Happy Christmas!
I hope you all enjoy this festive season as much as I know I will!
♥
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A Little Help
Hi guys!
I wanted to ask for a little help from you all; in the new year I'm planning a re-vamp of the blog to get it busy again and posting more regularly. What I want to know is what posts you'd like to see more of, what are your favourite topics? With my work I'm moving more into skincare, relaxation and stress relief techniques so I could take it in the direction if you're interested. Alternatively I still do all my money/planet-saving ideas at work and at home, so I can keep it going in that vein if you'd prefer. Or if you enjoy the mix that I currently do I'm happy to stick with that. I'm pretty flexible really! So comment below and I'll take everyone's thoughts into account when planning my blog for next year!
Thanks,
Ami
I wanted to ask for a little help from you all; in the new year I'm planning a re-vamp of the blog to get it busy again and posting more regularly. What I want to know is what posts you'd like to see more of, what are your favourite topics? With my work I'm moving more into skincare, relaxation and stress relief techniques so I could take it in the direction if you're interested. Alternatively I still do all my money/planet-saving ideas at work and at home, so I can keep it going in that vein if you'd prefer. Or if you enjoy the mix that I currently do I'm happy to stick with that. I'm pretty flexible really! So comment below and I'll take everyone's thoughts into account when planning my blog for next year!
Thanks,
Ami
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Homemade Christmas
Hello everyone!
I have 5 mins spare before work so thought I'd share a great program with you before I go. This year I'm really focusing on keeping costs down but keeping presents big - not in size but in the thoughtfullness and care that goes into them. There are a few presents I'm particularly proud of and I will be writing guides for them so you can use them in the future, but sadly as family members read this blog I can't share before the big day!
What I can do though is give you a link to Kirstie's Homemade Christmas which is a program I've got on Series Link at the moment so I can use all of her ideas for our flat! I've only seen snippets so far (I'm going to have a viewing session all in one go to absorb the Christmassy goodness!) but it's all been amazing ideas like spraying pine cones gold and hanging them on the tree for decorations. :)
So what are you guys doing for christmas? Do you prefer to go the shop-bought route or will you be getting crafty this year too? I'd love to hear your ideas!
I have 5 mins spare before work so thought I'd share a great program with you before I go. This year I'm really focusing on keeping costs down but keeping presents big - not in size but in the thoughtfullness and care that goes into them. There are a few presents I'm particularly proud of and I will be writing guides for them so you can use them in the future, but sadly as family members read this blog I can't share before the big day!
What I can do though is give you a link to Kirstie's Homemade Christmas which is a program I've got on Series Link at the moment so I can use all of her ideas for our flat! I've only seen snippets so far (I'm going to have a viewing session all in one go to absorb the Christmassy goodness!) but it's all been amazing ideas like spraying pine cones gold and hanging them on the tree for decorations. :)
So what are you guys doing for christmas? Do you prefer to go the shop-bought route or will you be getting crafty this year too? I'd love to hear your ideas!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Time to Scrub Up?
Today I'd like to share with you a recipe that isn't a money-saving tip, but a habit for life. It's time to put down the £1 face wipes which have an effect akin to a chemical peel and raid your kitchen cupboard instead. I hope to be sharing many different recipes for beauty products from the kitchen over time, but first off I'll start with a gentle exfoliating scrub.
Many of my clients are looking for more natural ways to do their daily skin routine, especially those suffering skin complaints such as sensitive skin or eczema. Eczema can range from mild itchy dry patches to full-blown flakes of skin coming away, a painful red rash and an itch that can't be scratched. Treatment can be harsh, painful and often leaves the skin scarred.
I have given this recipe to clients suffering even the more severe forms of the condition and they have been pleasantly surprised with the results, so this one really is suitable for any skin type! (Please note this recipe does not replace professional medical care, if you are at all concerned by a rash you should always see a doctor.)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2-3 drops Essential Oils (optional)
(Any oil/sugar combo will work but the more natural they are the better the results!)
Mix the ingredients in a bowl until they make a paste and you're done! Scrub the paste over practically any body part then rinse clean to leave it soft, exfoliated and moisturised all at once. Remember to pat your skin dry with a towel, rubbing can cause damage to the skin. For an extra intense moisturising experience, massage plain olive oil into your skin afterwards and leave it to soak in.
And there you have it! A natural scrub bursting with goodness that only costs pennies. :) Let me know if you try it!
Many of my clients are looking for more natural ways to do their daily skin routine, especially those suffering skin complaints such as sensitive skin or eczema. Eczema can range from mild itchy dry patches to full-blown flakes of skin coming away, a painful red rash and an itch that can't be scratched. Treatment can be harsh, painful and often leaves the skin scarred.
I have given this recipe to clients suffering even the more severe forms of the condition and they have been pleasantly surprised with the results, so this one really is suitable for any skin type! (Please note this recipe does not replace professional medical care, if you are at all concerned by a rash you should always see a doctor.)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
2-3 drops Essential Oils (optional)
(Any oil/sugar combo will work but the more natural they are the better the results!)
Mix the ingredients in a bowl until they make a paste and you're done! Scrub the paste over practically any body part then rinse clean to leave it soft, exfoliated and moisturised all at once. Remember to pat your skin dry with a towel, rubbing can cause damage to the skin. For an extra intense moisturising experience, massage plain olive oil into your skin afterwards and leave it to soak in.
And there you have it! A natural scrub bursting with goodness that only costs pennies. :) Let me know if you try it!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Exciting times!
Hi guys!
Sorry there's been no post from me again this week - we've opened our new Holistic Centre in Keynsham and it's been so exciting and busy! The sale is still going through on The Witches Brew so I'm splitting my time between the two at the moment. Once we're in the new place full-time I'll take some pictures and give you some information on it, I really can't wait. :) If you want to come have a look for yourself we're having an open day next Saturday (27th) with cake! Message me for details if you're interested.
I'm also going away for a few days so I won't have any posts for you until Wednesday at the earliest (sorry!). Tom and I are going to a retreat in Wales which is super exciting and I can't wait to be surrounded by countryside. :)
I'll write again soon, promise!
Ami
Sorry there's been no post from me again this week - we've opened our new Holistic Centre in Keynsham and it's been so exciting and busy! The sale is still going through on The Witches Brew so I'm splitting my time between the two at the moment. Once we're in the new place full-time I'll take some pictures and give you some information on it, I really can't wait. :) If you want to come have a look for yourself we're having an open day next Saturday (27th) with cake! Message me for details if you're interested.
I'm also going away for a few days so I won't have any posts for you until Wednesday at the earliest (sorry!). Tom and I are going to a retreat in Wales which is super exciting and I can't wait to be surrounded by countryside. :)
I'll write again soon, promise!
Ami
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Keep cosy this winter..
..without it having to cost the earth!
We all want to delay putting the heating on, but most of us try to tough it out and give up when we can't bear sitting in a cold living room anymore. Little do we know that there are more ways to keep the house toasty out there. If you want to keep warm this winter without paying huge gas (or electricity) bills then read on...
First up we have things you can do;
Wear the right clothes.
It's all about the layering in winter - start simple and work up. You don't have to wear a vest like when you were little, but there's nothing wrong with a little thermal strap top underneath your t-shirt. Next a thin cardigan might be all you need depending on the eco-stats of your house. But if you're still cold there's nothing better than wrapping up warm in a wooly jumper (or fleecey blanket/dressing gown/all three!) for a little extra warmth at the end of the day. Don't forget to top it off with a pair of wooly bed socks to keep your toes toasty!
Grab a hot drink.
Warm insides = warm outsides. Whether you prefer tea, coffee, or my personal favourite hot chocolate, a warm drink is perfect for keeping you toasty in the evenings. It has the added bonus of warming up cold fingers. :)
Do housework.
Give the heating a day off at weekends - go out for the day for a walk, a trip to the pub, something fun that keeps you warm away from home. Then once you're home for the evening get on with the housework you would've done in the day - not only will your house be spotless but you'll have had a fun day out and you'll be so warm the heating isn't necessary until later in the evening.
Bring back romance.
In the summer everyone wants their space; it's just too hot and sticky to be cuddled up on the sofa. But winter gives us the opportunity to get snuggled up under a blanket and watch tv together without passing out from heat. Grab a hot choc each, a movie you both love and enjoy the added warmth of a cuddle. :)
Next, tips for around the house;
Close the door(s)!
The obvious one is not to leave the front door open while you stand a chat to a departing guest or while you bring shopping in from the car. Less obvious is to keep all the doors in your house closed. The same number of radiators giving off the same level of heat will do it much quicker in smaller spaces than one large one, so bedroom doors, kitchen, bathroom etc. - close them all!
Close un-used rooms.
If you have a room in your home you very rarely use it can be beneficial to close it for the winter. Turn the radiator off, shut the curtains and close the door - remembering a draft excluder so the cold doesn't leech into the rest of the house under the door. One less room to heat!
Make your own draft excluder.
Get crafty with the kids; grab an old pair of tights and cut the legs off. Stuff them with newspaper, old (clean) underwear, cotton wool.. whatever you have to hand. Then sew across the top to keep it all in. You may think draft excluders are just for external doors, but you'll be helping your radiators do their job if you use them on all internal doors too.
Work with the sun.
Make note of which windows face the sun at each time of the day - if a window is in the shade close the curtains to keep warmth in. If the sun is hitting the window leave the curtains open to warm the room.
Close the curtains.
I know you want to grab the last 5 minutes of light while it's there, but it's cheaper to turn the light on than the heating! Curtains trap in the heat, so make sure yours are extra thick (you can buy backing to bulk up curtains if you need to) and keep them closed when the sun isn't around!
Get radiators working efficiently.
Make sure to get air out of the systems regularly so they do the best job they can. Also attach foil to the wall behind radiators - this will bounce any heat back into the room instead of being lost to the wall. You can also get a little gadget that draws heat from the back of the radiator and aims it back into your room, reducing the amount of time the heating needs to be on.
Time your radiators.
Even those with a most basic heating system (like ours!) can usually set timers for their heating. Don't put it on for hours in the morning when you'll be gone by 8.30am - time it to come on 30 minutes before you get up and shut off 30 minutes before you leave the house. Then time it to come on when the sun is going down - if you're home before that make the most of the wooly jumper I mentioned earlier! And finally set it to turn off 30 minutes before bedtime - it'll still be warm by the time you climb into bed.
Use your oven as a radiator.
I am not suggesting turn the oven on and leave it open. But when you're cooking a lot of heat is made and you can make the most of it. Close the kitchen door so the warmth is kept in and you'll be toasty while making your meal. Once you're done leave the oven door open (oven off!) so that the heat can dissipate into the room instead of going out of the back wall through convection.
Only heat the room(s) you use most.
If you'll be spending all night in the living room then going to bed, why heat the dining room? Or the study? Close those doors and turn the radiators off. Also try to get family members to congregate into one room if you can - more bodies means more natural heat. There's also no need to heat the bedroom in early winter, it's just a little chill. Save the heating for later when it's really cold. Use it as an excuse to get a hot water bottle and snuggle under the duvet!
Dry clothes the smart way.
Don't wash a load of clothes then hang them over all the radiators to dry - this will just block the heat in and take forever to heat the house. It's also better to dry washing when you'll be heating the house anyway - not while you're at work or out for the evening. Instead get an airer and place it somewhere with a lot of air-flow, preferrably in the room you're spending the evening in to make the most of the previous tip!
I bet you didn't think there were that many different ways to delay the use of and make the most from your heating! Follow this advice and you'll not only be toasty this winter, you'll have lowered your energy bills too. :)
Do you use any of the tips already? Do you have any other tips I haven't mentioned? Let me know in the comments below. :)
We all want to delay putting the heating on, but most of us try to tough it out and give up when we can't bear sitting in a cold living room anymore. Little do we know that there are more ways to keep the house toasty out there. If you want to keep warm this winter without paying huge gas (or electricity) bills then read on...
First up we have things you can do;
Wear the right clothes.
It's all about the layering in winter - start simple and work up. You don't have to wear a vest like when you were little, but there's nothing wrong with a little thermal strap top underneath your t-shirt. Next a thin cardigan might be all you need depending on the eco-stats of your house. But if you're still cold there's nothing better than wrapping up warm in a wooly jumper (or fleecey blanket/dressing gown/all three!) for a little extra warmth at the end of the day. Don't forget to top it off with a pair of wooly bed socks to keep your toes toasty!
Grab a hot drink.
Warm insides = warm outsides. Whether you prefer tea, coffee, or my personal favourite hot chocolate, a warm drink is perfect for keeping you toasty in the evenings. It has the added bonus of warming up cold fingers. :)
Do housework.
Give the heating a day off at weekends - go out for the day for a walk, a trip to the pub, something fun that keeps you warm away from home. Then once you're home for the evening get on with the housework you would've done in the day - not only will your house be spotless but you'll have had a fun day out and you'll be so warm the heating isn't necessary until later in the evening.
Bring back romance.
In the summer everyone wants their space; it's just too hot and sticky to be cuddled up on the sofa. But winter gives us the opportunity to get snuggled up under a blanket and watch tv together without passing out from heat. Grab a hot choc each, a movie you both love and enjoy the added warmth of a cuddle. :)
Next, tips for around the house;
Close the door(s)!
The obvious one is not to leave the front door open while you stand a chat to a departing guest or while you bring shopping in from the car. Less obvious is to keep all the doors in your house closed. The same number of radiators giving off the same level of heat will do it much quicker in smaller spaces than one large one, so bedroom doors, kitchen, bathroom etc. - close them all!
Close un-used rooms.
If you have a room in your home you very rarely use it can be beneficial to close it for the winter. Turn the radiator off, shut the curtains and close the door - remembering a draft excluder so the cold doesn't leech into the rest of the house under the door. One less room to heat!
Make your own draft excluder.
Get crafty with the kids; grab an old pair of tights and cut the legs off. Stuff them with newspaper, old (clean) underwear, cotton wool.. whatever you have to hand. Then sew across the top to keep it all in. You may think draft excluders are just for external doors, but you'll be helping your radiators do their job if you use them on all internal doors too.
Work with the sun.
Make note of which windows face the sun at each time of the day - if a window is in the shade close the curtains to keep warmth in. If the sun is hitting the window leave the curtains open to warm the room.
Close the curtains.
I know you want to grab the last 5 minutes of light while it's there, but it's cheaper to turn the light on than the heating! Curtains trap in the heat, so make sure yours are extra thick (you can buy backing to bulk up curtains if you need to) and keep them closed when the sun isn't around!
Get radiators working efficiently.
Make sure to get air out of the systems regularly so they do the best job they can. Also attach foil to the wall behind radiators - this will bounce any heat back into the room instead of being lost to the wall. You can also get a little gadget that draws heat from the back of the radiator and aims it back into your room, reducing the amount of time the heating needs to be on.
Time your radiators.
Even those with a most basic heating system (like ours!) can usually set timers for their heating. Don't put it on for hours in the morning when you'll be gone by 8.30am - time it to come on 30 minutes before you get up and shut off 30 minutes before you leave the house. Then time it to come on when the sun is going down - if you're home before that make the most of the wooly jumper I mentioned earlier! And finally set it to turn off 30 minutes before bedtime - it'll still be warm by the time you climb into bed.
Use your oven as a radiator.
