June 2017 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on June 2, 2017 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the June 2017 Treatbox Reveal with Sabrina of Severn Wishes.

Happy Treat Box Day Everyone!

This month we see a pale sea green tissue paper as we open a box which shouts ‘Beach’ and ‘Mermaid’ themes at us with the sticker quoting ‘You are Mer-Mazing’. The Calendar print has June of course with lovely colourful shells behind it. And with these bits I’m eager to see what else is inside my actual treatbox.

As I open the print and read about the contents of this box, I am impressed with the dedication to the theme and attention to detail, and if you join me to see the items, you will understand what I mean…

Here are all of the items in the June Treatbox.

Here is the full list of items available this month, and remember there are always slight variations in the types and the colours, everyone gets a slightly different combination inside their box… There are 8 main items in this Treatbox…

Calendar Print for June 2017 – Sea Shells – Life is better in Flipflops
Stick of Rock personalised for Treatbox – Strawberry Flavour
Hanging Decoration – Green Boat – ‘Life’s A Beach’
Hanging Decoration – ‘By The Beautiful Sea’ Sass & Belle
‘MerBoss’ Notepad designed exclusively for Treatbox
Mermaid Charm for the Wish Upon A String Bracelet
Print – Mermaid Kisses and Starfish Wishes – designed for Treatbox
Beach Bag – XL – ‘Take Me To The Beach’ Environmentally Friendly

Here is a selection of my photographs of this months box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions leave me a comment 😉

If you love the beach, mermaids, or the sea side then this is a box for you.

My Favourites

My favourite items from this months box are the bag and the sea quoted hanging decoration. I love that the bag is enviro friendly and such a decent size. Not only is it water resistant and wipe clean, but its got a velcro strip in the middle which means nothing will fall out. The decorative hanging sea side board is well made and has beautiful details in its pattern. It is bold and great for a bathroom if you have a nautical theme going on.

My Overall Opinion

There are some nice items in this box, and overall the theme is very good, beach is a bit of fun and most of us have great memories of times spent there. Little things like these pieces can help us to rekindle our love for the seaside.

I wasn’t sure why we received two hanging decorations in the same box, I was surprised about that. They are both lovely items but I’m not sure if two decorations is a little much for one box. I would have loved to have seen something crafty like, make your own mini deck chair or something like that, something make-able…

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

If you aren’t sure on whether to try a TreatBox for yourself or not I would say order a one off box, and then if you’re happy with it you can always subscribe afterwards. Check out my previous posts on the Treat Boxes I have received so far, in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ especially for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes – TREATBOX

Thanks for reading this months reveal today, if you have any of your own thoughts you would like to share with me or if you have purchased a box after reading one of my reviews then I would love to hear your from you, so why not leave me a comment below 🙂

Also if you have any questions about any of the items contained within this months treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can.

Until next time then Severn Wishes followers, thank you for reading this reveal post today, I hope you have enjoyed it.

✩ Sabrina ✩

If you do want to watch my Treatbox Reveal Video you can find it on my channel here

The Liebster Award

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Sabrina

This month saw me get my first ever blogging award, The Liebster Award and I’m very excited to bring you this very personal post of mine.

I was nominated by fellow blogger Natalie Swan-Williams, her wonderful blog is called Island Beauty Junkie. You can visit her blog once you’ve finished reading my post (links at the end) of course!

About The Liebster Award

An Award that is purely online, given to bloggers by other bloggers! This awards name has German origins – the word “Liebster” actually has several definitions, the most popular are: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome, sweetheart and (can you believe it) boyfriend.

It was created so that bloggers could discover and recognise other blogs and support them, I really like the way it has a pay it forward aspect and has allowed me to open up to the community that I write for. I hope that you’ll enjoy learning about me and then looking at the blogs that I have nominated as I pass on this award.

The Rules

Post 11 facts about yourself
Answer the 11 questions your nominator has asked you
Nominate 11 other bloggers
Ask them 11 other questions
Let them know that you’ve nominated them

Don’t forget to add the links for the blogger who nominated you and the bloggers you are nominating at the end of the post!

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11 (Interesting) Facts About Me

