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Posted on 21st April 2016

Liebster Award!

I am so excited to be accepting my very first Liebster award by both the lovely Kate of https://kateiscoveting.wordpress.com/ and Demitria of http://www.demitriadoes.com/. Kate is a genuinely lovely girl a great blogger too, and the same can be said for Demitria, plus her style is so on point – so you can imagine how grateful and amazed I was to receive this nomination. A MASSIVE thank you to Kate and Demitria for nominating me, it really made my day!

As I have only been blogging for roughly a month I am so honoured to have been recognised for my small achievements. The blogging community is so welcoming and helpful and I am SO GLAD I finally took the leap and started writing. This blog is becoming an amazing creative outlet for me, it helps with stress and to improve my creativity. I feel so humbled to have been nominated so thank you lovelies!

So what is the Liebster Award all about?

The Liebster award was created to recognise new bloggers and reward writing talent.
The award has German origins and the word “Liebster” has several meanings including: sweetest, dearest, kindest, nicest, beloved & lovely.
The award follows similar principles of a chain letter in the sense that when one blogger receives a nomination she/he must thank the blogger who nominated them then pass on the award to other bloggers who they admire.
The blogger who nominated you will have answered a set of questions about themselves & then they will choose their own set of questions for their nominees to answer.
The new nominees must then answer the questions set for them by the blogger who nominated them, created their own questions and nominate other bloggers.
Bloggers that get nominated are generally newer bloggers that have a following of less than 3,000 followers.

The rules of the Liebster award are:

1: Mention the blogger who tagged you and thank them.

2: Answer the 11 questions you’ve been asked by the blogger

3: Nominate 11 bloggers

4: Give them 11 questions to answer.

5: Notify your nominees on Twitter.

Here are the 11 questions that I have to answer:

What would be your perfect day?

I’m kinda hoping you guys have seen Miss Congeniality at this point, because then you’d have a giggle at my cheeky reference above. Also, April 25th is Katie’s birthday so that’s taken on new meaning!

In all honestly I’m not too sure what my perfect day would be! Would it be obnoxious to say my birthday? I love being the centre of attention for that one day and it’s in August so the weather is normally nice. Me, Dan and my family go punting in Cambridge during the day, go for a nice meal, do cake and presents and then I see my friends and have a drink [or twenty].

2. When did you last sing out loud?

Probably about ten minutes ago? Ha ha! I am currently in the library researching for my next assignment and for some reason I had the urge to listen to the whole Les Mis soundtrack, and you CAN’T listen to Les Mis without having a sing along. Especially I Dreamed a Dream.

To be fair, my library companions are lucky I didn’t burst into tears. Les Mis is just… Perfection!

3. What are you most grateful for in your life and why?

This is a tricky one… I have a lot in my life to be grateful for, but I think the main thing is my support system: AKA my friends and family. They are the ones who keep me motivated and who pick me up when I am down. That probably sounds really cliché but it’s true!!

Over the years, friends have come and gone, but that all happens for a reason. The best friends are the ones who you don’t have to keep in constant contact with – I am a reaaaaally lazy friend I must admit, so I am so thankful for those who stand by me whenever I need them.

4. If you could have one super power what would it be and why?

On days like today, when I feel super stretched I would love the ability to be in two places at once. I am still waiting for a call from Dumbledore telling me that my time turner has been despatched…

5. Given the choice of anybody in the world (alive or dead) who would you most like to have a conversation with?

I would love to sit down with my ten-years-younger self. Once again, I’m aware that I’m beginning to sound a little bit obnoxious and big-headed but hear me out. Ten years ago I would have been 11 years old, it was during my parents divorce, I was starting at a new school without any of my friends and it was a tricky time for me. I used to daydream all the time when I was younger about if I could have a sit down with my older self and be reassured by the idea that everything would work out in the end.

So I would love to have a conversation with the 11 year old Jade, to tell her that I worked out just great, my family life improved by far with the addition of Anthony, my step dad, and then my younger sister Amethyst, who I love more than words can express. I continued to pursue my passion in education, my writing subsequently improved, I found some great friends and have made so many amazing memories. I was so timid and quiet at that age, and although I wouldn’t change it for the world, I think I could have done with some firm assurances.

6. What are your dreams or aspirations and how long have you had them?

I have always wanted to either move or to work a summer abroad – I have wanted to do this ever since I was little, when my family used to holiday in the Caribbean.

The only thing stopping me is what I would have to sacrifice and leave behind. Me and Dan have spoken about moving to America or to Aussie-land so the dream is still alive. I have a lot to consider before making the huge commitment though!

7. Who were you in your school nativity play?

I remember acting as a cat, and I’m pretty sure this was in my school’s renditions of ‘Dick Whittington and His Cat’. My friend was originally casted to be the cat, and I was her understudy – we took an oath that she would DEFINITELY be there so I wouldn’t have to learn the lines. Long story short, she didn’t turn up and in year 5 I had to pretty much improvise the entire play. Good times. I pulled it off though somehow.

