Da Vinci, “To enjoy – to love a thing for its own sake and for no other reason”. As seen in my image below.

These portable relaxation books are so wonderful, and because they are only 11.5cm by 14cm they can be carried with you should the occasion arise. You can use pencils, pens, literally anything you like to colour in the designs. Something non saturate-able would be best though. The pages aren’t really thin but if you press too hard then strong pen colour will stain through.

The quotes contain many famous sayings and inspirational words from some of the worlds most incredible people. William Shakespeare, Confucius, Aristotle, William Blake, Emily Dickinson and Oscar Wilde to name only a few.

The act as reminders that sometimes patience and calm can be all that we need in order to mentally work through a situation. This book combines the beauty of adding colour to drawings that are sometimes both symmetrical and complicated, but also creating that depth of thought processes so that we may be lost in ourselves for a moment.

My Review Scores

Content 5/5
Appearance 5/5
Usability 5/5
Value for Money 5/5
Quality 5/5
Accurate 5/5

Not only is the content excellent, the quality is also great. They are both portable and easy to use. The books do exactly what they are intended for, and I think at less than £5 for one of these books they are good value for money. All you need to buy are the colouring implements.

Thank you for reading this review today, I really hope you have enjoyed it, and feel free to search for these books online if you’re considering buying one for yourself or for a friend. I know mine are useful and inspiring, exactly what you need to alleviate stress after a long day or to distract at an anxious time. I bought one of my books off Amazon so I know you can still get them on there.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Birchbox August Box Reveal and Review

Posted on August 30, 2017 by Sabrina

Having taken note of several Birchbox reviews and recent boxes I have been waiting for the right time to sign up and I chose this month for two reasons. The first is because they had a fabulous deal on with free gifts, and the box also contains a Spectrum Brush that is only usually available inside the set of its colour…

So I have had delivered a one off Birchbox to Reveal its contents and Review honestly for you all this week. This unboxing is the contents of the August Box, which has a theme of Mermaids. The box itself is beautiful, a detailed scales design of Blues, Greens and Purples, with a golden trim.

I will tell you honestly why I wanted this box, and it’s more for the Spectrum Brush than any of the other items. Though I was pleasantly surprised by the actual box design quality and the other contents, and I will of course try any product once, and plan to do so with what Birchbox have chosen to send me.

The Birchbox measures 18.2cm in Length, by 12cm Wide and 5cm Deep. The design really stands out against my white backdrop as I begin to photograph the unopened contents.

Now it’s time for the Reveal! Let’s open my Mermaid themed box!

The free gift that I managed to get with my order was a fabulous summery and rather stripey makeup bag, and a Nails Inc Nail Polish. The bag is lilac and yellow and measures 22cm by 16cm. It is adorned with a yellow rope and pink trim that includes zip and the word Birchbox in a clear plastic. The Nails Inc Nail Kale Polish is in the colour of Regal Close and is a nude shade.

Nails Inc is a good brand that I have tried and tested before. I was happy that I was receiving something that was well known. The makeup bag reminds me of Summer with the shades of its stripes. They are two free gifts that I will certainly enjoy.

Here is the full list of the items that I received in my Birchbox. I will be looking at them individually, and photographically, in just a moment.

Spectrum Clam Brush A05

Seba Med Clear Face Mattifying Cream

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray

LOC Eye Shadow Stick

Merci Handy New Wave Love & Hand Gel

Spectrum Clam Brush A05

The A05 Brush by Spectrum Collections is designed for applying blusher or bronzer with precision. It is a beautiful brush that is part of the Spectrum Atlantis Collection, usually only supplied inside the Glam Clam. A turquoise handle and a brush end with bristles of lilac and pink, this makeup brush is finished with a rose gold ferrule.