I am not suggesting turn the oven on and leave it open. But when you're cooking a lot of heat is made and you can make the most of it. Close the kitchen door so the warmth is kept in and you'll be toasty while making your meal. Once you're done leave the oven door open (oven off!) so that the heat can dissipate into the room instead of going out of the back wall through convection.
Only heat the room(s) you use most.
If you'll be spending all night in the living room then going to bed, why heat the dining room? Or the study? Close those doors and turn the radiators off. Also try to get family members to congregate into one room if you can - more bodies means more natural heat. There's also no need to heat the bedroom in early winter, it's just a little chill. Save the heating for later when it's really cold. Use it as an excuse to get a hot water bottle and snuggle under the duvet!
Dry clothes the smart way.
Don't wash a load of clothes then hang them over all the radiators to dry - this will just block the heat in and take forever to heat the house. It's also better to dry washing when you'll be heating the house anyway - not while you're at work or out for the evening. Instead get an airer and place it somewhere with a lot of air-flow, preferrably in the room you're spending the evening in to make the most of the previous tip!
I bet you didn't think there were that many different ways to delay the use of and make the most from your heating! Follow this advice and you'll not only be toasty this winter, you'll have lowered your energy bills too. :)
Do you use any of the tips already? Do you have any other tips I haven't mentioned? Let me know in the comments below. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Green Living: New Resolutions
The link to the Green Living article is working again now, so I've been through and picked some new resolutions to try out. :)
The ones I'm keeping from last time are:
16. Carry a reusable bag.
Despite an improvement in this habit I'm not remembering as often as I should, so I'll keep trying.
3. Start refilling, not replacing.
I'll have to wait until we run out of something refillable to do this, but my aim is to refill everything possible in the kitchen. :)
And the new ones I'd like to try out are...
17. Wrap a present in a gift bag or fabric scarf.
With christmas on it's way now seems like the perfect chance to try out inventive wrapping paper!
22. Leave the car at home for a day.
At the end of the month I'm moving offices and the new one is a 5 minute walk from home, plus Tom has a new job that's a 30 minute walk from home. I'm going to invest in some good waterproof clothing for Winter and leave the car at home as often as possible. :) (I will let myself off if it's torrential rain or snowing though!)
30. Create a scrap paper box.
I always put paper to one side if it has space for notes/scribbles still, but I always seem to lose it or someone else throws it. Moving to a new office is the perfect opportunity to make a scrap box so I can actually use the paper I set aside!
I'll review this again after christmas, since some of the resolutions are aimed at the Winter months. :)
The ones I'm keeping from last time are:
16. Carry a reusable bag.
Despite an improvement in this habit I'm not remembering as often as I should, so I'll keep trying.
3. Start refilling, not replacing.
I'll have to wait until we run out of something refillable to do this, but my aim is to refill everything possible in the kitchen. :)
And the new ones I'd like to try out are...
17. Wrap a present in a gift bag or fabric scarf.
With christmas on it's way now seems like the perfect chance to try out inventive wrapping paper!
22. Leave the car at home for a day.
At the end of the month I'm moving offices and the new one is a 5 minute walk from home, plus Tom has a new job that's a 30 minute walk from home. I'm going to invest in some good waterproof clothing for Winter and leave the car at home as often as possible. :) (I will let myself off if it's torrential rain or snowing though!)
30. Create a scrap paper box.
I always put paper to one side if it has space for notes/scribbles still, but I always seem to lose it or someone else throws it. Moving to a new office is the perfect opportunity to make a scrap box so I can actually use the paper I set aside!
I'll review this again after christmas, since some of the resolutions are aimed at the Winter months. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Green Living: Update 2
Some of you may remember my post from ages ago about Green Living. I did an update a little while ago with how I was getting on, but I haven't revisited it since moving into the new flat so I thought now might be the time! So let's have a look at the habits I promised to try...
5. Banish stand-by.
I'm doing much better than I was with this one. I can now safely say there are only 4 items in our flat that are on full-time; the fridge, the freezer, the internet (if you switch it off it doesn't work for a few hours when it comes back on) and the Virgin box (to record programmes). Everything goes off once it's not in use. :)
16. Carry a reusable bag.As with #5, I'm slowly improving with this one. I don't remember every time, so won't take it off the list yet, but I certainly remember more than I used to! Making a meal plan really helps because it makes me think about what we need before we leave home.
27. Head for the local library. Once again I have to admit to not visiting a library, but I have still been borrowing books from friends. I've been on quite a reading spree lately and of all the books I read only 3 were bought. I think I'll just have to give up on this one as I haven't made any progress with it since March and I'm unlikely to.
Now on to my newer resolutions...
3. Start refilling, not replacing. I definitely need to look into this a little more as I'm not sure what items we have are refillable. I stupidly forgot this and bought more basil the other day which I could've bought as a bag.. but apart from that I don't think there's much in the cupboards we can refill.
8. Clear out old stuff. I think I've reached my limit of old stuff to throw out now. Tens of bags have gone to the charity shop, a box of shoes is going to Car Boot whenever we get a chance and anything else useful went to family/friends. I've even got an email from GiftAid saying they've raised £11 so far with the stuff I donated. :)
So that's 3 resolutions I need to replace; 2 completed and 1 very sadly being given up. Annoyingly I can't get onto the article with all the resolutions I found, either the website is down or they've removed the article. So I will do some hunting and find some new resolutions ready for my next blog post. :)
Have you tried to introduce any Green Habits lately?
5. Banish stand-by.
I'm doing much better than I was with this one. I can now safely say there are only 4 items in our flat that are on full-time; the fridge, the freezer, the internet (if you switch it off it doesn't work for a few hours when it comes back on) and the Virgin box (to record programmes). Everything goes off once it's not in use. :)
16. Carry a reusable bag.As with #5, I'm slowly improving with this one. I don't remember every time, so won't take it off the list yet, but I certainly remember more than I used to! Making a meal plan really helps because it makes me think about what we need before we leave home.
27. Head for the local library. Once again I have to admit to not visiting a library, but I have still been borrowing books from friends. I've been on quite a reading spree lately and of all the books I read only 3 were bought. I think I'll just have to give up on this one as I haven't made any progress with it since March and I'm unlikely to.
Now on to my newer resolutions...
3. Start refilling, not replacing. I definitely need to look into this a little more as I'm not sure what items we have are refillable. I stupidly forgot this and bought more basil the other day which I could've bought as a bag.. but apart from that I don't think there's much in the cupboards we can refill.
8. Clear out old stuff. I think I've reached my limit of old stuff to throw out now. Tens of bags have gone to the charity shop, a box of shoes is going to Car Boot whenever we get a chance and anything else useful went to family/friends. I've even got an email from GiftAid saying they've raised £11 so far with the stuff I donated. :)
So that's 3 resolutions I need to replace; 2 completed and 1 very sadly being given up. Annoyingly I can't get onto the article with all the resolutions I found, either the website is down or they've removed the article. So I will do some hunting and find some new resolutions ready for my next blog post. :)
Have you tried to introduce any Green Habits lately?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Water Savings
We got our first water bill this week so it was finally a chance to see if our water saving efforts were doing any good and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!
When calling to set up our account I answered a quick survey and they deemed us as "Low Consumption" and said it would be £30/month. To be on the safe side we started paying the "Medium Consumption" tariff which was £36/month. So I was rather happy when our first bill came back to say we were actually £50 in credit! Not only were we below the Medium Consumption amount, but we were also below the Low Consumption rate by £10/month! Our monthly use averaged out to about £20/month, which makes me a very happy bunny indeed.
We've now lowered our payments to £25/month and my aim is to be using even less than £20/month for the next bill which arrives in 6 months. Not by going without or anything silly, just by being smarter with the way we use our water. I've already started turning the shower off while I wash my hair, turning it back on each time to rinse, now I just have to get creative elsewhere around the house. :) (Like maybe showering at someone elses' house? :p)
What ways do you save water around the house? Are there any unusual methods you think I could try?
When calling to set up our account I answered a quick survey and they deemed us as "Low Consumption" and said it would be £30/month. To be on the safe side we started paying the "Medium Consumption" tariff which was £36/month. So I was rather happy when our first bill came back to say we were actually £50 in credit! Not only were we below the Medium Consumption amount, but we were also below the Low Consumption rate by £10/month! Our monthly use averaged out to about £20/month, which makes me a very happy bunny indeed.
We've now lowered our payments to £25/month and my aim is to be using even less than £20/month for the next bill which arrives in 6 months. Not by going without or anything silly, just by being smarter with the way we use our water. I've already started turning the shower off while I wash my hair, turning it back on each time to rinse, now I just have to get creative elsewhere around the house. :) (Like maybe showering at someone elses' house? :p)
What ways do you save water around the house? Are there any unusual methods you think I could try?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Minimal Make-Up
I was having a conversation with a friend the other day about make-up items we simply couldn't live without. It got me thinking about all the products that have multiple uses and how you could create a beautiful look without using many products at all. I use a small number of make-up products to create a wide variety of looks and it never occurred to me until then to share them with people. It's early in the morning and my make-up is being held captive by a sleeping Tom, but I may post a mug shot later if I remember!
The products you will need are:
Vaseline Lip Therapy - Rosy Lips or a pinky-red lipgloss
Some kind of shimmering eye-shadow powder
Eyeliner
Mascara
The key to creating a simple look is to think of the many uses your products aren't designed for but are perfectly capable of doing. So here's the run down of each products' uses.
Vaseline (or lipgloss)
- Most obviously, to colour your lips!
- As a blush - use the tiniest amount (we're talking teeny tiny) on your cheeks and blend well. Build up colour by only adding a tiny dab each time and blending until you're happy. Don't be tempted to use more to speed up the process, you'll end up with clown make-up!
- As an eye-shadow base. This one should only be done with vaseline as lipgloss will just make the shadow sticky and clumpy.
Vaseline is better for fresh-faced dewy looks, lipgloss is more suited to a going out look.
Shimmer Eye Shadow Powder
- As a shadow for your eyes.
- To highlight your brow and cheekbones. As with the vaseline for a blush, use the tiniest dab and blend it well. This works best with a shadow with a warm hue, but a cold hue could be used for creating a more striking look.
- To add sparkle to your lips. Add a touch of the powder to the vaseline (lipgloss will only work if it's closer to a liquid than a gloss) and blend well. Your lips will catch the light and be the focal point of your face!
Eyeliner and Mascara
I can only think of the conventional uses for these products (unless you're into a more extravagant look, in which case liquid eyeliners are perfect for artistic designs around the eyes) but no look would be complete without either. If you were very careful and talented you could probably use mascara as an eyeliner, but I wouldn't recommend it!
So there you have it, a make-up look that only takes 4 products but looks like you've gone all-out! I can vouch that this works because I'm a very lazy person when it comes to make up, so I only have these products in my daily make-up bag. I have an assortment of mostly unused items in a drawer somewhere that I pull out for special occassions, but day-to-day this is the most I'll use. :)
Do you have any multi-use products or alternative uses for the products above? Also feel free to share any pictures if you try out this look!
The products you will need are:
Vaseline Lip Therapy - Rosy Lips or a pinky-red lipgloss
Some kind of shimmering eye-shadow powder
Eyeliner
Mascara
The key to creating a simple look is to think of the many uses your products aren't designed for but are perfectly capable of doing. So here's the run down of each products' uses.
Vaseline (or lipgloss)
- Most obviously, to colour your lips!
- As a blush - use the tiniest amount (we're talking teeny tiny) on your cheeks and blend well. Build up colour by only adding a tiny dab each time and blending until you're happy. Don't be tempted to use more to speed up the process, you'll end up with clown make-up!
- As an eye-shadow base. This one should only be done with vaseline as lipgloss will just make the shadow sticky and clumpy.
Vaseline is better for fresh-faced dewy looks, lipgloss is more suited to a going out look.
Shimmer Eye Shadow Powder
- As a shadow for your eyes.
- To highlight your brow and cheekbones. As with the vaseline for a blush, use the tiniest dab and blend it well. This works best with a shadow with a warm hue, but a cold hue could be used for creating a more striking look.
- To add sparkle to your lips. Add a touch of the powder to the vaseline (lipgloss will only work if it's closer to a liquid than a gloss) and blend well. Your lips will catch the light and be the focal point of your face!
Eyeliner and Mascara
I can only think of the conventional uses for these products (unless you're into a more extravagant look, in which case liquid eyeliners are perfect for artistic designs around the eyes) but no look would be complete without either. If you were very careful and talented you could probably use mascara as an eyeliner, but I wouldn't recommend it!
So there you have it, a make-up look that only takes 4 products but looks like you've gone all-out! I can vouch that this works because I'm a very lazy person when it comes to make up, so I only have these products in my daily make-up bag. I have an assortment of mostly unused items in a drawer somewhere that I pull out for special occassions, but day-to-day this is the most I'll use. :)
Do you have any multi-use products or alternative uses for the products above? Also feel free to share any pictures if you try out this look!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Monkey Mischief
Hey guys!
I've finally had a chance to sit down and recover from the last few days, which have been amazing but tiring! Tom's parents came to visit for a few days over the weekend and we did as much as we could to make the most of their time here. :)
On Saturday we went to Longleat and did about everything they had to offer us, including a trip around the safari! This little guy was a bit cheeky and took a momento from my car:
Yup, that's my magnetic car sign he's ripped to pieces there! And all his monkey friends came running over to help him eat it... bless them? Although I wasn't too happy about the loss of my sign, it did mean we got a very up-close look at them as they were fighting next to the car and jumping on the bonnet. :) The rest of the day was less eventful, but still exciting and fun as we watched the Birds of Prey show, walked through the meerkat enclosure and fed the sealions in the lake!
Also logging in today I spotted that I've passed 6000 views! So a huge thank you to everyone for that! I'd love it if the people who stopped by regularly could become followers. :) As a little incentive I'll be giving away a gift once I reach 50 followers. ;)
Hope you all had a lovely weekend!
I've finally had a chance to sit down and recover from the last few days, which have been amazing but tiring! Tom's parents came to visit for a few days over the weekend and we did as much as we could to make the most of their time here. :)
On Saturday we went to Longleat and did about everything they had to offer us, including a trip around the safari! This little guy was a bit cheeky and took a momento from my car:
Yup, that's my magnetic car sign he's ripped to pieces there! And all his monkey friends came running over to help him eat it... bless them? Although I wasn't too happy about the loss of my sign, it did mean we got a very up-close look at them as they were fighting next to the car and jumping on the bonnet. :) The rest of the day was less eventful, but still exciting and fun as we watched the Birds of Prey show, walked through the meerkat enclosure and fed the sealions in the lake!
Also logging in today I spotted that I've passed 6000 views! So a huge thank you to everyone for that! I'd love it if the people who stopped by regularly could become followers. :) As a little incentive I'll be giving away a gift once I reach 50 followers. ;)
Hope you all had a lovely weekend!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Re-using Coffee Grinds
Sorry for the long gap between posts, we've been busy bunnies at work and I've just not had much time to blog. I have quite a few post ideas dancing around in my head though, so I've not disappeared entirely. :) I promised at the end of my last post to give you some re-use ideas for coffee grinds for those of you who really can't give it up. So here they are!
In the garden!
Adding used coffee grinds in the garden can make all the difference between a limp, snail chewed lettuce and a nice leafy green one! Not only are they a great pest repellent to ants, slugs and snails, but also to a larger garden pest - cats! We may love the cuddly pets, but we certainly don't love the presents they leave in our flower beds. A few coffee grounds sprinkled onto the soil will be enough to deter them and your plants will be free to grow.