8. What is your most treasured possession?

Ahhhh this is such a tricky one! I would probably have to go ahead and say my teddy bears. Since being with Dan we have built up quite the collection, and I sleep with a handful of them every night. Maybe one day I’ll introduce you all … Yes I am that sad. I have tried sleeping without them before but it is honestly impossible… I love my bears.

9. What was your last fashion or beauty purchase? Was it an impulse buy?

My last fashion purchase was a pair of GORGEOUS heeled lace-up sandals from Boohoo.com which was…. last night…. Oops. Although this was an impulse buy, I have no reason to feel guilty as this was the last of my account credit, where I won £100 from an Instagram competition [EEEK]. So this purchase costed me zilch. I just have to try and patiently wait for it’s arrival now…..

My last beauty purchase was an Eyelure eyebrow pencil, because my trusty Anastasia Beverly Hills brow wiz broke all of a sudden [don’t worry, the despatching company have since replaced it free of charge – YAY] – I was honestly on the verge of a breakdown trying to get more out of the pencil in order to go to the gym, while Dan was huffing and puffing at me. Oh it was a stressful day! But the Eyelure pencil is surprisingly good bearing in mind it only cost me £5.45, [well, £4.90 after my work discount]. It was definitely an impulse buy but it was an EMERGENCY – I’m sure you all understand.

10. How many countries have you visited?

If I’m honest I’m not entirely sure!

As I mentioned previously, my family used to holiday in the Caribbean a lot when I was younger so I’m not entirely sure of how many places I have been to… That’s really bad. Having said that, I would probably say that it’s been between 5-10 countries all together!

11. If you could only wear one colour for the rest of your life what would it be and why?

Black. Always black.

Or as Wednesday Adamms would say: “I’ll stop wearing black when they invent a darker colour.” I love how confident black makes me feel and how it gives me total freedom with make up and accessories. I basically wear black 24/7 – but I don’t regret a thing. Monochrome is awesome.
My 11 nominations for The Liebster Award:

@katiexmiddleton of http://www.katie-middleton.co.uk/

@belkatya of https://katastrophique.com/

@sweet_allure of http://www.sweetallure.co.uk/

@beautbluebird of http://www.thebeautifulbluebird.com/

@bookswithbolino of https://bookswithbolino.com/

@LaceyFitspo of http://laceyfitspo.tumblr.com/

@Crazyblondegal_ of http://www.crazyblondegal.com/

@g_beauty_blog of http://www.gbeauty.co.uk/

@emilyrosevass of http://emilyrosevass.com/

@leluroxxblogger of http://leluroxx.blogspot.co.uk/

@EllexMay of http://www.xgardenofedenx.co.uk/
And here are the 11 questions I’d like you to answer:

1. What is your favourite part about blogging?

2. Favourite Harry Potter character.

3. Your last completed book.

4. What is your biggest achievement of 2016 so far?

5. Who is your beauty/ style inspo at the moment?

6. If you could take one blogger on an all expense paid holiday who would you take and why?

7. What is your favourite décor item in your house?

8. What inspired you to start your blog?

9. What advice would you give your teenage self?

10. Best Netflix season at the moment.

11. What is your all time favourite quote?

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 18th April 2016

The Body Shop Treats from the Tea Tree Range

Hello lovelies! I’d like to kick-start this week with a post about my recent gift to myself [I love myself soo much for this wise decision], my 3 little treats from The Body Shop tea tree range – the body scrub, clay mask and the foam cleanser.

I have heard many good things about The Body Shop in the past, but for some reason I have never so much as ventured into the store, let alone considered trying their products. I think it may have something to do with their popular brand name – for some silly reason I had the idea in my head that their items would be mind-blowingly expensive, when really they’re very reasonably priced!

What finally convinced me to give them a try was a The Body Shop consultant contacting me via Twitter. Danielle direct messaged me on Twitter asking me if I would be interested in buying from her, as she can keep me up to date with the best deals and discounts – what a bargain! Admittedly I was a little apprehensive at first because it seemed too good to be true, and I am always paranoid about online scamming/hacking etc. But Danielle understood this completely and put my mind at ease by providing her account code and information and allowing me as much time as I needed to make up my mind. By the time I had gone through the whole of The Body Shop’s website (about 50 times with a million tabs up on my browser – there were so many goodies to choose from!) the offer which Danielle was able to give me was 40% off 3 full priced items, which was perfect as I had my eye on three favourites in particular. These items were all from the tea tree range, the tea tree skin clearing foaming cleanser £5.50, the fuji green tea body scrub £15 and the skin clearing clay mask £11.

I paid Danielle via Pay Pal and the postage came to £4.25, which I found incredibly reasonable considering the quantity I was purchasing! With my discount my order came to a total of £23.15 with a total saving of £12.60 – I am incredibly frugal so I was chuffed to know how much I saved! My order arrived after only 3 working days, I was amazed! As I was ordering through a consultant I kind of expected a slight delay [I don’t know why I have these presumptions] and the packaging was so great it really brought a smile to my face.