Seba Med Clear Face Mattifying Cream

This Seba Med Clear Face Cream is designed to be free from oils, it is the ideal PH for the skin at 5.5. A non-greasy and shine-reducing cream, this is meant to be moisturising for oily skin. Containing Aloe Vera and Hyaluronic Acid to keep your skin hydrated and smooth, without clogging pores. This travel size at 10ml is great for a handbag or for travelling.

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray

The Oribe Spray can add texture and shine by adding a tousled waves to the hair. It has added proteins and vitamins to give the hair a boost, and can be applied to wet or dry locks. It contains ingredients that have a natural dose of UV protection and natural oils like sunflower and others such as marigolds and amber, to ensure the hair gets nourished. This can is a 37ml size, ideal for going away but be aware this might not be allowed in aeroplane luggage due to being an aerosol.

LOC Eye Shadow Stick

A Birchbox Exclusive, the LOC stick is a precise eye liner shadow pencil which claims to have 11 hours of crease free staying power. It is a compact size but I think from the swatch that I did it will go a long way. In my opinion it is an ideal base for other eye shadow colours to be built up on. Mine was named “Out of your Shell”. The One and Done Eye Shadow Stick is supposed to be easy to apply and comes in a travel size at 1.35g.

Merci Handy New Wave Love & Hand Cleansing Gel

A handy sized sanitiser which is great for handbags or travelling. A simple item but a rather useful one. I received this blue one, called New Wave. I like that it smells nice, it even has glitter inside it for a touch of glam, and it is also supposed to nourish your skin while killing bacteria because it contains Vitamin E and emollient beads. It smells like fruity and clean all at the same time, and is a ‘handy’ 30ml size.

My favourite items from the box are the LOC Eye Shadow Stick and the Spectrum Collections Glam Clam A05 Brush.

My reasons are because I will definitely use these pieces. I wanted the brush so badly to use in blogging and in my makeup. The other items I will all use and/or test, so I just see them as a bonus. I quietly hope that I can use them all despite my sensitive skin.

Here is another image of my items that were inside my August Birchbox.

And below is another shot of the free nail polish and the makeup bag.

Overall I am pleased that I did this Reveal, If I am very happy with any of the individual products then you will no doubt see individual reviews of the items.

Thank you very much for reading this blog post today, I really hope you’ve enjoyed this reveal and of course all of my detailed photography.

If you’re interested in some Birchbox products then please check out their website, they have a shop and you can subscribe to the boxes if you wish to.

Birchbox

If you liked this but want to ‘See’ more then check out my unboxing video, reveal and honest review of the box over on my YouTube Channel.

Thanks Severn Wishes followers, until next time!

✩ Sabrina ✩

A Uniqlo Store T-Shirt Haul – Featuring Designs from the UTGP 2017 in Association with Nintendo

Posted on August 27, 2017 by Sabrina

A Uniqlo Store T-Shirt Haul – Featuring Designs from the UTGP 2017 in Association with Nintendo.

Luckily on a recent visit to London my husband wanted to go shopping down Oxford Street. He absolutely loves the work shirts available in Uniqlo. So I agreed to go along with him and give him my opinions of course.

What I didn’t know was that the brand was running a collaboration with Nintendo, where people had designed these awesome T-shirts. Based on Nintendo Video Games and various Characters too, the T-shirts were both for male and female and some were even unisex, at a cost between £11 and £15 each.

Of course I browsed and I couldn’t have left London without getting a few of them. (For those who don’t know it I’m a very keen gamer!) So here are the items in question, with the collaboration details and then I will review them for you.

T-Shirt Design One – Pikachu on Black

My husband bought me this one, he knows I adore Pikachu!

T-Shirt Design Two – The World of Nintendo

This tee brought back so much of my childhood, Mario, DK and hours of fun!

T-Shirt Design Three – Splatoon

I chose this one because of the colours and the googly eyes were fun!

