Berlin's Best Eats

One of my favourite parts about going away is the food, treating yourself to lovely meals from breakfast through to dinner and exploring new dishes and flavours. I do feel like I spend a lot of time researching where to go, so I thought I would condense down for you my top places to eat in Berlin.   

Chipps
As brunch is my favourite meal time I had to research into the best place to go and Chipps repeatedly came up. Its popularity was no surprise as when we arrived we were told the food would be a 4o minute wait... but it was well worth it! It's setting was in a quite area, with the option to either sit inside or out and there was a lovely range on the menu. I went for the lumberjack which consisted of bacon, scrambled eggs, spinach, french toast and a side of maple syrup which came in at €9,50. Many of the dishes could be swapped for vegan options and overall it was perfect! The only downsides were one rude waiter and the wasps buzzing around the tables outside. 

Super Shop Eat Meet
This spot is perfect for breakfast or lunch and all those in favour of a super cool and dare I say "insta-worthy" setting. Super is made up of part shop, part cafe and part restaurant with amazing little homeware pieces and food items (plus samples!). The lunch menu is set up just like tapas consisting of a range of small yet equally delicious dishes. We went for a honey chicken and salsa dish, bread and baked cheese, and incredibly flavoured sides of rice and cous cous which all came with a complimentary tray of bread. The price was great with each dish being roughly between £3-6. Check out the menu here for yourself :-) 

BagYard
Situated in the same complex (Bikini Berlin) as Super, BagYard offers a range of salads, pittas, flatbreads, chips, hummus, smoothies, coffees and other drinks. The portions are extremely generous and once again the setting of the cafe was extremely aesthetically pleasing! I went for the Greek Beef Bag, which consisted of a baguette, beef burgers, green salad, tomato, red onion, olives and feta cream cheese which was extremely refreshing and a side of sweet potato fries of course! I also had a yummy raspberry and rhubarb lemonade... delicious! I would give this place a solid 10/10 :-) 

Volver
After admiring the beautiful Brandenburg Gate and Reichstag building we wondered off for dinner to a quaint Spanish tapas bar set back a little from the hustle and bustle of tourists pouring in and out. The restaurant itself oozed spanish heritage with little wooden tables, hanging cuts of meat and other old fashioned decoration. Once again the menu was very reasonably priced and the waiters were absolutely lovely. We went for patatas bravas, cheese and ham croquettes, chorizo, beef bourguignon and peppers de padron served alongside a glass of lovely house white wine. Check out the menu here.    

Borchardt
After spending a couple of evenings eating out at Italian and Spanish places we thought it was time we went for a 'proper German meal' so I went onto Instagram found a place and off we went. However, we did not realise how fancy this place was and were clearly underdressed so when we arrived the front of house staff were slightly rude and told us we could only have a table for an hour out the back but we didn't mind. It's worth mentioning now that this place definitely was not cheap as when we opened the menu the prices seemed to range from €40 upwards. However the pork schnitzel we had was absolutely stunning served alongside a beautiful mustard creamy mash and a delicate little salad and came in at roughly €24,50. I believe it was the most popular dish as it was the only one I saw the waiters (who were lovely) come out with for the whole hour we were there! If you want to treat yourself to an incredible luxurious dinner this is definitely the right place to go :-)  

School Stationary Essentials

For me one of my favourite things about going back to school was always buying fresh new stationary, that and a new outfit of course. As I do not have the chance to do this this year I thought I would put together some very aesthetically pleasing stationary for your own personal use and also share with you some of my favourite stationary brands :-) 

A Planner

This will be your life saver and solver for your whole school year, to write down any assignments, test dates, class timetable and extra curricular activities to help plan out your time well. You can either get your planner in a diary form or alternatively as an A4 pad (which I personally love) where you can tear off your page for the week and stick it in your locker door! 

