'Flowers can't solve problems, but they're a great start'

Bloomin' Wonderful.

Earlier on this year my cousins asked if I wanted to join them on going to a flower arranging class, hmm I'd never been to a flower arranging class before, the only flower arranging I'd ever done come to think of it was pulling out the weeds from my dogs fur after she's had an adventurous run in the fields!

I agree'd and off we went one evening into the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham, I didn't really know what to expect, I always feel a little anxious inside when I'm going to do something for the first time. My cousins and I arrived at the chosen venue and walked up some stairs, there was a little sign which indicated the way into the room set aside for the class. My cousin opened the door and instantly I was hit with the most beautiful scents, I didn't know what had hit me I felt like I'd walked into some sort of Narnia full of colour and sweet fresh smells. All the anxiety I had went right out the window there and then I was in awe of all these beautiful flowers surrounding me!

After a few minutes had passed and the room had filled, full of equally excited women, a voice arose from the middle of the room welcoming everybody. The voice belonged to Katy. Katy is who sets up the flower arranging classes and has her own little flower studio called Bloom Collective. Bloomin' brilliant is what she is! She continued to explain the class and gave a demonstration, giving key tips for creating the perfect bouquet. The thing I loved about Katy and this class, there were no rules, there was no wrong or rights, you could do any and everything - you were the designer and the judge of your own bouquet.

Katy had laid out numerous plants, flowers and greenery all along the room and she allowed everyone in the class to chose whichever materials they desired to create their own bespoke bouquet. She came around to chat to everyone and helped when needed. It was fabulous, I completely lost track of time my mind was completely indulged in this new world of blooming tulips and eucalyptus stems.

The class started to come to a close and people started to tie up their bouquets and leave, my cousins and I got Katy to tie and wrap our bouquets and off we went all with equally big smiles on our faces. I couldn't quite believe how fascinated I was with what had just happened, I mean how did arranging flowers in my hand create such happiness - madness I tell you!

Anyway one of my cousins quite clearly saw how much I enjoyed Katy's class, as for my birthday she brought us tickets to a wreath making class. FYI - What a good present! However my birthday was in June...I always associated wreaths with Christmas, but hey I thought at least I'll be the first to get their christmas wreaths on the door.

This time Katy's class was in the Mailbox in Birmingham, I then learnt all of her classes are in different venues all around Birmingham - quite exciting really. Katy recognised my cousin and I as we walked into her class and we said our hellos, but my attention was already drifting, the flowers in my surroundings were not holly berries or ever greens, these were pink and purple and yellow flowers, rainbows of colours, a hundred varieties of different greens dotted everywhere - this was not a christmas wreath class but a Spring wreath class. Who knew wreaths aren't just for Christmas ey'!

The class was brilliant, just as the first was, I had so much fun learning about how to intertwine all the different types of flower and such into the wreath template. Again there was no right and no wrong and this what I absolutely LOVE about Katy's classes, she gives you the complete freedom to be comfortable in creating what you believe is perfect for you.

I've loved going to Bloom Collectives Flower Class's and my cousin and I are hoping to book onto her Christmas wreath class! If you're interested in flower arranging, creating wreaths or just want to go out and do something different and put a smile on your face then I would highly recommend trying out Katy's class if your in the West Midlands area.

Here's Bloom Collective's website, go and check it out, Katy is such a talented florist and she also does wedding and events.

Have you ever been to a flower arranging class before - let me know if you have, as I bloomin' LOVE them!

P.S my Spring wreath is STILL going strong in September - all the flowers used have dried beautifully!

My Best Friend’s Wedding

25.08.2018. Always & Forever 

On the 25th August 2018, I opened my eyes at 5.20am, I was in my best friend's spare room. This was it, today was the day I told myself, today is the day my best friend gets married...

Now this blog post is a little different to my normal posts however  I had a day I just had to share with any and everyone who wants to reads about it! 

