Thursday 31 July 2014

The Summer Fling Of 2014


Anyone else feel the Skort is the fling of summer 2014? I doubt this trend will last and will hardly be a staple wardrobe item, however flings have the place in life and I will certainly be getting myself some! Cute yet practical (no flashing my panties during lazy day picnic's for me this year!) they are a little quirky and yet easily worn. However much I love this trend, I don't want to be spending a lot of money on an item that will get slung to the back of my wardrobe after the sunshine says goodbye.
Below is a selection of my favourite's currently on the high street.
H&M £14.99


Miss Guided £12.99

Tesco £6 (50% Off!)

Primark £10 not available online

Bank £15 (sale price)

New Look £17.99

Miss Selfridge £17.50 (Sale Price)

Carla x 
 
 

Monday 28 July 2014

What's In My Gym Bag

 
I was originally planning on doing a "What's In My Bag" post, I love those - mainly due to me being so nosey! But after opening up my handbag and finding that 80% of the contents was receipts, with a few uneaten sweets and the odd lip balm thrown in, just in case you are wondering how many lip balms a girl needs in her bag...4! I quickly realised that I don't carry anything of interest and opted for plan B! My gym bag! 
 
So after a few disastrous visits to the gym, having previously forgotten all sort's, I think I have an almost fool proof concoction in my bag now that has my back no matter what the rush!
 
Lets start with the basics:
    • Water Bottle - Nothing fancy, does the job!
  • Sports Bra - There is nothing worse than getting to the gym changing room and realising your just gonna have to tackle a run minus your trusted sports bra (Ouch!), I always keep my "least favourite" bra in my bag, as my back up in case I forget.
  • Razor - I lied, there is one thing worse that forgetting a sports bra, walking out to do a upper body session and having forgotten to epilate your pits...nice. So now this little razor will save the day!    
    
    
    
    
  • Hair Bits and Bob's - for obvious uses, yet I still manage to spend half my work out doing the "Elliot Reid  - blow my hair off my face" 
FRICK!
  • Face Wipes - I like to use these prior to my work out to get rid of the days grime / make up, prior to sweating and my skin deciding to reward me with a lovely break out - I needs no excuse, and these are a Primark special at two packs for £1!! lovely job. 
  • Concealer & Make Up Brush - I keep these at the bottom of my bag, just in case I need to go anywhere straight after the gym that I don't wish to be seen looking like a beetroot. 
  • Smellies - No one wants to be THAT person at the gym, you know the one who is ponging out the entire room. Along side my deodorant I always have a body spray, my current fave is the Spritz from Fearne Cottons range that I received for my birthday, smells like musky vanilla - unusual but delicious!
  •  Work Out Gear - Obviously I change these each visit, but I like to store my work oout gear In my bag, so I can dress according to my mood or the more likely "did I epilate or do I need to wear my full length leggings...?" Also I will add that I am OBSESSED with Nike, luckily for me I have a discount Nike store in Norwich...Bank Account 1 - Nike 0! (That's a lie, it's still Nike 1 - Bank Account 0...)
  • Trainers - After forgetting my trainers for one of my PT sessions (already late, sitting in rush hour traffic, wearing steel toe capped boots!) and having to nip into Nike and learning an expensive lesson. I now always carry these babies in my bag at all times. Lets just take a moment to appreciate these beauties......
  • Music - Lastly my IPod shuffle, bought for the sole purpose of getting my butt to stay on the treadmill...£40 well spent in my opinion! Strangely ALL my favourite songs to run too seem to be Avril Lavinge, who knew.
I think that is everything, I hope this post made to question the contents of your gym bag, and whether it currently has your back!
 
Carla x
P.s. are you following me on Bloglovin yet?!  
 
