Prezzybox's Jingle Mingle

Sunday 29 October 2017

On Thursday of 26th October. I was invited by Prezzybox to their Christmas Jingle Mingle event which was held in the downstairs bar at Baresca.
This was a jam-packed evening of networking with local bloggers and YouTubers, Perfume making workshops with The Perfume Studio London and Christmas wrap workshops. At 8pm there was a panel discussion with YouTube sensation Becky Sheeran (her YouTube channel is TalkBeckyTalk go check her out. She's lovely) along with Prezzybox who were sharing all of their knowledge with growing your social media platform and collaborating with brands.
I arrived at 5:30pm and was greeted by Rhiannen (who is the marketing assistant for Prezzybox). The room was a festive grotto filled with present balloons, glittery stars, fairy lights, christmas trees and a cheeky little Elf on the Shelf (which I think was watching me and making sure I was on my best behaviour before Christmas arrives).
Each table was decorated with a range of Prezzybox's weird and wonderful range of gift ideas. Click here to view over 1000 gift ideas on their website.

If you have been subscribed to my YouTube channel for a long time then you will know that I'm a big mermaid fan. My favourite products were the Mermaid - Lip Balm Duo and Make Your Own Mermaid Kit.
Also what caught my eye was the Polly Pocket Bag because I used to collect Polly Pockets when I was a child. The Polly Pocket Bag brought back fond memories of my childhood. Watch "Toys From The 90's" video on my YouTube channel if you would like to reminisce with me.
I created my own bespoke fragrance with The Perfume Studio's perfume workshop. Myself and a small group of bloggers all sat around a table to create our fragrances. The set up was a long row of small jars with perfumes at the bottom of them. They each had paper strips which were labelled with names and numbers.We had to pick 3 scents which was a base, middle and a top to create a fragrance. I picked 19 Gourmand (Base), 9 Heady Floral (Middle) and 4 Fruity (Top).
Ben (@Benjanosek) mixed my chosen scents together and put them in a small bottle for me. I called my fragrance "BunnyMoonstone".
My scent is a mixture of fruits and florals. I absolutely love my fragrance and I want to order this in a bigger bottle next time.
It's a wonderful gift idea to create your own bespoke scent for a special occasion such as a wedding or birthday. I would love to try the more in-depth workshop with The Perfume Studio in the future. Click here to explore the different workshops that you can experience on their website.
Use the code JINGLEMINGLE which will get you you 10% off the Design Your Own Fragrance Kits. It is valid for 30 days (Expires 26th November 2017)

Then at 8pm it was time for a panel discussion with Becky (@TalkBeckyTalk) and Fran (@Fran_Prince88). It was a inspiring talk about working with brands, growing your content and tips on how to use social media to it's maximum potential. It has opened my eyes to the possibilities with my platform and has helped me to take my content in a new direction as from now.
The panel discussion has made me re-evaluate about who I am and what I have to offer to my audience.
I've realised that I am not the best blog writer and I really struggle with describing a place, situation or atmosphere.
It's not what I would call my strong point. However, since I started blogging in 2014 my writing abilities have improved.
I have realised that I have to play to my own strengths which is communicating visually. From now on I will be concentrating on filming YouTube videos. This is because I always get great feedback on my videos. It's time that I got back into posting videos weekly. I will be carrying on with my blog but I'd like it to be more photography focused.
The panel discussion has given me a new sense of direction and where I want my journey to go next.
Thank you Becky and Fran for inspiring me to take my content to the next level.
At the end of the evening we were each kindly gifted a personalised goodie bag each to take home. I think that Prezzybox captured my personality rather well as I was given a cupcake shower cap, bath crayons and a drinking fudge hot chocolate. I have a massive sweet tooth and enjoy a cosy bath on these dark autumn nights.

I'd like to thank Prezzy Box for a wonderful evening and inviting me.

Watch the official Jingle Mingle video on Prezzy Box's YouTube channel.
Watch my video below :)
Bunny Hugs,

Hayley

xxx
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BlueBirdTea Co's PARTEA in Nottingham