1. My first name is Sabrina (if you haven’t read my About Me section) then you might be interested to know that my parents named me after the River Severn, the Romans named it Sabrina after a Princess called Sabrina.
2. I have Hazel Eyes and Auburn Brown Naturally Curly Hair, and I had to wear braces for almost eight years during my high school days.
3. I graduated from University in 2010 in Photography, though it is not my main profession I really wish it was, I have never given up on my dream, I hope to keep going with my blog, the writing and photography combined, I just love it.
4. I love Cats, I grew up with one and she sadly passed away at aged 19, she was more like a sister than a pet, she was always there when I needed a cuddle after a bad day. I have also had 3 rescue cats since her, one who passed away not long ago and I am still heartbroken about him. My other two dear little girls who are still with me (and I hope for a very long time) are my shining lights and make going home after a long day all the more worthwhile. I couldn’t imagine life without them in it, they really are my little fur babies.
5. I have had 10 piercings and 10 tattoos in my life so far. All of my tattoos have meanings or are about remembrance. My favourite piercing is my navel and my favourite tattoo is my cherry blossom branch.
6. When I was younger (and fitter) I rode horses, swam and cycled regularly, the only exercise I manage to do since my diagnosis though is walking every day. I also hike with the very occasional swim.
7. I’m very lucky to have traveled to many countries. So far I have been to 18 different countries, and my goal is to get to 30 by the time I’m 50 years old.
8. My two wardrobes are colour coordinated. One is also in order of store alphabetically. I don’t see myself as suffering from OCD, but I do have aspects of it that I use in my daily life, it doesn’t bother me and I love being organised.
9. I love food! Italian and Indian are my favourites and I’m a keen cook, I love to experiment. My hobbies include cooking and baking on a regular basis.
10. When I was at School I studied three languages as well as English of course, these were Welsh, Spanish and French, and I can still speak all of these on a basic level, although the older I get the rustier I get, ha ha. I would love to learn more in my life.
11. I am an Endometriosis sufferer and I hope that one day soon I will be brave enough to tell my story so that others may benefit from my experiences.

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Questions I Was Asked and My Answers

1. Why did you start your blog?

2. If you could only take one beauty product to a desert island what would it be?

3. What is your perfect night out?

4. How do you like to relax in your spare time?

5. What is your favourite film of all time?

6. What is the best advice you could give to a new blogger?

7. If you could be any animal which would it be and why?

8. What is the most used app on your phone or tablet?

9. Name two bloggers you regularly follow and why?

10. What is your favourite band or musician?

11. What is the best book you have ever read and why?

1. I decided to start my blog when I was diagnosed with Endometriosis in 2015. It was a positive outlet for my writing and photography because I could no longer get out and about easily. Although it didn’t go live until March 2016 due to my surgeries, I wanted to put positive energy back into my days. I wrote many posts last year while I was recovering from major surgery and had to take 10 weeks off work. I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did and before I knew it I was collaborating with brands.

2. My one beauty item I would take to a desert island would be lip balm, it’s the only thing I use every day without fail.

3. My perfect night out would be a meal with my husband followed by, cinema in the winter and a sunset walk in the summer.

4. I relax in my spare time by creating photographs in nature or by being creative with one of my many hobbies.

5. My favourite film of all time is probably (don’t judge me) Twilight. But I’m judging that by how many times I’ve seen the film. I also love things like Moulin Rouge, Gladiator and The Fast and Furious franchise. I just adore movies! I also adore Soundtracks!

6. The best advice I can give a new blogger would be don’t try and be like anyone else, take inspiration of course but write about your passions and likes. Discover your own style and above all, always be confident in your strengths.

7. If I could be an animals I would be a cat. I adore cats and I have had 3 rescue cats in the past 10 years, they have a wonderful life with my husband and I, and if I could have any animals life it would be a cat.

8. The most used app on my phone is probably Facebook, though I’m really enjoying Twitter of late.

9. Two bloggers that I regularly follow and read their posts often are Becca with her Blog Fashion Train and Leah with her Blog Miss Pettigrew Review.

10. My favourite band or musician is Carter Burwell, he has written many film scores and soundtracks, my favourite piece is from the Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1, it’s called Love Death Birth, if you don’t know it then pop online and take a listen, it’s so moving.
11. When I was young you had to prise books from my hands, I was always reading and I think it’s a shame the new generation won’t have the same appreciation for books like I did. If I had to pick one book in particular that perhaps changed my life when I read it, I think it would be Harry Potter. It inspired me to write and follow my imagination. Thanks JK!

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My 11 Questions For The Nominees

1. How long have you been blogging and why did you start?

2. What are your hobbies?

3. Which Movie is your all time favourite?
4. What are your favourite foods?

5. How many Countries have you been to?

6. Do you have any Pets?

7. What is your main Goal for 2017 (can be blogging or personal)?

8. Do you have a Favourite Song for up to this stage of your life?
9. What was your Favourite Subject at School?
10. If you could have lived in any era and gone to dinner with any icon, when and who would it be?
11. What would be your perfect weekend?

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My Nominees Are;
1. Danielle Alexandria with her Lady Loves blog
2. Paige Weatherall with her Paige Margaret blog
3. Roxsanne Slatford with her Beauty Bag Secrets blog
4. Sarah Oswald with her So Beauty Stuff blog
5. Rachel Blackmore with her personal Rachel Blackmore blog
6. Tanya Leahy with Tanya Leahy Makeup blog
7. Ro N Rae with her personal blog Ms Queen Ro blog
8. Audrey Marie Knizek with her With Love blog
9. Siobhan Macdonald with her blog Forever Siobhan blog
10. Sarah Bennett with her blog Pale Princess Makeup & Beauty blog
11. Carolyn Cohen with her blog Party Polished blog

Please join me in supporting all of these unique and wonderful bloggers!

