Life Lately - A Birthday, A Piercing, Some Outfits, A Couple Of Shopping Trips And Silly Buys, And A Whole Load Of Meh*

It's been a while guys but I'm back with another post x It's safe to say things have been pretty crappy over the last few months and alas at the moment it doesn't look as though things are going to get better any time soon. Not great I know but sometimes you have to put on your big girl shoes and make the best of it. So trying to focus on the positives, today I thought I'd share a little, all be it an un-edited photo heavy update post, focusing on some of the good things that have happened over the last few months x

May was the month when things started to go down hill but on the 15th I completed another trip around the sun and celebrated a birthday, it was a super quite one and I got some money and some lovely presents including this little beauty!

I got the Medium Longchamp Le Pliage in Navy for Christmas and it really was a game changer for me. As much as I love a nice leather handbag, they do have a tendency to be heavy before you've even put anything in them, and since my arm, and shoulder pain has been on the increase, I wanted a lighter alternative, and the Le Pliage is just that. The Le Pliage looks good, and even with the leather handles, and stuffed to the brim it still doesn't feel anywhere near as heavy as some of my leather bags.

You should know by now with me though, if I like something I want it in every colour, and so I asked for the black version for my birthday. I went for the large this time and whilst it isn't a lot bigger, it is a bit roomier and I could easily fit my Macbook or even a pair of shoes into it! The Large Le Pliage especially would make a great college or uni bag, or if you're like me and you carry a lot of stuff around, it makes a great everyday bag. I use a bag insert in both of mine to keep it more organised and to help them keep their shape. Love, love these bags  and I really can't believe that I didn't get one sooner. They come in loads of different colours and sizes, and the British Green is next on my list.

Since I mainly got money for my birthday and I still had Christmas money left over, my aim was to go shopping in some real shops either in my birthday week or in the week after but yeah life got in the way and I didn't actually make it the Metro Centre till nearly the end of June! Never mind I got there in the end and celebrated with an outfit pic!

What I Wore

Short Sleeve Silky Paisley Top - TEMU

Navy Blue Tie Waist Trousers - Saloos Via eBay

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White

Medium Longchamp Le Pliage - Navy

Whilst the ultimate aim was to scour the shops and buy whatever I fancied, there was an itch that needed to be scratched and there was only one shop that could could fulfil that need and that was Doc Black Ink

Yes, I decided to get myself another piercing and i decided to match my conches up and I decided to get my left conch pierced.

Before

After

I honestly can't say enough good things about this place, everyone is always super friendly, and my piercer Bear made me feel so relaxed and comfortable. It’s been nearly 2 months now since I had it done an bar the first week when it was swollen and a bit tender, it's been great, I'm still getting crusties but the swelling has gone right down, and I haven't experienced any pain or bleeding since day 1 so fingers crossed it stays that way.

After that I headed into Primark and to be honest it was a bit mehhhh again, the size range was pretty much non existent in a lot of items, and just not that much appealed so I bought myself some burgundy boyfriend pjs, a candle and a couple of pairs of sandals, and that was about it. and what's with having to pay for the paper bags now?

Next up Sephora, I'd already claimed my birthday gift online (I bought the Color Wow Dream Cocktail Kale Infusion after a recommendation from my hairdresser and the REM Beauty Sweet Dreams Eyeshadow) , but nothing can beat looking at make up and skincare in the flesh. 

I only bought of a couple of all be it quite spendy things - first something I'd had on my wishlist for a while the Glow Recipe Dewy Babies Kit, which contains 5 travel sized mini products including the Plum Plump Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum, the Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturiser. the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops Sun Glow Serum, the Watermelon Glow Dewy Flush and the Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist. A little spendy for minis but it's definitely a good way to try out a some products from the range without having to shell out for the full sizes.

