August Pinterest Worth Home Wear

It has been a while since I did a home wear wish list, So I thought it was time for a new one.
I know summer is all but over - if the weather here is anything to go by summer was done before it actually started.
But when trawling the internet for some cute home wear I came across some of these cute summery items that could pro long the summer at least inside for a little while longer.

1. Ceramic Plant Pot H & M

2. Large Wire Basket H & M

3. Everything is Fantastic Cushion

4. Hello Sunshine Banner

5. Flamingo Tumbler Marks & Spencer

6. Pineapple Candle TK Maxx

7. Fashion Coffee Table Book TK Maxx

8. Mexicana Cushion Amara

9. Copper Lamp Oliver Bonas

10. Metal Basket H & M

11. Flamingo Cushion Asda

12. Lemon Grass Candle TK Maxx

13. Pineapple Lamp Oliver Bonas

Bake Off is Back

I'm a little late with this post this year but THE BAKE OFF IS BACK and I for one am so bloody happy!

I blogged about my love for the Bake Off Last year and I can safely say I'm no nearer learning to bake than I was then. Admittedly eating and baking cakes isn't good for my on again off again sugar free diet.

Over the course of this year I've made some really amazing friends! One of whom can bake!!!! Pretty sure she is the only person I know that can! Anyway. It was decided that every week the bake off is on we would have a little tea party at my friends house complete with vintage china and cake!
It has been lovely so far this year.

Made even better by the fact that there is no alcohol involved and Little Miss D gets to come with me every week!

At the moment I'm feeling really grateful for having such amazing people in my life - and amazing Cake!

Five Shows To Watch On Netflix When You Have a Hangover

I spent a lot of yesterday lying on the sofa with a stinking hangover - I know it's not big and it's not clever but hey what can you do?
I was determined to not let the day be a complete waste of time so I decided to do some "research" for this blog post.

I mean I'm sure there are better ways to spend a hungover day but I am yet to find one! So I curled up on the sofa with bucket loads of tea, hobnobs and Netflix! Perfect.

If like me you love a lazy day here are my top 5 box sets to watch on the UK netflix. I'll be honest none of them are particularly high brow but when hungover I completely lack any mental capacity!

1. The Vampire Diaries.

I've commented on this before and made no secret of the fact that I love the vampire diaries.
I was mega late to the party with this one. In all honesty I don't like watching anything that is particualrly scary - especially when i'm on my own however you quickly get used to the blood and throat ripping.

2. The Originals.

Spin off of the Vampire Diaries. Its fairly similar to the above. Once you get past the seriously ropey English accents it's not a bad watch.

3. Call The Midwife.

Again I was late to the party with this one and didn't watch it when it was on TV.
Being a big lover of programmes like Downton Abbey I thought I would give it a try and it didn't disappoint. It was a bit gory in some places but if you've had kids it shouldn't bother you!

4. Suits.

I've just started watching suits.
Its a really funny show that you could curl up and watch with your other half. Its not soppy or too actiony (?)

5. Pretty Little Liars

I started watching this when season 1 came out but soon stopped as couldn't get my teeth into it. After hearing and seeing all the hype on Instagram and the internet I thought I would give it a second chance and this time I'm well and truly hooked!

Turning Six

 Today my little girl turned 6! To say I'm emotional doesn't quite describe it.
Upon realising that her big brother was 6 when the little madam was born I suddenly became incredibly sentimental and a little apprehensive.
I've obviously never gotten to this stage before. There has always been a baby/toddler in tow and now there isn't. I'm faced with the prospect of a moody soon to be teenager and a 6 going on 16 year old daughter.

For quite literally the first time in my adult life there are no prams, changing bags, or full scale military operations needed just to pop to the shops.

I think I'm actually looking forward to this next phase and watching my kids become more and more independent.

Finding A Pretty Camera Bag

I recently decided to purchase a DSLR camera!

I was very excited. I'm a complete novice with a camera but thought that my blogging would greatly benefit from me having one. 

I'm still getting used to it but so far I LOVE IT!!!!

I did a fair bit of researching and settled on this one. I read the reviews and they all seemed to agree that this camera was fairly fool proof and it certainly seems that way!