So this T-shirt design contest is held by UNIQLO and people from around the world create and submit original T-Shirt designs based on Nintendo characters. The designs varied with Donkey Kong, Pokemon, Super Mario Brothers, Kirby, Splatoon, Star Fox and of course a Nintendo favourite The Legend of Zelda, all making appearances. All the T-Shirt Characters of course belong to ©Nintendo. A final 25 entries made it to the process of being made, and have been distributed worldwide, with the Winner being a man from Japan who did a Mario inspired design.

For the UT Grand Prix for 2017 and they received more than 16,000 entries, a new record high for the competition. By offering these unique and exciting designs for both men, women and children from its UTGP 2017 Nintendo collection, UNIQLO hopes to bring more joy to the world by giving people the chance to own these one off designs. With the standard being so high this year I cannot wait to see what people come up with for the next one!

There are very few of these wonderful T-Shirt Designs left now, because I went a couple of months ago, and sadly I just hadn’t gotten around to reviewing the items. Anything that is still available can be found in the Summer Sales in stores and online you can fin them here on their website.

Each tee is 100% Cotton, super soft and the designs are all well made and have consistent good quality. The colours are still good after several washes, and I am really pleased I got more than one. There were a few designs that were already sold out, and I am quite disappointed that I didn’t get to buy them. I grew up playing Pokemon on my Gameboy Colour, so I would have adored all of the other Pikachu Tee’s (Numbers 10, 11 and 24 on the list) and I personally think the Mario Star Tee (Number 21) is awesome too! As you can see by the list of pictures I have compiled, the T-shirts are all excellent. I didn’t even see some of these when I went to London in May! Wished I had!

Overall I am happy that my husband wanted to go into Uniqlo that day, otherwise I never would have seen these T-shirts! So it’s thanks to my Ed, I now have them in my wardrobe. For me I wear them as casual tee’s, for doing shopping in, gaming in and general wear. But nevertheless I think they do bring some joy, the comfort and the quirky designs, so I guess Uniqlo have succeeded with their aim, with me anyway.

Soft and well made, these tee’s wash and wear well. So far the colours have remained strong and bold. Because it’s cotton it can be washed on a cool cycle helping the environment. I am a size 6-8 and chose a Small, the sizes fitted well. They are good value for money most definitely. And finally I would like to add that they certainly do look unique.

Thank you very much for reading this blog post today, I really hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this contest and the designs for this year. As well as my personal review of the items of course. Until next time, thank you.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Oh and I hear that UTGP for 2018 will be a Marvel theme competition!!! :O How awesome is that?!

Using BooHoo Shorts and Iron On Patches to Create my own Unique looking Embroidery Style

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Sabrina

Using BooHoo Shorts and Iron On Patches to Create my own Unique looking Embroidery Style Summer Shorts

In the blog post today I am going to be explaining how I managed to make these awesome, unique, and I have to say pretty cool looking embroidery style shorts.

(The Sunflower, Palm Tree and Eye were already sown on).

The original shorts are from BooHoo, I will pop a link to them at the end of the post…

(All the Patches I have had in my Treat Boxes and Artemis and Xena Box!)

The Iron On Patches have all been from past Treat Boxes, the first one I received is from a whole year ago! And it has been sat in a drawer waiting to be used.

I saw the shorts ages ago when I placed an order, to replace an old black pair. And then I had an idea! Seeing as they already had a couple of patches sown on to them, why not add to them! I decided exactly what I was going to do… and this is the result!

If you ever did this as a child, then you had a great childhood! Picking an iron patch in the local shop, taking it home and choosing an item of your clothing for it to go on to. Usually a denim jacket in the 1990’s with patches covering the back! But I wanted to spruce up these already great shorts! I hope you like what I did!

Here are the Treatbox Iron On Instructions and a closer look at the beautiful Rainbow patch that we had last year in our August 2016 box.

Here is a closer look at the Flamingo and Pineapple which were in the July 2017 box.

Recommending to use a handkerchief or an old pillow case to place over the patch while you are ironing is not only a tip but a definite necessity.