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Thank you to all of my nominees for taking the time to read my Liebster Award blog post, and I hope you will enjoy answering my questions! I look forward to reading the answers.

I was Nominated by Island Beauty Junkie

Thank you very much for joining me for this special post today, I hope you will enjoy the blogs that I have nominated and that you will come back to Severn Wishes for all of my new posts in the future.

✩ Sabrina ✩

NYX Slide On Eye Liner Review

Posted on May 21, 2017 by Sabrina

NYX Slide On Eye Liner Review

I got recommended to try these eye liners by my makeup artist friend Megan (I will leave her link at the end of the post). We went shopping as I was looking to replace my current brand which I find I have grown out of.

When I used the testers in my local Boots store there were many colours that stood out to me. I have Hazel Eyes and love to do a range of looks dependent on my mood and outfit. Usually smokey eyes or complementary browns and golds for me.

I eventually chose these three shades to purchase. SL13, SL15 and SL16.

SL13 Jewel
SL15 Brown Perfection
SL16 Golden Bronze

The NYX Eye Liners all have a quote on them, it is meant to be their name and it reads;
“Slide On, Glide On, Stay On, Definitely a turn on Waterproof”.
“This eye liner is so good the name had to be this long!”

So what NYX were telling us was that these liners stay on very well… I think this was the understatement of the year! I used one of the liners to create the look in my next photograph. After wearing it for eleven hours, I then removed my makeup with my Garnier Micellar Water on cotton wool pads, then I washed my face with warm water. However when I looked in the mirror I could still see the glitter and some of the colour from the liner. So then I used my Sephora makeup remover and washed my face again. I could still see a faint line and some more glitter. The staying power was wonderful, I know that I could create a look and with confidence it would last all day long.

For the above look I used a Maxfactor Mascara, a Maxfactor eyeshadow and of course the NYX eye liner which was Jewel (SL13).

Final Review

These liners only cost £2.50 each at most stores, and with currently eighteen colours to choose from, what are you waiting for! If you want staying power then these are the liners for you. I haven’t been this impressed by an eye liner in a long while. They definitely slide on and stay on, and that is all that most of us want in a product, right?

Quality of Items 5/5
Effectiveness 5/5
Appearance 5/5
Value for Money 5/5

Congrats NYX! It’s a unanimous 5/5 from Severn Wishes!

Thank you for reading this review, I hope you have enjoyed it. Until next time!

✩ Sabrina ✩

NYX at Boots Website
Makeup by Megan

Gift Company Wine Bottle Holder Cannon Shape Review

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Sabrina

Gift Company sell a range of Wine Bottle Holders, which (until very recently) included this Cannon one. I purchased this for my Father for his birthday, and this is my review of the product, including a quote from my Father about what he thought. Here is the item that I received, the wine of course was not included, this is just to show the scale.

The current range of holders that are available can be found here Gift Company

The item is considerably larger than I would have thought, but when you consider the diameter of a standard sized bottle of wine it does make sense. The wine goes into the holder at an angle, so the Cannon sits as it would do if it was real. I loved the reality of this item, more than other ones available, it had a natural historic charm to it.

My father is a historical author, he loves anything to do with history and I knew this would be the most perfect gift for him. What he said about the product was this; “The Cannon is a lovely gift for anyone who likes history, it has excellent scale and a good shape to it. My only criticism is that it is quite sharp in areas so people must be careful when moving the object around”.

My opinion on the item is that the quirkiness and complexity of such an object makes a unique gift for any history lover or admirer of historic weapons. When it is not being used as a wine holder you could use it to house any manner of decorative items, such as false flowers or stationary.

Here are some more photographs of the item so you can look at the scale and details.

Finally I must add that the service that I received from one of the Gift Company team regarding this order was nothing less than exceptional. Not only did she have to find this item for me, sourcing it from one of the stores, she even had it delivered to me on a day that suited my needs. I really wanted this item and was so pleased that this could be made a reality for me to purchase. For that reason I would like to thank Becki, for her excellent customer service.

I recommend the Gift Company website to many people personally, as well as on my blog, so thank you very much for everything that you did in order to get me this wonderful present for my Father.

My Review Scores
Appearance 5/5
Quality 4/5
Value for Money 4/5
Delivery 5/5

Thank you for reading this review today, I hope that you’ll be able to visit a Gift Company store near you or perhaps the website to find your perfect wine bottle holder, I cannot recommend them enough.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company Website

Sainsbury’s Amazing Stationary

Posted on May 6, 2017 by Sabrina

Recently Sainsbury’s brought out an incredible range of Stationary, not just for women but for everyone. The range included Ethereal Colours, Adventure (Travel and Nature Scenes) and Floral Designs, to name but a few.

My local store had an amazing selection of Marble related items. I particularly loved the Planner which would help me to keep my blogging posts schedule on track. The Rose Gold pieces that accompanied these items were beautiful also. (I am giving some of the items away in my latest Giveaway click this link).