(1)CJ Designs Marble A4 Weekly Planner - £11.75   (2)WHSmith A5 Kraft Gold Spots Academic Diary - £9.99

(3)Elle Jane Designs Weekly Planner Desk Pad - £11.75   (4)Paperchase Small Blue Mid Year Diary - £10.00

A Notebook

If you are in sixth form or any older it will be a given that you are no longer provided with notebooks anymore. Depending on how your teacher or school operates, you may decide to have one per subject or just one larger pad that you remove your notes from and put into a file or hand work into a teacher from. I personally love the classic Kraft ones and you can easily find stickers to decorate the front or write the name of your class on. 

(1) The White Company Heart Notebook Grey - £3.20   (2) Hobbycraft A5 Lined Kraft Notebook - £1.50

(3) Love Give Ink Brilliant Ideas Foiled Notebook - £24.00 (4) Pukka Pad A4 Project Notebook - £6.98

Other Stationary

Pens, pencils, rubbers, rulers, paperclips you name it come in so many forms nowadays that ashamedly even I get excited about them. My particular favourite are the sassy pencils with quotes on the end of them from the likes of Mean Girls or Blair Waldorf herself. Also who knew rose gold paper clips could be so aesthetically pleasing...

(1) Paperchase Rose Gold Paperclips - £2.50   (2) WHSmith Papermate Ballpoint Pens - £6.99   

(3) Lily Rose Co "What Would Blair Waldorf Do?" Pencil Set - £5.00   (4) Anthropologie Idiom Pencil Pouch - £24.00   

(5) Paperchase Iwako Pink Ice Lolly Eraser - £1.00 

Healthy Happy Habits // One

Welcome back!

I thought I would kick off my launch of blogposts with a new series I have created called Healthy Happy Habits. They will showcase some products or activities that have influenced my current life in a happy and healthy way from the inside out. Enjoy! 

Lemonaid
This refreshing blood orange drink is the perfect solution to those hot sticky summer days when you are in the mood for something a little sweet and juicy. With its healthy ingredient list it makes you feel great on the inside too. Not only does this product taste good, it does good, with every bottle purchased supporting social projects in local communities (yay!)

Deliciously Ella Energy Ball's 
These sticky little treats make the perfect mid-afternoon snack with a whole lot of goodness keeping you fuller for longer. They also make a great post-workout snack! Each ball has approximately 6 ingredients and my favourite would have to be the hazelnut and raisin. 

Plants
I have had my cactuses for a little while now and I just love how much they brighten up a room and add some life to it. They definitely make me much happier looking at them and they are very low maintenance too - the perfect swap for sad droopy flowers!

Kiehl's Creamy Avocado Eye Cream 
This tiny pot holds a miracle cure to my under eyes, especially since working early mornings the past two months. I love to apply this every evening in a circular motion massaging the eye area and soothing it - it is so relaxing...

Xtend Barre 
The company Xtend Barre recently opened up a new space in London and were giving away free trial classes of the customers choice. I attended the class called Xtend Barre; a mixture of ballet and Pilates to sculpt your body, and I loved every second of it! Classes are £25 each but it will definitely be worth the splurge to make my body feel great!   

Fascination

On a long drive home from university the other day I noticed how the sky had really captured my attention and the fascination that it brung. The way the colours seamlessly merged into one another and transitioned from a purple to pink in the blink of an eye. I then began to think about this concept of fascination and other things that fascinate me like the stars, moon and universe. Why is it that we are each fascinated by particular objects or moments in time? Yet I seem to know so little about these things - perhaps that is the allure of fascination, the mystery behind it or perhaps it is something I should divulge or gain a wealth of knowledge in. 

Take a moment to think about what fascinates you and why...  

Hope you all have a lovely Sunday :-) 

Sarah Marie x 

Natural Glow: Holiday Evening Make-Up

As I don't particularly like to wear a ton of make-up when I am on holiday, I decided to collate my favourite products to create an evening look that is radiant, a bit shimmery and glowing yet has a natural base. 

The base of the look begins with Smashbox's Photo Finish primer which helps to smooth out the skin, and acts as a great base for further make-up to cling on to so it does not budge! Next I like to take Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl Liquid Pearl for Face and place it on any points that I would like to be highlighted including my cheekbones, bridge of my nose and cupids bow. This product can be used all over the face if you would like to step up the radiance of this look!