This lovely Cup Cake Iron On Patch came out of the Artemis and Xena Box I had earlier on this year in March.

Getting down to the ‘How To Do This’ Part of the blog post now, and basically just be creative! Make sure that you get patches that are good quality, and make sure you choose both areas of the fabric that are easy to iron on to, and choose a fabric that can be ironed on a high heat without it getting damaged!

Otherwise just follow the instructions carefully and make sure you do this with an adult if you’re of a young age.

My final tip is to play around before ironing anything on, you might change your mind. Imagine wearing the item and where the patches will be when you do. Once you’ve made a final decision why not ask someone in your family for their opinion, it couldn’t hurt. And remember this is a creative and fun activity you can do as a family if you all wanted to participate.

Review of BooHoo’s Polly Palm Embroidered Denim Shorts

Comfort 4/5
Value for Money 3/5
Appearance 4/5

Now I’m going to show you a photo of me wearing my finished shorts! I’m really pleased with the way that they turned out.

Here is a link to the boohoo shorts BOOHOO, and don’t forget to check out my category for my Treat Box REVEALS, the Treat Box shop link is also here if anyone wants it SHOP.

If anyone has any questions please feel free to leave me comments, I’m happy to answer them.

✩ Sabrina ✩

SS17 Fashion Trends, How To Wear Them This Season And How To Combine Your Current Wardrobe

Posted on August 15, 2017 by Sabrina

Welcome to today’s Blog Post, in this piece I am going to be discussing the main Fashions for this Spring and Summer. How you can wear them this season, and how you can combine new items with your current wardrobe to stay on trend.

There are several main trends this year, and the majority of them have been doubled up to ensure maximum ‘on trend’ efficiency. Brands seem to be fusing together different styles to create new ones. I will give you an example, Denim and Embroidery. A lot of companies are now uniting various denim styles with patches and sown on patterns. Of course this relates back to some of the 1990’s fashion trends that saw embroidery on a variety of things, including jeans. But now it seems to be on everything, from T-Shirts to Jackets, Jeans to Coats… Other examples have been gradually making a come back, hinting on 1920’s and 1930’s fashion, with cold shoulders, bardot tops and dresses and of course lots of lace.

I will now list all of the trends that I have come across through research, personal shopping trips and reading about what is appearing on the latest catwalks, so that you can see what I’m talking about. Here are most of the current trends…

✩ Denim and Embroidery ✩
✩ Embroidery and Lace ✩
✩ Denim and Pink ✩
✩ Lace and Cold Shoulder ✩
✩ Cold Shoulder and Gingham ✩
✩ Gingham and Silver ✩
✩ Bold Prints and Glitter ✩
✩ Floral Prints and Stripes ✩
✩ Stripes and Studs ✩
✩ Ruffles and Mesh ✩
✩ Mesh and Sheer ✩
✩ Sheer and Florals ✩
✩ Stripes and Cold Shoulder ✩
✩ Florals and Gingham ✩
✩Gingham and Bold Prints ✩

Now I’m going to talk about a few of the trends that I like the most, and give examples of my fashion and any styles that I myself have worn during the summer so far.

Stripes are a go in my wardrobe at ALL times of the year and in all seasons. I have striped tops, dresses and various other items, striped pieces in my opinion don’t ever go out of style! Check out my latest Fashion purchases on that named category to see what my latest fashion spends have been on. Mainly T-Shirts if I’m honest, some of which are very much on trend right now…

So what I noticed more about this summer more than any other in recent years, was how many brands got on the ‘Floral’s for Summer’ idea. This is a simple one of course, everyone knows how much flowers thrive in the warmer months of the year. Yet it was different somehow. People were combining unusual colours and prints that had never before seen each other. Next time you’re shopping take a look at Floral Fashions…

Let’s get down to some of my examples now, and how I have recently styled them.