The other item that I got was much more of an impulse buy but I'm so pleased I picked it up - it's the Sol De Janiero 87 Rio Radiance Perfume Mist. OMG this scent just screams summer, you get a bit of warmth, and sweetness, and almost coconut notes, alongside some tropical heady white flower notes - I think the sun creams have a similar scent but alas nothing else in the Sol De Janeiro range seems to share this scent :(

That was pretty much for my in store shopping- a few bits, and a new piecring and I went home exhausted with some money still burning a hole in my pocket, and we all know what that means - yes online shopping!

After trying a sample I did intend to treat myself to a Charlotte Tilbury foundation when I was in Sephora but then I realised that Metro Centre Sephora doesn't have a Charlotte Tilbury counter duhhh I could have gone to Harrods Beauty but I wanted my Sephora points so as soon as I got home I placed a little order online.

I picked up a tube of the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation, I liked it because it didn't feel too heavy , again it was pricey but I'm not wearing a lot of make up at the moment so hopefully it should last me a while. I also impulsively bought the Morphe Chroma Plus 6-Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Rich Glitch, and for an impulse buy I'm so so happy with it, the shadows are soft and buttery and the metallic shades especially are incredible!

Now I don't go to the Metro Centre or Newcastle that often now but exactly one week after my Metro Centre trip I was getting ready and getting on a bus to head into Newcaslte, again outfit recorded for posterity..

What I Wore

Blue Denim Jacket - NEXT

Black T-Shirt - SHEIN Curve

Animal Print Side Split Skirt - SHEIN Curve

Adidas Breaknet Sleek Suede Trainers - Black / White

Large Longchamp Le Pliage - Black

I was headed into town to meet up with my bestie Helen, she was staying up north for a few days, and I was super happy to see her and spend time with one of oldest and bestest friends. We pottered around the shops for a bit before heading to St James' Stack Powered By Sela for some drinks and some lunch.

I know some people have some issues with it but I love it. with loads of food and drink options and live entertainment on most days , it's the perfect place to meet friends, just be careful sitting on the benches if you're wearing a skirt IYKYK ;)

This time round we went to Acropolis a real north east institution, with restaurants in both the Grainger Market, and in the Metro Centre, as well as regular pop ups at markets, attractions, and even in random car parks across the region and beyond, if you like Greek street food then a trip to Acropolis is a must.

I went for the Halloumi and Roasted Vegetable wrap which was so good, slices of halloumi, roasted vegetables, salad, chips, and Acropolis' signature sauce, all stuffed into a giant wrap - incredibly difficult to eat, but it was so worth it and we had such a laugh as bits of wrap contents flew everywhere. Maybe not a first date food but arm yourself with a bestie and plenty of napkins, and you'll experience the true taste of Greece in the heart of Newcastle.

I washed my wrap down with a lemon Fanta and a pint of coke whilst we enjoyed the sun and the live music as we put the world to rights. As I say I love the whole atmosphere of the stack yes it's pricey but go during the day and obviously not on a match day and it has a really chilled, family and dog friendly vibe.

After an hour or so we headed back to the city centre and I resumed my mission of the day which was to find the Jellycat Amuseables Mozzarealla. It was love at first sight with this one - a cute ball of fresh cheese, with a tomato beret, and a basil leaf in his hand, he was just too cute, I only have a few Jellycats (I love them but they are way too expensive!!) but I knew i needed to add this one to my collection, the only trouble was I couldn't find him.

There are now no Jellycat stockists in the Metro Centre, and both Fenwick's and one of the independent stockists in Newcastle were sold out. John Lewis was my last hope and to be honest it didn't look promising I couldn't even find their Jellycat stand and then all of a sudden Helen spotted a tiny little display in the gift department with less than a dozen Jellycat's and guess who was front and centre - he was the last one, and now he's mine. Totally overpriced for what he is but I love him, he's so cute and so well made. A nice keepsake for a lovely day with a lovely friend x 

I'm almost embarrassed as to where this post is now headed but believe me over the last few months I've needed something to make me smile and spending money on stupid stuff seems to be the way forward.