I love the time and care which has clearly gone into packaging this item, it truly made me feel special and valued as a customer. I absolutely LOVE the quote which is printed on the inside of the box – I am a bit weird with quotes but it gave me the kind of excitement you get when the Dominoes delivery guy ACTUALLY writes out the Harry Potter quote or draws you a picture of a unicorn.

Ahhh, I just love the monochrome boldness of it!

I also really loved the fact that they had included a The Body Shop bag and sealed it nicely as this stopped my products from rolling around too much and becoming damaged, whilst keeping the beautiful aesthetic of the package appealing.

Maybe I’m a bit weird but I love packaging – especially paper bags

Now I’ll run through my items and why I love them so much in order of which ones I tried first:

Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser

Admittedly I am pretty negligent of my skin usually as I lie to myself and say that I don’t have time for a proper skincare regime. After trying this product I can now confidently say that all that is about to change! What I love about this product is how easy it is to apply and remove. That may sound strange but some of them can be really slimey and get all over your hands, be tricky to cover your face with, then difficult to get off in one go. With the useful pump on this cleanser I used a small amount, probably about half the size of my palm to apply to my pre-soaked face and it was able to cover the whole surface. I did pump an extra one or two times, simply because I loved the smell and the feeling on my skin. With it being tea tree, it instantly smells so clean and refreshing, without being too harsh or overpowering. The foam absorbed into my skin instantly and I could feel it working straight away. Without causing pain or a stinging sensation, which I find some cleansing products do (I have mildly sensitive skin – probably why I’m so lazy when it comes to skincare), I was pleasantly surprised at how gentle on my skin this was! After massaging my skin for a couple of minutes I soaked my face in lukewarm water to remove the product and as I stood up straight to look in the mirror – the effect was amazing. All my pores seemed to have reduced in size by at least half and I just felt, well, cleaner! I will DEFINITELY be using this product at least once every two days in order to prevent break outs and to generally treat my skin. An absolute bonus is that the product only cost me £5.50, so I won’t be at all concerned about replenishing it when it eventually runs out!

2. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Clay Mask

This was a big step for me as I have only ever tried facial masks which you get in the sachets from beauty shops *gasp*. I just felt like I would get bored of an entire tub and want a change before I reached the end and it would be left to rot. Once again, this product has proved me wrong completely. The smell of the mask was a slightly more ‘earthy’ version of the last – so very natural, yet clean and relaxing. The colour is absolutely wonderful! I love its vibrancy and how it is green (I have always wanted a green face mask like they wear in films, yet I have never really seen one). The texture of the mask is very creamy, making it SO easy to apply. I don’t even know how to put into fractions or percentages how little of the pot I needed to adequately cover my whole face. As with the last product, I could feel it working instantly so I didn’t feel the need to slap it on as I usually do with face masks, desperate to use the most of the sachet as possible. I laid on my bed for the recommended 10-15 minutes, fighting the urge to drift off to sleep – it was honestly the most therapeutic facial mask I have ever worn. And after a good half an hour (I was enjoying myself with my Cosmo magazine and lost track of time), the mask was still perfectly intact, it was like a glossy green layer had been added to my skin – no unwanted crumbling or cracking!

BodyShop tea tree clay mask Wingitwithjade

After 30 minutes with the mask on! No filter needed *sassy hair swish*

I used a warm damp flannel to remove the mask, and it came off with perfect ease – and my skin looked so calm underneath. For the rest of the day I couldn’t stop touching it. It’s usually quite bumpy and oily but when using these products it feels so balanced, smooth and soft! The clay mask is slightly more pricey at £11 but to be honest it’s way worth it in my mind. A little goes a long way, so I know that the tub will definitely last me several months if I use it roughly once a week, which I definitely will be doing! The pairing of these two products has given me such confidence with my skin and have taught me a very valuable lesson: a skincare regime really does make all the difference!

3. Fuji Green Tea Body Scrub

Technically, I’m not sure that this fits into the tea tree range, but due to the colour and it’s nature I have put this in with the other two as they compliment each other incredibly.

Body scrub is the one product I do tend to use regularly as I receive them in sets for Christmas and Birthdays and find them crucial when I’m self tanning and leading up to the summer period, in particular to give me more confidence when baring my legs. The fuji green tea scrub smelt absolutely gorgeous! When I opened the lid the scent hit me like a wave and I felt like I had been whisked away to a Centre Parcs spa retreat (a bit cheesy but it’s true!) I was also amazed by the vibrant green colour – it’s very aesthetically pleasing.

Do you see what I mean? It’s so sparkly and pretty looking.