They're also great as a fertiliser for plants that love acidic soil. Simply mix the grounds into the top layer of the soil and pop your plants in - roses especially love coffee enriched soil and it keeps away greenflies too! Alternatively you can use the grinds as soil for growing mushrooms, just fill a container with grinds and pop the mushroom plugs in. :)
Cleaning the house!
Coffee grinds really come into their own when it comes to house cleaning. From a de-odouriser in practically any situation to stopping ashes from spreading in a fireplace, they're incredibly versatile!
To de-odourise an area, simply put a little pot of dry grinds somewhere they won't get knocked over; a pot in the fridge, in the wardrobe, the shoe cupboard... the possibilities are endless!
Cleaning your pots and pans becomes a lot easier once coffee grinds are in the mix: simply rub the grinds on the offending stain to cut through grease and have it clean in no time. While you're at it, stick about half a cup of grinds down the drain to get rid of nasty smells - once you're done with the pans pour the boiling water down the drain to stop the grinds blocking the sink and you've killed two birds with one stone!
Another great use is to touch up scratches on wooden furniture as the coffee stains the wood back to a darker colour. Just dab the grinds onto the scratch - although be careful - make sure the stain won't be darker than the wood you're touching up!
Finally, anyone with a fireplace will love this tip: sprinkle the coffee grounds over the ashes in your fire place before sweeping them up to stop them flying into the air and making a mess. :)
As a beauty product?!
Take coffee out of the kitchen and into the bathroom with these great ideas...
Mix 1/4 of a cup of coffee grounds into some egg whites and you have a great exfoliating mask!
After you've washed your hair rub in some coffee grounds to add shine and enrich your colour. (This one is only for brunettes - coffee will act as a dye so could leave blondes looking a bit odd!)
To banish cellulite: Mix 1/4 of a cup of still-warm, moist coffee grounds with some olive oil and rub into the cellulite. Wrap it with cling-film and leave there for 5-10 minutes (trying not to feel silly)! Once your time is up just hop in the shower and wash it off. For the best results do this 2-3 times a week. (ps if anyone tries this let me know how you get on with it!)
In your cooking!
Want an interesting meal full of flavour? First soak a steak in a pan of hot coffee - it will add flavour and leave the steak nice and tender. Then use the grinds to make a tasty dessert - coffee & walnut cake is always a favourite, or make coffee infused butter icing!
Alternatively they're great for getting rid of the onion or garlic smells on your hands - just rub them all over your hands and rinse off!
Just for fun!
Get crafty with coffee with some of these tips. :)
Dried coffee grinds are a great filling for homemade pin cushions!
As mentioned above, coffee is a natural dye and will stain pretty much anything. So why not put it to use and get creative! Dye clothing, paper, even your hair! Boring old paper becomes parchment when dipping in just a little coffee and left to dry. ;)
Mix grounds with henna to make a natural base for tattoos. :)
To make playdough! Mix a few cups of coffee grounds with 1/2 a cup of salt, add in 1 to 2 cups of cornflour and then enough warm water to get the consistency you like. Voila! Playdough. :)
Can you think of any other uses? Have you tried any of these and do they work? I've used the grounds from the coffee shop to clear drains and one lady who comes in used to take them home for her roses, so I know those ones are right!
In the garden!
Adding used coffee grinds in the garden can make all the difference between a limp, snail chewed lettuce and a nice leafy green one! Not only are they a great pest repellent to ants, slugs and snails, but also to a larger garden pest - cats! We may love the cuddly pets, but we certainly don't love the presents they leave in our flower beds. A few coffee grounds sprinkled onto the soil will be enough to deter them and your plants will be free to grow.
They're also great as a fertiliser for plants that love acidic soil. Simply mix the grounds into the top layer of the soil and pop your plants in - roses especially love coffee enriched soil and it keeps away greenflies too! Alternatively you can use the grinds as soil for growing mushrooms, just fill a container with grinds and pop the mushroom plugs in. :)
Cleaning the house!
Coffee grinds really come into their own when it comes to house cleaning. From a de-odouriser in practically any situation to stopping ashes from spreading in a fireplace, they're incredibly versatile!
To de-odourise an area, simply put a little pot of dry grinds somewhere they won't get knocked over; a pot in the fridge, in the wardrobe, the shoe cupboard... the possibilities are endless!
Cleaning your pots and pans becomes a lot easier once coffee grinds are in the mix: simply rub the grinds on the offending stain to cut through grease and have it clean in no time. While you're at it, stick about half a cup of grinds down the drain to get rid of nasty smells - once you're done with the pans pour the boiling water down the drain to stop the grinds blocking the sink and you've killed two birds with one stone!
Another great use is to touch up scratches on wooden furniture as the coffee stains the wood back to a darker colour. Just dab the grinds onto the scratch - although be careful - make sure the stain won't be darker than the wood you're touching up!
Finally, anyone with a fireplace will love this tip: sprinkle the coffee grounds over the ashes in your fire place before sweeping them up to stop them flying into the air and making a mess. :)
As a beauty product?!
Take coffee out of the kitchen and into the bathroom with these great ideas...
Mix 1/4 of a cup of coffee grounds into some egg whites and you have a great exfoliating mask!
After you've washed your hair rub in some coffee grounds to add shine and enrich your colour. (This one is only for brunettes - coffee will act as a dye so could leave blondes looking a bit odd!)
To banish cellulite: Mix 1/4 of a cup of still-warm, moist coffee grounds with some olive oil and rub into the cellulite. Wrap it with cling-film and leave there for 5-10 minutes (trying not to feel silly)! Once your time is up just hop in the shower and wash it off. For the best results do this 2-3 times a week. (ps if anyone tries this let me know how you get on with it!)
In your cooking!
Want an interesting meal full of flavour? First soak a steak in a pan of hot coffee - it will add flavour and leave the steak nice and tender. Then use the grinds to make a tasty dessert - coffee & walnut cake is always a favourite, or make coffee infused butter icing!
Alternatively they're great for getting rid of the onion or garlic smells on your hands - just rub them all over your hands and rinse off!
Just for fun!
Get crafty with coffee with some of these tips. :)
Dried coffee grinds are a great filling for homemade pin cushions!
As mentioned above, coffee is a natural dye and will stain pretty much anything. So why not put it to use and get creative! Dye clothing, paper, even your hair! Boring old paper becomes parchment when dipping in just a little coffee and left to dry. ;)
Mix grounds with henna to make a natural base for tattoos. :)
To make playdough! Mix a few cups of coffee grounds with 1/2 a cup of salt, add in 1 to 2 cups of cornflour and then enough warm water to get the consistency you like. Voila! Playdough. :)
Can you think of any other uses? Have you tried any of these and do they work? I've used the grounds from the coffee shop to clear drains and one lady who comes in used to take them home for her roses, so I know those ones are right!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
5,000 Views!
I find it amazing that even though I haven't had time to post recently (tonsillitis again amongst other things!) I've still made it to 5,000 views this quickly! Life has gone absolutely manic this last few weeks, but I promise I have some good blogs lined up for you as soon as things get a bit quieter. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
"I've kicked the habit, now what?"
Hopefully my last blog convinced you to stop drinking coffee, but you may be left wondering what you're going to drink instead? There are plenty of options out there, but two spring to mind that are infinitely better for you than the others.
Obviously the top one is water. Good old H2O! It rehydrates, detoxes, quenches thirst like nothing else can and is incredibly good for you. We know humans are 75% water, so having a drink that can 'top us up' as it were is nothing but good news!
Since you're told about the pros of water pretty much everywhere, I'll save you hearing it all again. ;)
So instead this blog is dedicated to the wonders of Tea! (I tried to find the chemical formula for you but it's a mix of multiple chemicals and too complicated to calculate - sorry!)
Like water, tea is incredibly good at rehydrating you and it may surprise you to know it's completely calorie free! The only calories you'll find in tea are from the milk and sugar if you use them. It still has a minor amount of caffeine in, so perfect for weaning yourself out of a coffee addiction, but at such so levels it's about on par with the capsaicin from chillis. However unlike coffee, it has plenty of good chemicals in there too that are just waiting to improve your health!
First up are all the antioxidants - wonderful little things that travel around your body scooping up any free-radicals it can find. Free radicals are best known for their ageing effects - tiring out your cells and making you look older. They're nasty little things that have even been linked to causes of cancer, so anything that will get rid of them for you is great!
Antioxidants also help your cells to absorb nutrients more efficiently, so they not only reduce signs ageing they can actually help reverse them too. :) (It's not a miracle cure, you're not gonna look like you've just been on 10 Years Younger but you might feel like it!)
Next we have all the benefits tea can provide for your heart - reducing your chances of a fatal heart attack or stroke! Blood clots can develop if your arteries are clogged up with cholesterol, causing some pretty nasty effects on the body. Tea can help to smooth the arteries back out, reducing the risk of blood clots. A 5 year study from the Netherlands found that people who drink 2-3 cups of black tea daily have a 70% lower risk of fatal heart attacks than non-tea drinkers. Not bad!
Tea can also strengthen your bones, thanks to the fantastic phytochemicals it contains. A different study over 10 years showed that tea drinkers had the strongest bones, even after taking into account age, weight, height, background differences etc. Ageing increases the risk of bones becoming weak and brittle, so get drinking tea now to reduce the impact age will have on your body. :)
Drinking tea raises your metabolism - 5 cups of green tea a day will increase your metabolism enough to burn an extra 80 calories per day. You may not want to drink that much, but even 1 cup will still burn 16 more calories. When added into a healthy diet with exercise it can make a difference.
There are plenty of other good things that tea can do for you, but the reasons above should be more than enough to convince you! But if you really couldn't possibly part from your coffee addiction, stay tuned for the next blog with some ideas on how to recycle the coffee grinds when you're done with them...
Obviously the top one is water. Good old H2O! It rehydrates, detoxes, quenches thirst like nothing else can and is incredibly good for you. We know humans are 75% water, so having a drink that can 'top us up' as it were is nothing but good news!
Since you're told about the pros of water pretty much everywhere, I'll save you hearing it all again. ;)
So instead this blog is dedicated to the wonders of Tea! (I tried to find the chemical formula for you but it's a mix of multiple chemicals and too complicated to calculate - sorry!)
Like water, tea is incredibly good at rehydrating you and it may surprise you to know it's completely calorie free! The only calories you'll find in tea are from the milk and sugar if you use them. It still has a minor amount of caffeine in, so perfect for weaning yourself out of a coffee addiction, but at such so levels it's about on par with the capsaicin from chillis. However unlike coffee, it has plenty of good chemicals in there too that are just waiting to improve your health!
First up are all the antioxidants - wonderful little things that travel around your body scooping up any free-radicals it can find. Free radicals are best known for their ageing effects - tiring out your cells and making you look older. They're nasty little things that have even been linked to causes of cancer, so anything that will get rid of them for you is great!
Antioxidants also help your cells to absorb nutrients more efficiently, so they not only reduce signs ageing they can actually help reverse them too. :) (It's not a miracle cure, you're not gonna look like you've just been on 10 Years Younger but you might feel like it!)
Next we have all the benefits tea can provide for your heart - reducing your chances of a fatal heart attack or stroke! Blood clots can develop if your arteries are clogged up with cholesterol, causing some pretty nasty effects on the body. Tea can help to smooth the arteries back out, reducing the risk of blood clots. A 5 year study from the Netherlands found that people who drink 2-3 cups of black tea daily have a 70% lower risk of fatal heart attacks than non-tea drinkers. Not bad!
Tea can also strengthen your bones, thanks to the fantastic phytochemicals it contains. A different study over 10 years showed that tea drinkers had the strongest bones, even after taking into account age, weight, height, background differences etc. Ageing increases the risk of bones becoming weak and brittle, so get drinking tea now to reduce the impact age will have on your body. :)
Drinking tea raises your metabolism - 5 cups of green tea a day will increase your metabolism enough to burn an extra 80 calories per day. You may not want to drink that much, but even 1 cup will still burn 16 more calories. When added into a healthy diet with exercise it can make a difference.
There are plenty of other good things that tea can do for you, but the reasons above should be more than enough to convince you! But if you really couldn't possibly part from your coffee addiction, stay tuned for the next blog with some ideas on how to recycle the coffee grinds when you're done with them...
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Four Thousand Views!
Good morning lovely people!
I just popped on to work on my next blog post (it's been taking me a few days at a time to compose them between olympic events!) and spotted that I've reached 4,000 views in less than 6 months! That's just incredible and makes me really happy. :) I'd love it if people would start following the blog too, my view numbers and follower numbers seem a little uneven! Haha. :)
Thanks to everyone for putting a smile on my face on a Monday morning. :)
I just popped on to work on my next blog post (it's been taking me a few days at a time to compose them between olympic events!) and spotted that I've reached 4,000 views in less than 6 months! That's just incredible and makes me really happy. :) I'd love it if people would start following the blog too, my view numbers and follower numbers seem a little uneven! Haha. :)
Thanks to everyone for putting a smile on my face on a Monday morning. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Time to kick the habit?
Hello lovely readers!
Lately I've not had the best run of health which has slowed me down on the blog front. As a result I've started to take a serious look at my lifestyle and make some changes. I've been researching all kinds of foods and drinks - both those that I need to cut out and ones I need to add into my diet to benefit the particular problems I have. For example, did you know cherries are extremely good at reducing inflammation? I've found some really fascinating articles and information, so I thought I'd do a series of blogs to share my findings with you. :)
Today's blog is all about coffee - the staple drink of pretty much the entire population - and why you should switch to a much healthier choice.
Statistics show that we consume 12,000 tonnes of caffeine each year, which is a phenomenal amount of coffee. What a lot of those coffee drinkers probably don't realise is that caffeine was actually developed by plants over time as a poison. Caffeine is the plant worlds own homemade pesticide, designed to kill any insects that try to eat them.
We consume many chemicals from the plant world that are considered to be a poison, such as oxalic acid from leafy greens or capsaicin from chilli peppers, but none on such a grand scale as caffeine. So what effects are we letting ourselves in for?
Caffeine's primary effect is to stun or kill insects, which to a human just creates a little 'buzz'. Most people think that the caffeine has given them energy, but in reality it has just stimulated the nervous system and will wear off. Just like with sugar hits, we keep drinking coffee to sustain our energy not realising we're just letting ourselves in for a crash further down the line. The nervous system is constantly being stimulated and forced to work harder, which ultimately will exhaust your adrenals.
Caffeine is also very addictive. Studies show that even as little as one small cup a day can cause withdrawal symptoms, so you may be addicted without even knowing. Withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, exhaustion, irritability, lethargy, insomnia, constipation, muscle aches, flu-like symptoms and even depression. Do you really want any of those?
Quite possibly the scariest thing about caffeine is what it does to other pesticides. Taken from a study by James Nathanson, assistant professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical school: "a small dose of caffeine increased known pesticides potency by 10 times." Think of all the pesticides that make their way into your body through your diet (unless you only eat organic food of course!) then think of all the caffeine you're adding to them. It doesn't sound good, does it? That's why caffeine is now considered to be a neurotoxin.
