*Ad – Gifted

For much of my adult life, I have loved candles and as I’m always burning them, I’m always buying more. I do however have a couple of sentimental candles that i use as decoration and will most likely never burn.

I was recently asked if I would like to try a pillar candle from Brinley Williams. I must admit I had never heard of them before but I thought I’d take a look at their website before I made a decision. As soon as I saw the variety of products on offer, I knew I wanted to try one.

There are so many candles to choose from on their website but I was particularly interested in their personalised candle range as this is a bit more unique. In the personalised section there are so many styles to choose from – wedding favours, anniversaries, new baby and Christmas to name a few and some options even come with a metallic foil design. I chose the personalised photo Christmas candle. It was easy to navigate around the website as well as to upload the photo that I wanted on the candle as well as the text I wanted too.

When it arrived, I was surprised at how quickly it arrived as well as how well packaged it was. The candle even comes wrapped in cellophane complete with a ribbon tie, which personally I think is great because I have no intention of burning this candle and can instead dust the candle off easily.

Overall, the whole website & service from Brinley Williams was excellent and I was kept up to date with my order throughout the process. The candles available on their website would make the perfect gift for so many occasions that you should check them out and let me know what you think.

*Whilst this product was given to me on a gifted basis, all views stated are my honest own opinions.

For people like me, who spends a lot of the day walking around at work or stood up, can often find that their feet become aching and sore, with complaints of dry, cracked or hard skin. There are so many different products on the market (many of which I have tried over the years) that claim to solve these issues. However, past experiences have taught me that a lot of these products are only a quick fix and that is because it usually just leaves a layer of grease on your skin, which doesn’t last all that long.

What I wanted was something that I could use daily, that would not make my feet slippery (especially during sandal weather!) but would care for them and bring my feet back to looking how they did when I was a teenager. Its not too much to ask or is it?

When I saw Dr Judith Anders advertising some of her products on Twitter and portraying the benefits she felt they gave, I was interested to find out more. As soon as I found out she was an professional podiatrist with over 20 years experience, I felt that her products would have some scientific research behind them than the average drugstore brand, at least you get to see the ingredients used and there benefits unlike other brands who just list ingredients because its a legal requirement. When Dr Judith asked if I would like to try a couple of her products, I jumped at the chance and started trying the products as soon as they arrived.

I was very kindly sent three products, two of which I have tried and one which I will be gifting to a member of my family which I will explain which product and why I didn’t want to use it.

The Conditioning nail treatment, which I didn’t use has a formula which contains sodium thiosulphate which are said to help combat nail hardness whilst the oils that are also in the product are said to help improve the overall condition of the nails. Dr Judith believes that with regular use, this product should improve the appearance of your nails as well as reduce the thickness, making them softer and easier to manage. This is why I haven’t tried this product, because my nails are already very soft and quite flexible and so I don’t think this is the product for me. However, as I mentioned above, there is a family member that I know would benefit from this product.

I’ll start with my first impressions of the packaging which looked professional, the design was kept throughout each product and the product size itself was a generous amount. Meanwhile the white packaging of the products gave it a more high end, polished look.

Dr Judith claims that the products contain “the purest naturally derived ingredients and are free from harmful toxic chemicals. The range has been expertly formulated to feel luxurious and to deliver exceptional benefits and is suitable for all skin types including people with diabetes” Dr Judith also stated that none of her products have been tested on animals.

The first product I tried was the “Intensive rescue balm” because I thought this would be a great way to start my testing and to see if it gets my feet to a healthier condition. The aim of the balm is to hydrate the skin whilst absorbing quickly so that it is non-greasy. The benefit of this is that you don’t have to wait 30 minutes after applying the balm for it to soak into your feet. Up to 10% of the formula of the balm contains urea which is said to both nourish and break down hardened, callused skin whilst also eliminating cracks. The balm also contains ingredients that has antifungal and antiviral properties which is exactly what our hard working feet need.

The second product I tried was the nourishing daily therapy which comes in a spray bottle. The formula is made up of coconut, olus and tamanu oils which are said to be highly effective at hydrating your skin and leaves it soft and supple. As with the balm, this spray also contains anitfungal and antiviral properties. Unlike other brands on the market, this spray has been designed to be used at any angle, so its perfect for anyone older or who just can’t reach their feet easily. I found when I used this product, it took about five minutes so soak into my feet. However, I tried it on my partner Andy and he found it took much longer and also his socks kept slipping down.