I used this item in the shower and it did everything it should have done – the beads were nice and firm and felt so nice to massage into my skin. The smell was absolutely gorgeous and relaxing too! My skin felt really nice and soft when I got out – this product is perfect for my needs and a very good purchase! Having said that, with the price being £15 I would be more reluctant to buy this regularly as it is more of a treat. I will definitely be adding this to future birthday and Christmas wish lists and potentially treating myself occasionally but purely due to the price, I don’t think I will be buying this as regularly as the other two! Having said that, I don’t regret buying this item and will definitely be using it as a little treat on my off days.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and will check out The Body Shop site or hit up Danielle on Twitter if you would like some great offers and promotions! Do you have any items from The Body Shop which you love? Have you tried these products and have something to say about them? Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 15th April 2016

The Rantings of a Retail Worker

Hey every one! I thought I would end this week with a rather light hearted post – yet quite a rant for me. I’ve had a faaaairly stressful week so I wanted to end it with some laughter.

I have now worked in retail for over 5 years, and as with every job, I have little pet peeves and daily annoyances which I think many of you will be able to relate to.

1. The newbies. You probably started the job bright eyed and ready to put a smile on the faces of all you met. But now you are older and much wiser. You pity those newbies who have such high hopes, yet envy them slightly for their optimism. You probably clock in for each shift with an inward sigh and your bones creak when you bend down. Don’t worry, it is all a part of a natural process. All newbies eventually become sceptical and trust no one… Sorry to break the news.

2. Picky people.

Those customers who change their mind about a tin of beans or want a discount because it has a dent – oh they’re just the worst. “Oh, sorry to be annoying but….” Well you aren’t sorry at all are you? If you were you wouldn’t be forcing me to walk to the other side of the store to replace a perfectly edible tin of beans. Ohhhhhh the fury!

3. THE fake laugh – which you don’t even force any more. So many times have colleagues turned around to me and said “that laugh was soooo fake” – and I didn’t even mean to do it! But you just can’t help yourself. Some customers tell the cheesiest jokes, and it would just be plain awkward if you denied them the laugh which they have fought so hard to get!

4. The jokes you’ve heard 100 million times.

PS, they don’t get any funnier. Trust me, I’ve heard them all, and I’ve heard them FAR TOO MANY TIMES. Sometimes I do just think to myself – if I hear that joke one more time I’m going to hit my head against the checkout. Of course I wouldn’t do that… But these jokes have pushed me pretty close to the edge.

5. “Are you working?” This is a huge eye-roller for me. I will be standing at my checkout with no customers, trying to smile and seem welcoming when I am astounded by this ridiculous question. What on earth else am I doing? I’m not on a day off but fancied sitting on a till for a while! I’m not spending my break smiling at customers…. OF COURSE I’M WORKING. One day I intend to test this and say “nahh”.

6. The customers who take phone calls whilst being served.

Errr… Sorry – who do you think you are? This is beyond rude to me. In most cases I will actually refuse to serve the customer until they acknowledge me or end the call. GRRRRRR.

7. People who get angry when they have ‘forgotten’ their ID. Come on now, you know you don’t look 25, and therefore you will probably be ID’d. The fact that you have come to me in the hopes that I would overlook that is not my problem. Sorry, but I am not risking losing my job, facing an extortionate fine and a criminal record, all so you can have your can of Jack Daniels.

8. “I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!”

Wow – calm down! I can of course call a manager but you will have to stand there and wait, only to be told exactly what I have told you – but by someone wearing a suit. I resent being undermined and my authority being questioned – especially by people so rude.

9. A weekend? What is one of those? Ohhhh yeah, those things which are apparently a great time to socialise with your friends and family, make some memories, have some laughs… No I can’t quite imagine what my life would be like with one of those!

10. “You look bored!” / “Cheer up”

Look I’m sorry if I look a bit glum, I don’t know if you have noticed but I am at work. Excusing that – I am a customer assistant with NO CUSTOMERS. When this happens, unfortunately all I can do is stare into space, and after a certain amount of time I will probably zone out and my mechanical smile will drop… So, sorry about that… But not really.

11. The reaction to the 5p bag charge. Okay, I get that some of you are bitter – no one likes to spend money on something that was once free. But there is a very simple solution to this… Bring your own bags! On the odd occasion that you forget (every single week) you only have yourself to blame. If you choose to opt for the 5p bag, please don’t chew my ear off about how it’s daylight robbery. I don’t make the rules, I’m just asked to enforce them – so whining to me really won’t change anything – it will just make me grumpy.

12. The elaborate excuses for not having a loyalty card.

If I’m honest, I am only asking you if you have it out of politeness. If you tell me that you don’t have one/ don’t want one I promise you I will take no personal offence. But I really don’t need to know that your ex wife has it and refuses to return it or that it was lost to the mouth of your dog.

13. That customer who changes their mind after the till has opened and decides to contribute an extra 22p to “make it easier”. I am not a maths genius, in fact I really am out of practice. So you messing up my digital calculator and forcing me to do mental arithmetic is the furthest thing from making it easier for me, despite your best intentions.

