A Simply Classic Bag: Cambridge Satchel Medium Leather Push Lock Bag

So it's been a while since I made my last blog post mainly due to the fact that my life has been so busy with work and I have just not found the time to sit down and write a post. However today I decided to take some time out and do just that. Recently I have sort of been on a handbag ban and decided to sell the ones I don't use and try to scale down my collection. This was mainly because half of them I never really used and I decided it would be nice to make room for some new ones that I might actually use.

So last week I was just internet browsing and came across this beauty from the Cambridge Satchel Company. Called the Push Lock bag and soon as I saw that it came in the colour Oxblood, I had to have it. For some reason I just love the colour oxblood in a handbag it's sort of my weakness!

I have always wanted to own a bag from the Cambridge Satchel however I found that their satchel were not suited to me. Mainly because they were just a pain to open and shut and they were a bit on the bulky side to carry around with my everyday as an everyday handbag. This bag seems to be more my style because it's so small and compact and it is perfect for carrying your everyday essentials around with you.

This bag comes in three sizes and in the end I ordered the bag in the medium size which is perfect because it just fits my phone, keys and my slim purse in it. I also love the fact that you can remove the strap to be able you to use the bag as a small clutch.  Over the past few days I have really fallen in love with this handbag and to be honest I wouldn't mind another bag like this one but in the large size maybe in the colour tan. If your thinking about treating yourself to one a highly recommend it because it's just such a simple bag that is so well made. 

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Pets at Home Pets Parcel for Cats Review

So nearly everyone has heard of subscription boxes for humans, where you get sent around five random items to try out each month from different brands but what about buying one just for your pets. Well at Pet at Home they have introduced the idea of a Pets Parcel, that you can buy either your cat, dog or rabbit a box of random surprises.  The cat and rabbit parcels only costs £10 each and the dog parcels start from £15 and all of them can contain at least 5 surprise gifts for your pet. On the Pets at home website it says that in the parcels have specially selected products that range from tasty treats, entertaining toys, hygiene products and more.

Not only are these Pet Parcels are a great way to spoil your pet with once in a while but Pets at Home have made these a fantastic buy. Claiming on their website that "you will save at least 40% when compared with buying the same products separately at standard retail price that means your parcel is worth at least £16.50".


So here is what I found my Pets Parcel for Rosie:

Spot Lap Mat £5.00

Willow Knitted Bird £3.50

Willow Trio Felt Balls £5.00

Sisal Mouse £1.00

Vet Kitchen Little Hearts Crunchy Chicken and duck £1.39

Healthy Bites (around £1.50 not online)

Overall by buying the Pets Parcel, I saved around £7.39 if I brought all the items together and I have to say the box did contain some really nice products that I wouldn't have even thought of buying for Rosie. Her favourite item in the box has to be the Spot Lap Mat because its feels so warm and soft to sleep on. Pets at Home do change the products in the Pet Parcels now and again so I would properly buy Rosie another one in the future.

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Lush Tisty Tosty Bath Bomb Review

This was kindly given to me by Zoe as one on my leaving gifts from my past job and it's not a Lush product that I have ever come across before or something that I would have ever picked up for myself. The bath bomb to me smells mainly of roses and once dropped into the bath the rose buds start to appear in the water. As soon as the product starts to dissolves, the smell of roses is amazing and the scent fills the bathroom.

The only downside I found with the bath bomb was it wasn't very spectacular because soon its dropped into the bath the white around the roses just fizzed away and you were left with the rose buds. It also keeps your bath water the same colour which could be classed as a good thing if you don't want your bath full of glitter like some of Lush products do.

I have to say the this product made me feel so relaxed and If you didn't want to use the whole bath bomb in your bath this one would be perfect to half so you could get two baths out of it instead of one.

Would I buy it again? No. To be honest the bath bomb smelled amazing however for the price of £3.35 it is a bit on the expensive for what it is and does. I also found that the rose buds freaked me out a bit floating around in the water with my because they remind me of the times moths fly into your bath water in the summer and you not noticed. But on the other had it's a nice bath bomb if you just wanted to treat yourself and is a product that isn't going to make a lot of mess in your bath that will need cleaning up afterwards. 

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The Yorkshire Soap Company

As one of my leaving gifts from my last job, my friend Zoe kindly brought me a gift from the The Yorkshire Soap Company which came beautifully wrapped up in their packaging. I had never heard of the company so I didn't really know what to except when I opened the box and inside was this beautiful cake slice. I had never seen anything so pretty in my whole life and because I love baking it was just such a thoughtful gift.  Not only did the cake slice look amazing but it smells incredible, this one smelt of Apple Blossom. It is so pretty I don't really want to use it!