Personally, I like to do my eyeshadow next so that any fall out can be easily wiped away. I really wanted to go for something neutral but still had an element that stood out so I patted 'Walk of Shame' all over the lid, 'Naked 2' in the crease and a slight dab of 'Faint' in the outer V of my eye all from Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette. In the centre of my lid I patted a loose gold pigment I had from Sephora that has a slight pink hint to it. Using the same Naked Basics palette I like to take an angled brush and the shade 'Faint' to fill in my eyebrows. 

To open up my eyes and make my eyelashes lovely and curly I always use an eyelash curler before applying mascara - I find this particularly useful as I have naturally long but very straight lashes. To help hold the curl I always use a waterproof mascara and Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara is a fab base. Recently, I have been loving either layering another waterproof mascara on top for added volume or sandwiching a non waterproof mascara between two layers of waterproof. I re-discovered this Sexy Pulp mascara by Yves Rocher and I love how full it makes my lashes look. 

For my foundation I opted for my trusty Nars Sheer Glow foundation - although any dewy foundation would work very well! :-) Then to brighten up under my eyes I have been loving using Bare Minerals Bare Skin Concealer - you only need a tiny bit as it spreads far and wide! I have the shade medium. 

To add some colour onto the face I used Maybelline's Dream Touch Blush in 02 Peach. It has a creamy formula which means that it blends seamlessly into the skin and contributes to the fresh look which I personally do not think that a powder blush would do as well. I then went back in with Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl for extra sheen. To finish off the look I went for a simple tinted Vaseline in Rose. 

Hope you have all had a fab day! 

Sarah Marie x

In-Flight Travel Essentials

As I will be jetting off on holiday in a couple of days I thought I would share with you some of my travel essentials for my carry-on bag :-) Travelling is something I get very excited and passionate about as I love to explore new cultures and cities so expect to see more travel pictures and posts in the near future! 

Aside from the obvious travel essentials such as your purse, phone, passport I think my number one must-have item is a really good pair of headphones. As a nervous traveller they help to block out any noises that the plane makes and music also keeps me distracted and helps me to relax. This rose gold pair is from Frends. 

I also like to pick up a magazine at the airport to flick through to keep me entertained and distracted :-) You could also bring a miniature notebook and pen to doodle or play games such as noughts and crosses with a family member or friend! 

Some beauty essentials I like to bring with me are a concealer (this BareMinerals one is super brightening!), a lip balm (this EOS mint balm is great at saving dry lips and smells super fresh) and a miniature perfume to spritz on at the end of the flight. You can find these in a duty free shop at the airport or sometimes you can purchase them on the plane. My favourite is Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh.  

Tissues always come in handy whether you need to dispose of chewing gum, accidently spill something or get the sneezes mid-flight they are a must! 

Lastly, for longer haul flights I suggest an eye mask to get some sleep in. It will help you fall asleep and can block out the tiniest of lights for those passengers who may want to keep their light on during a night-time flight. I personally love a silky one as it is super comfortable and soft against the skin :-) 

Tip: For those of you have jewellery you wear daily a mini pouch is great to pop into your bag so that when you go through security or are asked to remove any jewellery it will not get scratched or lost in your bag!

What are your travel essentials?

Sarah Marie x

Frank Body Coffee Scrub: First Impression

A coffee scrub has been on my list of beauty bits to purchase for over a year now and the brand that I had heard most about was Frank Body. They have a great presence on Instagram with a huge fan base and their brand image seems very playful, girly and quirky so I decided to check them out :-) First off I was very impressed with the selection of scrubs available not only just for your body but their range extends to products for your lips and face. Secondly was the easy access I had to the products to the UK considering they are an Australian based brand - the price of the products are extremely affordable (£12.95) and there is free shipping what more could you ask for!? I decided to opt the Cacao Coffee Scrub and once I clicked the purchase button it arrived within three short days. 

As soon as the cute little package arrived I tore off the top (which is re-sealable woo!) and was submerged into a heavenly smell of chocolatey coffee. Now, I don't know if you have ever smelt ground coffee but it is amazing and when that is mixed with a chocolate twist you are in heaven. It is just like a mocha smelling body product. 