I’d been so excited for this day to come, my best friend (of almost a decade!) was finally getting married,I remembered the engagement like it was yesterday - it was Christmas Eve 2014, I was actually sat on the loo in my local pub and my phone pinged, I remember unlocking my phone and just seeing the words IM ENGAGED!!I couldn’t bloody believe it, I remember saying out loud OH MY GOD (a phrase I often say)  and the woman in the toilet cubicle next to me asking if I was okay, I shouted back YES and my best friends engaged! She must have thought I was a right looney! All I could say was OMG and I couldn’t wait to hear all about the proposal and see the ring! 

Time moved on and after the initial super excitement started to fade, the enagagement party was announced - Hoorah! Bloody love a party me, especially when it’s celebrating your best friend’s life plans! So off we go to 14th March 2015, I remember looking down to the dance floor and seeing her, she was so happy grinning ear to ear holding the love of her life, my best friend was so content, she was glowing! I couldn’t help myself but run over and announce myself as the third wheel to my bestie and her new fiancé. We danced that night away, full of drinks and laughter, rather a lot of drinks actually...! 

Next we fast forward to around July 2016, my bestie came over for a routine ‘cup of tea Sunday’ we were slumped in the corner of  my sofa taking about the house she’d just brought, it was such an exciting time - her new house was down the road from me, I could literally walk there in 15 minutes (although to this day a 2 minute car ride is still far more appealing than a 15 minute walk). She told me about the house renovation plans and what rooms they were going to start stripping back first. Then she looked at me and said I’ve also got some exciting news, she explained her fiancé and she had been discussing the wedding and they’d agreed on a date, the 25th August 2018. It was perfect, beyond that brilliant - it was the date of their anniversary and it was just over 2 years away so she still had plenty of time to do up her house before the wedding. Good god there were so many OMG moments that Sunday, new house, wedding date set - exciting things were happening for my girl.

Right now I’m taking you to the 29th May 2017, it was a bank holiday and I was getting ready to go shopping. My partner, Aaron kept stalling and I was getting so frustrated I remember asking him why he was faffing around so much when we were meant to be in full shop mode! Eventually he caved and said he was expecting someone to arrive at ours, I assumed it would be one of our parents maybe? A few moments later the door knocked, I ran over and peeked through the peep hole of my door and saw her, my bestie and her fiancé. I opened the door not even thinking it was she who I needed to stay in for, she walked in and I said I’m waiting for someone to come over and she just smiled and said yes it’s me! I was so confused but regardless I popped the kettle on and into the living room we went, she pulled out her wedding save the dates - ah now it all made sense, they were beautiful, so classic and elegant. I put the save the date on my fridge, made the teas and walked back into my living room to find a floral box on my coffee table and my friend grinning ear to ear. I love presents and I LOVE surpises, so you guessed it I did a few OMGs! Moments later I’d opened the top of the box, there was a little envelope so I took that first I saw the word almost immediately and my heart starting bursting with happiness, it was a bridesmaid proposal! Of course I said yes, I was so happy, over the bloomin moon! The box was filled with cute poems confetti and a wax melt, the whole thing melted my heart to be honest. So thoughtful, so lovely. 

Now I won’t go into too much detail but some time went on, ALOT of planning went on, many many secret  bridesmaid meetings were held, a lot of wine was drunk and Marbella was booked,planned and ready to go for the Hen do! Now we were set to go to Marbella the 10th May 2018, however on the 11th April 2018 I came home from a weekend away and saw a handwritten envelope with my name on. I got exited because well let’s be honest I could tell it wasn’t a bill and that’s 99% of post I get these days! I started opening the envelope and yep you guessed it a huge OH MY GOD came out of my mouth, I actually ran straight into the bathroom where my partner was on the toilet and I shoved the contents of the envelope into his face - ‘look LOOK’ I kept saying over and over. My best friend had given me a little card asking for me to not only be her bridesmaid but if I would be her Maid of Honour, well dear lord I thought I was going to have some sort of heart attack from being so happy! I went to sleep that night with a smile so big my cheeks actually hurt! 

So...Marbella, all I’m saying here ladies and gents is what happens on a hen stays on a hen! But in all truth it was the best weekend away I’ve had, the entire bridal party all got on so well, we all had such a blast! The one moment I will treasure forever from that weekend was when I was helping my best friend, the bride to be, get into her “all white” outfit (of course we’d given her a heads up and an idea on what outfits to bring) she looked so beautiful all in white and glowing - quite literally from her recent holiday. Her outfit was complete, or was it, I ran to the bed and grabbed her veil I popped it onto her head and we went to look in the mirror, I was stood watching her look at herself all dressed up, the bride to be, it was all for her, my eyes welled up as did hers, and we had a little moment where we needed a cry, there was so much emotion, it felt real now, she was getting married, my best friend was no longer going to be a miss!