Obviously with my new expensive purchase I needed a pretty new bag to keep it safe in! Honestly I thought this would be much easier than it turned out to be.
There were plenty of ugly black camera cases and bags in the shop, however no pretty ones.

I did find these online:

1. The Palma   2. The Lula   3. The Brownlee

4. The Bossi   5. The Lola

6. A Beautiful Mess

Do you have any camera bag recommendations? 

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry Nail Polish Review

Being a busy mum painting my nails is usually a luxury I have very little time for. So when I was shopping in Tesco the other week and I spotted these Barry M Quick Dry Nail Paints I thought I would give them a try!

They come in some really cute pastel shades perfect for spring and summer. They also have really cute racing flag style instantly recognisable packaging which I just love. They are so easy to find in my huge bag of nail polishes which when you're in a rush really helps.

Another feature I really love is the flat round brush. It makes getting to your cuticle line a lot easier and means there is little to no clean up needed. Perfect if you have a tendency to be a bit cack handed like me!

The million dollar question....Do they dry quickly??? Well yes, yes they do! I found that one coat was dry in about 60 seconds and two coats was dry and ready for me to continue getting ready within 3-4 minutes! I will admit though that I wasn't looking for a perfect finish when I applied the nail varnish so only applied two coats. To get a really good finish I would think you would need 3 coats so drying time would be longer. All in all they generally deliver what they promise.

I bought the colours Pit Stop and Kiss Me Quick.  £3.99 - Great for a cheap quick mani!

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Vlogger

For Christmas we bought our daughter an Ipod touch.....yes that probably makes us the worst parents in the world, but in the interest of saving our sons and daughters relationship, not to mention our sanity I thought it was a good idea. In all honesty since being given said Ipod my daughters writing, spelling and reading has come on so much! It's probably down to all the texting she does - during school holidays she likes to imessage her dad and I whilst we are at work....just to remind us she is always there and we can never escape!! Joking I love her really.

Anyway one evening I was having a look at her ipod and had seen she had been spending a lot of time on Youtube watching Disney princess make up tutorials and DIY costume tutorials - which so far I seem to be doing a good job of avoiding making!

I wasn't aware the little beast even knew what Youtube was let alone how to use it. When I questioned her about it the next morning I was told "Everyone knows what YouTube is Mum" (Sassy little madam). When I asked what she'd been watching she happily told me then said "Mummy when I grow up I want to be a Vlogger"!!

This then sent me into a blind panic.....after all blogging/vlogging isn't really a career for most is it?

I spent a lot of time thinking about it I was really worried that by Blogging and Instagramming our lives I was sending my daughter the wrong impression. After all Blogging is hard work and it really does only become a career for a chosen few! 

Then I thought about Journalism - Is there really any difference between being a journalist and working freelance or being a blogger and slogging your guts out to make it?

At the minute she is only 5 and I'm not sure she really knows what a blogger does. I just want to make sure that she knows it's certainly not that glamorous!!

I decided there and then that if the little beast wanted to be a blogger I would 100% support her. Who knows she maybe the next Zoella.....

Not long after we had this conversation (roughly 3 minutes) the little beast announced she would actually quite like to be a police woman.......Love how fickle kids are!

Make Mornings Easier

Everyday I wake up looking like this.......

Yeah right! I wish! My mornings usually consist of my running round the house looking like a screaming mess. Seriously I'm lucky if I can get a hair brush through my hair and get the kids out of the door on time most mornings. However I've decided it's time to change my routine to make my life easier......

I am really not a morning person and 99% of the time will do anything to have an extra few minutes in bed so a lot of these tips are about night before preparation!

*1 Prepare Lunch The Night Before

This means your lunch, the kids lunch...whoever else needs lunch! Not only will it save you a ton of money and help you make healthier choices but it will give you at least an extra 10 minutes in bed! BONUS!

*2 Plan Your Outfit The Night Before

Seriously I waste so much time in the morning trying to decide what to wear. When I'm in a rush nothing looks right and I end up getting myself into a flustered mess. Picking out my outfit the night before means I can quickly get ready and don't have to think too much about it. 

I also lay my kids uniforms out too. This means that the kids can get themselves sorted each morning without me having to find things for them.