Apple Blossom Cake Slice

I was showing everyone at worked the photo of the cake slice on my phone and they all thought it was real until I told them it was made completely out of soap! A few of them mentioned they been to The Yorkshire Soap Company in my local town York so I decided I had to go and see for myself what all the fuss was about. I went around Christmas time and the store was full of Christmas decorated cupcakes and soap gingerbread men. It was like being in a winter wonderland of things made of soap. Everything smelled amazing and they had whole cakes in different scents cut up into slices that you can buy. It is one of them shops that you really need to experience in person.

   

Birthday Cake Slice and Bath Truffle 

I have now fallen so in love with this brand that for my birthday my sister even brought me a birthday cupcake in the scent Rhubarb and Custard, with a birthday candle which was really sweet of her.

Birthday Rhubarb and Custard Cupcake

The Yorkshire Soap Company also sell cupcakes, Bath Truffles, Bath salts, soap and Bath bombs which can make really unique gift for someone who likes baking. If your ever visiting Yorkshire its worth popping into one of their store.  

Bath Bombs

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Yankee Candle Candy Cane Lane Review

Every year, Yankee Candle release their Christmas edition scented candles into the UK shops and until now I wasn't that fussed about wanting to purchases any of them. So, on the off chance I thought I would take a look in Clinton Cards (who are my local stockist for the candles) to get a chance to be able to smell the candles before they are no longer available. To be honest none of Yankee Christmas candles seemed to smell off anything special that I hadn't smelt before. Until I picked up the scent Candy Cane Lane and the smell just hooked me in.   

The smell reminds me a lot of my favourite ice cream, Mint choc chip! The candle just smells off peppermint but not a smell that is sickly at all. Yankee Candle describes the scent as being made with "tingly peppermint, sweet cookies and creamy vanilla icing". The only negative I found while burning the candle is, that compared to most of the Yankee Candles that I have burned the smell of this scent is really weak. Because you can only smell the candle while you're in the room unlike some that you can smell throughout the house.

Overall, I am so in love with the smell of this candle and just in case Yankee Candle don't  bring this scent back out next Christmas I have just brought myself a larger version of the candle in the sale as backup for next year. If you love sweet smells then this candle is definitely for you! 

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The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt Review

I had my eye on this product from The Body Shop for a while now, however I just felt I couldn't justify spending £8 just on bubble bath. But lucky enough The Body Shop sent me a discount code to get money off so I couldn't resist and I ended up buying it and only paying around £4 which wasn't a bad price. I really do love my bath products however The Body Shop don't seem to have many products such as bubble bath or bath oils in there shop so I decided to give this one a try.

What the product does: According to The Body Shop website this product creates creamy bubbles, leaves skin feeling softer and smother and contains a rich floral scent which contains Community Fair Trade honey made from the nectar of thousands of wildflowers.

My thoughts: Even though this product is called Honeymania, it doesn't have a honey smell to it; it has more of a sweet floral smell to it. This product is very runny so you only need to but a small bit into your bath tub.  I have to say after using this product my skin did feel a lot softer so I have to say that claim is true.

Downside? When using the products you have to scoop some of the mixture out with your hand and place in the water which is very thick and can get a bit messy. So it would have been nice if a scoop came with the product or if your careful poor a little bit out of the tub.

Would I buy this product again? Yes, I think I would definitely buy this product again, even at full price you do get more than 15 baths out of this product which is good compared to some products on the market. Also what I love about this product compared to some bubble bath is that the smell of the product is not lost when the bubbles are created the whole bath smells so nice. I would love it if The Body Shop brought it out in some more scents.

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Review: The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue

Ever since getting back from my trip in London my feet have been so sore from walking in my converse so I thought I would buy this intensive foot rescue cream to help bring my feet back to life. I read so many great reviews on The Body Shop website I thought I would try it out for myself.

What the product does: According to The Body Shop website this product is for feet that is in need for some TLC and works by you rubbing this cream into your feet twice a week and leaving it on overnight for a overnight moisture-booster. This product is meant to help soften hard skin, rehydrates dry heels and helps to combat odours.

My thoughts: The smell of this product is amazing it is meant to smell of Peppermint however to me it reminds me the smell of mint chocolate chip ice cream which brings back so many childhood memories! Even though this product says use on night-time before bed I use this product as normal in the daytime and it works fine. The product itself feels like butter and soaks straight into your feet when you're using it. From the first use it has made my feet so much softer and has started to repair my cracked heels.