I love to be organised and to make lists, but it’s not often that stationary is both affordable and so beautiful too. This whole range varies in prices from £2.00 to £5.00 per item.
Since purchasing mine in March I have seen some of the items on sale, some as low as £1 so it’s worth having a look in your Sainsbury’s to see what they may have left. Mostly the ‘Adventure’ sets are on sale I think.

Anyway, I am so excited to show off my images to you. I’m going to show you some photographs of the items that I bought, before rating them individually on their Quality, Value for Money and Purposes.

Weekly Planner 5/5
Quality – Paper is of good thickness and the item is well made.
Fit for Purpose – Very good sized boxes for writing in and layout is well set out.
Value for Money – Cost was £3.50 which I thought was good.

Organiser Pockets 4/5
Quality – Good quality and well made with lovely variations of colours.
Fit for Purpose – You won’t fit too many papers inside them, I plan to use mine to divide and keep my important papers in.
Value for Money – Great value for money £2.00 for 3 pockets.

Rose Gold Paperclips and Marble/Rose Gold Clips in Jars 5/5
Quality – Excellent Quality and lovely Jar’s that can be reused if you want.
Fit for Purpose – Great for use and for my blogging interests.
Value for Money – Great Value because of the Glass Jar’s too.

Things To Do Clip Board 4/5
Quality – Good Quality with ample writing room.
Fit for Purpose – Good use and the board can be reused I believe.
Value for Money – Good Value but it was the most expensive of the items at £5.00. The board could be reused though.

Let’s Go On An Adventure Magnetic Note Block 3/5
Quality – Nice Paper in the Notes but the Magnet isn’t very strong.
Fit for Purpose – Great for a Fridge but you may need an extra magnetic strip.
Value for Money – Good Value for the amount of Paper.

Overall I am glad that I have invested in this set, and I love that the beautiful pockets have multiple uses. For both keeping my paperwork secure and flat and they also make wonderful background images when doing macro blog photography, win win!

Thank you for reading this post, I hope that if you want some of these items for yourself you can still find them in your local store. Mine has so many and some on offer now too actually. Maybe worth a look!

✩ Sabrina ✩

May 2017 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on May 1, 2017 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the May 2017 Treatbox Reveal.

Happy May Day to you all! Most of us have received our boxes early due to the United Kingdom having a Bank Holiday today, so I’m very happy to be bringing you this post on the first day of the new month.

As always if you would prefer to watch my unboxing video over on my channel then I will include a link to it after my reveal.

This month was a pretty lilac tissue paper inside with a sticker that read ‘made just for you’. The Calendar print has May with beautiful feathers all around it, I see a theme appearing here. On the back is the usual description of the types of items we can find inside. I don’t tend to dwell on this too much, although an interesting read afterwards, I’m eager to see what is inside my actual box.

For the May Treatbox theme we have feathers and relaxation. Positive energy and inspiration are at the forefronts of the box with postcards and bath salts. A beautiful scarf (which I am very thankful of because it is still cold here at the moment) and a quote plaque. Stickers for being creative and a gorgeous print showcasing the talent of a UK illustrator. This is the May Treatbox.

Here is the full list of items available, and remember there are always variations in the types and the colours, so that everyone gets a slightly different combination inside their box… There are 8 main items in this Treatbox, however if you’re counting the Postcards individually we actually received 18 items this time…

Calendar Print for May with Feathers details
‘Home’ Black and White Print by Simona Matuozzo
Gold Plated Moon and Stars Necklace
10 Mini Postcards with Quotes and Inspiring Sayings
Scarf – Grey Feathers
Stickers – Set of 24
Coopers Apothecary – Vanilla Rose 100% Natural Bath Salts
Home Accessory – Glass Hanging Plaque – Black Border ‘Love the Life you Live, Live the Life you Love.’

Here are more detailed images of all of the items contained within my box this month.

This beautifully detailed print is designed and drawn by Simona Matuozzo an illustrator based in Birmingham. She creates bespoke both hand drawn with ink and also digital illustrations. Her work is often highly detailed, and as with the print we have in our boxes this month, you can see from my macro photograph just how intricate the drawings are.

Here are the details of the Feathers on the Scarf.

Made by Coopers, these bath salts are 100% natural, made with Organic ingredients and no artificial fragrances, with 100 grams of salts to help relax you.

My Favourites

My favourite items from this months box have to be the beautiful feather scarf, the home print and the stickers. I love scarves and as for the craft items, love them!
I don’t currently have somewhere I can hang the plaque but I will be holding on to it for when I can use it, I think the quote is lovely and rather true to life.

This box has been well thought out and I’m very glad that it was filled with positivity and of some items from companies that we haven’t yet seen before. I think it’s very important to support United Kingdom businesses and I love the Treatbox allows us to do that. It will be nice for me to try something made by a company I haven’t tried before, and I love that we have something to wear and keep too. Watch out for my future tweets and Instagram pictures to feature these items.

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

Also if you have any questions about any of the items contained within this months treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can.