14. The dirty looks from your queue when you are stuck with a chatty customer.

Ahhhhhhh I’m sorry okay! I can see that you are in a rush but what do you want me to do? Should I tell Doreen that I don’t care that her husband has not long passed away and that this is her only chance to speak to people? All I can do is smile and be polite so don’t you huff and puff at me!

15. Damaged vouchers with codes a million miles long. Oh goodie – I can’t wait to manually type in 40 vouchers, thank you so much for screwing them up into your pocket, so considerate of you! Yes of course I will do that for you, not a problem. Ergghhghgenijnemf.

16. “Behave! Or the lady won’t let you have your sweets!”

Ahhhh that’s where you’re wrong. I really don’t care if you want to make your child even more bratty and hyper – so please don’t use me as a threat, because I promise you I won’t enforce it. You will only be teaching you child that they can and will get away with murder.

Now, having said this, I do love my job… It’s just that some of the people I have to put up with… Erghhhhh!! Do you have any horror stories from working in retail? Any customers just grind your gears and make your mind boggle? Please comment below – feel free to vent, trust me it feels goooooood!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 12th April 2016

Review of Sleek Au Naturel Palette

Hey guys, I hope you have all had a lovely weekend and this miserable weather isn’t bogging you down too much! I thought I would kick-start this week with my very first review; this is of my Sleek Makeup eyeshadow palette in Au Naturel; a gorgeous present which I received from my house mate and best friend Katie at Christmas!

I was a bit scared of eye shadow on coming to University because I always managed to make myself look like a train wreck whenever I wore it, but I was always envious of how amazing Katie’s looked so for Christmas I not-so-subtly hinted that I’d love an eye shadow palette and some! As always, Katie delivered and went beyond!

At first I struggled with matching the correct colours and with shaping my eye in order to compliment it, but with the help of Pinterest and trusty video tutorials, by January I was finally confident enough to use it every day. Practice makes perfect after all! One thing I love about this palette is the great range of colour which is available to you.

Apologies for the used appearance of my palette – I wasn’t clever enough to take photos before I used it

There are plenty of nude colours which can be combined to make a lovely, subtle day time look – but there are also some really nice dramatic colours which I love experimenting with!

As you can see above, Cappuccino and Honeycomb are my most used shades – for my daytime look I usually use Honeycomb on my lid and Cappuccino on my crease line. The colour is really pigmented so a little goes a long way! Although these colours appear quite neutral, it really makes my eyes pop, without going overboard.

The glittery shades have to be my favourite to experiment with. I have made some really nice dramatic looks out of Conker, Moss, Mineral Earth and Taupe. When paired with my winged eye liner, a tutorial for which I have here, I find that these shades are amazing for a night out. Next I think I will have a play with Regal – I have seen some absolutely gorgeous red smokey eyes out there at the moment and although this seems a bit adventurous for me, I am ready to take the plunge!

Downwards from top left: Nougat, Nubuck, Cappuccino, Honeycomb, Toast, Taupe. Downwards from top right: Conker, Moss, Bark, Mineral Earth, Regal, Noir.

As you can hopefully see in this swatch, one side of the palette is gorgeously subtle – perfect for a nude look, whilst the other is dramatic and bold – and one which I love to experiment with!

I am so happy with this palette, and as a beginner with eye shadow I found it has everything I could possibly want. It allows me to master both a nude and a more dramatic look. I love the colours and that it has a combination of matted and glittery shades.

I was really impressed with this product, so much so that I have since had a look online out of curiosity to see how much this set Katie back – and to eye up future purchases of my own. I couldn’t believe that this product only costs £7.99!! It’s incredible! If you are ever desperate for new eye shadows but you’re tight for cash, I would highly recommend you check out Sleek’s I-Divine range.

Alternatively, you can buy Sleek products from Superdrug, and if they don’t have the product you’re looking for? You can order it into Superdrug for free! No postage costs for you!

Do you have any Sleek products which you would like to recommend? Or any beautiful eye shadow palettes that I should try next? Please comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts.

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Posted on 8th April 2016

Primark Home Bargains

Happy Friday everyone!

I was sitting in my room this morning admiring my new bargain purchases and I thought I should share these little goodies with you! After my last two more serious posts [which you can find here and here] a post about decor seemed fitting. And besides, Primark are seriously on it this spring with their home section.

My house mate and best friend Katie went in there the other day and told me that there were a lot of new monochrome bits and items featuring elephants… SOLD!! I was there like a flash, ransacking the shelves, unable to see where I was going because my items were piled up past my eyes. I am a rational woman, but I have my vices. Monochrome and elephants just happen to be two of these – oops.

My little goodies, in all their monochrome glory.

When I return home from University, I’ll be redecorating my room for the first time in about five years. As we rent our home, I won’t have complete freedom but I can make the best with decor and I am so excited to make my room a home! For so long I’ve felt like a visitor at home, as all my efforts have gone into decorating my University room, all the while neglecting what should be my home.