✩ Florals and Gingham / Gingham and Florals ✩

I adore Gingham, and until a couple of years ago I barely had any of it in my wardrobe. These Shorts I already did a separate review on, but I wanted to explain why they were so on trend still. They combine two trends, Floral Print and the Gingham Print, in one item. Not only that but depending on what you choose to partner them with, could mean your outfit ticks several ‘On Trend’ boxes in one go!

Shorts from BooHoo (See My Individual Review For More Details)

Here I am in my Gingham and Floral outfit. I love how the flowers really stand out on the pattern.

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✩ Sheer and / or Mesh in Fashion ✩

Sheer Mesh T-Shirts are also on trend right now, I had this lovely Floral one from New Look. Check out my review of it by clicking New Look on my categories.

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✩ Florals and Bold Prints ✩

A really good example of Bold Prints and Florals are these other Shorts I got also from BooHoo. Comfortable and affordable, these excellent shorts have such a vibrant pattern, and really stand out. I would pair them with a plain black bardot top, a double Fashion ensemble to ensure a great looking Summer outfit.

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✩ Gingham / Chequered Print and Bright Colours ✩

I absolutely love to recycle old clothing into new trends. This year I’ve been able to dig out my ‘vintage’ chequered pieces, such as these two skirts. And then pair them with new items such as bold print and brightly coloured T-Shirts. One is around twelve years old and from New Look, the other is around eight years old and was from Primark (and yes I can still fit in them both). Recycling your older items is a great way to stay up to date with the latest trends, plus you never know when items such as these will be in fashion again, sometimes it’s not very long at all!

(Primark Original)

(New Look Original)

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✩ Embroidery and Denim ✩

Another trend I particularly like is the embroidery one. I am really getting into this, it brings back all the 1990’s Fashion from when I was growing up. What I actually plan to do is make my own shorts, but I have cheated slightly, and gotten a pair that was already started with patches. I am going to add my Iron On Patches that I have received inside my various Treat Boxes, on to these shorts to make them unique. Here is a shot of them with the patches, but I have yet to decide on my final design.

You could choose to put patches on any kind of Denim item, I liked how these would brighten up the black, but they work just as well with blue too!

These shorts will look great this Summer with either a crop top or with a white tee with very little pattern to allow the embroidery to take central focus.

Another way Embroidery has been used in Fashion in recent months is to line T-Shirts, on either the hems or the sleeves, or both. Here are examples from Dorothy Perkins that I have purchased this year. They go excellent with a variety of Denim colours. Check out my DP section on the main page for my reviews.

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✩ Cold Shoulder / Bardot and Lace ✩

Finally, another style I want to discuss is the Cold Shoulder one. As I mentioned earlier in the post, the Bardot style and the Cold Shoulder trend have both been reinvented for modern day fashion, and I have to say I really took to both. I never thought it would suit me, but actually I am happy to wear both tops and dresses. Here is one example, where I have paired my BooHoo Gingham Shorts with a Lace Cold Shoulder Top from Dorothy Perkins.

Here I am in this outfit. I really like combining trends like these to make my own style.

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Thank you for reading this Fashion post today, I really hope you have enjoyed reading about the latest trends and my takes on how to make them unique for yourself.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Title Image taken by Megan from Makeup by Megan

X115 New Generation Cream Woman “SOS Total Youth” Review

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Sabrina

An in depth Review of the X115 New Generation “SOS Total Youth” Cream for Women from Jarmy SRL in Italy.

When I was recently contacted by Jarmy I jumped at the chance to review a product that is created outside of the United Kingdom. The company is a leading name in Italy and has the appropriate slogan “Beauty For Life”.

The product I have been sent to test is a 15ml bottle of their Women Anti-Aging Cream. Said to bring back the skins youthful appearance by increasing hydration and collagen in the skin. The small bottle is designed to last anything from four to six weeks, so I wanted to test the product accordingly before reporting my findings.

