Author: Roseanne's Blog

I'm Roseanne :) 33. Married to Tim 💗 I'm a Harry Potter fanatic ⚡ and a Bookworm 📚 I started this blog to document our wedding planning and its grown from there!

Easter baskets for the kids 🐣

Easter has got to be one of my favourite celebrations. Now I’m not a Christian so I don’t celebrate it in the traditional sense, however I do enjoy the way that we ‘celebrate’ this annual occasion.

I love the giving (& recieivng of, because your lieing if you don’t enjoy receiving chocolate!!) chocolatey treats! Picking ones out you’ll know that your nearest and dearest will enjoy (FYI my fam, it’s all about Terrys choc oranges, Cadbury Mini eggs & Maltester bunnies 🤣)

I thought that since my nephews are a bit older it would be nice to get a bit creative with their Easter Gifts this year. I’ve also done a smaller scale one for my niece as she’s only 9 months old but I didn’t want to leave her out!

So let’s take a look at the goodies…

 

 

I picked up these super cute buckets from Home bargains and some ‘straw’ to fill them with.

I picked up a yellow one each for the boys and a purple one for Evie.

Now to add the treats…

In each basket the boys have got:

● A large chocolate character, one is a pig, ones a lamb.

● Mini assorted Easter chocolates

● A wind up toy, bunny & chick

● A large bubble wand

● A decorate your own chocolate egg kit

● For Noah I’ve popped in a Easter arts & crafts pack

● For Casey (as he is a bit smaller) I popped in a soft cuddly lamb teddy, super cute.

For Evie’s little basket I just filled it with some of her favourite snack bits & sweet treats, baby-tastic. I had to include her favourite banana wafers!

 

 

 

Such a cute & simple idea for the little ones.

Have a great Easter guys.

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

by Categories: Celebrations, craft, food, LifeTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

A weekend away with family 🌸

This weekend me and Tim went to stay with my Auntie & Cousin in Norwich. We had planned this trip for a little while but the snow had scuppered our plans earlier on in March!

With the weather clear and our bags packed we headed off on Friday after work. We made it in good time (although a slow moving tractor on the way almost trapped us for a bit, good old East Anglia)

We were greeted with a delicious tea of pizzas which we all enjoyed, whilst catching up.

We also got cuddles with my Aunties new baby guinea pigs Digby and Tufty. They are brothers and are super cute! (Below is Digby!)

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On Saturday Morning (being the keen parkrunners that we are) me and Tim got up and went in search of Brundalls Parkrun, our first outing as Parkrun tourists. We actually found it quite easily and it was really cool doing a different course. Plus being good and still going out for a run whilst away meant we could be more indulgent when necessary over the weekend haha.

We really enjoyed the run and although it was a bit worrying not knowing the course it turned out to be pretty straight forward, A 4 lap course, we just had to remember which lap we were on!

We headed back to freshen up and have some brekky.

We spent the rest of the day watching films and playing board games. perfect weekend entertainment, especially the board games as they were vintage ones from my aunties loft (They don’t make board games like they used to these days) We found some real gems.

We went out for a meal in the evening to a local Indian restaurant that we frequent on our trips to see my Auntie, it’s lovely there and the food is really tasty.

We enjoyed poppodoms & sauces to start and for the main I chose the tandoori chicken with boiled rice, yummy.

On Sunday we all indulged in a much deserved lie in followed by a chilled out day of watching tv, chatting, having copious amounts of tea, an amazing roast dinner cooked by my cousin and playing a fun word based card game called Wordsmithery.

It’s always such a shame when a lovely long weekend ends! Back to the reality of a working week. Thank goodness it’s a short one, roll on the Easter Hols I say, I’m defiantly feeling it now ZZZzzzzz.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Testing Primark make up palettes- Dupes!

Hi guys!

Hands up who loves Primark!! ✋ Hell yes.