I’ll give you a little break down below of each item, why I love it and how much it cost – you will be amazed – even for Primark it’s a bloody good deal!

Jacquard Square Cushion in Black and White – £7

I was split between buying this cushion and one with an elephant logo [I may have a slight obsession] but this one captured my heart as it was the perfect size and struck me as such a gorgeous statement cushion. I love the pattern and texture of it, yet it is soft and cuddly [yes I tested it’s cuddleability in the shop – haters gonna hate]. I have fallen asleep twice with this wonderful cushion today – I foresee a wonderful affair.

SS16 Milk Bottle “100% Thirsty” – £3

I’ve had my eye out for a cute little cup like this for a couple of weeks now, as when my parents came up to University to drop me off after Easter, my younger sister nabbed mine… I could hardly say no to that cute little face. I wouldn’t have minded but I relied on that cup for pre-drinks! I don’t trust myself to hold a normal cup like a big girl after one drink. I’ve particularly liked the milk bottle shaped cups for a while, and this gave me the perfect excuse. I love the cheeky little pun written on the bottle and once again, the monochrome sealed the deal for me. My favourite part for me however was the rose gold lid – I think this is absolutely gorgeous and makes the whole thing stand out! And for only £3, I just had to get it.

Zebra MDF Plaque – £1.50

God knows why it’s coming up on my receipt as a zebra plaque… It is clearly a beautiful ELEPHANT! I love elephants because they’re so powerful and majestic, yes such peaceful creatures. I also love the “elephants never forget” idea, whether it actually has any truth behind it I don’t know. For obvious reasons I love this piece – and it’s only £1.50!!! I blame Katie for my strange new obsession with plaques, but I forgive her because this is now hanging proudly on my bedroom door and I just love looking at it!!

Be Awesome Glass Plaque – £4

Although one of my more pricey items, it’s still such an amazing steal! I’m really into motivational quotes and I love the positivity which they portray and evoke! In an ideal world I’d be surrounded my quotes like this at all times but unfortunately that’s not possible – I’m happy to pay such a small price to have them hanging all over my room though! The item itself looks to be worth much much more than £4 which is also a huge bonus – it really is great value for money.

Printed Smile Plaque – £3

This is definitely one of my favourite purchases. I love its rustic feel with the straw-like string and the old and worn looking frame. The design makes it look like it has been hand stitched, like in the olden days – it has so much character! Once again I am a big fan of the motivational quote – you’re never truly dressed without a smile after all. I think when I return home I will proudly mount this above my desk to provide inspiration and to keep me motivated and positive!

That’s all my goodies on this occasion – I really did hold back! I could have easily doubled this list but I am tryyyying to be good with my money. Having said that I only spent £18.50 on this trip which definitely isn’t bad considering how much I managed to get! I would definitely check out Primark’s website if I were you – even if monochrome isn’t your thing [are you maaaad?] there are so many pretty bits and some gorgeous bedding sets to get your hands on this spring!

If you have any of your own home bargains which you would like to share with me, please comment!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar.

Jade x

Posted on 7th April 2016

My Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: part two

Hello lovely people! This post is a continuation of my previous post on polycystic ovary syndrome, which you can find here. In this post I will talk about my medication, how my PCOS has effected me and how I keep control of the symptoms. I will add the same disclaimer to this post which I added on my last: please remember that every experience is different and if you have any concerns after reading this, ask your GP. I am not a doctor and I know through my own mistakes to never self-diagnose.

I finished my last post by sharing my moment of diagnosis, so I will continue where I left off and share my medication with you. When prescribing me with the contraceptive pill, the doctors had to be sure that I did not experience/ have a family history of migraines or blood clots, as this would be dangerous on the pill. It is also important to note that smoking does increase the risk of blood clots and other complications on the pill – I am silly enough to continue to do so but I plan on quitting within the next year.

As I am lucky to not have a family history of blood clots or experience regular migraines, I was placed on the 3 week contraceptive pill Rigevidon – which means that I take the pill for 3 weeks and on the fourth I don’t take the pill and I get a period. This is great because my periods have finally regulated – yaaay!!

Rigevidon 3 week contraceptive pill

Now, I know that this pill isn’t for everyone – some people gain a lot of weight, their skin breaks out, they start getting regular migraines [if this happens contact your GP]! Some people get really bad stomach cramps etc. Basically, this pill isn’t for everyone but I have been on it for roughly 3 years now and I’ve had no issues! From what I have gathered, this is the first pill which the doctors will prescribe on diagnosis.

The pill comes with this lovely discreet sleeve which makes it easier to carry around in your handbag.

So this pill has been an absolute god send. After the first few months of being on this pill I had to return to the hospital to have another ultrasound to check on the growth of my cysts – and Hurrah! They had significantly reduced in just a few months! Which was obviously a huuuuge relief!

