Susie Watson Designs, Cambridge

This week, I was lucky enough to be invited to my first event in Cambridge. This was by no means my first event with brands and bloggers, but I was still really excited and nervous to meet everyone at the new Cambridge store for Susie Watson Designs. The store was beautiful and I couldn't wait to share some pictures with you:

The old Jessops store on Green Street has been completely transformed into a pastel paradise filled with pottery, fabrics and homeware goodies. The handcrafted and handpainted items are beautiful, with cute designs featuring fruits, animals and hearts. I particularly love the tiles, which I can imagine creating a pretty and chic kitchen, and the dog beds and bowls were very tempting for a dog owner like myself! I love the idea of adding the bright pom pom trims to some cushions and the small glass jars holding daisies littered around the store looked very cute. 

Although initially a shop that seems to cater to country houses, I could also see some of the glassware and colour options of the paint looking fantastic in a modern home. It is certainly a store which fits in very well with the Cambridge aesthetic and I can see the store hopefully flourishing in this city. The teacups would look fantastic in any house, and I took home the Honey Bees Large Mug*. It not only fits a huge cup of tea, just how I like it, but when it isn't filled with drink, it lives on my windowledge and currently houses some tomatoes:

Susie Watson Designs have 8 shops across the south of England and is certainly worth a visit to pick up some cute, handcrafted additions to your home. What do you think of Susie Watson Designs? Are you a Cambridge blogger? If so, please say hello!

Bill's Restaurant, Bury St Edmunds

It's been a while since I reviewed some gorgeous food and since moving down south I've been excited to try some restaurants around my home town. Although Bill's Restaurant is a chain, I couldn't wait to try it once it opened in one of my local towns, Bury St Edmunds. After spotting it on a many a London blogger's Instagram, my expectations were high:

Bill's Restaurant's motto is 'from breakfast til bedtime' and on this visit we decided to try the dinner. The restaurant was quiet, but not unusually so for an early Sunday evening. The waitress was accommodating when we asked to move due to a wonky table and we were quickly served, but not pressured into ordering quickly when we kept getting distracted from the menu by our conversation! The decor is carefully thought out, and an unbelievable transformation from the bank that the building previously housed. The small touches, such as the handwritten chalkboards and stripped wooden floorboards, create a rustic atmosphere and enjoyable dining space.

I ordered the duck pie for my main. The presentation was rustic and in keeping with the restaurant itself. The mash was tasty, and although I would have liked a little more duck, the pearl barley was delicious. I'll be honest and say that I thought it was a little overpriced at £11.95 for what is was, but it was still an enjoyable dish.

For dessert, I opted for the blueberry 'upside down' cheesecake. This presentation was far more impressive, in a adorable miniature jam jar accompanied by some delicious amaretti biscuits. It was quite a 'breakfast style' dessert and I enjoyed it very much. For me, it was the right balance between a treat but not overwhelmingly unhealthy dessert - although my dining partner's warm chocolate brownie did look fantastic!

All in all, the desserts stood out for me during this meal and I'd definitely return to try some more puddings. It now means that I'm itching to try the afternoon tea, as well as the breakfast menu which I have seen so many bloggers rave about. This seems to be Bill's strength, and I'm interested to see how they compare to the dinner options - plus I always like an excuse to eat out again!

If you've tried Bill's, what did you think of it? If you can recommend any restaurants in Bury St Edmunds or the surrounding area, please let me know!

OOTD: Urban Rose

I love sharing my style with you all and today I wanted to post another outfit of the day. This outfit features a bargain skirt from one of my favourite stores, Urban Outfitters:

Skirt: Urban Outfitters. Crop top: H&M. Socks: Primark. Boots: Asos. Necklace: New Look. Headband: Primark.

This skirt is actually still available on the Urban Outfitters' website in a M but I picked it up in an XS in the Liverpool store. It was a bargain at just £15, reduced from £38, and I even got another 10% knocked off thanks to my student card. The floral pattern is just my style and the colour scheme is going to be perfect for Autumn, The length hits perfectly just above my knee on my short frame, and I love the lace detailing along the bottom and up the sides of the thighs - it makes the skirt a little more grungy and means it would work well for both a casual day out and a house party. Urban Outfitters always nails that indie vibe so I always feel more 'trendy' than I actually am!

Today I teemed the skirt with some more lace in the form of a H&M crop top. This crop top is a dream and I am constantly hoping that H&M will bring it back in a variety of colours, because I wear it so much! I added a bargain headband from Primark that I had also picked up in Liverpool for just £3 and couldn't resist adding some matching frilly socks in the same colour.

What do you think of today's look? Have you picked up any end of summer sale bargains?

A Good Night's Sleep

After my evening skincare post, I thought that I'd create a post about getting a good sleep. Prepping my skin for bedtime is the first step, but I also have a few other tips to get you drifting off in no time:

First things first, I find that a really hot shower or bath helps me relax before bedtime. Rituals' Calming Creme Bath* is the perfect addition to any bath thanks to its white lotus and green tea ingredients. For an extra calming scent, I like the spray a few spritzes of Rituals' Bed and Body Mist,* which contains the same relaxing ingredients, onto my pillow. 