 

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Review - Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner

So here comes an early morning review for you all, I picked up this Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black with a Glamour magazine a few weeks back, and since then I have seen a few reviews dotted about the web, obviously it flew off the shelves quick as the magazine cost £2, and this eyeliner retails for £12 (Bargain!) even if its a dud, who cares you got a glossy magazine out of those pretty pennies too! 
So this little beauty claims to be smudge proof, fade proof, fool proof, Long Lasting proof...ok that one doesn't work but basically life proof! which is what every girl needs from her eyeliner right?! I wasn't expecting much, I didn't know the brand and it came free with a magazine, but this eyeliner has really impressed me. its super skinny felt tip nib allows you to get right along the lash line, but its great for building up a thicker line also. I much prefer felt tip nibs anyway (can I fathom gel eyeliner...no I cant!) but this really gives you precision when applying.
 I've seen on a few reviews that they are having issues with the eyeliner drying out super quick, when applying. I've had mine for way over a month now, probably nearer 2 and use it almost everyday all I can say is I haven't noticed any signs of drying out yet.
The colour is super black, and stays put (like seriously stays put!), even on my oily skin, and as it gives you such good control, and a super thin line its perfect for practising those wings!
Here's a few pictures with the eyeliner on, I am really chuffed with this find, I'm not too sure about the £12 price tag, seems a little steep for me - but if I have no luck finding a cheaper option that performs this well in the future, I still have a fail safe in this little wand.
 
All in all I LOVE IT!
 
Carla x
 
 

 

Friday 18 July 2014

Luna...

For you guys who viewed yesterdays post (thank you!) on a mobile device, I have realised that the pics of Luna were super small...and I did promise cute pictures as a bribe to reading my long post, so I felt I outdone you a little. As I'm nice like this, and the pictures are far too cute to have not seen in there full glory below are the pictures in full size. Enjoy x 
 
Much better,
Remember to come find me elsewhere, all links are in my "About Me"
 
Carla x

Wednesday 16 July 2014

Dear Diary...The Secret To Motivation Is Happiness*

Guess who got her mojo back?!

*Warning it’s a long one...but there are cute pictures so its totally worth it!
 
Not gonna lie, I’ve been on a downer these last few weeks. Its such a poopy spiral, and you get stuck in a rut and its a bugger to get out of! I’ve been stressed, tired, and grumpy (Oh man I was grumpy!) But it slowly affected everything, I stopped wanting to go to the gym, this made me feel crappy, which meant I couldn’t be bothered and just wanted comforting, quick and easy (always very unhealthy) foods and then that in turn affects my mood more, meaning I don’t want to go do anything that takes any effort, and eventually you end up every evening sat on the sofa in your PJ’s with a bag of sweets, having just eaten a kebab, watching QI, 8 out of 10 cats, then family guy and dreading the next working day...ooh what a life!
 
Well as you can see I had truly lost my mojo, I was fed up of feeling fed up! and with my holiday fast approaching  (eek 9 weeks!) I really would like to get back into that gym and kick my butt so I can rock my bikinis with a little more confidence J - you would think the holiday itself would be enough drive to get my butt off the couch, but it would seem I needed more, something a little more instant. I love the following quote:
 
This is SO true, you have to find something in every day to keep you feeling good, whether that is you have eaten well for that day, beaten a personal best in the gym or simply love the outfit you have put together that morning. Just something that gives you a little spring in your step, it makes all the difference. And happiness creates happiness, once your on a roll you’re sorted and the good vibes just keep on coming – your also more resistant to those little negatives, that on a bad day would have had you pulling your hair out and hunting the cupboards for that bar of galaxy that you hid from yourself!
 
Well my mojo started to creep back last Friday when my fiancĂ© started talks of getting a dog! We have wanted a dog for forever, but he wanted a large dog and realistically we don’t have the time or space for a large dog, so I was basically biding my time until he decided he also would like to get a small dog. We both work full time (hear people gasp at considering leaving a dog all day!) and needed something that fit in with our lifestyle, without compromising the dogs lifestyle. That evening we found a puppy and the next day she was ours...we always do this, plan out a hundred times all the small things and then when it come to the big jump in with both feet on a gut decision. Also has anyone EVER gone to view a puppy and not come away with it? I doubt it, and if you have I would question your ability to love...that's a bit harsh, but still question it! So now we have a beautiful Shih Tzu x Toy Poodle named Luna, and she is the cutest puppy I have ever laid my eyes on! Take a peek:

Oh ma gaad!! she makes my heart just want to explode with happiness.
 