As I was super eager to test it out I had an early shower that evening and after reading the instructions took a small scoop of product into the shower with me. Top tip: Do not take the package in it is made from brown paper and will go very soggy! I would say it was a little annoying having to carry it in my hands as some of the little granules fell out and I also had to stand in the shower without getting the product wet at first but it was worth it. 

The main area that I wanted to focus on was my back so I took a good amount from my hand and started massaging it into my back. It was a lot coarser than I had expected but it felt like it was really doing a good job at removing any dead skin I had. Then after I had completed that section I took the remaining coffee granules and scrubbed them all over my body. I would say that this definitely would not be a daily product for me as I have fairly sensitive skin but it would be nice to use two or maybe three times a week :-) 

Once I had finished I showered off the remaining granules and that was when I realised how messy the whole process was as the granules became stuck to the bottom of my shower and were not going down the drain. However, once I was out I was able to clean them up fairly easily with a wipe. 

As soon as I got out the shower I had to see how soft my skin was and my shoulder area/top of the back felt the smoothest that it had in a long time. As for the rest of my body I wouldn't say it felt crazy different but I did use one less scoop than the recommended amount so I will have to try that next time! I finished off by putting some Lush Vanilla Dee Lite all over my body and the next day my skin felt just as smooth!

Overall I would have to say that I absolutely adore this product because hey a little mess never hurt anyone ;-) 

I will continue using this product for the next couple of months and will let you know how I get on with it in and how well the product lasts me! Have you used a Frank Body Scrub before or any other coffee scrub? :-)

Hope you have a lovely Sunday!

Sarah Marie x 

April: Collective Haul

I have been in a little bit of a spendy mood recently and accumulated a couple of items that I have absolutely fallen in love!

The first is this jacket which I absolutely adore! I don't know if anybody remembers but there was a jacket very similar last summer in Topshop that every fashion blogger owned (for good reason!) and I was delighted when I found this gem in H&M. It is nice to have something in a different colour from black to freshen up an outfit and the faux suede adds a lovely texture!

Na-kd is a brand that I discovered recently who are based in Sweden and have a whole range of clothing including their own and other brands. Their own line is super affordable with very cute underwear and they have free international shipping and returns - bonus! This underwear set fits true to size and is extremely comfortable :-)

A couple of days ago, I was putting my make-up on to discover that my foundation had nearly run out (boo)so I had to quickly run into House of Fraser to pick up another of the Nars Sheer Glow. I have the shade Stromboli and have an olive skin tone :-) It is my holy grail foundation and I can see myself using it for many years to come. 

Whilst in House of Fraser I noticed that Korres had a buy one get one free offer on their shower gels. My sister had recently purchased Santorini which smelt divine so I was interested in seeing what the others were like. Water Lily Blossom is their most recent addition and is basically spring in a bottle! They are £8 each or if you can get your hands on the 2 for 1 offer go and get one now!

Another spring scent I have picked up is Victoria Secret's Pink Wild & Breezy Body Spray. I picked up the travel size as I am going on holiday soon and it will be perfect for me to take the beach or just pop in my bag so I can freshen up when I am out and about :-)

P.S. Sorry for the lack of blog posts recently I have been really busy with uni work! 

Sarah Marie x 

Spring Playlist

This past month I have been obsessed with discovering new music and artists on spotify. There is nothing better than waking up and putting on some tunes that put you in a happy or chilled out mood :-) Here are my top ten picks:

Bubblegum - Mystery Jets // Two Minds - Nero // Circles - MDWS // Roses - The Chainsmokers, ROZES // Swings & Waterslides - Viola Beach // Drive - Glades // Hurricane (Arty Remix) - Halsey // Eighteen - Dive In // Sun Models - ODESZA, Madelyn Grant // Somebody Else - The 1975

You can check out my 's p r i n g // v i b e s' playlist here. 