Pampering is a great way to relax and help you to drift off. My favourite quick fix is applying Soap and Glory's Heel Genius to my feet. A generous amount of cream, followed by a soft pair of cotton socks, leaves my feet feeling soft, pampered and toasty - cold feet are the worst!

A comfy pair of pyjamas are a must, I have a huge variety from Primark and seem to find myself picking up a new pair whenever I head into store. I also love my Anatomicals eye mask - I just adore the slogan which always makes me chuckle, and the silk feels soft on my skin. It effectively blocks out any excess light, making it so much easier to fall asleep.

Finally, I set one of my favourite apps called SleepBot, which is free from both iTunes and Google Play. This clever app sets an alarm and tracks your movements overnight. This ensures that it can sense when you are in a light sleep and wake you up then. It makes getting up in the mornings far easier! 

What products do you use to help you sleep better?

OOTD: Jump Around

Yesterday, I travelled down to London for my first Southern bloggers' meet-up. Since moving from York, I've really missed my community of blogger friends and it's exciting to begin building connections and friendships around Cambridge. After a panic 'I have nothing to wear' moment, I impulse bought a jumpsuit from Asos and I was glad I did!

Jumpsuit: Asos. Necklace: New Look. Boots: Asos. Rucksack: Zatchels.

I was not expecting to love this jumpsuit - I never wear strapless thanks to my broad shoulders, which make me a good butterfly swimmer but self-conscious regarding my clothing choices. However the tie back means that it fits my back perfectly and the sweetheart neckline is so flattering. The pattern is beautiful and the cut out panel adds a fashionable detail. Asos' Petite range always fits me like a dream and it makes life so much easier when I don't have to turn up the hem on my new purchase!

Today I teemed it with my trusty boots ready for a entire day walking around London. My must-have accessory for the day was my amazing Zatchels rucksack, which is perfect for blogging days as I can easily carry my camera, charger, make-up and any other bits and bobs. I had a wonderful day in London with my blogging pals Simone and Katie and even bought my very first Mac lipstick, Impassioned, which I am wearing in these photos - it's gorgeous and I love it.

I had a wonderful time at the Bloggers' Festival and I must give Scarlett from Scarlett Fashion a huge thank you for organising the event. I'd also like to thank the fashion brands involved; Urban Outfitters, Very UK, Want Her Dress, Quiz Clothing, Ecco and Minimum Fashion. Beauty wise, we were able to meet Lee Stafford, Oriflame, Cloud Nine, Izabelle Hammon and Bee Good. I'll be sharing some of my favourite products soon and it was lovely to meet lots of bloggers - especially those who complimented me on my outfit! What do you think of jumpsuits? How do you style them?

Jess

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Evening Skincare Routine

Finally at the age of 21, I have developed a proper skincare routine. It's about time, especially for a blogger, isn't it? Today I wanted to share with you my favourite evening skincare products:

I start my evening routine by removing my make-up, using a hot muslin cloth and cleanser. I double cleanse, starting with The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Gel, to effectively remove my makeup, especially any eyeliner or mascara. I then like to alternate between the Priori Gentle Facial Cleanser* (c/o Courthouse Clinics) and the Eucerin DermoPurifyer Cleanser*.  Both work great and leave my skin feeling fresh and make-up free ready for my evening creams and oils.

Firstly, I apply some HealGel Eye* to my under-eyes. I love this product and you can read my rave review here - I don't want it to run out! I then add some La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +* to my blemishes, which hydrates any imperfections and helps them to heal. Next I add a few pumps of  Priori Perfection Facial Gel* all over my face, which also helps tackle any pesky spots.

I've recently been converted to the use of oils in my skincare regime. My combination-oily skin has always made me wary of oils, but since beginning blogging I've learnt that really oils are good for your skin. I therefore always use some Nouris Rosehip Oil* which adds moisture to my skin and is proven to reduce signs of scarring. Finally I finish my skincare routine with some Eucerin Even Brighter Night Cream* which feels like it 'locks in' all the products and leaves me ready for bed.

In hindsight, this feels like a rather high-maintenance evening skincare routine involving a lot of products! However, in reality, once I've cleansed, the rest of the routine takes hardly any time at all and I have seen a marked improvement in my skin. If, like me, you aren't blessed with perfect skin, it shows that it's definitely worth investing some time and effort into your skincare regime. What products would you recommend?

Jess

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Summer Picnic

This summer has been full of quality family time for me, mixed in with a lot of work, and one day I decided to spend a sunny afternoon having a wonderful picnic:

I wanted to make the most of these fabulous Hamper Baskets duo* by creating a scrumptious picnic for my family. Country Baskets sells a variety of floristry supplies as well as other home accessories. I couldn't resist these adorable hamper baskets, which are cleverly designed to fit into one another, and now look great stacked upon one another in my bedroom. Today, I packed the smaller basket full of cheese scones and home-made sausage rolls, along with some cherry tomatoes, cheeses and chorizo. In the larger hamper, I baked a classic Victoria sponge, using Mary Berry's recipe (of course!)

I also had the chance to try some Ryvita in an exciting new limited edition tin, designed by Ben de Lisi.* I love the striking geometric design which looks very smart beside my kitchen window. It's a great way to store my Ryvita as I'm trying to be healthier - despite the fact that the rest of this picnic isn't very healthy at all! It's all about the balance, right?

What would you include in your dream picnic?

Jess

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