Friday 27 October 2017

On Tuesday 24th October I was invited by Ellie (@EllieCreation) to the launch party of BlueBirdTea Co.
BlueBirdTea Co was born in Nottingham in 2013 and I'm thrilled that they are now open in Nottingham. The friendly staff, decor and the amazing tea aromas warmly invites you in and I will definitely be returning again for another visit.
The launch started at 6pm. Everyone was welcomed with a cocktail from a menu which consisted of 3 cocktails to choose from G+Tea, Spiced Rum Chai and a Unicorn Fizz. I tried a Unicorn Fizz which was a vodka, vanilla, lemon and blue raspberry tea blended with ice. This was called a unicorn fizz as the tea changed colour when the lemonade was added. Magical!
Chocolate treats and sweets were on offer from The Treat Kitchen and Oozee Boozee Bakes.
BlueBirdTea Co is ready for Christmas as their range of festive flavours are available. Gingerbread, Snowball,Christmas Cake and so many more. Click here to view the whole range on their website.
Me and my blogger friends really enjoyed smelling the teas and picking out are favourites. I had so many that I couldn't pick just one. I managed to narrow it down to "Bonfire Toffee" and "Cherry Bakewell" as I have a rather sweet tooth. I think that all of the tea blends are beautiful to look at and make a great picture for Instagram.
Down stairs there was a tea blending station to create your own tea to take home. I created white and coconut tea. I haven't tasted it yet but I will on my Instagram story so follow me there to see a live reaction.
BlueBirdTea Co runs tea mixology and blending workshops if you fancy making your own then why not give it a try.
Also you could have a go at print screening your own BlueBirdTea Co tote bag with "Nottingham" underneath the logo.
My degree is in Fashion Design and I loved screen printing so it took me back to my university days. Thanks to Sarah (@EntirelySarah) for helping me film when I screen printed my tote bag for my vlog.

Watch the video below on my YouTube channel.
You can find BlueBirdTea Co at
5 Victoria St
Nottingham
NG1 2EW

Bunny Hugs,

Hayley

xxx
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Intu Victoria Centre Autumn Trends Bloggers Event

Sunday 22 October 2017

Back in March I was invited to Intu's Spring Fashion Event so I was absolutely thrilled to get another invitation in my email inbox to their Autumn Trends event. 

On Saturday 21st October at 1pm Intu Notts Bloggers met outside of the beauty hall in John Lewis as the first part of the afternoon was receiving a make over. Samantha from Intu greeted us and showed us to our allocated brand counters. I was given Bare Minerals which is one of my favourite cruelty free beauty brands. 
For the next hour I had a make over by a member of staff called Emma. She was lovely and attentive to all of my needs. She wrote everything down in a booklet from my skin type to the make up which was used for my make over
Emma made me feel very at ease to try new colours. I thought to myself "this is make up and it can removed at the end of the day, so let's try something new".

Emma completely transformed my face so I had smooth matte skin, subtle contour, winged eyeliner and a bold ombre purple lip. I loved my final look and it's something which I wouldn't normally wear. It's great to get a different perspective on what others think would look great on you. I'd recommend that you give it a try sometime as you might be pleasantly surprised. 
loved the process of learning about each product and how to apply it correctly. I was particularly impressed with Bare Pro Foundation
This is because the shade "fairis the right match for my porcelain skin tone.
I was pleasantly surprised that only pumps of Bare Pro Foundation would give a full coverage on my whole face.
My oily to combination skin needs full coverage when it comes to foundation because I have break outs and acne scars to hide. 

After the make over all the bloggers headed over to Thaikhun for a cocktail and to be set our Autumn trend hunt by Samantha. All bloggers had to pick a envelope out of a small bag at random. Each envelope contained different Autumn trend along with £20 gift card to spend iVictoria Centre with the hashtags #getpartyready and #intunottsbloggers to use on social media.

The trend which picked was Precious Metals.
We had hour to complete our challenge.knew that wanted a cruelty free make up look for my trend. So headed off in search for my products at Superdrug and Boots.
The first product which brought was Barry M Metallic Liquid Lip Paint Liner in the shade COUTUREThe lip liner is light nude and the lip paint is dark metal pinkThe kit was £6.99.
I've read so many good reviews of Barry M Lip paints and their staying poweralso brought Barry M Molten Metal Nail paint for £3.99 in the shade PINK ICE.
The final product which brought was the NYX Cosmic Metals Eyeshadow Palette for £8.00This is beautiful eyeshadow palette which consists of beautiful metal pinks golds and purpleshave had my eyes on this palette for awhile and was thrilled to be able to buy it for my trend.
In total spent £18.98 which meant that was slightly under budgetYay!
At 4pm all of the bloggers met at Caffe Rizzoli for cocktails and cake. This was a great opportunity for everyone to come together and to show each other what trends we had and what we had brought. I ordered a Pornstar Martini cocktail (one of my favourite cocktails since I tried it at the opening of Roxy Ballroom) and a Carrot and Caramelita cake with ice-cream. It was absolutely delicious and went down very nicely.
I hope that this blog post has inspired you with how you could style up this years Autumn trends.

I'd like to thank Intu Victoria Centre for inviting me to a great event. I had a lovely afternoon. 

Let me know in the comments below if you think I succeeded with the Precious Metals trend.

I'd also like to thank Emma at the Bare Minerals counter in John Lewis for doing a wonderful make over on me, Thaikhun and Caffe Rizzoli.