And they have really upped their game when it comes to make up recently. They have a brilliant selection of products and currently some pretty cool dupes of high end make up products. So I thought I would give some a go!

I picked up three palettes, two are eye shadow palettes and one is a contour/eye shadow palette.

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The first two palettes are dupes for the Urban Decay Naked palettes, I went for Primark’s ‘Berry’ and ‘Amber’ palettes.

‘Amber’ channels Autumn for sure, and is a great dupe for the highly sought after Urban Decay Naked ‘Heat’ palette that everyone was crazy for in 2017.

‘Berry’ is more of a smokey palette with a mix of shades from the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette and the ‘Smokey’ Urban Decay palette. (Okay, I’m going to stop typing the word palette now, I think you get the idea)

Let’s take a closer look at each one!

Amber

This palette is full of lots of orangy, browny, red tones, with a mix of matte and shimmer shades. This palette is perfect for Autumn make up looks and to add a lovely warm glow to your lid.

The colours were really bright and I especially love the golden toned shimmer shades. They are really pigmented and the colours were really build-able on the lid.

7/10

Berry

These pretty purples and pinks make this a great Autumn into Spring palette. Again this palette is super pigmented with a lovely mix of matte and shimmer tones. I love the darker tones that blend really nicely into the crease of your eye lid to create definition and add a smokey feel to your eye shadow look. So pretty.

7/10

Chocolate

This palette smells so yummy. Super sweet and I LOVE the packaging! It has some lovely matte shades as well as the contour shades, but all in all I was a bit disappointed. Although aesthetically pleasing, the powders aren’t very pigmented (See above) and the contour shade is very light (Even for me!!). I tried to build the eye shadow colours on top of each other and although it did add a lovely soft brown colour to my lid they weren’t as build able or pigmented as the other two palettes. It’s a bit of a shame as this would make a lovely everyday palette with its neutral tones.

3/10

I hope you’ve found this useful! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these (& more) in Primark’s Beauty market place, in store. I can’t wait to try out some more of their products, super pleasantly surprised.

What products from Primark’s ranges should I test out next? What would you like me to review?

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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My new skincare selection!

So, I recently decided to update my skincare collection and try something new. I popped into my local Superdrug and had a browse among the shelves to see what they had to offer.

My skin is a combination of dry/oily and at the moment it is particularly dry (thanks crappy British weather haha). At times my skin has been quite sensitive to certain products so I was also conscious of this too when selecting new products.

I went for six products in Simple’s ‘Kind to skin’ skincare range. They are the sensitive skin experts and are the UK’s No 1 brand with Multi Vitamins included in their products; ‘Simple goodness’ Sounds good to me 👍

Heads up, they were better than half price in Superdrug too so if you like the look of any of these products be sure to grab some soon!

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The products I chose were the ‘Kind to skin’ Vital Vitamin foaming cleanser, the ‘Kind to skin’ Soothing facial toner, the ‘Kind to skin’ hydrating cleansing oil, the ‘Kind to skin’ smoothing facial scrub, the ‘Kind to skin’ refreshing facial wash and finally the ‘Kind to skin’ moisturising facial wash.

Lets take a look at them!

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Vital Vitamin foaming cleanser

This smooth foaming cleanser is perfect for removing impurities and the toughest make up from your skin. It foams up from a liquid and is really light and soft. All you need is a couple of pumps, massaged into wet skin and you feel super clean! I’ve never used a foaming product before but I loved this, I can already tell this is going to become a firm fave!

Soothing facial toner

This product is perfect for toning and refreshing your skin. I felt really refreshed when I applied this to my skin after the cleanser and it left my skin feeling super soft.

Hydrating cleansing oil

I found this product to be super hydrating, and although it seems quite oily (because its an oil durrr) it soaks into your skin really well, it smells great too.

Smoothing facial scrub

This scrub is super gentle on your skin but perfect for getting a smooth, even feel to your face. This worked particularly well on my nose where my pores are more raised. I’m going to use this once a week, although it says if you have oily skin you can use this twice a week, so great for all skin types!