29th July came, less than month to go until the wedding! There was another hen do, of course us Brit’s like to have as many celebrations as possible. Day drinking never goes a miss! Everyone partied all day into the night and the bride to be went home very merry with a bunch of balloons. 

And well, this was it, the build up of 4 years was now happening! It was 5.20am and as my eyes opened in my best friends spare room I just couldn’t believe today was the day she gets married. 

The day was perfect, I’ve been to weddings, to great weddings, to family weddings, friends weddings but this one was different. This was one I’d never forget, this was one that would stay with me forever. 

Now to say this day was emotional would be an absolute understatement! There’s nothing to describe the happiness I felt that day, being such a big part of my best friend’s wedding. I loved every moment, from helping the mother of the bride decorate the house the morning of the wedding, to making tea and coffee for the makeup artist and hairdresser, to helping the brides father tie up his dickie bow, calling the best man to pick up the flowers, helping the bride to be put on her veil, to being stood in front of the church looking at the altar ahead and turning back smiling at my best friend, this was it. I took one step looked over my shoulder at the bride to be, the last time she would be a miss, I walked down took my seat in the aisle, and then it was her turn to walk, there she was, the most beautiful bride, the dress little girls dream of, every single hair put in place, a veil long enough for rapunzel, she walked past like a true princess and well that was it the ceremony began. 

The entire day was filled of tears, tears of joy, over emotion, laughter - I felt like every moment was a memory I just couldn’t forget, every time I looked at the clock hours had gone by the day was slipping by too quickly! The photographs, the venue, the speeches and the first dances were magical, everything went so perfect, the entire wedding was just like my best friend, elegant, classic and simply beautiful.  

Now we start to come to an end (Im sure some of you are glad to know my longest blog post to date is finally ending) the night drew in, the bridesmaid dresses started to rise, the boys blazers were off and the party was in full swing. I ran behind the DJ box and requested a song, the DJ nodded and within seconds I heard him mixing in the beat of the song I asked, instantly she ran to me, my best friend knew straight away it was our song, we were on the dance floor for the entire song just laughing, spinning around and holding each other, it was done, my best friend was married, she’d had the most perfect day and here we were dancing the night away to the most magical day. The song finished and I gave her the biggest and the longest squeeze, we smiled, laughed and I knew in that moment, I was so lucky to have this girl as my best friend.

Emma and Will, you both had the most perfect day and I am so thankful to have been a part of it! Your wedding was one of the best days of my life, full of memories I’ll treasure forever. So here’s to you two, the new Mr and Mrs Grant.

So there you have it guys, my longest and most emotional blog post (so far!) I hope you enjoyed it! 

P.S sorry to those who thought this post was about the film my best friends wedding ha-ha!

P.P.S well done if you’re actually still reading and made it to the end of the post :) 

Dog Friendly Dining

Hi Guys,

So todays post is about my favourite pub, I love it so much I felt the need to share it with you all!     Tom O'the Wood Country Pub and Restaurant is in Rowington (heres the exact location to be precise: Finwood Road, Rowington, Warwickshire, CV35 7DH). Me and my partner stubbled across this place by fluke just over a year ago, we were walking down the canal and wanted some good grub in our bellies and to our surprise we found this place still open and serving food after 9pm! So we went in and we've been hooked ever since. The first thing I need to tell you is that this pub is dog friendly, yep you read that right ITS DOG FRIENDLY! For someone like me who prioritises their dog over anyone and everything I was overjoyed to find I could have my dinner with my beautiful doggie sat by my side. 

Tom O'the Wood is dog friendly and even has cute little treats for the dogs that go in, there are three sections of this pub, there is the restaurant where dogs cannot go and then theres the conservatory restaurant where the dogs are allowed to roam, and a bar and lounge area in-between connecting the two areas- I personally prefer the conservatory settings as you can look out onto the gardens and canal.