Like most people these days I often find myself mindlessly scrolling Tik Tok late at night, some of the content pees me off beyond belief but about a month or so ago I found myself being drawn into Labubu tok. Initially I was not impressed they were quite frankly a bit scary and evil looking, and my bigest question was why? Gradually though the worm turned and after watching some hilarious lafufu (fake labubus) unboxings I wanted to join in so I bought a few from SHEIN and TEMU two of which you can see on the left and right below,  not great but at least they weren't bald lol eventually though good luck looked down on me and I managed to get a real Labubu x Pronounce Wings Of Fortune from Pop Mart online which you can see in the middle. She's lovely and much better quality than my fake ones but they are a lot more fun, so much so in fact that I've ordered another two from SHEIN...

I'm addicted but I think what I'm more addicted to is the blind / mystery box aspect and the surprise element. I've bought a few other Sanrio collectable blind boxes, and a few Sanrio stationary mystery boxes from SHEIN (you can see some unboxings of those on my Tik Tok here and here ) and I also recently picked up of these blind box plushes from the Sanrio Latte Series, so cute and great if you like the idea of a plush bag charm but you aren't that keen on labubus. Yes I know I'm an adult but it's all about what makes you happy and whether that's a blind big, a white cat in a bear suit or a scary looking rabbit demon hybrid, you do you!

I have one more buy to share with you and again it was a spendy birthday money buy - As a Newcastle fan last season was the best one in my memory eventually breaking the trophy drought and seemingly with everything to look forward to but then this summer happened and whilst we've made some quality signings a Swedish inspired cloud now hangs over us grrrr why cant we ever have nice things? Anyways I debated whether or not to buy a new season shirt but I saw these instead and I thought I'd probably get more wear out of them than I would a shirt. These are the official Adidas Newcastle United Sambas and I love them the branding is actually pretty discreet with the crest on the tongue and the word Newcastle gold on the side of the left shoe, so it's not that in your face which should make them easier to wear. I didn't own any Samba's so it really was a no brainer. 

So that's where I'm at, existing, stumbling on at times, and just trying to bring a little bit of joy into my life. I'm going to try and get back into blogging and social media again, and I've got a few drafts in progress so I'm going to be posting a little bit more regularly, next up will be the start of an epic empties catch up, I'm also working on some nail posts, and even more empties posts x I'm also hopefully meeting up with Helen's mam who is up north this week, so I may have another teeny tiny Metro Centre haul to share with you soon as well x Till then though thanks for sticking with me and if you have any questions on anything that I've mentioned in this post then please leave me a comment xx 

*This Post Contains Automatic, Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

And Just Like That She Was Back - Life Lately Featuring Christmas, The Dreaded Lurgy And A New Arrival*

I think this is probably one of the longest blogging breaks that I've ever had since I started this blog way back in 2007, and I'd be lying if I hadn't thought about making my break permanent. The longer I left it the harder it felt to come back and even attempt to pick up where I left off.

I have been posting on my other social media channels here and there but even then I've had to take a break every now and then for my own sanity, social media can be so toxic and it really made me wonder if I wanted to be part of it even in the smallest way. 

My blog though has always been my safe place and somewhere to share my life and loves, and the good and bad things in my life, and whilst some would argue that in the world of Tik Tok and Reels, the blog has lost it's way, I don't really care, I love writing even if it's only for myself, and that's why I'm sitting here listening to the radio, enjoying the warm spring day, and typing words onto a screen.

So where have I been? Well December started off well, I started the Christmas prep, did lots of shopping, and spent a lovely evening at a local cinema with one of my besties watching It's A Wonderful Life, I was so busy that I didn't even manage to introduce you all to this little guy!

Losing both Charlie and Tallulah last year really knocked me and my mum for six, and to be honest we weren't even thinking about getting another cat but Max just seemed so sad, he became very clingy, he would run round the house at night crying, and he just seemed so sad. So we talked about it and decided to look into getting him a friend. Again we went through Consett Cat Rescue, and when I saw this little one's face, I knew we had to go and meet him.