Would I buy this product again? Yes, the smell of this product is amazing and from the first use I can really the notice the difference to my feet.

xxx

Used Up Empties: Everyday Product Reviews

Here are a few of my everyday products that I have used up lately and my thoughts on them:

Superdrug Hand Therapy Intensive Cream: This product gives you really quick relief from dry hands however I felt after not using after a few hours my hands quickly became dry again. So I felt that you have to keep using it to keep your hands soft throughout the whole day. 
Would I buy this product again? No 

Nivea Pearl & Beauty Shower Cream Oil: I always seem to pick lots of these Nivea shower creams up when they are on offer because they are great value for money. They leave my skin feeling soft and smelling so nice; they also come in a wide range of scents. 
Would I buy this product again? Yes

Sanex dermo extra control 48H Roll: I love all of the Sanex range of deodorants they all give you that lasting 48hour protection and have never let me down. This one is my favorite from the brand because it smells so fresh.  
Would I buy this product again? Yes

Simple Spotless Skin Deep Clean Cleansing Pads: I love the brand Simple, all their products are so affordable and work wonders on your skin. You get around 60 pads in this small tub and they help fight against getting spots. This leaves my face feeling smooth and reduces the number of spots that seems to appear on my face. 
Would I buy this product again? Yes

Pantene Pro-V Shampoo Repair & Protect: This is one of my favorite shampoo that I buy a lot because it leaves my hair soft and in great condition. Because I am always straightening my hair nearly every day I feel that this shampoo protects it from the damage. 
Would I buy this product again? Yes

TRESemmé Salon Sleek Straightening Spray: This product seems to last me well over six month and I recommend it to anyone to buy it. Some hair sprays leave my hair feeling greasy however this product doesn't. I find it perfect to use on my wet hair. 
Would I buy this product again? Yes

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Handbag Review: The differences between the Marc Jacobs Percy and the Flap Percy

I have been thinking it would be very useful to do a blog post to compare my two Marc Jacobs Percy handbags together, to see if there are any differences between the two handbags.

First Difference: Closure - Well looking at both handbags the flap Percy has a flap with a popper closure and the Percy just has a zip closure. Even though the both close differently they both have actually have the same amount of room inside.

Second Difference: The Inside Lining - My purple Percy has the old Marc Jacobs lining which is what I love most about the Marc Jacobs handbags. However on their newer handbags like my Flap Percy they have now changed the looked of their inside linings to the same colour lining as the handbag itself with their logo printed on it.

Third Difference: Inside the handbags - The flap Percy has a back inside zip pocket that I love having inside my handbags to keep things safe whereas the Percy just has a pouch bit inside the front of the handbag to place your phone or keys in.

Forth Difference: The Straps - What I love most around the Percy is that you have the option on removing the strap so it can be used as a cross body handbag or a handheld clutch. However on the flap Percy you can't remove the strap but both handbags have the same strap length that can be adjustable to suit you.

I love both of these handbags and I think these handbags are perfect for everyday use if you don't want to take a lot with you when you go out. Hope this has helped someone who is looking into buying either of the bags

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Why Didn't I Get One Sooner? - Tangle Teezer Hairbrush Review

I know these Tangle Teezer hairbrushes have been around for years however recently I been looking for a new hairbrush that I can use on my wet and dry hair and this hairbrush does that job perfectly. I picked this Tangle Teezer up in the hot pink colour because I always seem to lose my hairbrushes all the time so this one should stand out a mile when it's hiding from me. 

When I first saw this brush in its box I thought the bristle of the brush were going to be made out of hard plastic however instead the bristles are really soft and flexible which is perfect to use on sensitive heads. 

At first this brush feels odd when you first use it because there is no handle to grip onto but after a while you learn to grip tightly so unlike me it doesn't fly out of your hand when your brushing your hair.

Since using this, my hair has become a lot smoother and it takes hardly any time to brush it. I also love how this brush doesn't pull and yank your hair out when getting rid of my tangles. Some reviews that I read on this product say that Tangle Teezers actually make your hair healthier (I see if this true for me after I used it over time). I would definitely recommend this product to anyone that is looking for something to get rid of the knots out of your hair without it hurting. I kind of wish I brought this product sooner because I am so impressed by it.

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Updated Review: Collonil vs. Ink Transfer on Leather Handbags

I have already done a review of this product (here) a while ago however I wanted to do a quick update on it. Recently I started using my leather Marc Jacobs handbag and even before I used my new handbag I used this product to waterproof it from the wet weather here in the UK and like I said in my last post I was hoping it would stop ink transfer from happening to.