Bunny Hugs,

Hayley

xx

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Salt Of The Earth Natural Deodorants Review

Tuesday 17 October 2017

When I attended the Green Festival at Nottingham's Arboretum park in September. I mentioned in the vlog that I have become more conscious over the past year about what beauty products I use. I switched to cruelty-free beauty in April last year and it's been a slow journey of converting over to natural alternatives. The most recent swap is deodorant as I have been researching and learning about the effects that aluminum and chemicals has on the body when regular deodorant is used. 
I have been using Salt Of The Earth  Crystal Travel Size Deodorant over the past couple of weeks and I am impressed with the product and how excellent it works. I will never be going back to regular deodorant with the information that I know about it now and how effective Salt Of The Earth deodorants are.
Since I wrote the short review on my blog Salt Of The Earth saw it and contacted me via Twitter. They asked if I would like to try 2 of their deodorants from their new collection in exchange for my opinion.
I jumped at the opportunity because I love what Salt Of The Earth stands for by all their products are made in the UK, they do not test on animals, suitable for vegetarians and vegans and the ingredients are natural.
The new collection is a natural deodorant in a spray bottle which is avaliable in various scents. Click here to view the range on their website. I love how they have a great selection of fragrances to choose from.
I got sent the Salt Of The Earth Rock Chick "Sweet Strawberry" and "Pura Aura" scented with melon and cucumber. Both fragrances smell lovely and not too heavy. The Sweet Strawberry is my favourite out of the two because sweet scents are more to my personal taste. I think the melon and cucumber smells more of a refreshing scent which is ideal for hot summer days.
For £5.99 in each deodorant you get 100ml of product which is a fair price for the amount that you get. I think that every time you spend your money, you are casting a vote towards what kind of world you want.
This is why I would rather pay more for a natural deodorant because I know that it's better for my body,  it's contributing to a good company who promote natural ingredients, looking after your health and against animal testing.
The packaging is colourful, clear and full of information about the product. I love the points on the back of the product stating what it does and the ingredients that it contains.
For each arm pit, I only need 3 sprays which I found gave me full coverage and long lasting protection all day. These deodorants do not leave any residue or marks on the clothes.
I would highly recommend these deodorants and if you are thinking of switching to natural deodorant then why not give these a try.

I'd like to thank Salt Of The Earth for sending me their products to try and liking my content :)

Bunny Hugs,
Hayley
xx
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Roxy Ballroom Opens In Nottingham

Monday 16 October 2017

I was invited on the 12th October at 6:00 pm to the opening of Roxy Ballroom before it opens to the public on the 13th October. Roxy Ballroom is located above MOJO which opened back in July. I was invited to their launch party. Watch the vlog below.
I can only describe Roxy Ball Room as a colourful UV lit graffiti grotto of Nottingham's famous landmarks mixed with American 50s style dining. If you appreciate street art like I do then I would recommend that you check this venue out and take your camera with you to capture funky snaps of the graffiti.
I was warmly welcomed by the PR team and handed a glass of prosecco with 3 drinks tokens to use at the bar for the evening.
As I looked around I noticed that there are plenty of gaming tables and enough space for players to play.
Everyone who was invited had access to free beer pong, table tennis, and pool all night. Me and Jessica (@AnounceOfGrace) had a little game of ping-pong which was fun. Waitresses came around the venue serving pizza slices, quarters of burgers and garlic dough balls. Yum :)
Roxy ballroom has a good vibe as it's laidback and easy going. I loved the music as it's my taste. Greenday, Fallout boy, Blink182, Offspring and lots more. It's a social activity bar so there is no wi-fi so it encourages you to put your phone away and enjoy time with friends, family or a date.

I didn't like this at first because my phone contract doesn't allow me to use data. I personally like having wi-fi at venues as I can share my experiences live with my followers on my Instagram story or Twitter. I saved every photograph, boomerang and short video and uploaded them when I got home. I was glad of this in the end because it meant that I could socialize more with bloggers and take in the surroundings more.
I sampled 2 cocktails of the evening from the menu which was a Pingstar Martini (which is a passionfruit martini). I really liked the fruity taste and it went down smoothly.  I also tried a Ballzee Move cocktail which is Roxy's version of a strawberry daiquiri. Delicious!
My favourite part of the evening was the photobooth (just outside the front doors of Roxy Ballroom). Me, Jay, Jessica and Rhiannon all crammed in with our cocktails and took lots of photos. I like collecting memories and not things.
Watch the vlog below.
Thank you for a great launch night Roxy Ballroom.

Find Roxy Ballroom at
First Floor
10 Thurland Street
Nottingham
NG1 3DR

Check out their social media
Twitter
Instagram

Bunny Hugs,

Hayley

xxx
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Growth

Friday 6 October 2017

When the TimeHop app appears at the top of your Facebook news feed. Isn't it crazy when you look back at old Facebook status updates from years ago and realise how much everything has changed?  It's truly fascinating how many people have left my life, entered and stayed.