Sarah Marie x

March Favourites

March has been such a lovely and happy month so I thought I would share with you some of my favourite things :-) 

I have been really big on beauty this month trying new products, re-trying old ones and really trying to make my skin feel at its best! The Body Shop's Chocomania Body Butter has been a real life saver once I have shaved my legs as it really helps to keep that soft buttery feeling. The product does take a little while to really sink in but believe me it is definitely worth it! 

Personally, primer's can be very hit and miss and to be honest I am not sure how much of a difference using Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer has had to the staying power of my make-up but boy oh boy does it make my face feel smooth and silky. It is a real treat to apply and leaves you wanting to stroke your silky skin all the time! 

There is not one thing I could possibly fault about Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in glisten (apart from the fact that it is very hard to get hold of in the UK - boo). It is the perfect colour for my olive skin, a lovely peachy shade with specks of gold swirled in between and applies like an absolute dream. The name of it is also very apt as it does indeed 'glisten' when it catches the sunlight. 

Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution Lipstick in Between The Sheets is actually a very recent edition towards the end of March but I have to put it on every single day. It was launched for Valentine's day (hence the cheeky name) and is that beautiful perfect rose pink colour. I think that is is a great universal shade that would look good on any skin tone :)  

For day time I have been loving wearing simple, flattering tees and my favourite store to purchase them from is Brandy Melville. I particularly love this one because of the lovely blue shade and the white writing adds a nice touch - especially as I have bit of an obsession with California.. 

I think a body should be a staple for everyone's spring/summer wardrobe - they are so easy to throw on, make it look like you've made a bit more of an effort and save you from the pain of constantly having to tuck t-shirts in and checking they have not got bunched up! I particularly like this Topshop one because of the cut out detail which is great for going out and the dusty rose shade is so gorgeous! 

Since I have returned home for Easter Break, I have found that I have distanced myself from university work (oops!) and feel like I have got behind. When I was at uni I had a weekly planner that I would fill out to make sure I was on top of my workload and I found that writing lists really helped me to achieve my goals. I forgot to bring it home with me so I was thrilled when my sister gave me this marble (yay!) daily journal that I can use to help me be more productive. Every page has multiple sections to fill out such as: date, objectives, notes, to-do list, projects, time-tables making it a list makers dream. 

I think it would have been impossible to have written this post and not mentioned my beloved dog. I received him as a birthday present around 5 and a half years ago and he is my absolute world. I miss him terribly when I am at university which makes it even more exciting to go home! There is nothing that I have been loving more than going on daily walks with him - it just puts me in such a good mood :-) 

What are your current favourites for this month? 

Sarah Marie x

Spring Beauty

Recently I have re-discovered some old goodies, as well as picking up a couple of new beauty bits which I am loving and think are perfect for the spring time. 

My make-up routine is pretty much the same everyday but one thing that I do like to switch up is my lipstick. After hearing numerous bloggers and vloggers speak about Rimmel London Only The One Lipsticks I had to run into town and see what the hype was about myself. I was generously gifted the shades 'It's A Keeper' (a fresh pink) and 'Naughty Nude' (a toned down pink) and I have to say I understand the hype. They are extremely creamy to apply, yet have great lasting power and they smell great too - bonus! 

I tend to go through phases with nail varnish and when I returned home I found this gorgeous lilac gem in my drawer. It is in the shade 'Rainy Day' by Topshop and instantly injects a pop of colour into any of your looks. 

As my hair is long in length I like to give it extra nourishment from time to time with Lani's Tropical Hair Treatment. It is an oil made from natural ingredients that you apply to your hair, leave to absorb in and then shampoo/conditioner off in the shower. It leaves your hair smelling lovely and gives it a great spring refresh - you can read my review on it here. Another product I have been loving is Lush's Jason and the Argan Oil's Shampoo Bar. You apply it directly to your hair and when you rinse it off your hair feels squeaky clean! My hair has also been looking much shinier and that I've spent that extra bit of effort on it. 

Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Toilette Spray is the perfect in-between season scent as it is florally yet retains that warm feeling that winter scented perfumes have. 

What are your spring beauty must-haves? 