Until next time then Severn Wishes followers, thank you for reading this reveal post today.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Oh and if you want to watch the Treatbox Reveal Video for the May Treatbox then please check out my channel here on YouTube

Links

Treatbox
Coopers

Sabrina’s Easy To Make Pasta Dishes In Minutes

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Sabrina

Sabrina’s Easy To Make Pasta Dishes You Can Make In Minutes

As some of you will know by following me over on my Instagram, I love food! No, I don’t just love it, I love making it, experimenting with it, but most of all I love eating it.

Lots of you seem to like my food related images, so I figured why not write a blog post about what I cook. And not only am I sharing photo’s of finished dishes, but I will give you some of my secret homemade recipes that I love to cook with too.

I am starting off this series of posts with Pasta, I adore it, it’s so versatile, quick to cook and simple to accompany as well.

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Pasta Dish One – Homemade Sweet Chilli Beef Meatballs in a Tomato and Onion Sauce

This is one of my favourite dishes to make because meatballs are easy when you know how, and they can be so versatile in their use too. If you don’t like sweet chilli don’t put it in this recipe, instead why not try rolling the meatball around a small lump of cheese for a delicious centre inside when you cut into it. If you have difficulty with the binding of the meatballs you can use one small egg in the mixture.
The possibilities are endless, happy experimenting!

The Meatballs Ingredients to Serve 4 people (Approximately 16 Meatballs);
Beef Mince (you can use any kind of mince meat though such as Turkey) you will need around 500 grams.
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Mixed Italian Herbs (two teaspoons)
Sweet Chilli Sauce (supermarket bought and you will need around two teaspoons of it – adjust to your own taste, more if you love chilli).

The Sauce Ingredients;
One Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400 grams
Diced Onions (Fried) 150 grams
Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Tomato Puree 30 grams
Garlic (To Your Taste)

Method
Mix the ingredients from above in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Then using your hands collect ping pong ball sized amounts of the mixture. Using your palms roll into a tight ball. Make as many as you can with the amount you have.

Once you have made your own meatballs, place them into a frying pan on a medium heat with a tiny layer of oil to avoid sticking. Always use tongs to lift the meatballs one at a time, and rotate them making sure all of the sides have around a minute of cooking against the pans surface. This seals the meat and adds flavour.

Now for the sauce, in a deep saucepan you add all of the ingredients as listed above, and simmer on a low heat for around twenty minutes. Once your meatballs are sealed you place them into the sauce, add a lid on top of the pan, and cook for a further ten minutes. The sauce should thicken and the meatballs should be cooked through.

Serve in a large bowl, with spaghetti or any shaped pasta underneath. Add Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese on top of the sauce for extra flavour.

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Pasta Dish Two – Homemade Italian Style Peppers and Beans Pasta with Bacon*

This dish is a bit of a wild one. I made it up while using up ingredients in my fridge, like open meats and leftover vegetables. It was such a success I have decided to share it. If you are a vegetarian you can substitute the meat I used for more beans or perhaps courgettes or tomatoes. All of these choices goes well with my other ingredients.

Ingredients
Bacon* Lardons (You Can Use Any Meat, Ham, Bacon, Chicken etc OR add another Vegetable). 100 grams serves 2 people.
One or Two Chopped Peppers
Green Beans (Half a Cup Chopped)
Three Teaspoons of Mixed Italian Herbs
Tomato Puree 50 grams
Garlic / Salt / Pepper (To Your Taste)

Method
In a Saucepan fry the Meat, and once cooked add the Peppers and Garlic, fry until soft. Add the Tomato Puree, Herbs and Seasonings. Finally add the Green Beans and let them cook in the sauce for around five minutes with the lid on, Simmer on Low.

Once you have cooked your chosen Pasta in a separate saucepan then add it to the sauce one and stir thoroughly coating all of the pieces.
Serve in a warm bowl just as it is.

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Pasta Dish Three – Homemade Rich Tomato and Beef* Sauce

My take on this Classic style Pasta Sauce is a family favourite in my house, and it goes well with all sorts of Pasta shapes. Great with Garlic Bread or Homemade Garlic Dough Balls to accompany it as well.
Once again if you’re a vegetarian you can swap the beef for a protein such as Quorn Mince for example, and stick to the other sauce ingredients when possible.

Ingredients
Minced Beef* or Vegetarian Protein 500 grams
One Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400 grams
Diced Onions (Fried) 150 grams
Tomato Puree 30 grams
Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Garlic (To Your Taste)
One Beef Stock Cube (Or the adventurous among you can use Marmite or Vegemite to enhance the flavour too. You would need around two tea spoons but be aware of saltiness and always taste after final seasoning).
Two Teaspoons of Italian Seasoning, usually Basil and Oregano based mixes.

Method
Firstly fry off the meat and onion until browned and soft. Transfer to a deep Saucepan where you will add the tomatoes and puree, mix until coated before adding the stock or sauce enhancers. Finally season with garlic, salt and pepper. Add in the Italian Herbs last and simmer on a low heat for around twenty minutes allowing the sauce to thicken up.