He was born feral, but he and his siblings have been in foster care, socialising them and getting them used to people and houses, and whilst he was a little standoffish till the food and laser pointer came out, we fell in love on sight.

Since we had no huge family plans over Christmas on the Thursday before the big day, Jamie came to live with us, he was a little skittish for a few days but then he really came out of his shell. 

He loves food more than anything, if you're eating he had to be there as you can see from the picture above where he decided that my mams lap tray was the perfect place to sit.

He really has turned into a cuddlebug, he loves a cuddle, doesn't mind been picked up and he loves nuzzles and head butts, he's not a fan of strangers, and his carrier but bring out some treats and he's yours for life.

Whilst his relationship with Max hasn't always been plain sailing the progress they've made has been amazing, there were never any growls or hisses just lots of chasing. I'm still not sure whether Max is entirely convinced and I definitely think that Jamie loves him more than he love him, but they'll happily lie near each other -  I just hope that one day Jamie gets his wish and Max lets him snuggle up properly.

So that was the Thursday before Christmas, and to put it simply that was probably the last normal day till well into the new year. I spent a bit of the night on the sofa keeping an eye on Jamie,  I felt a bit congested but I didn't think much more about it, but then as the days progressed I felt worse and worse.

My face and head ached, I couldn't breathe, and I started coughing - I managed a quick trip to Aldi on the Sunday which on reflection was a terrible idea, on Monday we made the hard decision to let my Godmother know that I wasn't well enough for us to host Christmas. I was utterly heart broken but she's 94 and I couldn't risk infecting her with whatever evil virus I had.

Christmas was therefore very scaled back, a lot of things didn't get done or made, Mummy Lou was an absolute angel, and made a yummy Christmas dinner for the two of us, which we ate on lap trays in front of the TV with the soundtrack of me hacking my lungs up in between bites of Quorn roast

As per usual I was super spoilt, I got some money, (which i still haven't spent), some bits and pieces, and this medium Longchamp Le Pliage in navy blue. I'd wanted one these for ages and I'm so so pleased with it I love all of the leather bags that I have but I just don't have the arm strength at the moment to carry a bag that's heavy before you even put anything else in it. The sizes is perfect for my everyday stuff but I'm really fancying one in the larger size maybe in black for when I travel or I need to carry a bit more stuff hmmm.

So that was my Christmas and my New Year, Happy New Year by the way ;) full of some cold, flu, non covid virus which seemed to stick around well into January, and it's still left me feeling mehhh, I've been out of the house less than half a dozen times since Christmas and after every outing I've ended up feeling as though the life has been sucked out of my me - bleurgh!

I'm not going to lie the start of 2025 has been a proper struggle health wise for me, and my mam as well, but I'm sick of feeling sorry for myself and thinking I'm useless, so instead of looking at the things that I can't do I've been trying to focus on small wins, like on Tuesday I made pancakes, on Thursday I changed a lightbulb and yesterday I went to Home Bargains. It sounds daft but keeping focused on every positive is helping me keep at least some of those negative thoughts at bay.

So I'm back, will I be posting every day, no I won't but hopefully I will be posting a little bit more regularly,  I've got a nail post prepped and ready to write and I'm also going to be posting an empties update posts in a desperate attempt to start afresh and start as I mean to go on.

*This Post Contains Added Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links 

Life Lately - Illness, And Fatigue With A Couple Of Sparks Of Normality - St. James Stack, Sephora, Shopping And A Few Outfits*

When I published my last post on the 26th August  I was really hopeful that I'd turned the corner both illness and life wise and that I ready to get my blog on and return to regular posting but since this post is going live on 27th October, it's pretty obvious that things went belly up again, so to restart my blogging journey again, I thought I'd do a little life lately post to update you all on where I've been and what I've been up to.

I've got to say that the week following my last post was a good one, I'd been feeling drained and fatigued but I'd be a good girl and tried to conserve my spoons the best I could because I had something exciting to do that I just couldn't miss - a trip to Newcastle!