That's enough doom and gloom though. Hopefully I've thoroughly convinced you to kick the caffeine habit! Stay tuned for my next blog for alternatives that are yummy and good for you. :)
Lately I've not had the best run of health which has slowed me down on the blog front. As a result I've started to take a serious look at my lifestyle and make some changes. I've been researching all kinds of foods and drinks - both those that I need to cut out and ones I need to add into my diet to benefit the particular problems I have. For example, did you know cherries are extremely good at reducing inflammation? I've found some really fascinating articles and information, so I thought I'd do a series of blogs to share my findings with you. :)
Today's blog is all about coffee - the staple drink of pretty much the entire population - and why you should switch to a much healthier choice.
Statistics show that we consume 12,000 tonnes of caffeine each year, which is a phenomenal amount of coffee. What a lot of those coffee drinkers probably don't realise is that caffeine was actually developed by plants over time as a poison. Caffeine is the plant worlds own homemade pesticide, designed to kill any insects that try to eat them.
We consume many chemicals from the plant world that are considered to be a poison, such as oxalic acid from leafy greens or capsaicin from chilli peppers, but none on such a grand scale as caffeine. So what effects are we letting ourselves in for?
Caffeine's primary effect is to stun or kill insects, which to a human just creates a little 'buzz'. Most people think that the caffeine has given them energy, but in reality it has just stimulated the nervous system and will wear off. Just like with sugar hits, we keep drinking coffee to sustain our energy not realising we're just letting ourselves in for a crash further down the line. The nervous system is constantly being stimulated and forced to work harder, which ultimately will exhaust your adrenals.
Caffeine is also very addictive. Studies show that even as little as one small cup a day can cause withdrawal symptoms, so you may be addicted without even knowing. Withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, exhaustion, irritability, lethargy, insomnia, constipation, muscle aches, flu-like symptoms and even depression. Do you really want any of those?
Quite possibly the scariest thing about caffeine is what it does to other pesticides. Taken from a study by James Nathanson, assistant professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical school: "a small dose of caffeine increased known pesticides potency by 10 times." Think of all the pesticides that make their way into your body through your diet (unless you only eat organic food of course!) then think of all the caffeine you're adding to them. It doesn't sound good, does it? That's why caffeine is now considered to be a neurotoxin.
That's enough doom and gloom though. Hopefully I've thoroughly convinced you to kick the caffeine habit! Stay tuned for my next blog for alternatives that are yummy and good for you. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Back to the modern world!
We finally have internet in our new flat!! It's such a relief after living for so long in the Dark Ages. ;) We're also really enjoying having TiVo - I've already set all my favourite shows to Series Record. :) A feature I didn't actually think I'd missed was being able to rewind the tv, but we used it so much last night to show each other things we didn't see, or even just to pause for a bathroom break instead of waiting for adverts!
The only thing I am sad about now we have the new equipment is that some of it has to stay on all the time now. I tried turning the router off when we went out a few times, but it causes horrible connection problems when it's turned back on. We're turning the TiVo box off for now, but once it starts recording some of the shows it'll need to stay on or it won't record any shows from when it's off. I'm trying not to feel too guilty though, since everything else in the flat stays off unless in use. :)
I'm afraid it's just a short post for you today, I woke up early due to having a cold and used my time wisely as you can see! But now it's time to get ready for work. Then this evening we're going to my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary party, which is going to be amazing. :) I have a little speech prepared for them (it's a surprise..shh!) as do a few other family members, so I'll post it for you over the weekend!
Have a lovely sunny day everyone! (I'm being optimistic - I can see a faint hint of sun coming in through the front door!)
The only thing I am sad about now we have the new equipment is that some of it has to stay on all the time now. I tried turning the router off when we went out a few times, but it causes horrible connection problems when it's turned back on. We're turning the TiVo box off for now, but once it starts recording some of the shows it'll need to stay on or it won't record any shows from when it's off. I'm trying not to feel too guilty though, since everything else in the flat stays off unless in use. :)
I'm afraid it's just a short post for you today, I woke up early due to having a cold and used my time wisely as you can see! But now it's time to get ready for work. Then this evening we're going to my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary party, which is going to be amazing. :) I have a little speech prepared for them (it's a surprise..shh!) as do a few other family members, so I'll post it for you over the weekend!
Have a lovely sunny day everyone! (I'm being optimistic - I can see a faint hint of sun coming in through the front door!)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
LED Lights
Morning! Hope your week is going well. :)
We've just installed some LED lights at the coffee shop and they look fab. :) We bought 3 to start with to make sure they were compatible with our current fittings and now we know they work we'll be putting in another 9. They're so much better than our standard spotlights - when I asked if we could get them originally I was only thinking of the environmental benefits, but now they're in place I've found they're so much prettier too! They give a little sparkle effect rather than just a circle of light, so I'm very happy. :)
Speaking of the environmental benefits though, did you know an LED light uses 92% less electricity than your average bulb? And speaking from experience they actually give more light too! An LED light is supposed to last for up to 5 years, which is much longer than the few months we've been getting out of our current bulbs. So overall, you'd be mad not to get them. Their original outlay is more than a normal bulb, but it'll pay you back on your bills pretty quickly. :)
In other news, I'm off to Center Parcs for the weekend tomorrow! It's my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary this year so they're getting the whole family together for a celebration. So I won't be around to post until next week now - not that it's anything out of the ordinary these days!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. :)
We've just installed some LED lights at the coffee shop and they look fab. :) We bought 3 to start with to make sure they were compatible with our current fittings and now we know they work we'll be putting in another 9. They're so much better than our standard spotlights - when I asked if we could get them originally I was only thinking of the environmental benefits, but now they're in place I've found they're so much prettier too! They give a little sparkle effect rather than just a circle of light, so I'm very happy. :)
Speaking of the environmental benefits though, did you know an LED light uses 92% less electricity than your average bulb? And speaking from experience they actually give more light too! An LED light is supposed to last for up to 5 years, which is much longer than the few months we've been getting out of our current bulbs. So overall, you'd be mad not to get them. Their original outlay is more than a normal bulb, but it'll pay you back on your bills pretty quickly. :)
In other news, I'm off to Center Parcs for the weekend tomorrow! It's my grandparents' 50th Wedding Anniversary this year so they're getting the whole family together for a celebration. So I won't be around to post until next week now - not that it's anything out of the ordinary these days!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Eco-Friendly Hair Care
Hello! I've managed to get on the internet from work and wanted to squeeze in a sneaky blog post while I had the chance!
Earlier I saw an article about a shampoo bar by Lush explaining it's eco-credentials and it's had me thinking all day about the hair care products I use. I've heard of shampoo bars before but it's never been something I thought of using. Having read this article I'm seriously considering investing in some to see what it's like. I especially like the look of their Reincarnate Shampoo as it might revive the colour in my hair. :)
Up until now it only occurred to me to save water during a shower, but this has brought a whole new aspect in for me. I love that you just get a re-usable tin to store the shampoo, saving on hundreds of plastic bottles over the years! Plus they've come up with a solid conditioner bar too, so the entire hair care process becomes plastic free.
This has even lead me on to discover solid perfumes! So I'm guessing there are a whole host of products out there that I could be switching to and saving on packaging. As a result, this blog is now my pledge to replace any products I can with a solid counterpart as and when I run out. I still stand by my original aim: to become more eco-friendly without sacrificing the quality of my lifestyle, so if they really suck I'll be switching straight back! But if they do as good as/better than my current products there's no reason not to go Green!
Have you tried Solid Shampoos/other products before? Does anyone want to join me with this experiment? Let me know what you think. :)
Earlier I saw an article about a shampoo bar by Lush explaining it's eco-credentials and it's had me thinking all day about the hair care products I use. I've heard of shampoo bars before but it's never been something I thought of using. Having read this article I'm seriously considering investing in some to see what it's like. I especially like the look of their Reincarnate Shampoo as it might revive the colour in my hair. :)
Up until now it only occurred to me to save water during a shower, but this has brought a whole new aspect in for me. I love that you just get a re-usable tin to store the shampoo, saving on hundreds of plastic bottles over the years! Plus they've come up with a solid conditioner bar too, so the entire hair care process becomes plastic free.
 |
| I love that it's called The Smell of Weather Turning! |
This has even lead me on to discover solid perfumes! So I'm guessing there are a whole host of products out there that I could be switching to and saving on packaging. As a result, this blog is now my pledge to replace any products I can with a solid counterpart as and when I run out. I still stand by my original aim: to become more eco-friendly without sacrificing the quality of my lifestyle, so if they really suck I'll be switching straight back! But if they do as good as/better than my current products there's no reason not to go Green!
Have you tried Solid Shampoos/other products before? Does anyone want to join me with this experiment? Let me know what you think. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
3000 Views!
I only have about 30 seconds for a post, but I couldn't possibly let 3000 views go un-celebrated! That's amazing! :)
Once again I am super sorry for the lack of posts lately. This morning I waited in for 5 hours for someone to come and install internet for us and at the end of the 5 hours when I rang to complain no one showed up they told me they had changed our installation date but hadn't notified us! So now the new date is 12th July. I will be trying to find ways to post more before then, as I'm getting blog withdrawal!
Hope you're enjoying the sunshine while it lasts! :)
Once again I am super sorry for the lack of posts lately. This morning I waited in for 5 hours for someone to come and install internet for us and at the end of the 5 hours when I rang to complain no one showed up they told me they had changed our installation date but hadn't notified us! So now the new date is 12th July. I will be trying to find ways to post more before then, as I'm getting blog withdrawal!
Hope you're enjoying the sunshine while it lasts! :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Fascinating Facts
We all want to be more Green but without knowing the effect we're having it's hard to keep up motivation. So as promised I've put together a few interesting facts about recycling and the actual impact it has on the environment so we can keep the momentum going. :)
Laptops use 80% less energy than a desktop.
They're portable, last hours without being plugged in and can connect us to the internet on the go so we already love our laptops. Now you can also be smug that you're helping the environment at the same time!
If everyone re-used 2ft of wrapping ribbon just once it would save 38,000 miles worth.
That's enough to tie a bow around the earth!
A tumble drier uses 3x more energy than the washing machine.
So if you wash and dry your clothes with machines it's the equivalent of washing them 4 times over. An airer is more environmentally friendly and can be hidden out of sight if necessary. :)
85,000 litres of rain fall on your roof every year.
A water butt will allow you to use this water for your plants and washing your car instead of fresh water from the tap.
It takes 80% less energy to recycle an aluminium or steel can than make a new one.
To make it even more impressive; cans can be recycled endlessly so if everyone started recycling we'd never need to make another can again! (Unrealistic I know, but I'm a dreamer...)
A car club takes approx. 20 privately owned cars off the road.
If you're very car-reliant it may not be for you, but if you can rely on public transport a lot of the time and only need a car now and then car clubs can be extremely useful.
Glass milk bottles are reused approx. 13 times before they're recycled.
That's 13 times more than a plastic bottle! Plus the milkman delivers using an electric car so you can be smug when you don't have to go buy fresh milk instead of feeling lazy!
80% of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water.
Turn down the temperature and you turn down your electricity bill!
An urban cycler reaches speeds of approx. 15-22km/hour.
An urban driver reaches speeds of approx. 22-35km/hour in traffic. Add in time for searching for spaces and parking, then walking the 2 miles to work because you couldn't get closer... it could be quicker to just cycle!
You can save approx. 5000 litres of water a year if you have an old toilet.
Fill a 1L bottle with water (or 2 500ml bottles) and put them in your cistern. This will save 1L of water every time you flush, which accumulates to approx. 5000 litres of water over the year! (This only works if you have a normal flush - push buttons use a different mechanism.)
Insulating your roof will save approx. 25% more energy each year.
For the full details on insulating your loft check out this post.
Filling in draughts around the house - especially doors and windows - can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
More information is also in the link above - it's well worth getting draught excluders, lining thin curtains and keeping doors shut wherever possible!
Cotton production takes up 2.6% of our water usage.
Fixing up old clothes, donating those you don't want and buying from charity shops will all reduce the amount of new clothing that needs to be made and will cut down our water usage.
In the UK appliances left on stand-by use 2 power stations worth of electricity a year.
Some of the appliances can use up to 90% of their normal power use even on stand-by, so it really is worth turning them off at the plug. Some of the worst culprits are TVs, stereos and games consoles!
In 2010 hydropower accounted for approx. 16% of global electricity production!
Add to that solar energy, wind energy etc. and we can see that our efforts are making a global impact. :)
Laptops use 80% less energy than a desktop.
They're portable, last hours without being plugged in and can connect us to the internet on the go so we already love our laptops. Now you can also be smug that you're helping the environment at the same time!
If everyone re-used 2ft of wrapping ribbon just once it would save 38,000 miles worth.
That's enough to tie a bow around the earth!
A tumble drier uses 3x more energy than the washing machine.
So if you wash and dry your clothes with machines it's the equivalent of washing them 4 times over. An airer is more environmentally friendly and can be hidden out of sight if necessary. :)
85,000 litres of rain fall on your roof every year.
A water butt will allow you to use this water for your plants and washing your car instead of fresh water from the tap.
It takes 80% less energy to recycle an aluminium or steel can than make a new one.
To make it even more impressive; cans can be recycled endlessly so if everyone started recycling we'd never need to make another can again! (Unrealistic I know, but I'm a dreamer...)
A car club takes approx. 20 privately owned cars off the road.
If you're very car-reliant it may not be for you, but if you can rely on public transport a lot of the time and only need a car now and then car clubs can be extremely useful.
Glass milk bottles are reused approx. 13 times before they're recycled.
That's 13 times more than a plastic bottle! Plus the milkman delivers using an electric car so you can be smug when you don't have to go buy fresh milk instead of feeling lazy!
80% of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water.
Turn down the temperature and you turn down your electricity bill!
An urban cycler reaches speeds of approx. 15-22km/hour.
An urban driver reaches speeds of approx. 22-35km/hour in traffic. Add in time for searching for spaces and parking, then walking the 2 miles to work because you couldn't get closer... it could be quicker to just cycle!
You can save approx. 5000 litres of water a year if you have an old toilet.
Fill a 1L bottle with water (or 2 500ml bottles) and put them in your cistern. This will save 1L of water every time you flush, which accumulates to approx. 5000 litres of water over the year! (This only works if you have a normal flush - push buttons use a different mechanism.)
Insulating your roof will save approx. 25% more energy each year.
For the full details on insulating your loft check out this post.
Filling in draughts around the house - especially doors and windows - can save up to 10% on your energy bill.
More information is also in the link above - it's well worth getting draught excluders, lining thin curtains and keeping doors shut wherever possible!
Cotton production takes up 2.6% of our water usage.
Fixing up old clothes, donating those you don't want and buying from charity shops will all reduce the amount of new clothing that needs to be made and will cut down our water usage.
In the UK appliances left on stand-by use 2 power stations worth of electricity a year.
Some of the appliances can use up to 90% of their normal power use even on stand-by, so it really is worth turning them off at the plug. Some of the worst culprits are TVs, stereos and games consoles!
In 2010 hydropower accounted for approx. 16% of global electricity production!
Add to that solar energy, wind energy etc. and we can see that our efforts are making a global impact. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
New Flat: Week 2
It's officially 2 weeks today and the flat is starting to look like people live there rather than a dumping ground for boxes! ;)
We bought a cabinet for our bathroom yesterday so soon we can put all our things away instead of just in a box on the floor. It'll be nice not to stub my toe when brushing my teeth! We also got some lampshades for the lounge and our bedroom so we don't have plain hanging lightbulbs anymore. :)
This week we've learned valuable information ready for the winter. This may sound a bit random but the sucky weather has caused our neighbours to use their heating. As a consequence we've found just how hot our flat gets when they do! We've been watching tv in strap tops and joggers at 10pm this week because it's too toasty for anything else. :)
I know I haven't written any eco blogs for you recently, but I have plenty planned for when I return to modern technology! Including 180 uses for 9 every day items and some facts about just how much our Green efforts make an impact.