Serve in a bowl once again on a bed of Pasta, Shells, Fusilli or Spaghetti all work well I think.

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And that my friends is it! Thank you for joining me for this post, I have enjoyed sharing my secret recipes with you (not so secret now) and I hope you have enjoyed this lifestyle and cookery post.

If you liked the food images and recipes or you decided to try one of my recipes yourself, then please leave me a comment below, I would love to know your thoughts and if you cooked please tag me in any photo’s on social media! Any questions leave me a comment!

Have a great rest of your day and if you did like this then look out for more of my cooking posts in the future 🙂

✩ Sabrina ✩

Severn Wishes One Year of Blogging and Big Giveaway

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Sabrina

♡ One Year of Blogging, Over 100 Posts Celebration and A Giveaway ♡

When I realised I was getting close to a year of blogging I knew that I wanted to hold a giveaway to thank everyone who has been supporting me this far. Whether you follow me on a social media or you just read my blog regularly, it’s you who have helped me to be a better writer and photographer. I have been collecting items for this for quite some time, so I hope you’ll like the selection that I’ve gathered…

I have been so lucky in my first year, I have worked with many companies including Spectrum Brushes, Gift Company and many more. Not only that but I already have so much lined up for the Spring and Summer of 2017 to share with you all as well.

During the past thirteen months of Severn Wishes being live, I have posted more than 105 articles, most have been reviews and reveals, but other posts have been about my Lifestyle and Travel experiences.

During the next year I hope to continue writing in my honest fashion and to bring you even better photography as my knowledge and learning increases.

What can you expect over the Summer months from Severn Wishes?
Jewellery, Makeup, Homeware, Games, Fashion, Cooking and Craft posts, and so much more besides.
I am already speaking to some companies who want to collaborate with me, and I cannot wait to bring all of this excitement to my blog for you all to enjoy!

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting me and my blog.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

✩♡✩♡✩ Giveaway ✩♡✩♡✩

Without further ado I am going to tell you exactly what you can win in this new and latest Severn Wishes giveaway!
If you saw some of my recent posts you will have read the clues that I left revealing some of the items you could win!
Featuring Soap and Glory, Primark, Nivea AND Makeup Revolution!
I give you my One Year Giveaway bundle!!!!

✩♡✩♡✩ What You Can Win ✩♡✩♡✩

✩ Marble Soft Cover Bag ✩
✩ Nivea Lip Butter – Vanilla and Macadamia ✩
✩ Soap and Glory – Super Tonic ✩
✩ Makeup Revolution I ♡ Unicorns Unite Mini Gem Brushes ✩
✩ ‘Flawless’ Makeup Mirror and Keyring ✩
✩ Heart and Stars Hair Bands Selection ✩
✩ Marble and Rose Gold Stationary ✩
✩ Wooden Craft Flowers – Be Creative ✩
✩ Lots of Sweet Treats – Yum! ✩

If you don’t know the drill by now click the link below to enter on rafflecopter, and all of the terms and conditions can be found at the end of my post!

♡ Good Luck! ♡

Severn Wishes One Year Blogging Celebratory Giveaway!

✩♡✩♡✩ Enter Here ✩♡✩♡✩

✩ Sabrina ✩

Terms and Conditions
This competition is running from April 23rd until May 31st 2017.
The winner will receive their prizes in June 2017.
This giveaway is only open to entrants from the UK.
Severn Wishes reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason, and all entries subject to verification.

Primark Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Stationary Haul

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Sabrina

Primark Clothing, Footwear, Accessories and Stationary Haul in April 2017

On my most recent trip to my local Primark I found so many lovely items I just felt the need to share them all with you. As most of you will know Primark always go all out with their clothes, there’s always a huge supply of sizes and colours of tops, jeans and footwear, to name but a few.

I was after some new t-shirts for the summer (hopefully we’ll get a decent one this year) and when I came across a couple of other things I knew I just had to have them. I learnt a long time ago that if you see something you want or like, and it’s available to you, both in your budget and your situation of course, then you should purchase it. No point in going back a fortnight later hoping it will be there, because in my experience it very rarely is!

So what can I talk about first, I think I should show you my new tops, and when I say they have a range, I mean there were around one hundred different slogans and pictures and designs, so much that it took you a while to go through them all. They also have varying styles and necklines which I will go into more detail about below.

Summer T-Shirts

Here is my list of t-shirts from the images above, the prices ranged from £2.00 – £3.50.

Navy Blue Feathers – Stretchy Vest

Green Daisy Tee – Slouchy Top

Green French Quotes Butterfly / Moth Design – Crew Tee

Grey Paris and Eiffel Tower ‘J’adore Paris’ Design – Crew Tee

White with Red Stripes and Black Sketch Hearts – Crew Tee

Navy Blue and white heart symbol and ‘Kind Heart, Fierce Mind, Brave Spirit’ – Crew Tee

The details on several of these t-shirts were the reasons behind getting them. Especially the ones that have a design covering the entire piece of material. I also love anything with either French wording or something Paris related on it.