I been using my handbag on and off for a few weeks and I have noticed that ink transfer has started to happen on my leather Marc Jacobs handbag even though I pre-treated it with this product. So I took my Collonil Leather Gel and cloth, applied a little over the ink transfer and it came straight off.

Ink transfer from my jeans onto my bag handle

Applied the leather gel onto the cloth which removed the ink transfer of the leather

Like new 

So overall it you are looking for a product that get rids of ink transfer from your jeans on your leather handbag I would recommend this product to help remove the stains from it.

xxx

Review: Mandara Spa Bali Santi Relaxing Bath Soaks

After discovering Lush bath bombs I have wanted to try other bath bombs from other brands to see if they are as good as the ones that I buy from Lush. Recently I had my eye on these ones made by the company Mandara Spa however for a while I been putting off buying them due to the price of them, they normal cost around £7 to £8 for four mini bath bombs which seems a lot of money to me. They do look like bath bombs however they are labelled as "bath soaks". 

One day, I was walking pasted the reduce section in the shop and noticed that there was a pack of them which has be reduced to just 99p because someone has taken one of the bath soaks out of the packet so I couldn't resist them being so cheap.

To use them you just drop one or two of the bath soaks into the running water and swirl them around and then relax. Each bath soak is filled with rose petals and exotic aromas of coconut and spice which smells really strong when you unwrapped them out of their wrapper however soon as you place them into the bath all their scent is lost. For me all the bath soak did was make the water a little cloudy and filled it with the mess of rose petals everywhere not so good if you have to clean the bath out after you finished. By the time I finished my bath most of the rose petals had disappeared so I only had a few left to get rid of.

Overall, I am so happy that I didn't pay full price for this product and for anyone who is thinking about purchasing this product as a present or for themselves I would strongly recommend getting something from Lush instead for the price of these. After my bath I felt that these bath soaks didn't do much at all for my skin so I don't think I would ever purchase these again.

xxx

Cambridge Satchel Company 2014 Autumn Collection

I know summer has hardly started here in the UK however the Cambridge Satchel Company has just launched their new 2014 autumn collection online. I have to say there new collection is to die for and if money wasn't a problem I would buy one of each of the new designs for myself. Here are some of my favourites from their new 2014 autumn collection:

1. Expedition Satchel: they have introduction this type satchel in a wide range of colours and two different sizes for men; I really love how this bag looks.

2. The Clutch: I believe this is an existing bag that company have in their collection all year round but for the new season they have brought it out in oxblood and a two-toned colour black and biscuit for the autumn season. I love how this handbag comes with a detachable strap so it gives you the option to wear this handbag two ways.

3. Twist Lock Satchel: this satchel has to be my favourite item from the new collection as a whole; I just love how this satchel looks in the oxblood colour. I also think if you hate the idea of always having to do up the buckles on your satchel this handbag is perfect because it only locks with a twist lock.

4. The Cambridge Satchel: for the new season they have added some new colours into their collection such as hot pink version in the size 11" to 13" and aubergine in the 11" to 15"

5. The Mini: the company have release a mini version of their well known normal everyday size satchel that comes in lots of new colours for the autumn such as oxblood, aubergine, red and two toned editions black with biscuit or black with peach pink. These satchels start at the price £125 and for the toned editions £145. 

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Review: Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure (Nintendo 3DS)

Another game that I have recently completed and would like to share with you all is this game called Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure for Nintendo 3DS. I brought this game a month ago for around £4.99 from Argos and to be honest the first thing that came to me is, it must be an awful game because it is so cheap. However in this case don't judge a game by its price because I found this game to be a little gem. Most reviews say this game is like Professor Layton meets rhythm with lots rhythm theme mini games that you have to complete. 

I have to say that some of the levels at the beginning of the game are really easy however to say that this is a 12 plus I found some of the levels quite hard towards the end however this game got very addictive trying to completed them so you can go onto the next step. I think that the characters and story line is well thought out however the only downside to the game is that the overall story doesn't come to a finish and is sort of left in midair and to be honest the game is quite short. So I would love to see a sequel to the game and for the price it's definitely worth it for the game as a whole.

Plot line: the plot line is based around a boy who is called Rapheal but he has a secret identity called Phanton R who is looking his father all set in the scene of Paris. While on the search he comes across a girl called Marie who is looking for her mother so they both set out on the journey together.