Until then I leave you with this incredible fact: A cyclist can travel 644 miles and use the same amount of energy as it takes to make just 1 litre of fuel.
We bought a cabinet for our bathroom yesterday so soon we can put all our things away instead of just in a box on the floor. It'll be nice not to stub my toe when brushing my teeth! We also got some lampshades for the lounge and our bedroom so we don't have plain hanging lightbulbs anymore. :)
This week we've learned valuable information ready for the winter. This may sound a bit random but the sucky weather has caused our neighbours to use their heating. As a consequence we've found just how hot our flat gets when they do! We've been watching tv in strap tops and joggers at 10pm this week because it's too toasty for anything else. :)
I know I haven't written any eco blogs for you recently, but I have plenty planned for when I return to modern technology! Including 180 uses for 9 every day items and some facts about just how much our Green efforts make an impact.
Until then I leave you with this incredible fact: A cyclist can travel 644 miles and use the same amount of energy as it takes to make just 1 litre of fuel.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
New Flat: Week 1
Hello lovely people!
We have officially been in our new flat over a week now and it's been pretty interesting! Moving in was a bit of drama which I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say that we have none of the furniture we were planning to move in with. It's all worked out well, but my plan of using all pre-loved furniture went a little down the drain thanks to some weather mishaps and sizing issues!
We have a new IKEA bedroom set, although I chose one that will be with us for many years to come so I had sustainability in mind there. A new tv, which will also be dead before we replace it - had no choice with this one since the old one got rained on in transit. We also have a brand new sofa and armchair, second hand! Crazy as that sounds, someone a family member knew had the 3 piece set in his garage because he'd bought it and it wasn't right. Still in its wrapping, it had sat there for over a year and after hearing our situation he was happy to give it to us for the low price of: our old sofa that wouldn't fit! So we have a brand new cream leather sofa and it didn't cost us a penny. :)
So minor furniture issues aside, everything has been beyond amazing this last week. I've suffered a few health issues (understatement of the year!) but Tom has been fantastic at looking after me and sorting all the official stuff I've not been able to take care of. We've had great fun playing board games, putting furniture together and moving it around to make it perfect, playing on the wii and generally just enjoyed having our own space. :)
One thing I've been having fun with is finding ways to cut down on our bills, not that we've had one yet! We're on a water meter and our heating is on the electric so we've been cutting back in every way we can without actually sacrificing anything. The heating hasn't gone on except to dry out the mattress when we moved in (seriously - weather mishaps!) and to give the washing a boost drying when it was particularly wet outside. It's actually pretty toasty in the flat until 8/9pm, at which point we pull the blanket off the bed and snuggle up. :)
We're also turning absolutely everything off when it isn't in use - including the oven and washing machine (at the wall that is)! The only things that are running 24/7 in our house are the hot water heater and the fridge/freezer. I'll be really interested to see what our bills come to at the end of the month. I'm hoping they're not that high because I'm not sure we could cut back much more without sacrificing something!
Today's post was a bit of a lengthy one, but I felt I owed you a decent post since I haven't been on much lately! Internet is arriving in our flat on the 25th June and I can't wait! Until then I'll be updating you as and when I can. :) I have a few ideas for some interesting posts so watch this space. ;)
Much love
xx
We have officially been in our new flat over a week now and it's been pretty interesting! Moving in was a bit of drama which I won't bore you with, but suffice it to say that we have none of the furniture we were planning to move in with. It's all worked out well, but my plan of using all pre-loved furniture went a little down the drain thanks to some weather mishaps and sizing issues!
We have a new IKEA bedroom set, although I chose one that will be with us for many years to come so I had sustainability in mind there. A new tv, which will also be dead before we replace it - had no choice with this one since the old one got rained on in transit. We also have a brand new sofa and armchair, second hand! Crazy as that sounds, someone a family member knew had the 3 piece set in his garage because he'd bought it and it wasn't right. Still in its wrapping, it had sat there for over a year and after hearing our situation he was happy to give it to us for the low price of: our old sofa that wouldn't fit! So we have a brand new cream leather sofa and it didn't cost us a penny. :)
So minor furniture issues aside, everything has been beyond amazing this last week. I've suffered a few health issues (understatement of the year!) but Tom has been fantastic at looking after me and sorting all the official stuff I've not been able to take care of. We've had great fun playing board games, putting furniture together and moving it around to make it perfect, playing on the wii and generally just enjoyed having our own space. :)
One thing I've been having fun with is finding ways to cut down on our bills, not that we've had one yet! We're on a water meter and our heating is on the electric so we've been cutting back in every way we can without actually sacrificing anything. The heating hasn't gone on except to dry out the mattress when we moved in (seriously - weather mishaps!) and to give the washing a boost drying when it was particularly wet outside. It's actually pretty toasty in the flat until 8/9pm, at which point we pull the blanket off the bed and snuggle up. :)
We're also turning absolutely everything off when it isn't in use - including the oven and washing machine (at the wall that is)! The only things that are running 24/7 in our house are the hot water heater and the fridge/freezer. I'll be really interested to see what our bills come to at the end of the month. I'm hoping they're not that high because I'm not sure we could cut back much more without sacrificing something!
Today's post was a bit of a lengthy one, but I felt I owed you a decent post since I haven't been on much lately! Internet is arriving in our flat on the 25th June and I can't wait! Until then I'll be updating you as and when I can. :) I have a few ideas for some interesting posts so watch this space. ;)
Much love
xx
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Quick update!
Hello lovely readers, I've missed you!
It's lovely to see I'm still getting views even though I'm not posting. :) I've had such a busy few weeks - first of all I got a severe case of tonsilitis which was not fun at all. I had quite a few trips to A&E and more than once I had to argue with them to avoid being admitted! But in the end I won the battle, got some antibiotics that actually worked and now I'm better. :)
We also moved into our new flat which was quite an ordeal in itself. I was still incapacitated with tonsilitis, so my mum and Tom had to pack up our entire house in just a morning. I'm still incredibly impressed that they managed it! I'll have to give you a more detailed run down of the events of the last week later on, I'm on borrowed internet at the moment. But the short of it all is that I have a very amazing partner. Tom has taken every problem thrown at us in his stride and fixed them all, while I looked on in despair (and usually tears). He's made us a lovely little home and we're very happy now. :)
We still don't have internet at the new flat yet, so I'm afraid I won't be posting regularly yet. But the good news is we officially get internet on the 25th of June (providing Virgin don't delay it at all!) so I'll be back to posting for you for definite then.
Sorry for the short post, but I missed you all and wanted to keep you updated! :)
Much love to you all,
Ami
It's lovely to see I'm still getting views even though I'm not posting. :) I've had such a busy few weeks - first of all I got a severe case of tonsilitis which was not fun at all. I had quite a few trips to A&E and more than once I had to argue with them to avoid being admitted! But in the end I won the battle, got some antibiotics that actually worked and now I'm better. :)
We also moved into our new flat which was quite an ordeal in itself. I was still incapacitated with tonsilitis, so my mum and Tom had to pack up our entire house in just a morning. I'm still incredibly impressed that they managed it! I'll have to give you a more detailed run down of the events of the last week later on, I'm on borrowed internet at the moment. But the short of it all is that I have a very amazing partner. Tom has taken every problem thrown at us in his stride and fixed them all, while I looked on in despair (and usually tears). He's made us a lovely little home and we're very happy now. :)
We still don't have internet at the new flat yet, so I'm afraid I won't be posting regularly yet. But the good news is we officially get internet on the 25th of June (providing Virgin don't delay it at all!) so I'll be back to posting for you for definite then.
Sorry for the short post, but I missed you all and wanted to keep you updated! :)
Much love to you all,
Ami
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Happy Jubilee Weekend!
Hello all you lovely people!
The Jubilee weekend is upon us and it's time to celebrate either the Queen or just an extra long weekend! I'll be heading down to the seaside from tomorrow until Sunday for a little getaway, so I'm afraid there'll be no blogs from me. I'll also be packing up our stuff Monday/Tuesday ready to move flat on Friday! So this might be the start of a little quiet time from me, depending on whether I can get internet or not. I promise to keep you updated whenever possible, so don't worry! I'll even post pictures of the new flat once we get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ami
xx
The Jubilee weekend is upon us and it's time to celebrate either the Queen or just an extra long weekend! I'll be heading down to the seaside from tomorrow until Sunday for a little getaway, so I'm afraid there'll be no blogs from me. I'll also be packing up our stuff Monday/Tuesday ready to move flat on Friday! So this might be the start of a little quiet time from me, depending on whether I can get internet or not. I promise to keep you updated whenever possible, so don't worry! I'll even post pictures of the new flat once we get there.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ami
xx
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Does this make me a grown up?
I'm very well known for being childish. Not in a refusing to grow up sense, I am just very childlike when it comes to having fun and my life perspective. Some people say "You shouldn't do that because *enter sensible reason here*..." whereas I think "Why the hell not?" and go out in the rain at 3am, or take a trip to the park just to feed the ducks in the middle of winter. It doesn't make sense, but it makes me happy and I think that's the point of life.
But lately I've started coming up with the sensible reasons and I'm starting to feel a little old. When I get invited out on an evening I have to work out what time I'll get home to make sure I get enough sleep. And the more I go furniture shopping, or spend time online looking into the cheapest phone/broadband combo (it's Sky right now by the way) the older I feel. I've even signed up to Ikea Family today to get discount on the bedroom furniture I'm buying tomorrow.
So my question is this: Does it make me a grown up?
Am I finally succumbing to age and all things 'adult'? Do we all reach a point where fun things become childish and silly? Or is it a state of mind that you sometimes forget but never lose? Have I just forgotten my inner child temporarily?
I like to think it's the latter and that I'm just a little worn out from working and trying to organise moving at the same time. I want to believe that once we're in the new flat it'll be back to fun and games, late nights for no reason and general silliness. I'm hoping to keep all the boxes from moving and turn the spare bedroom into a fort for a while, but I think my plans will be scuppered by the need of storage space in the spare room.. I may convert a corner of our room into one for funsies though..
I can feel the child in me screaming for attention and to be let out to play, so honestly I do think it's just a state of mind. I'm being old because that's what my life needs right now, but when all the sensible things are finished I'll be right back to being ridiculous and outrageous for no reason other than "Because I Can."
Anyone else feeling this way at the moment? Or at least know what I mean? Please tell me I'm not going crazy. :p
But lately I've started coming up with the sensible reasons and I'm starting to feel a little old. When I get invited out on an evening I have to work out what time I'll get home to make sure I get enough sleep. And the more I go furniture shopping, or spend time online looking into the cheapest phone/broadband combo (it's Sky right now by the way) the older I feel. I've even signed up to Ikea Family today to get discount on the bedroom furniture I'm buying tomorrow.
So my question is this: Does it make me a grown up?
Am I finally succumbing to age and all things 'adult'? Do we all reach a point where fun things become childish and silly? Or is it a state of mind that you sometimes forget but never lose? Have I just forgotten my inner child temporarily?
I like to think it's the latter and that I'm just a little worn out from working and trying to organise moving at the same time. I want to believe that once we're in the new flat it'll be back to fun and games, late nights for no reason and general silliness. I'm hoping to keep all the boxes from moving and turn the spare bedroom into a fort for a while, but I think my plans will be scuppered by the need of storage space in the spare room.. I may convert a corner of our room into one for funsies though..
I can feel the child in me screaming for attention and to be let out to play, so honestly I do think it's just a state of mind. I'm being old because that's what my life needs right now, but when all the sensible things are finished I'll be right back to being ridiculous and outrageous for no reason other than "Because I Can."
Anyone else feeling this way at the moment? Or at least know what I mean? Please tell me I'm not going crazy. :p
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Steam Cream Challenge
Good Afternoon!
I'm absolutely loving the unexpected arrival of summer! I've even brought the flip-flops out. :)
I receive the Start UK newsletter each month and in the latest they had a little competition running to win a pot of Steam Cream moisturiser. The first 4 people to email back an eco-beauty tip would receive a full-sized tin of the cream. I emailed back not expecting to get anything, but just before the weekend I received an email to say I'd won! I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the service, as this morning I already had the pot in my possession. :)
After a quick test of it I'm very pleased - you need very little to go a long way and the smell isn't overpowering either, a faint lavender scent. Because I've enjoyed it so much already I've decided to put it through its paces and do a proper review for you. My feet are like zombie feet - I spend a lot of time on them and I don't really look after them very well. They're often a dull grey or purpley colour which isn't pretty! I'm going to use the cream intensively on my feet for a week to see how well it can revive them. If it can make my feet look human again, this really is a miracle cream!
Has anyone else tried the cream out? What did you think of it?
I'm absolutely loving the unexpected arrival of summer! I've even brought the flip-flops out. :)
I receive the Start UK newsletter each month and in the latest they had a little competition running to win a pot of Steam Cream moisturiser. The first 4 people to email back an eco-beauty tip would receive a full-sized tin of the cream. I emailed back not expecting to get anything, but just before the weekend I received an email to say I'd won! I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the service, as this morning I already had the pot in my possession. :)
After a quick test of it I'm very pleased - you need very little to go a long way and the smell isn't overpowering either, a faint lavender scent. Because I've enjoyed it so much already I've decided to put it through its paces and do a proper review for you. My feet are like zombie feet - I spend a lot of time on them and I don't really look after them very well. They're often a dull grey or purpley colour which isn't pretty! I'm going to use the cream intensively on my feet for a week to see how well it can revive them. If it can make my feet look human again, this really is a miracle cream!
Has anyone else tried the cream out? What did you think of it?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
The Eurovision Drinking Game
Good morning!
It's that time of year again! Whether you watch it because you enjoy it or because it's funny laughing at each country's contribution, a lot of us will be tuning into The Eurovision Song Contest tonight. Some of you will even have heard of the third reason to watch: The Eurovision Drinking Game. But if you haven't, read on because your night just got more fun!
I was first introduced to the game 2 years ago, which was also the first time I'd even watched Eurovision. I enjoyed it so much that last year I arranged my own Eurovision Drinking Party with a Spanish theme, fancy dress and all. This year we'll still be playing along, but with moving and everyone being at uni for exams it's a much smaller occasion. Maybe next year we'll make it a big party when we have our own flat. :)
If you google the drinking game all kinds of rules come up - some funny, some bordering on ridiculous. So I've composed a much smaller list of the rules that tend to come up most and are fun to look out for. Feel free to have a google or add in some of your own if you think you can handle more than these!
The Rules
First of all you need to choose which country you are going to be. To keep things fair you need to choose a number between 1 and 20 before any of the acts start. That will then be your country for the evening. :)
Unless stated otherwise you must take one sip of your drink each time one of these events occurs. And I mean a proper gulp of your drink, not a pathetic excuse for a sip. You're not here because you wanted to stay sober tonight. ;)
Hosts
- If the hosts kiss passionately, drain your glass!
Singers/Back-up Singers
- Make a peace sign
- Have a moustache (drain your glass if it's a woman!)
- Rapping
Dancers/Musicians
- Anyone does an air guitar solo
- Playing an 'ethnic' instrument
- 'Ethnic' dancing
- If there's a contortionist on stage, drain your glass!