Sarah Marie x 

DIY: Easter Egg Jars

Todays post is a little different for me but I knew as soon as I stumbled upon these DIY Easter Egg Jars on Pinterest I would have to create my own and share it with you. They do take some time to make due to the painting but they do add a lovely personal touch for an easter gift :-) You can fill them with whatever you like chocolates, sweets, easter egg hunt clues, a candle or easter baking goodies. 

What You Will Need

• Glass or Mason Jars
• Coloured Paint (Wall Paint Samples work well) & Paint Brush
• Easter Stickers 
• Crochet/Decorative Trim 
• Jar Contents of Choice
• Shredded Coloured Tissue Paper 
• Glue & Scissors & Sellotape 

DIY: Easter Egg Jars Method

Begin by cleaning out the jars, leave them to dry and then place your stickers of choice on the jars. I would suggest getting fairly large stickers so that you can see the contents of the jar. The next step is to paint each jar the colour of your choice, with acrylic paint you will need a fair few layers waiting approximately 40 minutes between each coat whereas with the grey wall paint I only needed two coats which was quick and easy to do. It is optional here to paint the lid of your jar or you could cover it with a fabric of choice. 

Once you have left the jars to fully dry peel off the stickers to reveal cut-out shapes - if there is any sticky residue left you can take a cotton ear bud and nail varnish remover to remove it. Whilst creating the jars I found that the bunny and easter egg shapes worked well whereas the chick did not so I re-stuck the chick back onto the jar. Next I took my white flower trim cut it to the correct length, placed it accordingly on each jar and stuck it on with some glue. For extra security and strength I did place a small discrete strip of Sellotape at the end on the back. 

The last step is to fill up your jar! To add some extra height and padding I placed shredded tissue paper into the bottom and then poured the sweets or chocolates into each jar :-)

Let me know if you decide to make these jars or if you have any other favourite Easter DIYs! 

Sarah Marie x 

A Fashion Week Round-Up

As the fashion weeks have now come to an end (boo), I thought I would share with you my favourite show from each city. It was very difficult to choose just one so I have thrown in a few more here and there :-)  

New York

An unusual mix of nautical and fairytale-style garments completely wowed me at the Tommy Hilfiger show. There were delicate soft prints clashing with thick black stripes, leg o mutton style sleeves, peter pan collars and beautiful embroidery. The silhouettes were feminine with knee-length skirts skimming from the hip, wide-leg trousers, and hotpants were matched with cinched in crop tops. This collection evokes the ultimate feminine holiday style. 

London

Anya Hindmarch's collection was as fun, kooky and adorable as ever and as for the colour palette it fit seamlessly together. Oversized, cool and cosy would be the best way to describe the collection with beautiful construction, pixelated prints and surface decoration. I think there is definitely bonus points here for the wearability of many of the garments for day to day to wear :-) 

I must also mention that for me Burberry does it right every season and they are always one of my favourites. I was also mesmerised by Markus Lupfer's cool AW16 collection with bright prints placed onto dark black fabrics giving off serious attitude and Belstaff's fearless collection that would make the perfect street style.  

Milan

Dolce & Gabanna stole many girls hearts, re-visiting every little girls dream with a stunning show inspired by Cinderella. There were princess style dresses, flowers, intricate embroidery and every detail of the story of Cinderella was cleverly placed onto garments. And as for the finale it was an amazing glitter shower that also evoked the brands Italian heritage. This show was definitely the icing on the cake and I urge you to go and look through the photos from the show now! This look and this look are two of my favourites :-) 

You should also definitely check out Max Mara's bold statement collection. 

Paris 

I have always had a soft spot for Chloé's romantic bohemian style and they definitely did not disappoint. There were capes, frills (of course), drop-hem dresses, blouses and many of the looks were finished off with a neck tie. On the other hand there were interjections of masculine garments with oversized leather overalls, biker style jackets and trousers. The collection was composed of a range of whites, creams, tans, baby blues, lavenders, burgundys and appropriate darker shades for the season. It was a very fresh and varied collection :-) 

What was your favourite show or moment from autumn/winter 16?