The Crew Tee style is a rounded neck which has short sleeves, they are usually true to size especially on the shoulders and arms, although there isn’t much difference in waist between a 6 and an 8. I purchased both sizes this time around.
The Slouchy Tops often have a more casual feel to them, slightly less fitted and have three quarter length sleeves, I can often wear two sizes in these as well.
And the Stretchy Vests have no sleeves but often have the higher levels of detail on them, often thicker material and they are definitely true to size.

My Overall Average Review Scores for All Tops Mentioned

Value for Money 4/5
Fit To Size 5/5
Comfort 5/5
Detailing 5/5
Durability 4/5
Appearance 5/5

Overall I am very happy with my purchases. I think if you’re between sizes it can be difficult to choose something that will suit you, but I think the range that Primark supplies is one that can usually be accessible to everyone. They don’t discriminate whatsoever and ensure they stock their exact same tops available from sizes 4 to 20 (that I have seen in my local store).

These tops always wash and wear well, and when they do eventually fade they are easily replaced with a new design, Primark never fail to have enough choices.

I look forward to using these tops in a variety of outfits this year, and they are perfect still to layer up as it gets colder in the Autumn. Keep a look out for me wearing them in my social media.

Such Pretty Shoes

Next I want to show you these incredibly great looking ballet or ballerina shoes (or as I like to call them dolly shoes). They came in a range of metallic colours but I preferred these three, aren’t they fabulous?!

As you can see the colours are vibrant, they have had improved comfort inside this year (thanks Primark!) and they have such cute details with the bows and beads on the front. The bases all have a little grip and they have small heels as well.

If that wasn’t enough to draw you in then perhaps the price will. At just £3.50 a pair! I think they are some of the best Dolly Shoes on the high street right now! (I always get mine in Primark or New Look).

Available in Silver, Gold, Space Grey (I sound like I’m giving out the iPhone colours right?) as well as Metallic Purple, Pink and Blue. They also had a Nude and a Black shiny shoe too.

So a part from looking amazing what did I like about these enough to buy them. Well, I live in this type of shoe during the summer months. They go perfectly with dresses, skirts, shorts and jeans, and these colour choices are so versatile too. Also if you’re heading away this summer, they are lightweight and almost flat, easy to slide into your suitcase.

My Review Scores

Value for Money 5/5 !!!
Fit To Size 4/5
Comfort 5/5
Detailing 4/5
Durability 5/5
Appearance 5/5

These shoes are all (in my opinion) fitted to size and are great value for money. So far they have been durable with very little wear and tear on the base, I have walked almost 10km in one pair since I got them, and a part from the usual bits that stick to the bottom of your shoes, no visible wear of the soles. They are comfortable to wear too, although easy to scuff so be aware of that and where you’ll be wearing them out to. The general appearance is very nice, the details on the Gold and Space Grey with the little beads are very sweet and grab your eye. Shame that the Silver didn’t have any too, so they loose a point for that. I really have enjoyed purchasing and testing these for review, now I just have to hope for some sunshine!

Overall I think these are great shoes, the range is excellent and I would consider getting more when these wear out or if more colours become available.
My final score for them averages at 5/5 and I can recommend you taking a look when you’re next at your local store.

Accessories

Finally on to the accessories, I bought this cute headband in the hope of doing some creative hairstyles with my curly locks on a summer afternoon, weaving the floral hair band in them. Here’s hoping, isn’t it sweet! I’m not going to any festivals this year, but this would also be perfect for that if you like that sort of thing.

Mermaid Flower Headband £2.00

Here are my scores…

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

A very nice item that I would wear again, and I hope to make use of it over the summer.

Primark Stationary

I was impressed with the range of items in my local Primark this month. The range was massive but I just chose a few items, some are for me to keep and some are for upcoming giveaways I am holding. There were these gorgeously soft ‘pencil cases’ in marble, but I am using my one as a eyeliner holder. I have many pencils and to stop them getting battered by larger items in my two makeup bags I thought why not have a small case just for them. Because they are long like pencils this works brilliantly.
The marble notebook is stunning, I could use it as a background for macro photography of small review-able items as well.

The other set is a Union Jack one, I haven’t used them yet, but I love that it represents Great Britain, I am proud to be British, that is basically why I got them. They will be used as blog backgrounds in images I think.

Before I show you my detailed images, here are the prices for anyone wondering.

Marble Pencil Case / Makeup Bag – £3.00
Marble ‘A5’ Notebook – £2.50

Union Jack Flag Pencil Case (flat) – £2.00
Union Jack Flag ‘A5’ Notebook – £2.50

✩ (Look out for my next Giveaway for a chance to win something featured in this blog post). ✩

Until the next time I decide to do some shopping (which let us be honest is usually once a month at somewhere or other), then thanks for reading this review post. If you have any comments or questions feel free to post them in the section below 🙂 Have a wonderful day!