General Rules
- Anyone has a costume change (if for example wings pop up from behind someone, that counts as a costume change just as much as if they rip off one outfit to reveal another. Sounds far-fetched, but it's happened!)
- Any key change
- Use of props (be as creative as you like here - you'll need to decide as a group whether it counts or not)
- Use of fireworks (there are lots!)
- UK gets no points (drain your glass if they have none by the end!)
- If your country supporters/flag are on the screen
- Whenever your country gets a point (drain your glass if your country wins!)
And there you have the drinking game rules! If you do decide to play along this evening please let me know how you get on. :)
It's that time of year again! Whether you watch it because you enjoy it or because it's funny laughing at each country's contribution, a lot of us will be tuning into The Eurovision Song Contest tonight. Some of you will even have heard of the third reason to watch: The Eurovision Drinking Game. But if you haven't, read on because your night just got more fun!
I was first introduced to the game 2 years ago, which was also the first time I'd even watched Eurovision. I enjoyed it so much that last year I arranged my own Eurovision Drinking Party with a Spanish theme, fancy dress and all. This year we'll still be playing along, but with moving and everyone being at uni for exams it's a much smaller occasion. Maybe next year we'll make it a big party when we have our own flat. :)
If you google the drinking game all kinds of rules come up - some funny, some bordering on ridiculous. So I've composed a much smaller list of the rules that tend to come up most and are fun to look out for. Feel free to have a google or add in some of your own if you think you can handle more than these!
The Rules
First of all you need to choose which country you are going to be. To keep things fair you need to choose a number between 1 and 20 before any of the acts start. That will then be your country for the evening. :)
Unless stated otherwise you must take one sip of your drink each time one of these events occurs. And I mean a proper gulp of your drink, not a pathetic excuse for a sip. You're not here because you wanted to stay sober tonight. ;)
Hosts
- If the hosts kiss passionately, drain your glass!
Singers/Back-up Singers
- Make a peace sign
- Have a moustache (drain your glass if it's a woman!)
- Rapping
Dancers/Musicians
- Anyone does an air guitar solo
- Playing an 'ethnic' instrument
- 'Ethnic' dancing
- If there's a contortionist on stage, drain your glass!
General Rules
- Anyone has a costume change (if for example wings pop up from behind someone, that counts as a costume change just as much as if they rip off one outfit to reveal another. Sounds far-fetched, but it's happened!)
- Any key change
- Use of props (be as creative as you like here - you'll need to decide as a group whether it counts or not)
- Use of fireworks (there are lots!)
- UK gets no points (drain your glass if they have none by the end!)
- If your country supporters/flag are on the screen
- Whenever your country gets a point (drain your glass if your country wins!)
And there you have the drinking game rules! If you do decide to play along this evening please let me know how you get on. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Saving Water
Hello wonderful readers!
Are you loving this weather as much as I am? I can't wait for the weekend to begin so we can get out and enjoy the sunshine!
As moving into our new flat draws closer I've started to think about ways we could save water once we're there. We'll be on a water meter, which means the more water we save the more money we save! But I'm having trouble getting past the obvious ones:
- Turning the tap off while brushing teeth/washing hands, which I do already
- Taking quick showers
- I'm going to get a water butt on the little balcony to water plants or wash the car with
- Put a bottle of water in the top of the toilet so it uses less water to flush
Beyond that I'm not really sure what we can do, but there must be more ways I'm not thinking of! Does anyone else have any ideas that I could use?
I love this picture that was posted by Start UK on facebook:
From what I hear they're really expensive, but it's definitely worth getting if you plan on being in your home long enough to benefit from the investment!
So answers on a postcard (in a comment) please! Do you have any tips on saving water?
Are you loving this weather as much as I am? I can't wait for the weekend to begin so we can get out and enjoy the sunshine!
As moving into our new flat draws closer I've started to think about ways we could save water once we're there. We'll be on a water meter, which means the more water we save the more money we save! But I'm having trouble getting past the obvious ones:
- Turning the tap off while brushing teeth/washing hands, which I do already
- Taking quick showers
- I'm going to get a water butt on the little balcony to water plants or wash the car with
- Put a bottle of water in the top of the toilet so it uses less water to flush
Beyond that I'm not really sure what we can do, but there must be more ways I'm not thinking of! Does anyone else have any ideas that I could use?
I love this picture that was posted by Start UK on facebook:
From what I hear they're really expensive, but it's definitely worth getting if you plan on being in your home long enough to benefit from the investment!
So answers on a postcard (in a comment) please! Do you have any tips on saving water?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
The MoneySavingExpert
A lot of you have probably already heard of Martin Lewis, the MoneySavingExpert. He's been on tv a lot over time and even if you haven't heard of him directly I bet you people will have passed on tips they got through him, his website or his newsletter. He's even got a team of people these days, dedicated to giving you sound financial tips and finding the best bargains.
I've been getting his newsletters for years now - I'm too young for a lot of their articles to be relevant to me, but I found it great for knowing when sales were coming up and keeping on top of freebies. As I embark on a new journey getting a flat with Tom, I've been finding the emails more and more useful - finding home insurance, electricity suppliers, even just getting some freebie toothpaste samples to keep the cost of living down! I find myself looking forward to the weekly emails and scouring through their freebies board regularly. Today alone I got 2 toothpaste samples (Aquafresh & Oral-B) and a Dove Conditioner sample. In the past I got a weeks' worth of Garnier body moisturiser samples and a free 3 month TasteCard too!
And that's just the free stuff! Not to mention how much I must have saved following his advice on comparison sites. My car insurance was £400 cheaper this year, which is just incredible. I don't pay Home Insurance yet, but through these emails I know exactly where will get me the cheapest quotes with the smallest amount of effort. Same will go for electricity rates when I look into that. Better yet - I'll even be getting cashback from going through a particular site! When I get a credit card I'll be looking to these emails for advice on the best rates and best rewards that come with them.
In short, I'll be running my financial life based on these emails. Of course common sense will come into it and I won't be jumping into any stupid contracts just because an email said so, I'm talking figuratively here! But you get what I mean. :)
This may all sound very boring to you - who cares about my freebies and finances? My point is not that I'm happy about my freebies (although trust me - I am!), it's that if you're not getting his emails already you should be. You may only want to for keeping on top of the latest finance news, or you could use them for keeping your own cost of living down. There's advice on the best bank accounts, credit cards, insurance companies, a budgeting tool to help assess your finances and plenty of free apps for various different things. It would be crazy not to take advantage of all there is on offer - especially as it's delivered straight to your inbox for free!
I have to say I'm a little bit in love with these emails... how about you?
I've been getting his newsletters for years now - I'm too young for a lot of their articles to be relevant to me, but I found it great for knowing when sales were coming up and keeping on top of freebies. As I embark on a new journey getting a flat with Tom, I've been finding the emails more and more useful - finding home insurance, electricity suppliers, even just getting some freebie toothpaste samples to keep the cost of living down! I find myself looking forward to the weekly emails and scouring through their freebies board regularly. Today alone I got 2 toothpaste samples (Aquafresh & Oral-B) and a Dove Conditioner sample. In the past I got a weeks' worth of Garnier body moisturiser samples and a free 3 month TasteCard too!
And that's just the free stuff! Not to mention how much I must have saved following his advice on comparison sites. My car insurance was £400 cheaper this year, which is just incredible. I don't pay Home Insurance yet, but through these emails I know exactly where will get me the cheapest quotes with the smallest amount of effort. Same will go for electricity rates when I look into that. Better yet - I'll even be getting cashback from going through a particular site! When I get a credit card I'll be looking to these emails for advice on the best rates and best rewards that come with them.
In short, I'll be running my financial life based on these emails. Of course common sense will come into it and I won't be jumping into any stupid contracts just because an email said so, I'm talking figuratively here! But you get what I mean. :)
This may all sound very boring to you - who cares about my freebies and finances? My point is not that I'm happy about my freebies (although trust me - I am!), it's that if you're not getting his emails already you should be. You may only want to for keeping on top of the latest finance news, or you could use them for keeping your own cost of living down. There's advice on the best bank accounts, credit cards, insurance companies, a budgeting tool to help assess your finances and plenty of free apps for various different things. It would be crazy not to take advantage of all there is on offer - especially as it's delivered straight to your inbox for free!
I have to say I'm a little bit in love with these emails... how about you?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
All Partied Out!
Hi everyone!
I'm so tired I could sleep for a weekend at the very least! But yesterday was such a fab day I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I was doing mini-treatments for £5 throughout the day with some amazing ladies. They were all very smiley and friendly and the whole day went by in a chilled but busy way. I was working right up until 6.30pm at which point I ran off to get Tom from work and brought him back for the rest of the party. A quick change and I was in my party dress and ready for the evening. A wonderful lady called Dawn did a quick manicure for me, which I was desperately in need of. My nails and so weak and in need of TLC it's unreal! The rest of the night was socialising and having nibbles, then once everyone had gone home and we'd tidied up Tom and I went to Blue Ginger which is an amazing Indian restaurant along the road. All their stuff is so yummy! I have leftover Banana Naan Bread for my lunch today. Mmmmmmmm.
Sorry for not having more to say about yesterday - it all went in a bit of a blur to be honest! Lots of chatting, treatments, laughing etc. :)
In other news, we're one step closer to getting our flat. :) The requests for references have been sent out to our bosses/landlord so providing they reply quickly all should be rolling along smoothly. This weekend Tom and I are planning a big sort out of the bathroom - going to box up any non-essential stuff and do a deep clean to make sure it's sparkling when we leave. He says I have to box my duckies up though which makes me sad! I'll post a picture of them all as we're doing it.
Plus another bag of clothes has gone to the charity shop. Making space for the new clothes we need to buy for the hot weather - it has been gorgeous the last few days! Bit grey today, but still nice and toasty. :)
What are your plans for the weekend? Intend to enjoy the weather?
I'm so tired I could sleep for a weekend at the very least! But yesterday was such a fab day I wouldn't have traded it for anything. I was doing mini-treatments for £5 throughout the day with some amazing ladies. They were all very smiley and friendly and the whole day went by in a chilled but busy way. I was working right up until 6.30pm at which point I ran off to get Tom from work and brought him back for the rest of the party. A quick change and I was in my party dress and ready for the evening. A wonderful lady called Dawn did a quick manicure for me, which I was desperately in need of. My nails and so weak and in need of TLC it's unreal! The rest of the night was socialising and having nibbles, then once everyone had gone home and we'd tidied up Tom and I went to Blue Ginger which is an amazing Indian restaurant along the road. All their stuff is so yummy! I have leftover Banana Naan Bread for my lunch today. Mmmmmmmm.
Sorry for not having more to say about yesterday - it all went in a bit of a blur to be honest! Lots of chatting, treatments, laughing etc. :)
In other news, we're one step closer to getting our flat. :) The requests for references have been sent out to our bosses/landlord so providing they reply quickly all should be rolling along smoothly. This weekend Tom and I are planning a big sort out of the bathroom - going to box up any non-essential stuff and do a deep clean to make sure it's sparkling when we leave. He says I have to box my duckies up though which makes me sad! I'll post a picture of them all as we're doing it.
Plus another bag of clothes has gone to the charity shop. Making space for the new clothes we need to buy for the hot weather - it has been gorgeous the last few days! Bit grey today, but still nice and toasty. :)
What are your plans for the weekend? Intend to enjoy the weather?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Exciting Stuff!
Lots of good news to report today so I'm a very happy bunny!
First of all - I've hit 2000 views on this blog, which is a tiny number in the grand scheme of things but to think my opinions have been read 2000 times is actually such an amazing feeling for me. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken an interest!
Secondly, Tom and I have found a new flat and we're moving in on the 4th June! It's happened so quickly I haven't even had time to stop and think. I only started looking about 2 weeks ago and we're already in the referencing stages! It's all so exciting making a budget (I'm one of those sad people who gets excited over budgets okay?), trying to source free/very cheap furniture, making lists of things we'll need or already have.. The next 2 weeks seem to be going so slowly but I'm sure when it actually arrives it'll seem like no time at all.
Thirdly, we're having a birthday party for The Witches Brew this Wednesday (23rd)! The shop has been open just over 2 years now, so to celebrate we're having an all-day party with £5 taster treatments all day. I'm getting really busy with appointments already so it should be a good day for everyone. :) We're starting about 10am and going right through til 7pm for treatments and 9pm for nibbles and drinks, so maybe don't expect a blog from me unless I can schedule one. ;)
I've been so busy lately I haven't really had time to stop, but this weekend was a lovely chance to do nothing and get some rest so now I'm back on full power. :) I'll be starting to work on schduling some posts so that on days when I'm too busy to write for you I can still leave something for you to read. I'm especially looking forward to an event at the shop next week where we'll be making our own organic beauty products. A lovely lady is coming in to do a workshop for us and I get a free place for providing all the drinks/cake - awesome! If you want to come you can find out the details on the Facebook Page, but if you can't make it you can always look forward to my write up. :)
So that's all the news for now! I'm off to scour the internet for some more interesting things for you. Have a lovely day!
First of all - I've hit 2000 views on this blog, which is a tiny number in the grand scheme of things but to think my opinions have been read 2000 times is actually such an amazing feeling for me. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken an interest!
Secondly, Tom and I have found a new flat and we're moving in on the 4th June! It's happened so quickly I haven't even had time to stop and think. I only started looking about 2 weeks ago and we're already in the referencing stages! It's all so exciting making a budget (I'm one of those sad people who gets excited over budgets okay?), trying to source free/very cheap furniture, making lists of things we'll need or already have.. The next 2 weeks seem to be going so slowly but I'm sure when it actually arrives it'll seem like no time at all.
Thirdly, we're having a birthday party for The Witches Brew this Wednesday (23rd)! The shop has been open just over 2 years now, so to celebrate we're having an all-day party with £5 taster treatments all day. I'm getting really busy with appointments already so it should be a good day for everyone. :) We're starting about 10am and going right through til 7pm for treatments and 9pm for nibbles and drinks, so maybe don't expect a blog from me unless I can schedule one. ;)
I've been so busy lately I haven't really had time to stop, but this weekend was a lovely chance to do nothing and get some rest so now I'm back on full power. :) I'll be starting to work on schduling some posts so that on days when I'm too busy to write for you I can still leave something for you to read. I'm especially looking forward to an event at the shop next week where we'll be making our own organic beauty products. A lovely lady is coming in to do a workshop for us and I get a free place for providing all the drinks/cake - awesome! If you want to come you can find out the details on the Facebook Page, but if you can't make it you can always look forward to my write up. :)
So that's all the news for now! I'm off to scour the internet for some more interesting things for you. Have a lovely day!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Just a quick post..
I've mentioned before that I have my own business doing beauty therapy, including facials and Reiki. I had a few weeks off from that as well as the coffee shop (and blogging apparently!) and now I'm better I've decided to do a re-launch of the business. I don't like to push the selling point, so don't worry I'm not asking you to buy my products or come in for a treatment (although you're more than welcome). As part of the re-launch I've decided to start writing a monthly newsletter. Nothing big - just a few updates, some offers and some beauty tips.