Now for the majority of people an hours bus journey to the nearest big city is probably a pretty regular occurrence and whilst it's something that I used to do at least every other week, my ailing body now says no, and my trips into town are a lot less frequent than I would like, so as I was doing something a bit more interesting than usual I decided to document my trip with some outfit pics.

What I Wore

Indigo Denim Jeggings - Pep & Co

Blue Blazer / Suit Jacket - SHEIN Curve 

Short Sleeve Navy Blue Striped T-Shirt - SHEIN Curve 

Chunky Labradorite Stone Necklace - SHEIN

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White 

Michael Kors Mercer Pebbled Leather Accordion Tote Bag - Admiral

Yes, it's the usual jeans and a top look that I'm so well known for but with the addition of some fabulous navy and white stripes, and a lightweight blazer - it definitely gave out some continental vibes, teamed up with some all be it new retro style trainers (note to self break your trainers in a bit before you wear them for a long period of time!) and a coordinating tote bag for all my junk - I created an easy, practical and comfortable outfit that was ideal for a warm early September day.

So I went to Newcastle for a mooch around the shops and for something to eat, but the real purpose of my visit was to meet up with one of my oldest friends Helen - she's lived in Stoke on Trent for a long time now and I don't see her anywhere nearly enough, but she came up north for a few days, and come hell or high water I was going to spend some time with her.

After a little look around the shops we headed up towards the cathedral on the hill, St. James' Park of course, home of Newcastle United as Helen wanted to get a few bits from the club shop and the we went for some lunch.

There are so many great places to eat in Newcastle but one if the newest venues opening in mid August is St. James' Stack Presented By Sela, that stands right opposite St. James' Park, next to the Metro station.

If your unfamiliar with the concept of the Stack it's basically a whole load of shipping containers combined to create a haven for bars and street food stall - there are a couple throughout the north east with another couple to come including one in the new Pilgrims Place development in Newcastle city centre.

What makes St' James' Stack special though is that it's Newcastle United themed from the toilets, to the signage to the planters, everything is black white and the lasses haven't been forgotten either. Whilst it's exclusively for Newcastle United fans on a home match day, everyone and their dog is welcome at any other times. There are big screens for the football, quiz nights, karaoke, and live music (there was a fabulous guitarist and singer performing when we were there), so whether you're a football fan or not it's a great asset to the city.

Whilst the entertainment is a nice touch the big selling point for The Stack is obviously the food and drink, there are loads of street food stalls selling everything from burgers and pizzas, to Greek food and Korean corn dogs, to Mexican food, BBQ, bao buns, Indian food, and even duck fries, and theres even a coffee shop if you want a pastry fix. There really is something for everyone, and what I really like is that everyone you're with can have something different so you don't need to worry about finding one restaurant to please everyone.

There is loads of shared seating both upstairs and downstairs but we went upstairs where it was a little bit quieter (it was pretty busy for a Tuesday afternoon) and after having a little look around we decided to try some Indian street food at Ok Please! which is owned by the same people who own Dabbawal in Jesmond and in city centre. We both went for the lunch menu which was a main, a side and drink, so I went for the Indian Vegan Burger, with the Masala Fries, and the Mango Lassi which was £14. There was some proper spice to the burger which came with spicy chutney, but the real star was the Masala Fries, crispy french fries topped with crispy onions, and the most amazing spicy garlic sauce, my tongue was definitely tingling and the mango lassi hit the spot perfectly - fruity and super creamy.

After we'd eaten we were in no hurry to leave, it was a lovely afternoon, we were enjoying the music, the vibes, and dog spotting so we decided to get a drink from one of the numerous bars that the stack has to offer. There are 6 different bars in the Stack complex offering everything from draught beers, and spririts to specially created cocktails, we went to Crowd Cantina a Brazilian themed bar and got this fabulous cocktail which I believe was a limited edition which contained lots of citrus and fruit flavours and Absolut Hunni vodka, think amped up Lockets throat sweets - it was pricy but it was pretty strong and it was a decent serving.