The first thing that I noticed when I began testing this product was that it had no smell, only a light plastic sort of smell and a slight oily scent, I take it that was from being encased in its packaging. However once applied there was no lingering smell. The cream was very light to apply and with a few strokes it soaked into my skin with ease. Even though I have sensitive skin I have had no issues with using this product whatsoever.

The X115 Anti-Aging Cream contains lots of naturally occurring ingredients including Argan Oil, Acai Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado, Cholesterol, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin E Acetate, Lipoic Acid and Vitamin A.

There are some specific reasons why the following ingredients are used in this cream. I will now briefly outline why some of them are so relevant to its effectiveness.

Vitamin E – provides an anti-oxident action by blocking radical reactions.
Vitamin A – improves skins thickness and promotes collagen production.
Lipoic Acid – helps protect cell membranes and protects skin from early aging.

Not only that but it is both Hypoallergenic and is Dermatologically tested. Due to it also being Paraben, Gluten and Fragrance Free, all of these things help prevent any skin irritations. I could tell after a week of using the cream that my skin liked it.

There are a couple of other ingredients that people should be aware of before making a decision to purchase. This cream does contain a muscle relaxant and a type of acid that can cause a tingling sensation in some people.

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) – this ingredient has an inhibiting action upon nerve pulse transmissions, it promotes the reduction in expression lines.

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 – this ingredient is a micro muscle relaxant that provides a smoothing action to the areas of the skin it is applied, it has been known to contribute to the reduction of facial wrinkles.

I honestly had no problems with the cream, and read all through the accompanying leaflet before first applying it. As I stated earlier with my somewhat sensitive skin I was expecting something, but no, and I have to say I have noticed a slight difference in the quality of my skin.

The X115 is designed to be applied at either the morning routine or the evening one, whichever suits the customer better. I have always preferred to do my more complex routine just before going to bed, that is because I usually struggle to remember to apply everything in a morning when I’m still half asleep!

So how and where can you apply this X115 cream. Well the first thing you must do is make sure your skin is washed thoroughly and then cleansed. I love using my Garnier Micellar Water to clean my face and neck before bed, it is refreshing as well in the warmer months of the year. Make sure you pat your skin dry, before applying the cream.

Jarmy recommend the cream be directly placed on to skin where there are already lines and wrinkles, such as the forehead, around the eyes etc. You only need apply it in small quantities, then with a gentle circular motion rub it in gently until it is fully absorbed. It is recommended that you keep your face relaxed until the cream has fully sunk in.

This cream is not an SPF, so if you are applying it with a morning routine, you must wait several minutes after it has been absorbed, before applying your regular SPF face creams and then any makeup after that. Ensuring that your skin is thoroughly protected from UV Rays will allow the product to work more effectively.

Over all I have found the cream easy to use, and because the bottle is so small it’s easily portable too. I went away for a weekend and just tossed it in my bag with my makeup. The small bottle went a very long way, with an evening routine I have used it consistently for almost six weeks now, with a very small amount remaining.

The bottle has a pump action top, and one squeeze of product onto a finger was enough to do the problem areas on my entire face. This is roughly a large pea sized amount, and honestly this will be all you need. Use the cream sparingly, it isn’t oily at all and is quite thick, but it will absorb quickly if you massage it into your skin gently.

The X115 states that it will act on several levels to ensure that your skin becomes more youthful. It does this by targeting several main areas and skin aging problems. They are; Protect, Nourish, Regenerate, Smooth and Correct issues.

The main problems that women around my age have with their skin are that it is Tired, Stressed, Dry, Sagging, Dehydrated and Wrinkled, but X115 is going to help with all of them in one tiny bottle.

I must admit that I am lucky enough not to look my age, yet! But all the same, using X115 for these past few weeks I have noticed some changes in my skin. The lines that appear on my forehead with certain facial expressions are less noticeable and my skin is definitely better hydrated. (As someone who regularly has dry skin I do drink between 1.5 and 3 litres of water a day though as well and this helps your skin stay hydrated). My face is softer to touch since using this cream and my crows feet are not as prominent as they were three months ago.