If any of you lovely readers are interested in joining my newsletter just leave a comment below or email me on amimarshallbeauty@gmail.com and I will add you to my list. If you join within May there's even a special offer for newsletter recipients only. :)
If any of you lovely readers are interested in joining my newsletter just leave a comment below or email me on amimarshallbeauty@gmail.com and I will add you to my list. If you join within May there's even a special offer for newsletter recipients only. :)
Posted by
Ami Marshall
People-Powered Gyms
While floating around on the internet as I tend to do, I found an interesting article about an outdoor gym that generates electricity. You can find the article itself here.
The concept of generating your own energy through exercise is a brilliant one and until recently was only a fun, experimental thing rather than a day to day experience. I remember watching a street performance in Bath years ago where the audience were invited to cycle on a machine and as you did you powered the music system. I took on the challenge single-handedly (I was always an optimistic child!) and managed about 20 seconds of powering it myself before collapsing exhausted. It displayed brilliantly the amount of energy needed to produce even the little things we take for granted every day. I've seen similar systems in Science Museums and other places with a similar goal.
However in the last 5 years we've started to take it more seriously, first in Hong Kong in 2007 and since then in gyms all over the world. The technology is starting to spread throughout America too, with a number of different companies creating gym equipment that stores electricity to be used by the facility. Check out this article for more information.
While the American gyms are doing their bit for the environment and gym-goers can brag of their moral superiority, if you're not someone who normally goes there's no real draw for you to start. However this new outdoor gym in England lets you see how much you're generating at each piece of equipment. They're even coming up with new technology that will allow you to charge your phone or MP3 with the electricity you generate! Being able to benefit from taking part in such an activity (health benefits are often lost on today's youth sadly) and actually take away the fruits of your effort will certainly encourage people to start working out at these places. I'm actually disappointed that the only gym currently resides in Hull - a 4 hour drive from where I live.
I actually cannot wait for this kind of technology to be local to me. I've been meaning to join a gym for ages and this would definitely be the final push that I needed!
What do you think of these new gyms? Is there one near you?
The concept of generating your own energy through exercise is a brilliant one and until recently was only a fun, experimental thing rather than a day to day experience. I remember watching a street performance in Bath years ago where the audience were invited to cycle on a machine and as you did you powered the music system. I took on the challenge single-handedly (I was always an optimistic child!) and managed about 20 seconds of powering it myself before collapsing exhausted. It displayed brilliantly the amount of energy needed to produce even the little things we take for granted every day. I've seen similar systems in Science Museums and other places with a similar goal.
However in the last 5 years we've started to take it more seriously, first in Hong Kong in 2007 and since then in gyms all over the world. The technology is starting to spread throughout America too, with a number of different companies creating gym equipment that stores electricity to be used by the facility. Check out this article for more information.
While the American gyms are doing their bit for the environment and gym-goers can brag of their moral superiority, if you're not someone who normally goes there's no real draw for you to start. However this new outdoor gym in England lets you see how much you're generating at each piece of equipment. They're even coming up with new technology that will allow you to charge your phone or MP3 with the electricity you generate! Being able to benefit from taking part in such an activity (health benefits are often lost on today's youth sadly) and actually take away the fruits of your effort will certainly encourage people to start working out at these places. I'm actually disappointed that the only gym currently resides in Hull - a 4 hour drive from where I live.
I actually cannot wait for this kind of technology to be local to me. I've been meaning to join a gym for ages and this would definitely be the final push that I needed!
What do you think of these new gyms? Is there one near you?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Your Turn!
Hello you lovely lot!
I hope my last two blogs have been useful for you. :) Today I'm taking a break due to some exciting news that I'll share with you soon! There's tons of organisational stuff to do, people to call, things to arrange.. it's all very exciting. :) I wish I could share it with you right now but I have to keep a lid on it for a few days at least. I have a habit of getting over-excited and telling everyone at once, which always gets me in trouble!
So today I'd like to ask you all a question instead of rattling on about myself! What is your top eco tip? It doesn't have to be anything ground-breaking or new - just whatever you think you do that saves the most energy/water/raw materials etc. Maybe we'll all pick up some new tips we've never tried before! :)
Aaaaaaand GO!
I hope my last two blogs have been useful for you. :) Today I'm taking a break due to some exciting news that I'll share with you soon! There's tons of organisational stuff to do, people to call, things to arrange.. it's all very exciting. :) I wish I could share it with you right now but I have to keep a lid on it for a few days at least. I have a habit of getting over-excited and telling everyone at once, which always gets me in trouble!
So today I'd like to ask you all a question instead of rattling on about myself! What is your top eco tip? It doesn't have to be anything ground-breaking or new - just whatever you think you do that saves the most energy/water/raw materials etc. Maybe we'll all pick up some new tips we've never tried before! :)
Aaaaaaand GO!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Stain Removing Secrets
After a conversation the other day about stains (don't be jealous of my fascinating life :p ) I was told I had to write a blog about it and share with you my secrets. I didn't know they were secrets, but surprisingly few people know about the magic powers of... *drum roll* salt and bicarbonate of soda!
(Sorry for the dramatics, I need to somehow make stains interesting...)
I've talked about bicarb of soda a few times before, both as a cleaning solution and for cooking. It really is an all-purpose product that you simply must have in your cupboard. When you can pick up a pot of it for 80p there really isn't an excuse. I've even used it to get cooked-on cheese off of pyrex dishes after a pastabake with no scrubbing, such is its power. You can even clean your teeth with it or use it as deodorant in desperate times!
Bicarb is good for most stains, but it really comes into its own as an alternative to bleach for whites. Simply make it into a paste with a little water and rub it into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes (1 hour for really tough stains). Then rinse the solution out with some lemon juice and dry in the sun to get the white really sparkling, or if you're in a hurry just a quick wash in the machine will be fine.
The other stain remover is salt. Just the common stuff you find in your cupboard will do, fabric isn't fussy. This one is especially good for getting out anything red - red wine, blood etc. As with any stain, your best chance of removing it is as soon as it happens. Grab some salt and rub it into the stain, letting it soak up the red liquid. Don't be afraid of using a lot, especially if its fine grain, as you don't want it to dissolve entirely. Once you think its soaked up all it can, sweep it up and get the bicarb on the job to finish things off. If you're lucky there won't be a stain left at all and if you're unlucky, at least it's not as obvious anymore!
So there you have it. :) A quick guide to getting rid of stains! Have you tried either of these? Or do you know of another magical stain remover without reaching for chemicals? Get in touch using the comments below!
(Sorry for the dramatics, I need to somehow make stains interesting...)
I've talked about bicarb of soda a few times before, both as a cleaning solution and for cooking. It really is an all-purpose product that you simply must have in your cupboard. When you can pick up a pot of it for 80p there really isn't an excuse. I've even used it to get cooked-on cheese off of pyrex dishes after a pastabake with no scrubbing, such is its power. You can even clean your teeth with it or use it as deodorant in desperate times!
Bicarb is good for most stains, but it really comes into its own as an alternative to bleach for whites. Simply make it into a paste with a little water and rub it into the stain, then leave it for about 30 minutes (1 hour for really tough stains). Then rinse the solution out with some lemon juice and dry in the sun to get the white really sparkling, or if you're in a hurry just a quick wash in the machine will be fine.
The other stain remover is salt. Just the common stuff you find in your cupboard will do, fabric isn't fussy. This one is especially good for getting out anything red - red wine, blood etc. As with any stain, your best chance of removing it is as soon as it happens. Grab some salt and rub it into the stain, letting it soak up the red liquid. Don't be afraid of using a lot, especially if its fine grain, as you don't want it to dissolve entirely. Once you think its soaked up all it can, sweep it up and get the bicarb on the job to finish things off. If you're lucky there won't be a stain left at all and if you're unlucky, at least it's not as obvious anymore!
So there you have it. :) A quick guide to getting rid of stains! Have you tried either of these? Or do you know of another magical stain remover without reaching for chemicals? Get in touch using the comments below!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Arnica: Miracle cure for bruising.
Wow, where did this last week go?! I'm hugely sorry for my sporadic blog writing lately, what with going back to work and looking for a new flat, sorting out all our stuff and trying to have a social life at the same time I'm not left with many spare minutes to write for you lovely people!
Today I want to let you know about a homeopathic remedy that is worth 10x its weight in gold - it barely weighs anything and is invaluable in my opinion! To give you its' definition from wikipedia:
"Arnica is a genus with about 30 perennial, herbaceous species, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). ... Several species, such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis, contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (used mostly for bruises)."
As some of you will know, I recently had an operation and the particular area is well known for the bruising afterwards. I was warned by a lot of people that I'd be black and blue for a few weeks at least. A lovely lady I know from The Witches Brew gave me some really helpful advice as she'd recently had a similar op and she could not recommend Arnica highly enough. I'd heard of its' use for bruising before and adopted a "might as well" attitude, throwing it in with all the other pills I would be taking. I took it twice a day in the week running up to the surgery and about 4-5 times a day afterwards - starting from the moment I opened my eyes. (A lovely friend who was with me was in charge of forcing it upon me since I probably wouldn't have remembered myself!)
After the op the area was very swollen to about twice its' normal size, with yellow, purple and even black bruising. For the first few days I was oblivious to just how bad it was as I only looked briefly, but when I was feeling well enough for a proper look I was shocked at how battered I looked. I kept an eye on it all as time went on and within just 2 weeks the bruising was gone. No exaggeration required, the area was genuinely as if I'd never had the operation. Of course there is still the scar, I've not found a miracle cure for that yet, but just looking at the surrounding skin you'd never tell I had an operation.
Having never had surgery before I just thought it was normal, but having spoken to others about it since I realise it's actually really impressive. To quote Tom: "I've had bruises [from normal injuries] that last longer than that!" So I wanted to share with you all just how amazing this little pill is. It cost me about £6 (paid with Boots points) for 80 pills and I still have lots left, so it really is a little miracle. Plus it tastes quite sweet - which isn't exactly life or death in such a situation, but certainly helps!
So whether you're having an operation or have even just suffered a bad fall and there's some swelling/bruising that you would like to hurry up and disappear, I can highly recommend Arnica for your needs.
Has anyone else had any experiences with it?
Today I want to let you know about a homeopathic remedy that is worth 10x its weight in gold - it barely weighs anything and is invaluable in my opinion! To give you its' definition from wikipedia:
"Arnica is a genus with about 30 perennial, herbaceous species, belonging to the sunflower family (Asteraceae). ... Several species, such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis, contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (used mostly for bruises)."
As some of you will know, I recently had an operation and the particular area is well known for the bruising afterwards. I was warned by a lot of people that I'd be black and blue for a few weeks at least. A lovely lady I know from The Witches Brew gave me some really helpful advice as she'd recently had a similar op and she could not recommend Arnica highly enough. I'd heard of its' use for bruising before and adopted a "might as well" attitude, throwing it in with all the other pills I would be taking. I took it twice a day in the week running up to the surgery and about 4-5 times a day afterwards - starting from the moment I opened my eyes. (A lovely friend who was with me was in charge of forcing it upon me since I probably wouldn't have remembered myself!)
After the op the area was very swollen to about twice its' normal size, with yellow, purple and even black bruising. For the first few days I was oblivious to just how bad it was as I only looked briefly, but when I was feeling well enough for a proper look I was shocked at how battered I looked. I kept an eye on it all as time went on and within just 2 weeks the bruising was gone. No exaggeration required, the area was genuinely as if I'd never had the operation. Of course there is still the scar, I've not found a miracle cure for that yet, but just looking at the surrounding skin you'd never tell I had an operation.
Having never had surgery before I just thought it was normal, but having spoken to others about it since I realise it's actually really impressive. To quote Tom: "I've had bruises [from normal injuries] that last longer than that!" So I wanted to share with you all just how amazing this little pill is. It cost me about £6 (paid with Boots points) for 80 pills and I still have lots left, so it really is a little miracle. Plus it tastes quite sweet - which isn't exactly life or death in such a situation, but certainly helps!
So whether you're having an operation or have even just suffered a bad fall and there's some swelling/bruising that you would like to hurry up and disappear, I can highly recommend Arnica for your needs.
Has anyone else had any experiences with it?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Purging: hoarding in reverse!
Hi guys!
It's not much of an excuse but between my clearing efforts, recovering from my op, work and an impromtu visit to the seaside at the weekend, I've not really been around to blog very much and for this I apologise. After yet another visit to the doctor today I'm once again back on antibiotics to clear the infection that's hanging on, plus I'm back to work and trying to catch up on the almost three weeks I missed. It's a little bit hectic in my head right now, so any blogs I'd have time for would most likely be gibberish!
To make up for it I seem to have written you an essay. Quite fitting considering the topic - from one extreme to another! I hope you find it interesting rather than rambly and boring. :)
For the first 20 years of my life, I was a hoarder. Not to the extent you see on those shows on Channel 4, but still enough that my room was always a mess. But since moving out and having my own place (kindof) I've completely switched into reverse - getting rid of everything I possibly can without throwing out the stuff I still need. No matter how much I throw or give away, I always feel like I could do more, get rid of more... I wondered if there was a word for it and trusty old Google let me know that this habit is called Purging. Another quick search got me the official definition for you: Purge: to free from impurities, to purify.
Another word that was closely related was Minimalist, which I suppose counts too. I'm not as extreme as some - I keep sentimental stuff, I still go shopping when I know I don't need things, but I do get to a certain level of 'stuff' and think enough is enough. And that's when everything goes in a black bag, a charity bag, or a car boot box, depending on the worth I deem it to have.
Today's task was probably the hardest of all; facing the shoes. The pictures you see here were taken in March 2011 and they show all the shoes I owned at that time. I'm sure there are still some at the back of a forgotten cupboard at my parents' house that I failed to count. Up until this point I'd never really gathered them all up - some hid in the wardrobe, under the bed, various cupboards around the house, not to mention the pile that accumulated by the door... So it was easy to look around and think I didn't have that many. In a fit of tidiness, with the knowledge that I was approaching the age where I would like to move out I decided to gather my shoes and see where things stood. And this was the result; 42 pairs of shoes that were in varying states from falling apart to pristine and unworn. Amazing!
It was at that point I knew it was time to cut the collection down. Some were sold off to family and friends who were grateful to pick up new shoes at bargain prices. Some disappeared to the charity where someone else could claw a little more love out of them. And some had to go to the great Shoe Heaven in the sky. But when it came to moving out in August I still had about 30 pairs and I just didn't have time to do anything about it. So they came with me and I squirreled them away where The Boys (Tom and my landlord) wouldn't be able to see the extent of my collection. The garage, the under stairs cupboard and our wardrobe became accomplices in my crime of hoarding shoes.
Overall I'd like to think I've been successful in my endeavours, but when I look in our bedroom and spot the messy bookshelf or the shelf in the wardrobe crammed with more 'stuff' I realise the battle is over, but the war will never end. I guess I'm okay with that though - I get a certain sense of satisfaction when I give away yet another bag of clothes, knowing I still have plenty left in my wardrobe. Or when I throw out a black bag of rubbish that has accumulated over time. I can't profess to being a clean freak, I doubt I'll ever live in a spotless house. But at least I can say I've kicked the hoarding habit for good!
It's not much of an excuse but between my clearing efforts, recovering from my op, work and an impromtu visit to the seaside at the weekend, I've not really been around to blog very much and for this I apologise. After yet another visit to the doctor today I'm once again back on antibiotics to clear the infection that's hanging on, plus I'm back to work and trying to catch up on the almost three weeks I missed. It's a little bit hectic in my head right now, so any blogs I'd have time for would most likely be gibberish!