Overall I would say that I really like both of the products I have tried so far this week. I’ve been using the balm after getting out of the bath and the spray daily before going to work. I personally think the balm should be used no more than a couple of times a week. The fragrance is absolutely amazing and is suitable for both male and female. It was nice to use a foot product that didn’t smell of mint which so many other brands do. They feel really luxurious on my skin however, unfortunately, Andy wasn’t keen of the feel on his skin.

Alongside the product range, Dr Judith has launched a forum on her website (see link below) which she hopes will “drive change and encourage conversations to transform the attitudes we have towards our feet, so people no longer feel worried or ashamed about their feet”.

For more information and to purchase any of the products mentioned, visit Dr Judith using the following Feel Your Feet

*Some products mentioned above may have been gifted to me, however any opinions I have given have been what I honestly think.

So if you don’t already know, Andy is my partner. I’ve featured him on here a few times now, from The Boyfriend Tag to not one but two posts where Andy has conned me (I Was Conned & Andy Cons Me Again)

In the latter two posts I vowed to get my own back but whilst I have a couple ideas up my sleeve, I’m biding my time until he least expects it. Having said this I did unfortunately fall for another one of his tricks and I had a huge blonde moment.

We were enjoying a day out with my family at the beach and were walking through the boat yard when Andy pointed up to a post with a white box on the top of it and what looked like a camera. He asked me what it was to which I replied I didn’t know. He told me it was a speed camera for boats and I fell for it hook, line and sinker, replying really? I never knew they did that. Morale of the story, think about what Andy says before you say your reply.

*Ad-gifted

For those of you that don’t know, Trixie is mine and Andy’s Jack Russell X Patterdale dog who has recently turned six. She is very much our baby and we love going on adventures with her. A couple of months ago, we decided to set Trixie up with her own Instagram page to share what she has been up to which can be found HERE . Its been doing so well that she in catching me up in terms of followers and so I was very pleased when we were asked if Trixie would like to try some dog treats from Top Collar.

So who are Top Collar?

They are bakers of fresh dog treats which are sent through the post in terms of a twice a month subscription box. On their website, you enter in details about your dog so that they can customise the treats for your dogs needs and you can even add a photo of your dog which arrives on the box itself. The company states that it uses natural ingredients and is also gluten free so they can be a lot healthier than other treats that are available in pet stores.

All of the treats Trixie has received have been in cute heart shapes and the flavours sound yummy even to me. So far, she has received fish cakes, Easter roast, pork burgers and peanut butter and coconut. We know she finds them yummy because as soon as we give her one of the treats, she eats it straight away and is then looking for a second one.

The best thing about Top Collar for us is that they are hassle free. We no longer run out of treats for Trixie and she has more of a variety of flavours than she used to. The boxes cost £5.99 a pack and come out of our account automatically unless we pause or stop it. They are also sent in letterbox friendly packs which mean that even if we are out, we’ll still receive the treats. At Easter, she also received a cute Easter biscuit as an added extra.

*The first packet from Top Collar was very kindly gifted to Trixie to try but I’ve since been a full paying customer. All opinions about the products are my own and whilst they are natural treats, they are to be given in moderation and always with water nearby.

Hello everyone and welcome back to my blog!

Recently, well quite while ago I was kindly tagged by a couple of bloggers to do the A to Z tag and I’ve finally got round to doing it, so here’s my A to Z.

I hope you enjoy it and find some things out about my interests, hobbies, general life or shall we say me!

A – Aviation. This plays a huge part in my life, going to my first air show when I was just six weeks old. As I’ve got older, its become more of a hobby for me and I try to plan the summer months around the airshow season. I’m lucky that my other half Andy also likes aviation too.

B – Books. I love reading and try to read a little everyday. My favourites range from romance to saga, although I’ve also been loving the Sarah Knight books too.

C – Cleaning. I wouldn’t say I’m OCD about it but I absolutely love cleaning and find it so therapeutic. If I’m annoyed or upset, I’ll take it out on the cleaning and of course, I’m obsessed with Mrs Hinch.