The owners dog also makes a frequent appearance which I love, his name is Boris and he's a beautiful pooch, when I first took Molly in I was a bit apprehensive seeing other dogs in there not knowing how Molly would react but the owner lead Molly in to meet Boris and made sure Molly felt comfortable, she even went into the kitchen and brought out some steak for her (spoilt dog!). 

Now I don't just love this place because I can take my dog with me ( although that is a major winning point for me) I also love the food there, whether its a Thursday night pie, Fridays Fish and Chips or just a cheeky pudding on a weekend evening I love it all. I have quite literally tried almost all of the menu and I have never complained, (the daily homemade soup is amazing!). 

Another great factor about this place is that all of the food is sourced from local suppliers and farms and everything is homemade - and we all know you can't beat home made food. 

This place is great all year round too, whether your going in the winter for a nice cup of tea sat on the couch or going in the Summer and sitting in the garden with a beer and Tom O'the Wood chicken in a basket (also one of my favourites) it never seems to fail me. This place is always thriving too and being a dog owner I always meet other dog owners or people who want to start conversation by talking about Molly - it just brings a great friendly atmosphere.  They also have live music nights, so its a great place to go for night out and let your hair down. 

The location of this pub is also great, me and my partner love to walk the canals with Molly and go into the countryside now and then ( Sheldon doesn't really have too much greenery!) and its perfect to be able to go for a long walk and come back to a nice cold drink watching the sun set and relaxing.  

I've recommend this place to countless friends and family and me and my partner come here all the time; birthdays, valentines day, dates nights - you name it and we're there. I really can't express how much I love this place and I just needed to share it with you all! 

Here are a few photos from my last visit and let me tell you that Oreo Creme Brûlée went down very nicely :) Let me know if you pop up and take a visit, I'd love to know what you think. 

  

 

  

  

   

     

Roots Away!

Hi Guys,

Todays post is all about hair roots - the bane of my life! Now its pretty clear I'm not a natural blonde and it really doesn't help when my super dark natural hair decides to have a growing spree, I feel like I'm always at the hairdressers paying for another T-section or half head these days and let me tell you it's getting pretty costly. So I decided to have a look around and see if there was anything that could hide my roots or at least make them less obvious, I just wanted something to help hide my roots for those last 2 weeks before pay day! 

And hoorah to my surprise there are LOADS of root hiding hair products, I genuinely spent 45 minutes in my local boots store walking up and down the same hair aisle picking up various items and swatching/spraying anything that had a tester available. The poor assistant in Boots actually asked me three times if I needed any help, she clearly thought I needed it or just wanted me out of the aisle (most likely the latter!) 

So after much picking and choosing I came home with 2 products; The John Frieda Root Blur (£9.99 on offer usually £14.99) and the Loreal Magic Retouch Root Touch up (£6.99).

 Now I choose these two products mainly because they claimed they did exactly what I wanted, hide my roots quickly and easily, but also because I noticed through all of the products out there it's either a spray or a powder form so I thought buying one of each was a fair test!  

 I've put below my hair with no product in (lord jesus I know the roots are bad!), then the second image is with the John Frieda Root Blur and third image is with the Loreal Magic Retouch. Please excuse the hair frizz I had to wash my hair in-between the product testing and my hair got very static (oops!)

Now after using both of these products the Loreal one is my favourite hands down, I think that it covered my roots the best, it took literally less than 60 seconds to do and it's only £6.99! The John Frieda one was good however the coverage just wasn't as good, and because it was a powder it took me a good 5/6 minutes trying to cover my roots with the brush they give you.  

I love how I could just spray and go quite literally with the Loreal product. I'd definitely recommend this for in-between your hairdresser appointments. I was so pleased with how thick the coverage was of my roots as my natural hair as you can see is such a dark brown, I can only imagine if you have grey roots coming through this spray would work even better! 

Both brands have their products in various different shades to match your hair colour, I choose Platinum to Soft Gold in the John Frieda product and Light Golden Blonde in the Loreal product. 

Overall I'm really pleased I've found something that will help hide my roots and it only costs me £6.99. Have you ever tried something like this? Let me know!