*3 Quick Breakfast

I'm not a huge breakfast lover I usually skip it. However I find having things in the cupboards that are pre prepared makes my mornings a lot easier. At the minute I am loving Fritatas for breakfast. I tend to make them the night before and then give them a quick blast in the microwave. 

*4 Wash Your Hair The Night Before

I always do this. Then hop in the shower in the morning. It means I don't have to spend endless amounts of time drying my hair. I usually just run a brush and straighteners through it and I'm good to go.

*5 Set Alarms

Every night I set three alarms. I know when the first one goes off I have another half hour in bed. Second one means its time to start thinking about getting up, and third means its time to get the hell out of bed. Although I'm not keen on my sleep being disturbed three times, I know I still have plenty of time from the first alarm and by the third I'm ready to get up

*6 Stick to a Routine

This is my last tip. I find that once I've got a morning routine in place and both the kids and I know whats going on when, mornings run a whole lot smoother! 

It only takes a few days for a routine to set in and you will thank me for it!

What are your top morning tips?

Mummy-Daughter Date Cinderella Review!

At the start of the Easter holidays I took little miss D to see Cinderella at the cinema!

After the hype surrounding the size of Cinderellas' waist and if I'm totally honest not being a huge lover of kids films I was pleasantly surprised! 

I made a huge mistake when booking the tickets and booked them for the wrong day. I'd booked them for the day before. I turned up at our local Odeon cinema (Lincoln) trying to get my tickets out of the machine with a very worried daughter stood by my side. It was only after some huffing, puffing and swearing under my breath did I realise what i'd done! 

The staff at the Odeon could not have been more helpful and transferred my tickets for no extra charge. I even managed to get the same seats. 

Now normally I huff and puff about the price of the tickets, lack of offers and the cost of the sweets but this time I was so relieved we even shared a large popcorn!

Anyway to the film. The film followed the same story pretty much as the original Disney animated film, but what the animated film lacked and this one had in abundance was costumes!! The costumes were amazing! 

I don't think there was one female member of the audience that didn't wish she was Cinderella dancing at the ball in that Blue gown! It truly was magical and enchanting. 

Helene Bonham Carter was amazing as the fairy godmother. My only criticism is that we didn't see enough of her in the film!

My Verdict....LOVED it........

Little Miss D's Verdict.....Loved it.....

If you are looking for an end of Easter Holiday treat for the kids I would certainly recommend seeing Cinderella.

April's Spring Homewear Wish List

I rent my house! Something I'm not particularly proud of at the grand old age of 30 but it is what it is!
Because I rent I'm seriously limited for what I can do in terms of interior decor. I'm allowed to paint but wallpapering (is that a word) is somewhat frowned upon. I'm also the proud owner (renter) of the most fugly living room carpet you have ever seen! Which seriously limits my choices.
However I recently decided that it was time to give the place a bit of a spruce up so I've been trawling the internet for some little gems! I'm in desperate need of cushions.....so watch this space!

I was just looking online at the George at Asda range! Now normally I'm not a huge fan of supermarket interior collections but this time they have some nice pieces......for sprucing on a budget you should check it out!

1) Chevron Cushion  2) French Roses Print  3) Initial Cushions

4) Polka Spot Heart Cushion  5) Sea Salt Yankee Candle  6) Heart Wire Light

7) London Westminster Cushion  8) Ceramic Heart  9) Copper Quote Cushion

10) Lavender Plant

Another store I'm currently loving the homeware in is Next! I've been a long time fan of Next buying most of my homeware things from there on a regular basis. Although for the last year there didn't seem to be anything that grabbed me. Luckily for me but not my purse that seems to have changed again.......

1) Cat Cushion  2) Glass Tea Lights  3) Life's a Journey Cushion

4) LOVE Candles  5) Lavender Print Cushion  6) Chandelier

7) Candelabra  8) Bird Cushion  9) Bird House Lamp

10) Blue Check Cushion

Making Mondays Awesome!

Finally the first bank holiday of 2015 is upon us! To be honest I can't believe this year has gone so fast and its already April.