It's weird how we live day to day and think that nothing changes when actually it constantly does all of the time.
The status which came up on my Facebook newsfeed was back in 2011 and has inspired me to write this blog post about growth.

It made me realise that today I've become everything that I wasn't 6 years ago. I've grown into someone who loves themselves and is not afraid to stand up for their beliefs. I am not afraid to let go of what isn't working in my life. I'm not afraid of trying new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone. When you start something new it doesn't always feel positive at the start until a few weeks or months later.

The difference from then until now is that I now respect myself and listen to my own needs.  When you are an HSP (highly sensitive person) like I am then I think it's important to meditate and spend time with yourself to be in touch with your own feelings and needs. I've found that when I was younger I was easily influenced by people and what they thought of me. As I am getting older I have go of other peoples expectations and it's a liberating feeling.

I remember in the past how uncomfortable it felt for me to say "no" to others or even explaining how I felt when something had upset me because I didn't want my feelings to be a burden to them. It sounds absolutely ridiculous when I write it out now but it's the truth. That's who I was at one point in my life.

When you speak up for yourself,  let go of toxic people, situations and what you can't control in life then you feel free.

Perhaps it was all supposed to happen in my life so I can be this person who I am today. I really love who I am now and that's the biggest difference. I'm aware of what good friendships and relationships are because of self love.

My advice would be love yourself and see how your life changes for the better :)

Bunny Hugs,

Hayley

xxx
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The Botanist Opens In Nottingham

Wednesday 4 October 2017


Last night I was invited by TANK PR to attend The Botanist VIP opening evening. The Botanist which was previously the Fire and Ice bar has transformed into a secret botanical garden of delicious food and drink. 
I asked my friend and fellow blogger Gemma (TheGemAgenda) to attend as my plus one. We booked our table for 6:30 pm. I was warmly welcomed by Helen (from TANK PR) and The Botanist staff. I was shown to my table by the friendly waiter who served my table for the duration of the evening  and I was instantly offered a drink and water for my table.I love when restaurants offer water and I think it should be mandatory at all restaurants.
My first impression of The Botanist is that it's a beautiful restaurant with its quirky antiques and trinkets. I couldn't wait to take photographs for my blog and documented the evening on my Instagram story.
I was impressed with the wide range of 45 cocktails (mostly with a plant-based twist), spirit and beer menus. My first cocktail of the evening was a Raspberry Mojito and it was delicious.  I don't know how the staff juggle making lots of cocktails at once. I definitely couldn't keep up with the pressure.
Gemma joined me shortly after I arrived and we dived straight into the food menu and decided what to order. The food menu has lovely home comforts such as scampi and chips, BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers, Deli boards and The Botanist’s famous hanging kebabs.
Jay (@Jayleeallsopp) and Jessica (@Anounceofgrace) joined our table (the more blogger friends the better I say!) and we all chose different starters. I had sweet potato fries which were very tasty (soft on the inside and crispy on the outside). We tucked in and enjoyed listening to the live music. The music was at the right volume as I was able to interact with my friends and hear everything they were saying. I hate not being able to communicate properly in a venue.
After our starters, we moved onto mains. I decided to go for the Chargrilled Chicken Burger with added bacon. All burgers come with fries. This was served in a cute wooden tray and I thought it was a nice idea as for when I eat burgers it can be a messy (but tasty) experience. The burger was nice and filling.
I sampled two more cocktails (which I would highly recommend for you to try). The first was the "The Botanist" which is a mixture of rum, vodka and elderflower syrup. 
The second was the Apple and Peach plant cocktail. A cocktail served with dry ice and when it fogs over your table, it's mesmerising to watch and makes a lovely Instagram boomerang. 
Then for pudding, I had the baked chocolate chip cookie dough with vanilla icecream. It came in a little cast iron pan. It was very sweet, gooey and delicious. I have a sweet tooth but even I couldn't finish it all.
What I would say overall is that the interior and exterior at The Botanist is beautiful. The longer that you stay then the more quirks that you notice. I had a lovely meal and cocktails. The staff was hardworking and friendly. The Botanist is a quirky and different dining experience which makes it well worth another visit. I'd love to return again soon.
Thank you for inviting me @TankPR and @TheBotanistUK. I had a enjoyable evening.

Follow The Botanist on Twitter and Instagram. Check out their website at http://thebotanist.uk.com

If you would like to experience this for yourself and continue the journey. The Botanist opens to the public on the 9th October.

The Botanist West Bridgford venue is at
40 Bridgford Rd
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 6AP

A botanical world awaits!

Bunny Hugs,


Hayley


xxx
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