A downside of the pill is that at first they will only release 3 months worth of pills in one appointment for the first year – and only 6 months worth following that. This means that every 6 months I have to go to the doctors to get a new bunch of pills! Although this is annoying, I think it is necessary because they take my blood pressure and my weight and let me know if I am on track and am keeping my lifestyle healthy!

One symptom which the pill hasn’t helped – for me – is the weight gain. One symptom of polycystic ovary syndrome is an increased level of testosterone hormone: which means hair growth and weight gain. Although the pill gives you oestrogen to balance this out, I have found that my weight is still quite difficult to budge – something very common for the contraceptive pill is weight gain.

When you have polycystic ovary syndrome, it is important to maintain a healthy weight [and I do mean a HEALTHY weight – not trying to get yourself as small as possible]. Due to the testosterone, that isn’t always easy [typical]. So when I gain weight, I find it near impossible to get it off! I am a pretty consistent weight at 10 stone, but I do sometimes reach 10 stone 7 and have to work my ass off to get it back down. According to my BMI [something which I don’t agree with because it doesn’t take into consideration muscle mass but that’s a rant for another day] I am only just a healthy weight…

This calculator is available on the NHS website

I try to keep on top of my weight and fitness so I don’t spiral out of control – but at the same time I don’t want to give myself eating issues by obsessing over my food or my weight so I try not to lose sleep over it. In an ideal world I would like to be 8 stone 7 or 9 stone in order to be safely within the ‘healthy’ range but it is SO HARD to work it all off I’m telling you. I’ve been 10 stone for as long as I can remember and I can’t imagine it changing any time soon.

In order to stay on top of my weight I try to eat healthy fruit and vegetables as snacks and get in green tea when I can – I also avoid eating too much take away. I try to exercise as much as possible – I really enjoy the gym, yoga, dancing, and I try to enjoy running… It hasn’t been successful yet but hopefully one day!

My babies

If you would like to know more facts about PCOS please follow this link for official information from the NHS.

I hope this post has been informative and you have all learned a little something or have been able to relate to some of my experiences. Please spread the word so that others can find the medical help they need!

If you can think of any more tips and suggestions in reference to living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, let me know in the comments! I am no doctor, and knowledge is power!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar.

Jade x

Posted on 5th April 2016

My Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: part one.

Hi everyone, this post today is a little different from my usual posts about beauty and life at university as I will be discussing something which effects so many of us: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome – or PCOS for short. It sounds very scary and clinical but it honestly isn’t that daunting.

Now you may be asking yourself: why is she writing about something so personal? or why should I read a post like this? Well, you may be shocked to know that it is thought to affect at least one in five women in the UK – so the chances are that at least one member of your family or friends have it. So I think it is important to spread the word about PCOS so that people are aware of the symptoms; and also to break the taboo revolving around female illness and their bodies. The following image sums up how I would like this subject to be approached and how open I try to be about my own body:

Artwork by Liberty Antonia Sadler

So with that long introduction aside: In this post I will be discussing my own personal experience with PCOS – my initial symptoms, why I felt the need to go to the doctors and the diagnosis experience. Due to the length of this topic I have chopped the post into two – so in my next post I will discuss my life with PCOS and how it has been effected since the day of diagnosis. Please remember that every experience is different and if you have any concerns after reading this, ask your GP. I am not a doctor and I know through my own mistakes to never self-diagnose.

My PCOS journey began at age 16: all my friends had long started having periods and I was feeling left out and a little worried about why I was so late. I was very athletic – I danced for a minimum of 17 hours a week; 9 of which were on a Saturday and when my Mum was younger she was athletic and didn’t start her period until the age of 17 – so I chalked up my late start up to that.

One day we were doing stretching exercises before our ballet class [I was wearing the signature pale pink tights with a leotard in the box splits…. Nice and exposed. *winces at the traumatic memory* when all of a sudden I felt a warm sensation at my crotch, as though I was weeing myself. Having had many informative conversations with my friends I knew that the day had finally come. I excused myself from class and took a friend with me, and she coached me through the bathroom door the complicated procedure of attaching a sanitary towel to my pants.

After my first period, I waited with anticipation for my next…. I waited and waited and waited. Four months went by until it came again. I was embarrassed and didn’t tell anyone about this and told myself that my periods must just be irregular. I was noticing quite a bit of weight gain and skin breakouts – not helped by the fact that I was no longer dancing thanks to Sixth form and my new part time job – so once again, I chalked my weight gain and bad skin up to a lack of exercise.

My gaps between periods were becoming larger and larger each time – at one point I went half a year without one. When I was due I was having excruciating pain, but no blood. There were times when I would make the hour journey to sixth form, to have to turn back in agony. On one of these occasions my mum sternly told me that I need to book an emergency doctors appointment because something was clearly wrong for me to be in so much pain and so lethargic at the end of the day, at this point I was 18. So I dragged my sorry self to the doctors surgery, my stomach knotted with cramps, sweat covering my entire body. The doctor poked my tender abdomen [OUCH] and diagnosed me with indigestion and prescribed me with Gaviscon… GREAAAT.