One of my favourite weekends of the year has to be Easter weekend! Usually the weather is getting warmer and time can be spent outside with the Kids rather that getting cabin fever in the house.
To be honest I'm not sure what we are doing or where we are going but I know i'm determined not to go back to work on Tuesday thinking I've wasted the weekend.

Here are a few ideas to help you have a productive weekend and to stop that Monday Morning Feeling in its tracks!

1) GO OUT! Get up out of bed at a reasonable time and actually get dressed. Then go somewhere, anywhere! I love Netflix as much as the next person (more probably) but whilst staying in all weekend might seem like the ideal option you'll only regret it come monday.
Go Shopping, grab a coffee, go for a run, walk the dog......just do something so you can say you have actually left the house!

2) CHANGE THE BED(s) - I like to do this on a Sunday Morning. I love love love sleeping in a fresh clean bed. I always get a better nights sleep when my bed is clean. This then totally sets me up for the week!

3) GO TO THE GYM - Combine it with grabbing a coffee and you've covered step 1 and 3 in one go! I usually head to a spin class on a Saturday morning. Admittedly it's not my ideal way to wake up but I always feel 100% better for doing it.

4) COOK A MEAL - It might be Sunday Lunch or just a quick Saturday night supper. Cooking makes you feel like you've been productive and it stops you eating junk for one evening at least......

5) ORDER TAKEAWAY - Yes contradictory I know. They say variety is the spice of life though so give yourself one day over the weekend off from cooking and order a domino's!

6) DUVET DAY - Again I know! The weekend is for relaxing though so as long as you don't spend all weekend in the same pj's watching TV box sets you'll be fine! You certainly deserve one day a week to not get up!

7) PAMPER NIGHT - I love having a pamper night on a Sunday when the kids are in bed. It makes me feel like I've actually done something to take care of myself. Usually Mondays are pretty hectic and I don't get much time to myself so sitting in the bath listening to Spotify makes me feel a little bit better

8) MEAL PREP - I know it's really not that exciting but if you prep your meals and snacks for the coming week it means you have a small amount of free time each day to chill. Even if it's just making the kids packed lunches.........You'll feel better for it!

How do you have a productive weekend?

8 Films Every 90s Teenage Girl Will Have Loved!

So last night I may have slightly over indulged in a pizza take away bought via the just eat app!
Although it's really bad I bloody love the just eat website. I live in a pretty rural area and not many takeaways deliver to our village so it's nice to finally have a list of one's that do.

To go with my dirty pizza with chips and cheese I decided to indulge in a late 90s early 00s movie marathon on Netflix!

I got to reminiscing and decided I would share with you my top 8 films from my teens/early 20s.

1) Clueless - on Netflix!
I loved loved loved this film. I wanted to be Cher, I wanted a best friend like Dion and I was just a little bit in love with Josh!
Cher was my idol I bloody loved her!
'Rolling with the homies anyone'?

2) 10 things I hate about you!
Heath ledger at his finest!! OK maybe not but for any teenage girl in the late 90s this was a girlie sleepover must have. We must have known it word for word.

3) Bring it on!
The first and the original. The follow ups were never quiet as good. I'm fairly sure this was the only Kristen Dunst Film that didn't annoy the hell out of me.
Living in the UK I never really got the whole cheerleader thing but I really wanted to be one of them!
"Brrrr its cold in here"!

4) Never Been Kissed
This was just cute and sweet and a really easy film to watch when having a girlie sleepover. Looking back the plot left a lot to be desired but hey we were only 13/14.

5) American Pie
This was just the best! My parents hated me watching it which made me want to watch it even more. At the time it was really rude and catchphrases from the film were popping up all over the place. At the very least no one looked at an apple pie in the same way again!

6) The Blair Witch Project
This was pretty damn scary when it came out. All sorts of Urban Legends were going round about it. To be honest I'm not sure if I've ever seen it all the way through. Someone's parents always came in telling us off!

7) Coyote Ugly.
When I was a teenager I was utterly convinced that this is what all nights out would look like! Dancing on a bar perfectly in control of all my limbs spraying water on fellow party goers. Pretty sure i'd be arrested if I actually tried it now!

8) Cruel Intentions!
I'm yet to meet anyone who didn't love Ryan Phillipe in this movie. He was pretty gorgeous.