Refreshing facial wash

This is so cooling on your skin.  With vitamin E this is super nourishing and helps  to revive your skin. I used this in the morning and it made me feel really refreshed and awake, perfect for a bit of a pamper.

Moisturising facial wash

This face wash is great for injecting some moisture into your skin when needed. This is obviously similar to the face wash above but I couldn’t decide which one to get so picked up both haha. Like I said at the moment my skin is quite dry so this will be great for adding moisture, where as I can use the other face wash to wake me up in morning!

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This range is so refreshing for my skin and super gentle. My skin feels so soft even after just a few uses and I can’t wait to see the effect it has after using these products for a little while.

 

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Raspberry & Almond slices

Cake, glorious cake!

Need I say anymore…

If, like me, you believe that cake is life then this blog post is going to be right up your street.

I love doing a spot of baking and this time I have taken inspiration from a recent dessert I had at a family meal.

These jammy, marzipan, spongy treats are layered perfection and are a great accompaniment to a cuppa.

Without further ado here are my Raspberry & Almond slices…

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I followed the recipe on the BBC Good food website, because it’s just brill and their recipes always work so well. Check it out for yourself –> BBC Good Food Raspberry & Almond slices

First up,

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1. Roll out that shortcrust pastry into the bottom of your traybake tin and cut to size.

2. Prick with a fork and leave to chill in the fridge for 20 mins.

 

3. Whilst this chills prepare your almondy sponge.

4. Cream together your eggs and sugar. Add the rest of your ingredients into an electric mixer and whisk until combined. Be ready to smell the most sumptuous sponge mixture, it’s divine.

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5. Once the pastry has chilled, bake in the oven for 8-10 mins until it is cooked but not too coloured.

6. Leave to cool for a little bit then it’s time to add that fruity, jam layer.

7. Dot the jam over the pastry, no need to spread! & sprinkle over your just thawed frozen raspberries.

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8. Pour over your sponge mix, sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake for 35-40 mins.

9. Leave to cool before cutting into your slices (or desired shape)

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These jammy bars are made up of a few simple componants that work so well together. The frozen raspberries are a tangy hit to the tongue and the flaked almonds add a delicious crunch.

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Enjoy and let me know how you get on if you give these a try.
What’s your favourite flavour combination?

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Harry Potter room decor ⚡

Hi guys!

So, I had a couple of ideas of what to do for my next blog post but, I couldn’t decide which to do next. I took to Twitter (@RoseannesBlog) and asked my followers which one they would like to see, With a massive 75% of the vote was ‘Harry Potter room decor’.

When we moved into our flat my husband Tim chose the colour scheme for our bedroom and he went for red… little did he know that I would use this to transform it into a Harry Potter haven haha.

With Gryffindor being my favoured Hogwarts house this is the theme I went for as it went perfectly with the red colour scheme of the room, Lets take a look!

Lets start with bedding…

All of these pieces come from Primark (Bar one pillow which I received as a gift) On the left is my Harry Potter throw, its a lovely soft and snuggly white with the Gryffindor crest and other little pictures and symbols printed on it. Next up are the cushions, the pale, yellowy/brown coloured Mauraders map themed pillow was bought for me as a birthday present a few years ago. I love that it looks like the parchment of the map, with the print of the map on it. The other pillow is from Primark and its grey and red tones with the house crests on it. The bedding is so cool! Our bedroom furniture is from Ikea’s Malm range and is black so this bedding went perfectly. On one side it is all black with a large print of Hogwarts in white, the other side has small Hogwarts’s (Not sure that’s a word) printed onto white and a ‘H’ for Hogwarts, double sided, two for the price of one.

Next up…

I picked up both of these from the Harry Potter studios tour in Watford. On the left is a Gryffindor banner and on the right is a Gryffindor flag. These are hung up on the red feature wall, either side of the window.