I don't think it's the cheapest place to eat or drink in Newcastle but the vibes are good, and if you want food, drink and entertainment all under one roof, then I think it's a great place to go with friends or family, and if you're a Newcastle fan especially on a match day it's a must with guests and former players all adding to the pre match build up. All in all a good day, good food, a good look around the shops, and most importantly time spent with a good friend that I really don't see enough of.

By the time I got home though that's when everything predictably started to go wrong, my feet wore sore thanks to my new trainers, and I just felt as though my body was seizing up. The saying no pain, no gain certainly applies in my case and it's so frustrating that doing something that I enjoy leads to so much pain and discomfort, it was 100% worth it but  I literally suffered from exacerbated joint and muscle pain for about the next week, thankfully I rallied a bit for my mams birthday, before falling victim to a horrid, horrid flu like cold that literally lasted for about a fortnight. I even did a few covid tests to be sure but it was just a late summer cold / flu thing that again lead me to miss on things that I wanted to do.

September saw the opening of two brand spanking new Sephora stores in the north east, one in Newcastle and one in the Metro Centre - whilst I would have loved to have gone on opening weekend, there was no way that I could queue up overnight, or deal with huge crows, so I tried to go the week after and since the cold still wasn't budging I didn't end up going until the 7th October.

Again in celebration of me properly leaving the house I decided to take a couple of outfit pictures, again similar vibes to the previous look, but with some different jeans (I do love skinnys but I'm trying something new), a splash of animal print, a smaller more lightweight bag, and the same now broken in trainers

What I Wore

Navy Blue Blazer / Suit Jacket - SHEIN Curve 

Navy Blue Animal Print Raglan Sleeve Top - SHEIN Curve 

 YOURS Curve Ruby Indigo Blue Straight Leg Jeans - YOURS Clothing

Labradorite Heart Necklace - SHEIN

Adidas Court 2.0 Trainers - Navy / White

Kate Spade New York Cameron Street Lucie Crossbody Bag - Blazer Blue 

So after my earlier trip I decided to go to the Metro Centre store, partially for convenience (I could get a lift and my mam could wait in the car) but mainly because the new Metro Centre Sephora is apparently a bit bigger and stocks more brands than the Newcastle one.

There were a couple of things that I wanted but to be honest the shop had already been well ravaged some of tester eyeshadows etc. were wrecked and there were quite a few bits out of stock. So I ended up just getting a few lip bits. I've wanted to try the Laneige Lip Sleeping mask for a while now so I grabbed one of those and the matching lip balm, and I also got another one of the Glossier Balm Dotcom salves this time in Mango, which tastes incredible. I also had a little look at the well ravaged Sephora Collection eyeshadows and picked up Silverstorm which a gorgeous sparkly silver / grey perfect for the party season

What I Bought 

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask - Sweet Candy - 20g - £19

Laneige Lip Glowy Balm - Sweet Candy - 10g - £16

Glossier Mango Balm Dotcom Universal Salve- 15ml - £14

Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadow - Shimmer - 601 Silverstorm - 1g - £7.99

I really wanted one of the Rare Beauty Melting Blushers but shade I wanted was out of stock - so I may have ordered it online from the My Sephora Sale alongside my free reward product - every cloud as they say. There was a lot of stuff in store that I fancied trying but I'm finding it really hard to justify spending money on make up and skincare especially at the moment when I have so much. I'm going to have a bit of a clear out and get rid of a few bits that I don't use anymore then maybe a can justify another purchase or two. We really are spoilt for choice in the north east now when it comes to beauty what with two Sephoras, Flannels Beauty, H Beauty, and the new look Fenwick Beauty Haul, it's a great time to be a beauty junkie.

After my Sephora visit  I popped into Primark for but again I didn't really get too much, a top for Mummy Lou and some winter boots, I just can't find my size in anything I like lately, it's so frustrating - I managed to get a Hello Kitty & Friends sweatshirt when I was in Newcastle, but the same jumper in the Metro Centre, wasn't available in anything above a medium, it so frustrating going in there at the moment as a curvier girl. Even though I was only in the Metro Centre for about an hour and a half my body rebelled again and I spent another few days in pain and hobbling around but again I'll still say it was worth it for allowing me to feel like a 'normal' person for even a small amount of time.