To make up for it I seem to have written you an essay. Quite fitting considering the topic - from one extreme to another! I hope you find it interesting rather than rambly and boring. :)
For the first 20 years of my life, I was a hoarder. Not to the extent you see on those shows on Channel 4, but still enough that my room was always a mess. But since moving out and having my own place (kindof) I've completely switched into reverse - getting rid of everything I possibly can without throwing out the stuff I still need. No matter how much I throw or give away, I always feel like I could do more, get rid of more... I wondered if there was a word for it and trusty old Google let me know that this habit is called Purging. Another quick search got me the official definition for you: Purge: to free from impurities, to purify.
Another word that was closely related was Minimalist, which I suppose counts too. I'm not as extreme as some - I keep sentimental stuff, I still go shopping when I know I don't need things, but I do get to a certain level of 'stuff' and think enough is enough. And that's when everything goes in a black bag, a charity bag, or a car boot box, depending on the worth I deem it to have.
Today's task was probably the hardest of all; facing the shoes. The pictures you see here were taken in March 2011 and they show all the shoes I owned at that time. I'm sure there are still some at the back of a forgotten cupboard at my parents' house that I failed to count. Up until this point I'd never really gathered them all up - some hid in the wardrobe, under the bed, various cupboards around the house, not to mention the pile that accumulated by the door... So it was easy to look around and think I didn't have that many. In a fit of tidiness, with the knowledge that I was approaching the age where I would like to move out I decided to gather my shoes and see where things stood. And this was the result; 42 pairs of shoes that were in varying states from falling apart to pristine and unworn. Amazing!It was at that point I knew it was time to cut the collection down. Some were sold off to family and friends who were grateful to pick up new shoes at bargain prices. Some disappeared to the charity where someone else could claw a little more love out of them. And some had to go to the great Shoe Heaven in the sky. But when it came to moving out in August I still had about 30 pairs and I just didn't have time to do anything about it. So they came with me and I squirreled them away where The Boys (Tom and my landlord) wouldn't be able to see the extent of my collection. The garage, the under stairs cupboard and our wardrobe became accomplices in my crime of hoarding shoes.
We're now into the 9th month of living here and things have naturally accumulated over that time - christmas and both of our birthdays presenting us with more 'stuff' to fit into an already limited space. We only have a bedroom and a bathroom, which were starting to overspill into the rest of the house much to the dismay of our landlord. Once again it was time to get out the black bags, the charity bags and the car boot boxes. So far I've thrown possibly an entire wardrobes' worth of clothes away and still I could probably throw more if I really wanted to. It doesn't help that some of the clothes are Tom's and I can't force him to get rid of his stuff.
We've also put most of our CDs and DVDs in a car boot box, started a collection of 'When we have our own place' things to go in Nan's attic (good old nan!) and thrown more stuff in the bin than I can count. But still, I couldn't face the shoes. But today the time had come for the shoes to come into the spotlight. I cannot justify owning 30 pairs of shoes when over half of them sit in a box in the garage.
So once more I gathered up my shoes into one place and had a 'keep' box and a 'sell' box to hand. It was surprisingly easy this time, possibly because I'd already made so many tough decisions on the rest of my possessions. I dithered over a few of the much loved but rarely worn pairs and even some of the beautiful pairs I bought but never wore out of the house. But ultimately I knew which ones I could keep and which had to go.
Now I have an overflowing box of shoes that will be put on facebook to sell. If they don't sell well on there I'll be putting them on e-bay or to a car boot, but those seem so much more effort. Out of interest - would anyone like me to post pictures of the shoes on here? Most of them are heels - all lovely I promise. :)
And drumroll... just 14 pairs of shoes are left in my wardrobe. I'm feeling extremely smug right now, looking at the huge box of shoes to go and the small box staying with me.
So once more I gathered up my shoes into one place and had a 'keep' box and a 'sell' box to hand. It was surprisingly easy this time, possibly because I'd already made so many tough decisions on the rest of my possessions. I dithered over a few of the much loved but rarely worn pairs and even some of the beautiful pairs I bought but never wore out of the house. But ultimately I knew which ones I could keep and which had to go.
Now I have an overflowing box of shoes that will be put on facebook to sell. If they don't sell well on there I'll be putting them on e-bay or to a car boot, but those seem so much more effort. Out of interest - would anyone like me to post pictures of the shoes on here? Most of them are heels - all lovely I promise. :)
And drumroll... just 14 pairs of shoes are left in my wardrobe. I'm feeling extremely smug right now, looking at the huge box of shoes to go and the small box staying with me.
Overall I'd like to think I've been successful in my endeavours, but when I look in our bedroom and spot the messy bookshelf or the shelf in the wardrobe crammed with more 'stuff' I realise the battle is over, but the war will never end. I guess I'm okay with that though - I get a certain sense of satisfaction when I give away yet another bag of clothes, knowing I still have plenty left in my wardrobe. Or when I throw out a black bag of rubbish that has accumulated over time. I can't profess to being a clean freak, I doubt I'll ever live in a spotless house. But at least I can say I've kicked the hoarding habit for good!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Hello from the piggies!
Just a quick filler blog from me today as I have a friend coming down to visit from Derby. I don't get to see her very often so I'm way excited! :)
Since my last blog was about piggy banking, I thought I'd share a picture of my piggies with you. So here they are! The pink piggy on the left was a present from the friend that is visiting today and the cow-y bank on the right was a present from a girl I went to school with.
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| Hello from the piggies! |
I hope you all have a lovely bank holiday weekend and enjoy the respite from the rain!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Piggy Banks
Oops - would help if I clicked Publish! This is the post I wrote for you yesterday!
This might seem like a random topic, but it's become a secret obsession of mine since about August last year and after finding a great website with 'The 15 Coolest Piggy Banks' I felt it was time to wite a blog about it. Piggy Banking can be as simple or as complicated as you like - ranging from a physical piggy bank in the bedroom for your loose change, to having multiple accounts set aside for different things. To read about the more complicated forms of piggy banking visit the moneysavingexpert website here, because they can explain it far better than I can!
As for the simple side of it, never underestimate the power of the piggy bank! Pick which coins you'll be saving (you can go for just coppers, anything under 50p, £2 coins..) and then whenever you get those coins in change at the shops, you put them in your piggy bank. It doesn't sound too thrilling, but I genuinely get excited when I have pennies to put in the pot. It's something to do with the little *clink* noise of the coins hitting together. It's also fun counting up the money you've saved when the pig (or other shaped receptacle) gets full - make sure you have some money bags handy to swap in at the bank.
It's best to have a purpose in mind before you start saving, as it's then much easier not to raid it whenever you want a takeaway or a trip to the cinema. Unless that's what your fund is for - then it becomes perfect!
To give you an example of the different things you can use it for, I'll give you an overview of what I've used mine for in the past:
I have two banks; one is a Paint Your Own Cow (affectionately known as the 'Cow-y Bank') given to me by a friend while I was at school and the other is a pink rhinestoned pig that was given to me for christmas by another friend. The Cow-y bank is for coppers and the Pig is for 50p or smaller silvers. We also collect £2 coins but we don't have a special pot for those.
The first purpose of the piggies was to save up for christmas presents and we started in August when Tom moved in with me. By the time we finished our christmas shopping the piggies had provided us with over £70 in change and £2 coins. (We did swap it at the bank - not carry £70 worth of coppers!)
Their next purpose was to provide us with a 'Fun Fund'. Money was tight and only stretched to food and rent, so the piggies were in charge of keeping us entertained. They did their job once more, providing up with many takeaways and trips to the cinema.
Our piggies are currently in charge of helping us travel the world and they've so far supplied us with £50 to go in the savings account. We only started our current venture about a month or two ago so I'm pretty pleased with our progress. :)
I'd like to finish with the website I mentioned earlier: 15 Coolest Piggy Banks
I want either the His/Her Piggy Bank or the Coin Factory one. The first is amusing, the second just looks awesome!
So will you be trying out a piggy bank? If you get addicted like me you'll be rich in no time!
This might seem like a random topic, but it's become a secret obsession of mine since about August last year and after finding a great website with 'The 15 Coolest Piggy Banks' I felt it was time to wite a blog about it. Piggy Banking can be as simple or as complicated as you like - ranging from a physical piggy bank in the bedroom for your loose change, to having multiple accounts set aside for different things. To read about the more complicated forms of piggy banking visit the moneysavingexpert website here, because they can explain it far better than I can!
As for the simple side of it, never underestimate the power of the piggy bank! Pick which coins you'll be saving (you can go for just coppers, anything under 50p, £2 coins..) and then whenever you get those coins in change at the shops, you put them in your piggy bank. It doesn't sound too thrilling, but I genuinely get excited when I have pennies to put in the pot. It's something to do with the little *clink* noise of the coins hitting together. It's also fun counting up the money you've saved when the pig (or other shaped receptacle) gets full - make sure you have some money bags handy to swap in at the bank.
It's best to have a purpose in mind before you start saving, as it's then much easier not to raid it whenever you want a takeaway or a trip to the cinema. Unless that's what your fund is for - then it becomes perfect!
To give you an example of the different things you can use it for, I'll give you an overview of what I've used mine for in the past:
I have two banks; one is a Paint Your Own Cow (affectionately known as the 'Cow-y Bank') given to me by a friend while I was at school and the other is a pink rhinestoned pig that was given to me for christmas by another friend. The Cow-y bank is for coppers and the Pig is for 50p or smaller silvers. We also collect £2 coins but we don't have a special pot for those.
The first purpose of the piggies was to save up for christmas presents and we started in August when Tom moved in with me. By the time we finished our christmas shopping the piggies had provided us with over £70 in change and £2 coins. (We did swap it at the bank - not carry £70 worth of coppers!)
Their next purpose was to provide us with a 'Fun Fund'. Money was tight and only stretched to food and rent, so the piggies were in charge of keeping us entertained. They did their job once more, providing up with many takeaways and trips to the cinema.
Our piggies are currently in charge of helping us travel the world and they've so far supplied us with £50 to go in the savings account. We only started our current venture about a month or two ago so I'm pretty pleased with our progress. :)
I'd like to finish with the website I mentioned earlier: 15 Coolest Piggy Banks
I want either the His/Her Piggy Bank or the Coin Factory one. The first is amusing, the second just looks awesome!
So will you be trying out a piggy bank? If you get addicted like me you'll be rich in no time!
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Apple Crisps Recipe
Sorry I missed posting yesterday, I was halfway through writing this when my net cut out. Following on from my last post, I found a lovely recipe yesterday for some apple crisps that would go perfectly in your lunchbox as a snack. I haven't tried it out yet, but I wanted to share it with you so you could try it out. I've not been at my best lately, the lovely Tom has been cooking all our meals since my op, so it could be a while before I get a chance to do any baking!
I've had dried apple before and it has a marshmallow like consistency, so I love the idea of a crisp texture when you bake them! The only downside to this recipe is it takes about 2.5 hours (30 mins prep, 2 hours baking) and the last hour of that you need to keep a close eye. So it's more of a weekend project than something you can create quickly in the evenings.
For the recipe follow this link.
If you do try it, let me know how you get on! Have you heard of any other recipes like this that would make good lunch time snacks?
I've had dried apple before and it has a marshmallow like consistency, so I love the idea of a crisp texture when you bake them! The only downside to this recipe is it takes about 2.5 hours (30 mins prep, 2 hours baking) and the last hour of that you need to keep a close eye. So it's more of a weekend project than something you can create quickly in the evenings.
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| Don't they look yummy! |
For the recipe follow this link.
If you do try it, let me know how you get on! Have you heard of any other recipes like this that would make good lunch time snacks?
Posted by
Ami Marshall
Add a touch of green to lunchtimes.
It's estimated that we can save about £500 a year by switching to making our own lunches instead of just grabbing a sandwich at a shop and by adopting a few simple tips it'll even save you time at lunch to relax instead of having to dash to the shops.
Making your own lunch has a number of benefits:
- Reducing packaging thrown in the bin
- Reducing containers thrown away by using a lunchbox
- Cutting your food bill
- More time to relax at lunchtime instead of waiting in line at a shop
- Easier to eat healthily
The easiest way to making quick lunches is to use leftovers from the night before. Things like pasta, bolognese/chilli are perfect either cold or reheated the next day. If you've got access to a microwave at work it becomes even easier, meaning you can reheat practically any meal. If you're going for this option just make more than you usually would and chill some down and keep it in the fridge overnight.
The other option is to make big batches of a meal and freeze them in single portions ready to defrost overnight and grab the next day. Soups are perfect for this - you can use vegetables that you're not going to eat before their Use By or throw together a meat stew (see my recipe for a chicken & veg stew here). Freeze it in individual portions, defrost overnight and heat in the microwave in the morning. Pop in a thermos and you're good to go!
This idea can also be used to replace things that you would usually buy from shops - for example you can make your own sausage rolls to put in the kids' lunches or to take to work as a snack. You'll be greatly reducing the fat and salt content with very little effort on your behalf.
Sausage Roll Recipe
You'll need sausages (as many as you like) and some ready-rolled pastry (or you can roll out your own pastry to cut costs further).
Cook the sausages as normal, then roll them up in the pastry. Follow the cooking instructions for the pastry (usually bake in the oven for 15-20 mins) then allow to cool. They'll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or you can freeze them to last up to 6 months.
Using a lunch box will cut down on huge amount of packaging that get thrown in the bin every day. And what's more, using tupperware for your lunch means you can buy things like raisins, nuts etc in bulk - saving money and packaging - and only take the amount you need each day to work.
So why not start making your own lunch? You could always test it for a week or two to see how easy it is, or even just do it a few times a week to cut down your food bill.
Making your own lunch has a number of benefits:
- Reducing packaging thrown in the bin
- Reducing containers thrown away by using a lunchbox
- Cutting your food bill
- More time to relax at lunchtime instead of waiting in line at a shop
- Easier to eat healthily
The easiest way to making quick lunches is to use leftovers from the night before. Things like pasta, bolognese/chilli are perfect either cold or reheated the next day. If you've got access to a microwave at work it becomes even easier, meaning you can reheat practically any meal. If you're going for this option just make more than you usually would and chill some down and keep it in the fridge overnight.
The other option is to make big batches of a meal and freeze them in single portions ready to defrost overnight and grab the next day. Soups are perfect for this - you can use vegetables that you're not going to eat before their Use By or throw together a meat stew (see my recipe for a chicken & veg stew here). Freeze it in individual portions, defrost overnight and heat in the microwave in the morning. Pop in a thermos and you're good to go!
This idea can also be used to replace things that you would usually buy from shops - for example you can make your own sausage rolls to put in the kids' lunches or to take to work as a snack. You'll be greatly reducing the fat and salt content with very little effort on your behalf.
Sausage Roll Recipe
You'll need sausages (as many as you like) and some ready-rolled pastry (or you can roll out your own pastry to cut costs further).
Cook the sausages as normal, then roll them up in the pastry. Follow the cooking instructions for the pastry (usually bake in the oven for 15-20 mins) then allow to cool. They'll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days or you can freeze them to last up to 6 months.
Using a lunch box will cut down on huge amount of packaging that get thrown in the bin every day. And what's more, using tupperware for your lunch means you can buy things like raisins, nuts etc in bulk - saving money and packaging - and only take the amount you need each day to work.
So why not start making your own lunch? You could always test it for a week or two to see how easy it is, or even just do it a few times a week to cut down your food bill.
Posted by
Ami Marshall
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