I was too timid to say anything so I took the gaviscon and shuffled home. My mum, for obvious reasons, wasn’t content with that diagnosis and booked me an appointment with a female doctor who came recommended for issues like mine. I obviously didn’t hold out much hope, having been pretty much dismissed as a hypochondriac but I went anyway, and was told that from the sounds of my symptoms: weight gain, very painful and irregular periods and excess hair growth, she thought I had polycystic ovary syndrome and booked an ultrasound for me at the hospital.

At this point I was TERRIFIED. I’ve always been very healthy and have never been diagnosed with anything so permanent in all my life. The ultrasound experience was interesting. Apparently my bladder wasn’t full enough so I had to have an internal examination [at this point I once again hadn’t had a period in several months], and during the process I felt a bursting sensation and I came on my period, covering her “wand” as she called it in blood.

The consultant was really understanding and let me go ahead and clean up. When I returned she informed me that the wand and actually burst one of the cysts on my left ovary which she managed to measure before it happened – and it was the size of a golf ball! EEK! No wonder I was in so much pain! So I finally had my answer: I had polycystic ovary syndrome and my left ovary is the issue. Following my ultrasound I had to have a blood test to be 100% sure before they prescribed me with medication.

In my next post I will be discussing the medication which I am on, the lifestyle I lead and how I try to deal with the symptoms of PCOS.

If you would like to know more facts about PCOS please follow this link for official information from the NHS.

Thank you so much for reading this everyone – I hope you have a giggle at my cringy period experiences and find this post informative! Please spread the word so that others can find the medical help they need!

Do you suffer from PCOS? Do you know anyone who does? Have you found any tips to deal with the symptoms? Let me know in the comments!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar. And stay tuned for my next post on PCOS.

Jade x

Posted on 1st April 2016

My Pandora Wishlist

Hey guys! It is my boyfriends mum’s birthday soon and she has asked me for a Pandora charm, so I visited the website for the very first time … I don’t buy Pandora charms, I just get them! [If you haven’t watched Mean Girls you won’t get that reference, sorry!]

Now I have been on the website and actually browsed through potential charms, I have racked up quite the wish list [oops] – so I thought I would share some of these with you!

When Pandora bracelets first became a “thing” I really wasn’t that interested and quite frankly saw it as a waste of money. But on receiving one as a gift, I’ve got to admit – I couldn’t have been more wrong!!!

The reason I love Pandora is that the charms are all so personal! Every time I look at my bracelet it makes me smile because each charm has it’s own significant meaning or memory behind it!

1. This was a gift from Dan, and for obvious reasons I love it.

2. Me and Dan have always called each other “snuggle bear” – it’s soppy I know, but we just love bears!! Both the wild and cuddly kind. This charm does little rolly pollys and ahhhh it’s so cute!

3. This was a gift from Dan’s mum, my first ever charm in fact! She got it in Jade green which I love.

4. A Christmas gift from Dan’s mum, that little reindeer is too adorable!

5. My most recent charm: Dan got me this one for my birthday and I love it! He wanted to buy me a book charm, due to my obsession with reading, but he was sold when he saw the fairytale book. On the other side of the book is an image of the princess and the frog, which is one of my absolute favourite Disney films!!

I have provided links to my charms when they were available but it would seem that most of my charms are no longer sold by Pandora 🙁

Here I have compiled a little collage of a select few from my Pandora wishlist:

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/791395

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/791502nsb

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/791377

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/791392cz

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/790536

http://www.pandora.net/en-gb/explore/products/charms/791189

From top left to right:

Bear Hug Charm – Referring back to what I said earlier about bears: this charm would remind me of Dan; aaaaagh it’s just so cute!!
Graduate Owl Charm – This would be the perrrrrrfect graduation present *hint hint*
Lion Charm – I LOVE big cats, especially lions. They are just so powerful and majestic! I’m planning my next tattoo to be a lion’s portrait so I think this charm would be a nice symbol for that.
Moon and Star Pendant Charm – Me and Dan watch Game of Thrones together and we were slightly obsessed with the romance between Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo. It may be slightly cheesy but we adopted their cute little greeting “Moon of my life” & “My sun and stars”. I feel like this pendant suits us perfectly!
Study Book Charm – Books, books and more books!! What could be wrong with a charm with books on it? NOTHING.
Swan Embrace Charm – The University of Lincoln mascot is a swan, and there are swans both in Lincoln and back home in Ely, where me and Dan are from. We also have a rather sweet story about swans but I shan’t bore you with that soppy detail.

View my full Pandora wish list here

Hopefully this wishlist has you inspired for potential gifts for others [and maybe the odd one for yourself of course] If you have any suggestions for other customised jewellery places like Pandora which you would like to share with me, please comment!

Thank you so much for reading. Don’t forget to follow me on my other social media accounts. Links are posted in the sidebar.

Jade x

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