Although I didn't buy much in Primark I have been doing a little bit of online shopping lately, including some Christmas shopping - where on earth has this year gone? I have bought a few bits from SHEIN, in some peoples eyes not ideal I know but they have my size and its really affordable - yes some items can be hitty missy but I've certainly had more better quality items (including some bits in my OOTD's) than rubbish ones, the Yours jeans that you can see above, and I've bought a few beauty bits including this recent package from Lush.

I don't honestly buy that much from Lush now I just can't really justify the prices most of the time now but I couldn't resist ordering these two blast from the past items. I would say IYKYK but if not I'll explain anyway. First up the white tub, Lush Cocoa Butter Hand & Body, a nod to time the Lush founders, spent with The Body Shop founder, the late Anita Roddick, and a almost exact interpretation of The Body Shop's original Cocoa Butter Hand & Body Lotion - one sniff of this and I was taken back to the 80's, Kiwi Lip Balm, Japanese Washing Grains, Dewberry, Fuzzy Peach, Green Apple and Cocoa Butter. The smell is nothing like anything else cocoa butter scented that you've ever tried and that's why it's so nostalgic.

Talking of nostalgia if you remember the very early days of Lush and even as far back as the Cosmetics To Go days then you'll be familiar with Skinny Dip Shower Gel. Originally released in 1995 was originally marketed as a white chocolate shower gel but it's actually so much more than that. The scent is perfect for the colder months, with a slight white chocolate undertone, it contains spicy cloves, cedarwood and exotic ylang ylang, it creamy warming, and again it takes my back to a different place - At £16 for the shower gel and £20 for the body lotion, this wasn't a cheap haul but it was well worth it for the memories.

So I've done a bit of online shopping, I've picked up the odd thing, mainly beauty dupes in Home Bargains, B&M and Aldi, and I've spent a lot of time indoors again. My flu jab knocked me for 6 and it's fair to say that I'm not looking forward to my covid booster next month but when you're clinically vulnerable it has to be done. My mam has had flu too and thankfully it didn't bother her at all which is just as well as to be honest she's had enough going on. She had a slight fall, nothing major at the start of September, the odd bruise here and there but nothing to worry about, then earlier this month she started having some pain in back and hip, so she went to see her GP who sent her for an X-Ray, she ended up having to go the main hospital in Durham which was obviously a bit of a faff, but she's been told that she has a tiny fracture in her hip / femur, it's just where a ligament has pulled off a little bit of bone. So now we wait - she's going to have to see someone in orthopaedics at the fracture clinic when they decided what to do. Since she has a hip replacement if it's minor enough they may decide to just leave it as is, and maybe give her a brace, and painkillers, or worse case scenario they may need to go in and operate. So we are really playing the waiting game, it's awful seeing her in pain, but I know she doesn't want surgery so what will be, will be.

It always seem to be the way in this house if it's not one thing it's another, my mam is convinced we or the house is curserd! So that's where I am and that's where I've been I've probably left loads out but this post is already way too wordy as it is. I'm back and I'm online for now at least I've got a couple of posts planned over the next week including a little nails of the day and the next instalment of my empties catch up, so if you're still here thanks for sticking around and don't forget to follow me elsewhere on social media via the links in my sidebar x 

*This Post Contains Affiliate And Non Affiliate Links

Life Lately - Another Year Older, Outfits, Piercings And A Few New Purchases*

Well hello there, it's been a while I know but since my last post life really has got in the way again, nothing major just the usual trials and tribulations of someone struggling with chronic illness, and life in general. Exhaustion is something I’ve gotten quite used but over the last couple of months I’ve genuinely felt as though I’ve had the life sucked out of me - on most days I’ve managed to do the bare minimum and that’s it - I’ve had weeks when I haven’t left the house and socialising, blogging and anything that’s involved using my body or brain has been put on the back burner. I was at the doctors yesterday for bloods so hopefully that will give me some answers even it’s just a flare of existing conditions at least I’ll know!