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I also hang up my Gryffindor scarf over the headboard of our bed to add a touch of Gryffindor to the bed spread. I picked this up from the studio tour too.

Pictures…

I love these two prints. On the left is one from Primark that my older sister bought for me. I love this and it fitted perfectly in our room as it came with the black frame. I love the copper lightening bolts.

The other print I bought online and I really like the simplicity of this too. All black and super simple but cool.

and finally, accessories…

I love these pieces, they are so awesome!! The candle is from Primark. I of course picked up the Gryffindor one but it also comes in the different houses too and a generic Hogwarts one (which I’m also tempted to get too) The bunting also comes from Primark and is EPIC! This is one of my favourite things.

The Gryffindor common room sign came from a recent Harry Potter event that me and my sister went to. I thought this was a cool little addition as our room definatly has Gryffindor common room/dormitory vibes! (Still trying to persuade Tim that we need drapes)

I hope you enjoyed this post 🙂

If you are on the look out for any Harry Potter items yourself (or clothes, shoes etc) be sure to check out Primark as their range is beyond awesome.

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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My new favourite jacket🌺

Hi guys!

Its not very often that I buy something that I fall in love with as much as I have with this new jacket, but as soon as I saw this baby online I had to have it, and what’s even better it had 25% off, bargin!

I love this blush pink tone! Its such a casual, cool piece with a unique (pink-tastic) twist and I can’t wait to pair this with lots of different outfits and looks.

 

The jacket is longline and comes just below your hips, which is very flattering and a great cut.  a perfect match for your favourite pair of skinny jeans.

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 Boohoo, £30  ➡️  Amelia Borg Long Line Cord Jacket

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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DIY occasion cards ✉ 

I’ve decided that 2018 is the year I’m going to get back in touch with my crafty/creative side. I really havn’t make enough time for it in the last few years, and although I had the excuse of a wedding to plan in 2016, there really is no reason for my lack of craft in 2017.

I REALLY enjoy being creative, from making cards for birthdays and different occasions, handmade gifts, adult colouring and so on, it’s just really relaxing, one of my favourite hobbies and the perfect excuse for a bit of ‘me time’ (something I definatly need to make more time for!!)

In this post I thought I would share with you the cards that I have made so far! They are all different birthday cards as another occasion hasn’t arisen yet.

I’ve also really enjoyed creating DIY hampers for birthday presents so I will be doing a post on these soon too (keep your eyes peeled)

Let’s take a look…

My craft shop recommendations

  • Hobbycraft
  • The Range
  • The Works

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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What I got for Christmas 2017! 🎁

Hi guys!

Let me start by saying HAPPY NEW YEAR! ITS OFFICIALLY 2018, CRAZY!

I hope that you guys had a great Christmas. I love watching and reading what people got for Christmas so I thought that I should share with you what I received.

This isn’t meant to be me bragging about what I got, I just thought that it would be fun to do!

So, lets take a look…

 

Books

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Jamie Oliver’s 5 ingredients: Quick & Easy food.

This is a cook book with lots of super easy and yummy ideas. I love the idea that there are only five ingredients for each recipe, it really puts me off when there is a massive list of ingredients, ain’t nobody got time for that!

Fantastic beasts and where to find them, by J K Rowling.

I also received the illustrated version of J K Rowling’s Fantastic beasts and where to find them. The pictures are beautiful and this book works so well with pictures, perfect! ⚡️

 

Make up

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I was very lucky this year with my make up haul. My lovely hubby bought me Tanya Burrs ‘Beauty and the feast’ make up box and it is AWESOME. It is full of great products from palettes for the eyes and face, highlighter, lipsticks and lipglosses. My  friend Demi works for Dior and gave me some cool samples to try out as well as a lovely pinky NYX lipstick. I also got another NYX lipstick this one is a liquid lipstick in the shade ‘Istanbul’.