This got the mojo a flowing, next was a trip to see my personal trainer, the beautiful Carly Rowena. I had missed breakfast, eaten barely anything, drank nothing but a cup of coffee, had not completed my food diary which Carly had asked me to do the week before and was seriously not up for a butt kicking! I had forgotten my sports bra & to epilate my underarms (TMI!) so had to rush to NIKE (bra) and Boots (razors) where i (of course!) got stuck behind the slowest of people on the tills, all of this prior to my session, so was a bit mentally exhausted before we even got going. Then something just clicked, I decide I was going to make this session count! No idea what it was, I was given the choice of rower or the treadmill (my nemesis!) and decided to go for the treadmill....:-O even Carly was shocked! THEN I breezed (that maybe an exaggeration) my usual 10 min jog/sprint workout, even with Carly upping the intensity because I had yet to complain (biatch!) Seriously this was a big big deal, I have never yet completed  this without begging for a break in the middle or my body claiming it was going to die on me. But did it stop there...oh no no, I then smashed my PB at dead lifts, doing 3 sets of 50KG!! Thats nearly as much as I weigh! And the energy just kept on coming, I had my best ever work out session with Carly and left feeling super proud and gleaming from ear to ear. Carly made me giggle with her comment “I’m so proud of you I’m going to tweet you!” haha.  To top that off I found a fiver in the car park whilst looking for my car...winner! (when I say looking, I mean looking...i always forget to check which level im on in the car park!)
 
So now im on a super high, with all of that I have the motivation to ensure im eating healthy which keeps me fuelled to push myself with my fitness which keeps my body happy, I have my perfect little family when I get home which keeps my heart happy, I now have the motivation to start writing up blog posts again (ta da!) The only grey cloud in my life is work, and that can kiss my butt at the minute, I'm too busy being happy to let it bring me down. Also I have my daily visit to see Luna at lunchtime to wade off daily blues. It’s easy to say and difficult to do, but leaving your work stresses behind at 5pm is something that everyone should try and work towards as nobody needs stress in their life.

So there we have it, I conclude I have discovered the secret to motivation, and its happiness...too cheesy?  
 
So thats me downloaded as Kay would say! (personal joke) this blogging malarkey really is therapy for the soul!
 
Until next time chow from one very happy Carla!
 
To find daily updates on my life, or just lots of cute pics ad videos of Luna come find me on Instagram and Twitter!
Woof!



 

Monday 7 July 2014

Dear Diary

A Frustrating Day of Getting Nothing Done.

 
My day has mainly consisted of frustration at Apple, having lots to do and no motivation to do any of it, wine gums, YouTube, sitting in traffic, and generally being a stress head.  You know when you see in movies a person standing still in a street and yet everything and everyone around them is rushing around? that's how I feel today.  I walk into a room, get overwhelmed at all the crap in it, and walk out not having done anything even slightly productive.  I can't make a decision to save my life, even deciding between which mug to put my squash in before sitting down to type this was hard work.  I have blog posts to write, a house to tidy, a food shop to do, bunnies to clean out, the list goes on, and yet all I have managed to do today is shower, nap, and make two wasted journeys into the city.  The second of which left me sitting in traffic for over an hour meaning I missed my Apple appointment and am stuck with no phone till Thursday.  Rarh!
 
 So now I have the rant out of the way, I can give my keyboard a rest from the battering its just taken and do what I intended, which is to make a list of all the things I am thankful for today.  Hopefully this can ground me a little, and shake away the glum, grumpy, anxiety ridden day I'm currently experiencing. (Who needs therapy ey!?)
 
1. The sun has been out today.
 
2.  I'm very thankful that I was merely sitting in traffic today, and not involved in the accident ahead.
 
3. I've decided we are going for a carvery for tea tonight
 
4.  I'm not at work today
 
Of course there is more, but for fear of sounding all sloppy I'll leave it there.
 
 
Feeling much better now, thanks! :)
 
Carla x
To find me elsewhere check out my About Me