Sarah Marie x 

The Topshop Bodies

Although the weather has been looking pretty bleak recently, I decided to invest in some bodies for the spring time to wear in the evening. I think they would be great layered up for the day time too :-)

As I had a Topshop voucher I decided to head there to see what they could offer and I was delighted by the selection that they had. I did have a look online the night before but as there was lots of mixed reviews I thought it would be best to go into the store and try them on for myself. 

The first one I picked up was made from a black cotton jersey material which featured a plunge neckline with ribbon strap details. As it is black it will be a staple timeless piece in my wardrobe that will be interchangeable with many of my clothes. If you are considering buying this I would advise to try it on in two different sizes as due to the ribbon detail across the neckline not being elastic it can sit differently across the chest :-)

The second body that I found was in a beautiful soft pink colour yet was made from slightly thicker ribbed material. Similarly to the first one it is cut fairly low but features a T-Bar detail on the neckline which I personally find to be a tad more flattering on the body. In comparison to the black one the poppers are a lot smaller yet they do feel a lot more secure :-) I have already worn this paired with black jeans, black heeled boots and a black duster coat and felt very feminine in the outfit :-)

What are your favourite spring pieces?

Sarah Marie x 

Spring Wishlist

When I think of spring fresh flowers, warm sunshine, rain showers, adventures and new beginnings spring to mind (pardon the pun!). I was looking back on old photographs the other day and I began to wonder what this spring might have in store for me. I started to compile a little list of things I would like to achieve or do such as buying fresh flowers for my room, practicing my drawing skills, trying new recipes and visiting exhibitions and I created a mini mood board for me to aspire to.

As a visual person I find a mood board a great way to collate all my thoughts, ideas and inspirations together. One thing I would really like to push is my style because as I mentioned in a previous post I have been stuck in a rut for quite some time now and as somebody who is extremely interested in fashion I find this to be a tad frustrating. It is not the fashion that has put me off but the amount of choice I have has often left me feeling overwhelmed and confused as to what I am searching for. By finding images of outfits, jewellery and clothing that I like it has really helped to clarify key pieces that I would like to invest in :-) 

One of my favourite things to do is set myself little goals and my main one for spring is to learn about photography. I began this semester taking a photography class as part of my degree but switched to another class when we were told we would have to do weekly submissions. Admittedly, the only reason was because I felt that I would be inadequate as everybody else in the class had taken the module last year which looking back was silly of me but I knew that there would be a chance for me to learn in my own time which is what I will do :-)

I think that the main point I am trying to get across is to take this new season as an opportunity to learn new things about yourself, have fun with it, and make every moment count :-)

"Simplify - Be Mindful - Stay Inspired - Work Hard - Set Goals - Travel More - Smile Often"

Sarah Marie x 

Review: 30 Days of Yoga Challenge

One of my goals for 2016 was to become fit and active, so towards the end of January I took it upon myself to start the 30 Days of Yoga Challenge. It is a series on YouTube created by Adriene Mishler (Yoga with Adriene) a trained teacher who invites you along to practice yoga with her for thirty days. She also has many other yoga videos on her channel whether that be for night time, beginners or runners catering for all. Her mantra is 'find what feels good' which I think sums up the practice perfectly as there is a lot of freedom within each video. If you are a beginner like me or more advanced with yoga, Adrienne provides multiple options for different levels within each practice which is great :-) 

Equipment
One of the great things about yoga is that you need very little equipment. At the start of the challenge I was simply practicing on a folded up blanket which worked well but I decided to invest in a yoga mat about a week in as I was really enjoying it and found that it gave me better grip. You can find them very cheap at outlet stores - mine was only £8.99 which is great! Blocks are often mentioned within the videos to help 'bring the earth up to you' - a fancy way of saying a higher platform for you to rest your hands or sit bones on. However, I do not feel that they are necessary to purchase and Adriene often suggests simply using a book or a similar object. In terms of work-out gear leggings and a loose or tight fitting top will do just the job :-)  

Self-Motivation
To help motivate myself to engage daily with the yoga practice I created a chart with all of the days on it and made it nice and colourful. After I had completed the practice I had the satisfaction of crossing that day off. Similarly, I liked to write it on my to-do list for that day. Another tip would be to roll out your yoga mat or blanket the night before and place your workout gear next to it so the next morning you are prepared to go straight into the exercise.   