I don’t really believe in a ‘before’ and ‘after’ image, because your skin is made up of so many factors, like diet, exercise and hormones. But I have definitely noticed a difference in my facial areas, so much so that I stopped using two other creams a month ago, just so that I was focusing all my attention on the X115. I wanted to see what it could do and see if it could do, in a shorter time period, what my usual products had been attempting to do for months.

I would like to finish my review on a positive note. I am rather glad that Jarmy got in touch with me to review their Anti-Aging Cream. I am currently twenty nine years old, I work full time and blog part time, and I have stress in my life like everyone else does. But looking at my skin now, compared to three months ago, I can see it doesn’t look as stressed and looks healthier. I hope that it was this cream, I definitely haven’t given up my food luxuries like chocolate, so I know it can’t be that!

If you’re interested in knowing more about the incredible products available from Italy, you have two choices. Visit the website and click on the United Kingdom flag to read all about it in English, or you can pop over on to Amazon, where the products can also be purchased from, direct from Jarmy still though. I will leave the links to both of these at the end of my post if you want to take a look.

Thank you for reading this beauty and skin blog post today, I hope that you have enjoyed reading about this interesting X115 Anti-Aging Cream, I know it has been a pleasure testing it for you all to read about. This is an affordable, but high quality product, and I would like to thank Jarmy for choosing me to represent their brand this summer by means of this testing and review.

Thank you very much.

✩ Sabrina ✩

X115 Website

X115 on Amazon

Label M Curl Cream Review

Posted on August 10, 2017 by Sabrina

On my most recent visit to my favourite Hair Dressers, Toni and Guy, my stylist used their latest curl cream on my hair after my cut. To style this cream she scrunched it through my wet and freshly cut hair and then placed me under a hooded drier for thirty minutes.

I was so impressed with the results afterwards that I asked to see the bottle and know more about the brand. Used at London Fashion Week Label.M is a professional hair care brand developed for use by professional stylists. I decided to purchase some to take home, my hair really seemed to like it and the curls bounced up as it dried fully.

(Above; My Hair straight after having it cut and styled with the curl cream).

Here is the product, it comes in a 150ml bottle but every pump goes a long way. It contains natural ingredients including Jojoba, Bran and Extract of Sunflower. The smell is just apparent as you rub the cream through your hands, and its easy to apply in your hair. Comb it in with your fingers, and then scrunch small sections at a time to create curls. Then either let dry naturally or slow hair dry with a diffuser.

My hair loves this product. I use it twice a week on my hair after shampooing and conditioning, squeezing out the excess water and applying it on my damp hair. After scrunching I let it sit for five minutes in a head towel before blow drying on a medium heat with a diffuser.

Comparing images of my hair from three months ago versus my hair now, you can see how less frizzy it is, overall it looks shinier and healthier since using this product.

Not only does the curl cream suit my type of curly hair but it also contains a complex that protects against both heat styling and UV Rays so it’s good for the whole of your hair.

Honestly, these bottles aren’t cheap, they are around £15.00 each, though the product can be used sparingly and your use would obviously depend upon the length of your hair too. Like I said earlier in the post I only use two pumps on my long hair, twice a week, so it’s taken me almost three months to get through my first bottle.

Right now I don’t use any other hair sprays or frizz control products on my hair because of the way my hair has responded to this treatment cream, I should save money in the long run hopefully.

(Above; My hair after using the product at home).

Final Review and Thoughts

Value for Money 4/5
Product Quality 5/5
Ease of Use 5/5

Overall I adore this Label.M Curl Cream and I will continue to use it while my hair prefers it to my other brands. I have also researched and you can buy this brand online at certain retailers as well.

Thank you for reading this blog post today.

✩ Sabrina ✩