So apart from sleeping, and lots of rest what have I been doing with myself? Well I completed another trip around the sun and celebrated my birthday in the middle of May. I didn’t do anything or go anywhere, instead I spent it with my two favourite people in the world, my mam and my godmother eating my mams homemade carrot cake, and playing with my new iPhone 15. My mam contributed towards the cost and since I mainly got money the plan was to pay for it, and to have a nice little solo shopping trip and whilst the intention was to go as close to my birthday as possible surprise, surprise that didn’t happen so I ended up ordering a few things online and I eventually made it to the Metro Centre a fortnight ago

I haven’t really been buying a lot of beauty and make up so I decided to really treat myself to a few high end products including the new Clinique Pop Black Honey Lip & Cheek Oil, the Dior Rosy Glow Powder Blush in Pink, some Sol De Janiero Bum Bum Cream, a mini Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Dewy Liquid Blush in Happy and a Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Memerise Cream Eyeshadow in Champagne. 

I will definitely be talking about some of these products in due course but if there is anything you would particularly like to see then please let me know. I’ve also picked up a few more affordable bits including the Bum Bum Cream Dupe from Home Bargains, and some of the lip oils from Aldi so again if you’d like to hear my thoughts let me know in the comments section below x 

The first place I actually went into when I went into the Metro Centre was Primark. The new extended store opened on my birthday and this was the first opportunity I’d have to have a look round, and to be honest I was a bit underwhelmed - yes it’s bigger, self checkouts, more items, but there just wasn’t much that I actually wanted  or maybe I should say needed. There was barely anything above a size large, and some of the stuff was well, ugly! I only ended up buying a new duvet set, some slippers for my mam, some rubber Birkenstocks dupes, some chub rub shorts, a Hello Kitty t-shirt, and some beauty bits. I have to say the beauty section was decent and it wasn’t as wrecked as it usually is so  I picked up a few summer themed bits, and some skincare.

After I’d been to Primark and spent way less than I’d anticipated I thought I’d treat myself to something a little more permanent and I headed straight across the mall to Doc Black Ink. 

When I got my daith done nearly two years ago now I definitely reawakened the beast, and ever since then I been playing planning out what piercings to get next. Initially the plan was to add another two helix’s to my right side but instead I went for another helix and a flat. Taking me to 7 in each ear, and 14 in total! Head piercer Kelly was an absolute angel as per usual, and whilst they were a bit nippy at first and they’ve been a little bit uncomfortable, the irritation is easing off now and they don’t feel too bad.

I was only in the Metro Centre for a few hours and whilst I was only there for a short time I certainly paid the price and I was literally useless for about 4 days afterwards - it’s definitely one of the most frustrating parts of chronic illness, acting like a ‘normal’ person for a few hours, having fun, and then feeling worse then you ever did.

Although I’ve been quiet on here I have been flirting with my other more instant, easy access social media channels, which has mainly involved arguing with people, expressing my frustration with football, and despairing at the state of the world on twitter,  (it will never be X to me !) and when I'm not living in shorts or leggings, posting the odd outfit pic on Instagram, some of which you can see here. 

I’m not in a good place body confidence wise at the moment, but on the journey back to some form of self acceptance I’m putting my animal print clad self out there, and saying this is who I am. For some one who originally started out posting fashion content on online forums I’m enjoying even this small return to my fashionista roots, and I’m looking forward to hopefully creating lots more fashion content in the future.

So there you have it I’m still tired, my blood pressure is a little bit higher than it should be, and I’m still on the lookout for an NHS dentist, but I’m back feeling a bit more reenergised at least blogging wise, and I’ve got plenty of things to review and to talk about x Thank you as per usual for sticking with me and if you’re in the UK today don’t forget to VOTE! 

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