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Review: Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo 3DS)

Sorry for the lack of blog post these past weeks it's because it is all down this game called Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: AceAttorney for 3DS. This game has had me hooked on my 3DS for days so it is only right I do a blog post about my thoughts on it. To be honest I am not a big gamer and the only game systems I own in my life are a Nintendo 3DSxl and a Dreamcast.

Since completing the Professor Layton series a month's back I have seemed to abandon my 3DS for a while because I didn't know what to play next. Sure, I was playing on Animal Crossing on and off however I just missed the gripping storylines and mysteries to solve. To be honest I was in two minds whether or not to buy this game because I loved the professor Layton series however I had never played any of the Ace Attorney series, so I wasn't sure if I would like that side of that game and was the reason why I was putting of getting it. However last week I finally gave into my doubts and brought it and I am so glad that I did.

Soon as you start the game the storyline is so gripping and makes you want to play on for hours just so you don't have to turn the game of at a cliff-hanger. I love how both sets of character come together in the storyline and to be honest I am thinking about playing the Ace Attorney games now because of it, I just loved the characters in this game. I also so am amazed at the graphic, mini video clips, voices of the characters and how well the storyline is planned out.

The plot line: The way in which both character come together is due to a girl called Espella who is from a place called Labyrinthia that doesn't exist on a map. She is trying to escape from some witches that were chasing her and she arrives at Professor Layton office holding a book and asks the Professor Layton and Luke tries to help her. Luke the sees a bird at the window which turns out to be a witch in disuse and kidnaps Espella dropping the book she is carrying. The book is based on the history of Labyrinthia and inside the book it shows what will happen in the future. The professor and Luke open the book and are absorbed into the book and end up in Labyrinthia. Meanwhile at the same time Phoenix Wright and his assistant Maya have come over to London for a one of court case. Low and behold their client they are defending is Espella after the court case she leaves her book behind. So Phoenix and Maya open the book and are transported into Labyrinthia. Then both sets of characters end up meeting and working together to find out the secrets of Labyrinthia.

For me personally if you have never played either of the Ace Attorney or Professor Layton games I think this game is a great starting point for anyone who is thinking about getting into them. Sure there are a few characters that I remembered for the Professor Layton series but to be honest that is it. Overall it has to be my favourite game that I have played so far this year and I am kind of sad it all over I really open both Professor Layton and Phoenix Wright have more games coming out for the 3DS.

xxx

Review: Collonil Classic Leather Gel

Recently I have been looking into buying a leather product to use on my new handbag and I came across this one by Collonil called leather gel. The reason why I brought this was because every handbag I seem to have always seem to get jean transfer on the back of it. However since investing in a more expensive and first leather handbag I didn't want jean transfer to happen again. So I did my research and I found this product by Collonil. This product is mainly used for water proofing your leather items and stops water marks being left on your handbags so I hope it this will also stop some jean transfer happening.

I know Marc Jacobs don't recommend that you use any products on your handbag and you should leave your handbag completely naked however I felt I couldn't risk it. The leather Marc Jacobs uses on his handbags is very similar to Mulberry's handbags and Mulberry recommends Collonil products to use on their handbags.

About the product

As some of the online reviews state a little of this product does really does go along way. This product can also bring your dull leather products back to life. Before using this product make sure you test a small amount of the product somewhere hidden on your handbag to make sure it won't change the colour on your handbag. I tested it on the back of my handbag strap. 

 The way I used the product on my handbag was I used a Collonil cloth and dipped the cloth into a bit of the gel and rubbed it onto my handbag and left to dry.

What else I used the product on

I also used this on my work shoes to make then waterproof and used on our leather sofa. After adopting Rosie the cat we didn't realise how much damage her claws can do especially to the leather sofa.

How I used it on the sofa

1.      Wipe down the area with a damp cloth

2.      Dry

3.      Rub in Gel

Even though the gel didn't get rid of the damage marks on the sofa it did reduce the look of them.

Before

After

I will keep use updated how on whether or not it did stop jean transfer or not.

xxx

Review: Coffee Galore Lily Flame Candle

Recently on the candle front I picked up another candle from the brand Lily Flame in the Coffee Galore scent, and I absolutely love the smell of this candle.For me if you are a big coffee fan then this candle is perfect for you, it smells just like coffee it reminds me of walking into a coffee shop and this is the smell that you are greeted with. Again, it has the four wax triangle sticking out of the candle at each end and comes in a beautiful presented in a coffee coloured tin.

I will leave you with some more photos of the candle:

To see my last review on the Fairy Dust Lily Flame Candle it is here!

xxx