✩ Sabrina ✩

Click Here for Primark Site

April 2017 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on April 8, 2017 by Sabrina

It’s time to Reveal the contents of the April 2017 Treatbox.

This month is the start of Spring and I associate a lot with this time of year. Blossom trees are opening and birds and singing as they raise their young. Lambs are running about in the fields and what seems like a billion chocolate eggs line the shelves in supermarkets.

Arriving in the new plastic packaging once again I could see star sequins escaping from my box as I began to do my video reveal and unboxing. (See Video Here).

I was met with the usual pretty tissue paper, this time a delightful midnight blue shade. Stars were everywhere and the April Print calendar was sat upon the paper with a sticker that read ‘All it takes is faith, trust and a little Pixie Dust‘. I recall in my memory that this was a Disney quote from Peter Pan.

Inside the box I found a variety of items and most of which celebrated a ‘Fairy’ related theme. Now I saw what the Peter Pan sticker meant, Fairy this and Fairy that! The cookie biscuit inside also quotes Peter Pan too! There was also an overall theme of blue in the box as well.

What stood out most for me was the sign and the pin. The cookie looks delicious and I will enjoy that for elevenses over the weekend.

The admission ticket (view my reveal video) that was supplied with the Scent Circus wax melt, I believe is a ticket you can use towards purchasing a box of melts from them. Check out their website for more products (link at the end).

Here is the full list of 9 items available, and remember there are always variations in the type and the colours, so that everyone gets a slightly different combination inside their box…

Calendar Print for April with Rose detail
‘Live Like There’s No Midnight’ Blue Font Print
‘You’re the Fairest of them All’ Compact Mirror
Fairy Shaped Wax Melt by Scent Circus ‘Pixie Dust’ Smell
Rainbow Pin with Quote ‘If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It’
Blank Pages Book – Cover reads ‘Once Upon A Time’ and the back reads ‘The End’ In Quotes
Wooden ‘Fairy Garden’ Sign in Teal
Trinket Dish – Blue – Quote ‘I Love You Fairy Much!’
Cookie Biscuit (Vanilla) which has the Disney Peter Pan Quote ‘Second Star on the Right, & Straight on till Morning’

Here are more detailed images of all the items contained within my box.

My favourite items in this April Treatbox are the Pin and the Book. Both of these items are unusual and both are my kind of things. They are pieces I could see myself wearing and using.

The Fairy Sign is sweet too and I love the colour. It will no doubt be used one day, perhaps if I can make a nice pot in the garden with a house to pretend there were actually fairies dwelling there. It’s more of a piece for creative and imaginative customers, or perhaps those with small children who are full of imagination.

I have to be honest about this box now though, because I was slightly disappointed to see some very similar items inside. By similar I just mean variations on ones in recent previous ones. I already have several compact mirrors from Treatbox, and although this one is just as lovely, I really didn’t need another one. Also the trinket dish, I have already received two in recent Treat boxes, and I have no use for a third. Finally we have yet another wax melt, and sadly with an asthmatic husband and two cats, they are not something that I can use in my home. I have a box of them from previous boxes that just go to making my wardrobe smell nice. I would hope we would have one month where we don’t get a candle or a wax related product and receive something completely different.

A great deal of this box will unfortunately for me, be re-gifted or given away, which I have found to be a real shame. So far in over a year of boxes I have wanted to have kept the majority of things for myself.

The box itself is really well thought out, the running theme of the fairies and the Disney quotes aspects are both wonderful, and any fan of these two elements will no doubt praise its contents. However I cannot help but see the duplication in pieces, just with different colours and quotes on, and I was really hoping for something a little different.

Because it became Spring this month in the UK I would have loved to have seen a Spring scarf, or a false flower that we could put in our hair or in a vase. Don’t get me wrong, this has been a nice box, but for me it just isn’t up to the usual standard of items inside.

I understand that not everyone will agree with me, and that’s fine, because at the end of the day I am here writing my honest and open review on this box. After having some boxes that I have truly adored, this one for me, just didn’t live up to that expectation. It hasn’t put me off from receiving next months box, however I think I will be reevaluating in the summer just how much longer I will be purchasing.

I do love receiving and reviewing these boxes because so much thought is given to them, and I respect how much effort goes into producing them too. They are always well presented and well distributed as well.

But if the contents become very similar I don’t want to be purchasing a box that gives me the same thing every month or two months in rolling duplication’s. I really hope I will be more impressed by the May Treatbox, and you will have to come back to my blog that first week in May to find out my thoughts.

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

Thanks for reading my reveal today, if you have any of your own thoughts you would like to share or you may have purchased a box I would love to hear your thoughts, why not leave me a comment below 🙂
Also if you have any questions about any of the items please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them if I can do.
Until next time Severn Wishes followers, thank you for reading this reveal today.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Oh and if you want to watch the Treatbox Reveal Video for the April box then please check out my channel here on YouTube

Scent Circus
Treatbox
Sass and Belle