Wish List Work Wear Wednesday

So this wish list is coming sooner than I thought but I'm desperately needing some new work clothes so i thought I would share my new wish list with you!

Buying work clothes for me is really hard.
I work in a very small but busy office. We don't often have people coming to the office so the dress code tends to be smart casual. For me that usually means jeans and a tee.
Now the spring is coming I'm getting fed up of wearing the same old things so have been scouring my favourite haunts for some new work clothes!

1) Silk Blouse 2) Navy Dress 3) Denim Shirt 4) Shirt Dress

5) Mint Green Bag 6) Snake Print Heels 7) White Shirt 8) Sleeveless Dress

What are your work wear staples?

8 Ways to Give Your Life A Much Needed Spring Detox

The last few weeks I have been feeling shocking! Tired, unmotivated, stressed, everything! I'm tucked up in bed at 8:30pm most nights I mean come on!

I was secretly hopeful that when March came around I would start feeling full of the joys of spring and shake these feelings. Needless to say it didn't so for the rest of the month I plan on following this list to shake my life up and bit and put me in a better mood!

1. Buy a Book - I'm not talking War and Peace or some sleazy self help guide (unless that's what you are into) I'm talking a trashy, can't put down girlie chick lit book. Take time to read everyday instead of being addicted to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest Etc. It's harder to compare yourself with characters in a book!

2. Shave Your Legs! - It's nearly shorts and dresses weather! That means you have a limited time to de-fuzz and moisturise before the better weather comes! I know it's a tedious task but we all feel better afterwards! Go buy some new products and get rid of that winter coat

3. Water, Water, Water - Ok I know I've gone on about this before but it really does help. Drinking water has loads of health benefits that I'm not going to bang on about, it also clears up your skin and lets be honest the more water you drink the more you find yourself moving around (read running to the bathroom)

4. Pamper Night! - Combine this with step 2 and you're onto a winner. Visit Lush, light some candles and chuck in all the bath products you can find! Put on some music and relax!

5. Stop Being Anxious - Trust me I know how difficult this one is! I've suffered from anxiety most of my adult life. I've found a great way to de-stress is to put on some music and try and distract myself for just 5-10 mins. Then I repeat this a few times a day. Whilst the anxiety doesn't completely go I find that for 5-10mins it doesn't seem as bad!

6. Get some exercise - You knew this was coming! As a huge fitness lover I was always going to add it! There's no such thing as a bad workout and no matter how long or hard you go you'll always feel better for having done something!

7. Lists Lists Lists - Write some lists! I'm not talking life plans here but simple everyday lists. You'll feel a lot more organised and in control when you have done it!

8. Money - No matter how much or how little you have sorting your finances will make life a little less stressful. Make a budget you know you will stick to and include treats that you know you can look forward to!

Pay day cocktails anyone?

Wish List Wednesday

This is a new feature I'm planning on doing from time to time generally whenever there is a big enough list of things I'm lusting after. It will vary from week to week and could be anything from Fashion, Beauty and Home ware, to bits for my kids and dog!

So introducing my very first WISH LIST WEDNESDAY!

1: River Island   2: New Look   3: BooHoo

4: H&M   5: Dorothy Perkins

Chapped Lips - Not Cute!

I have been suffering lately with really bad chapped lips.
I'm not sure if it's because of the weather, lack of hydration or just because I have generally been feeling run down - Knowing my luck it is probably a combination of all 3!

So I've been researching ways to heal them quickly......this is what has been working for me!

1) Give them a good old Scrub - But not too hard! I've been lightly brushing away the dead skin with an old toothbrush feels a bit weird and leaves them a bit tingly but generally gets rid of the dead dried flaky skin.

2) Carmex - Yes it's cheap and cheerful and was found at the til in Primark, but honestly it's the best lip balm I've used in ages. After scrubbing I apply a thin (very thin) coat of lip balm and wait for it to soak in.......I then apply a second layer just before i fall asleep.

3) WATER - Water, water, water - Yes it's the answer to all of life's' little problems. In all seriousness though I've found that by increasing my water intake just a bit and following all the steps above I've been able to pretty much eliminate my chapped lips!

What are your favourite lip treatments??