Benefits

Review
I could not recommend this yoga series more, I think it is a perfect starting point if you are wanting to lead a more active lifestyle. I also find it to be a great mood booster and makes your body feel energised rather than tired and relaxed for the day ahead. It certainly stretches you out in a very satisfying way too. The main benefit I gained was definitely my flexibility, within a week and a half the heels of my feet were sitting firmly on the ground during downwards dog and towards the end of the challenge I could easily do a forward fold and touch my toes :-) I also noticed that I had greater control of my body with more strength in my arms, core and legs. There were a few days where I couldn't fit it in in the morning and I would do it at night but here I chose to do a video from her yoga for night time playlist (which makes you feel very sleepy and relaxed!) and then resumed the challenge the next day. As the challenge progresses you get more familiar with some of the moves and can move your attention away from the screen and really work on your body :-) The videos range from 12 to 34 minutes long so are the perfect length for them to easily fit into your day. 

I am moving onto another 30 day challenge practice this week but I am going to aim to do one yoga video a week as I have found it as a form of exercise I thoroughly enjoy!  

What are you favourite fitness exercises/challenges? :-)

Sarah Marie x

Collective Haul & Favourites

Fashion
For a couple of months I had been stuck in a fashion rut where I wanted fresh pieces yet I couldn't find a single store that offered me something different or that I liked. That was until I went to London and visited one of my all time favourite stores Brandy Melville - I love the brands californian aesthetic and mostly how soft their clothes are!  

I have been living in this grey sweatshirt with 'California' embroidered onto the front - it is loose fitting yet feminine due to its cropped hem. The hem also has a raw edge giving it that perfect relaxed and undone feel, making it a perfect staple piece for those days when you want to be comfortable but still feel good. 

As the weather has seriously started to drop, I decided to also invest in a black hoody. Once again it has a raw cropped hem and is slim fitting - perfect for throwing on before you go out the house :-) 

The last item that I picked up from Brandy Melville was a simple grey long sleeve top with a dropped curved hem at the back - great for pairing with some leggings. It is tight fitting on the arms yet has a more relaxed fit on the body and best of all is super soft! 

If you hadn't noticed already I have a bit of an obsession with the clothes that I buy being soft, comfortable and easy to wear at the moment. Last year I bought the grey pair of Calvin Klein's infamous underwear and fell in love with how they fitted seamlessly onto the body. A few weeks ago Urban Outfitters were offering 20% off to students so I knew I had to snap up the black pair before it was too late! 

Books & Stationary

Can we just take a moment to appreciate the beauty of this weekly planner? Anything that has marble on it I am instantly attracted to and when I saw this I knew I had to have it :-) As a big advocator of writing to-do lists, this is perfect. I like to be able to see what I am doing throughout the week and find that it helps me to manage my time, weekly budget and prioritise tasks efficiently. CJ Designs offer lots of aesthetically pleasing stationary that I am sure you or a friend will love! 

Photography has always been a creative field that I've wanted to explore, and to fulfil this I picked up the 'Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs' book from Urban Outfitters. I am currently half way through and have found it very fascinating and engaging. It is clearly laid-out, the technical terminology is broken down and thoroughly explained, and of course features many amazing photographers and their photographs! A must-read :-)  

Skincare

In 2015 one of my go-to products was what I thought was a massage bar from Lush yet it would always leave my skin covered in sparkles which I couldn't understand why! It turned out that when I went to re-purchase the product I read the description and it was a solid body lotion with a hint of shimmer (oops!) I therefore decided to purchase an actual massage bar called Soft Coueur because it was the same heart shape as the last product I was mistakingly using! I am yet to use it but it smells divine with hints of almond oil, cocoa butter and shea butter that will melt into the skin :-) 

What products have you been loving this year?

Sarah Marie x