D – Dungarees. I absolutely love them, jean versions, skirt/dress versions and shorts! you can wear certain type and brands pretty much for all occasions, i even have a pair of trouser style ones that to me look posh, i feel i could wear them to a wedding, although it would be unlikely, you never know.

E – Embroidery. I have a huge obsession with embroidered clothing. Big cosy sweatshirts or slouchy jeans with embroidered detail look so simple yet pretty.

F – Food. I love my food and I’m always thinking about what meals each day to have with Andy, although i do try and get him to suggest. His typical reply is grass, bread and butter!

G – Grumpy. I am the first too admit that I am so not a morning person and be so grumpy if I haven’t had my cup of tea and I’m sure Andy would agree with me.

H – Hearing. Over the last few years I’ve noticed my hearing has got worse and a lot of the time, I don’t realise people are talking to me. I finally plucked up the courage with Andy’s nagging to speak to somebody about it, and, after a long process, I now wear hearing aids. It doesn’t bother me in the slightest because I’m no longer missing out on what people are saying.

I – Italy. I really want to go to Italy so bad, its top of my current travel bucket list. I just want to go there, eat all of the food and see all of the sights. Although in typical Andy fashion he said he’d take me to an Italian restaurant with a back projection of Rome on the walls!

J – Jellyfish. I love how pretty they look and could spend hours in an aquarium just watching them float around.

K – Kindness. I’m a big believer of being kind. It doesn’t cost anything and yet random acts of kindness can make someones day. If everybody was kind, the world would certainly be a much better place.

L – Liquid Lunch by Caro Emerald is one of my all time favourite songs.

M – Malta. I absolutely love the island of Malta. It has always been my favourite holiday destination and I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve been back there. It was also the destination of my very first holiday abroad which was many years ago now.

N – Northern Lights. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with the Northern Lights. I love how pretty they are and can’t wait to book a trip to go see them. I did think about going to Finland to see them but I need to save a lot of money because the place I want to stay is expensive.

O – Organisation. I love being organised and have lists everywhere of things that I need to do and want to achieve. If I didn’t have those lists, I just don’t know how I would cope and I’d probably be in a right panic.

P – Pets. I love animals and currently i have a dog. I’ve mentioned her before my six year old Jack Russell cross Patadale named Trixie. She brightens up my day and is always there for a cuddle.

Q – Quiz. I love quizes whether its watching them on the tv or going on a quiz night, I love them. I might not be very good at them and might not get many answers right but I still find them a great way to pass the time and always learn something new too.

R – Ribblehead viaduct. If you don’t already know, Andy is a train driver (you can read all about him here). Over the last year he has been introducing me too all things train related and recently took me to see the famous Ribblehead viaduct which was such a pretty place.

S – Shopping. I’m definitely a shopaholic. I love shopping and will admit I do it every single week, despite not actually needing anything. My weaknesses are definitely shoes and anything from Primark.

T – Tattoo. I currently have one tattoo which I got a year ago. Its a heart with a Spitfire attached. Not only is the Spitfire my favourite plane, it was a fighter in its day and it always reminds me to fight for what you want, but more importantly if it wasn’t for Spitfire’s and other types around that time, we wouldn’t likely have the freedom we have today! its disheartening when you hear young girls walking past a airfield when we wait for a take off and hear them say “whats all the fuss about, its only a plane” for me, keeping my mouth shut wants to say that plane is probably why your here today and show some respect!

U – Unpacking. If I’m staying in a hotel, I have to unpack everything so that it feels like home. I definitely can’t just live out of a suitcase.

V – Vintage. I love vintage looking things as well as attending vintage inspired events. My favourite era has always been the 1940s and I love the glamour of the hair and make up of that era.

W – Wales. I’d love to explore some more of Wales. It’s part of my history because it’s where my dad’s family are from.

X – Xray. Whilst I’ve had quite a few xrays in my lifetime, I have thankfully never broken a bone.

Y – YouTube. I’ve always loved watching YouTube videos and always have them on in the background. There’s so many channels that I love but my current favourites are It’s Em, Laura Byrne, Miss Budget Beauty, Fleur De Force, Lydia Elise Millen, Nikki Ryan and The Elle Next Door.

Z – Zoo. I love nothing more than visiting a zoo for a day out and usually end up going to a zoo for my birthday. They are perfect for any age and I love that you never know what to expect. I’ve had many a good laugh when at a zoo and an animal is behaving badly!