P.S Please don't forget to follow my on Instagram @claire22sawyer

What to Expect in 2015!

I can't believe it's 2015 already! I really hope you all had a good one? Mine was mixed but generally quite good!
I had all these plans to update my blog over the Christmas period and it just never really happened!

2015 for me is to be the year of the BLOG! I really want to make sure I keep up to date with blogging and have several plans in place to try and expand my blog.

So here is what to expect from The Claire Diaries is 2015!

SCHEDULING POSTS

This year I will be starting to do some more scheduled posts. I plan on posting on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the time being. I would love to post daily but at the minute that just isn't possible.

FOCUS ON LIFESTYLE

I've decided that for now my blog will focus mainly on lifestyle posts, this will obviously include some fashion, beauty and of course fitness but I've been finding that it's too limiting to only blog about one subject. I really want this blog to be a reflection of me and my life, loves, hates etc

WEIGHT LOSS

With the above in mind I've also decided that I still want to carry on sharing my weight loss journey with you all. It's an important part of my life at the minute and I really love focusing on trying to lead a healthier life.

So that's about it. In addition to the usual new years resolutions.....Stop eating chocolate, stop drinking so much wine, be a better person!

What are your resolutions for the year?

Time for a Catch Up

I actually can't believe it's been that long since I posted on this blog!
So much has happened and so much to tell! However now isn't the time.

I plan on seriously blogging again starting from Monday - to tell you the truth I've really missed it and can't wait to get back into the swing of things again!

I need to catch you all up with my big 3-0 ........yes that happened, my new job, weight loss and training plans and generally share things that have been happening!

I shall be back next week with lots of lovely new posts, reviews, hauls and the odd Christmas themed post!!!

The Autumn Tag

It's been a while since I last posted and this time I do have a genuine reason. I've been suffering really badly with a nasty kidney infection. Thankfully I'm slowly on the mend and felt up to posting this new blog post!

As I've mentioned several times I am more than looking forward to Autumn.
It really is my favourite time of the year, mainly due to the hibernation aspect but also for all the exciting things the Autumn brings!
So for my first post back I decided to do the Autumn Tag!

1. Ok we're talking coffee's - what's your favourite seasonal drink from Starbucks/Costa/Cafe Nero etc?  

I don't tend to drink too much coffee, particularly not from one of these fine establishments! If I go to Costa I'll often have a peach iced lemonade but think that is more a summer drink than an Autumn one. 

2. Accessories - what do you opt for, scarf, boots, gloves?

All of the above! I love Autumn and winter fashion! Scarves and boots are by far and away my favourite Autumn wardrobe staple. I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect pair of winter boots and you'd be hard pressed to stop me buying new scarves.

3. Music - what's your favourite music to listen to during Autumn?

My music taste doesn't change. I don't really listen to music all that much other than when at the gym.

 

4. Perfume - what's your favourite scent for this time of year?

I don't tend to wear too much perfume.....Any recommendations?

5. Candles - what scents will you be burning this season?

 

I love winter berry fragrances, spice apple. About this time of year Glade tend to bring out their christmas range which always smells amazing!

I love the Yankee Candle ranges too but don't often buy them.

6. What do you love most about Autumn?

Sleep!!! I love snuggling up under the quilt. Going for country walks wrapped up but not being totally frozen. There's also the fact it's my birthday, wedding anniversary and halloween! 

7. Favourite makeup look?

My make up stays much the same all year round. I tend to maybe warm up the look a bit with golds, and pale browns.

 

8. What are you looking forward to most in Autumn?

Strictly Come Dancing, My 30th, Wedding Anniversary, October Half Term (missing my kiddies)

Concrete!

Recently I've noticed a lot of concrete interiors and accessories popping up on my Pinterest feed.
Needless to say I wasn't sure about it, but the more I look at it the more I seem to like it. I kind of like the rustic, industrial feel and grey is by far my favourite neutral colour.

Whilst I'm not sure that wall to wall, floor to ceiling concrete is my cup of tea some of these cute accessories could certainly add some style to any space!

COX & COX - £225.00

COX & COX - From £14.50

BHS - £60.00

NOT ON THE HIGH STREET - £17.00

NOT ON THE HIGH STREET - £4.00