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Skincare/bath products

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I was very lucky to also receive the Zoella pamper box set. You get a brilliant selection of products in there, perfect for a pamper. I love the Snowella scent, its really fresh. I especially like the scent in the hand cream.

In the box you get…

  • The Winter Wonderhand Hand cream
  • Body puff
  • Snow silky body lotion
  • Snow polished body polish
  • Snow smooth body butter
  • X2 Sachets of a ‘splash of milk’ bath milk powder

The box is really lovely too, perfect for storage once you’ve used the products.

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The Body Shop shower gel. I really love these body shop shower gels, the seasonal scents are lovely. I really enjoyed the pumpkin and sweet vanilla scent in Autumn and in Winter they have released this one, Frosted berries. It smells so fruity and delicious.

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LUSH is one of my favourite shops and I LOVE their bath bombs. This year I got a few different things from LUSH that I havn’t had before and a few that I have.

My sister got me my favourite LUSH product off all time, ‘The Comfort.er’ bubble bar. A super fruity scent that creates the most awesome bubbles

I also got the Butterbear bath bomb which is lovely and soft on your skin, with cocoa butter.

My hubby got me one of LUSH’S new body sprays, the one he got me is called ‘Twilight’ This is supposed to help you sleep and the predominant fragrance is Lavender, it smells so soothing and makes you feel relaxed and cosy. I spray this before bed and use alongside ‘Sleepy’ the body lotion.

In the colourful set above,  the ‘Intergalactic’ bath set, you get the ‘Thundersnow’ bath bomb, The ‘Shoot for the stars’ bath bomb and the ‘Intergalactic’ bath bomb. I can’t wait to try these out!

 

Other…

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I also received some vouchers. A Primark Voucher, my favourite shop! I’m looking forward to spending that! Me and the hubby also got a Nando’s voucher, we cant wait to go on a date night and use that too, we love a cheeky Nando’s.

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My father In law (knowing the avid Harry Potter fan that I am) got me two tickets to the Harry Potter book night at our local museum. Me and my sister tried to get tickets for this event last year but it sold out! We can’t wait to go, the place is decorated, everyone dresses up and you have activities, food, Harry Potter themed cocktails and so on. Its going to be so much fun!

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Is it even Christmas if you don’t ett a Terry’s chocolate orange!?!? These are my ultimate fave, a Christmas must have and a great stocking filler too. Mine didn’t make it past Christmas day haha.

So those are just a few of the lovely pressies that I got for Christmas this year (or technically last year!! So confusing)

I hope you enjoyed this blog post! I’m going to have to start a list of some blog posts I’d like to write in the coming weeks/months, it was so easy throughout December to create Christmassy and festive posts but now I really need to get thinking about my 2018 content, its so much harder without such a blatent theme.

Any suggestions would be greatly welcome guys!

 

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Blogmas day 23 ❄️⛄

Hi guys!

So its drawing ever closer to the big day, Christmas eve eve is upon us! I thought i would do a post that’s a little different to this years Blogmas posts and any I’ve done last year or the year before.

I loved the couple of snowy days that we got this year, if only it had lasted a little longer. I really enjoyed taking some snowy photos and on Facebook over those few days I saw some amazing ones.

Seeing those photos gave me an idea, why not showcase the beautiful season in a blog post, BUT instead of just using a few snaps that I took, why not include an array of photos from others who had experienced it too.

People were very helpful in lending me their photos to include so without further ado, lets take a look!

Photo credit: Roseanne Byford

Photo credit: Wes Stankiewicz

Photo credit: Charlotte Campbell

Photo credit: Ron Green

Photo credit: Sarah Parker

Photo credit: Kate Spicer

Photo credit: Lucy Gasper

Photo credit: Kim Farthing

Photo credit: Emma Willis

Photo credit: Amanda Amey

Photo credit: Liz Fox

Photo credit: Carla Harrald

Photo credit: Angelica Legaspi

Until next time,

Roseanne 🙂

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