Clara - An Update

We have had Clara with us now since the end of August & I think it is very safe to say she has settled in her new home.

She is 7 months old now, having come to us around 4 & half months old. Still loads to do with training but I am hoping in the new year to go to some puppy classes - she is pretty good but likes to bark at EVERYONE on her walks - in a friendly way but still - oh & she HATES anything with wheels which can be fund around our way with lots of scooters & bikes!!  But time & patience will sort that out especially when I go to classes too.

I am sure that puppy's are not for everyone so if you don't want a photo fest then please click out now :-)!

The rest of you come with me - if you know me on Facebook though you will have seen these!!

Making herself at home on the sofa...

Looking very pleased with her head gear after being spayed - NOT!

I thought she might appreciate a jumper now it is getting colder - her face suggests otherwise & check out that tongue she is poking out...

I did manage to get one shot of her sitting very nicely with it - literally the only 2nd she wasn't trying to rip it off!

She does like to pull a few faces. I think these ones means she is happy...

This one was definitely a smile after Eldest came home from school...even if the same level of love is never reciprocated - usually all we ever hear of an exchange between them is " Clara - get out my room..,"

She likes to make herself cosy on any item of clothing you may leave on the back of the sofa - yes I wore something else for the school run ... well look at those eyes...

She is very much a Mummy ( or Daddy's) girl.. at least she is a good size to have as a lap dog.

lastly, BAD pic , sorry but here she is with he partner in crime best friend.

Expect more photos soon. I am happy to bore to death on my little baby girl!!!

Thanks for stopping by. See you soon
Amanda 

It's Been A While

It's been a couple of months since I posted here. I stopped mainly because I got a bit bored & struggled to think of things to say. I have also been trying to more into my other blog " What Maddie Wore" instead. Which is fun to do but I have missed what this "Ramblings" blog is all about. Which was a place for me to ramble about anything at all. Time then to get back to it. I did think about deleting both blogs & starting back over as an anything goes blog. However, I decided actually to keep the fashion blog as is & use this one for everything else.

Once again I have no idea when I will post & what subjects will be. But as always stated many times before this blog is a hobby for me not a job! 

Hopefully you will all join me once again for the ride.

Product Empties #14

It possibly does not look it here as I seem to be doing my Empties every month but it has to be said this month has been quite a bit slower. I still have 11 products ready to be binned so lets get going.

I got a bit fed up of the Tropical scent Batiste Dry Shampoo & thus fancied a change. I find so many just don't do as good job as the Tropical & the smells can be hit & miss too. With the Cool & Crisp fresh I will say it was a nice subtle scent that I carried round with me. However, I don't think it helped my hair much. Whilst I can go a good day maybe 2 with the tropical one, with this one it made my hair looking like it needed a good wash within a few hours. back to Tropical it is then! 

I love everything about the Gentle Eye Make Up Remover from Clarins. It does a fantastic job of removing even the stubbornest of mascara. It does not sting my eyes & it smells beautiful. It will be a repurchase at some point in the future!  

St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Body Mousse is for sure my go to Fake Tan. Considering until this year I didn't do fake tan at all, to go & find one I can't live without is amazing.It doesn't streak, which was a major factor for me & so easy to apply. I use a mitt because I know without giving it a go using my hands would be a disaster. The smell is not great but comparing it to others its actually quite subtle.

I got this nail polish remover ages ago from Space NK I think. I cannot find it anywhere now other than in tissue form. HERE. Its a really great remover but actually no better than much cheaper ones ( this was something like £13 if I remember.) Its one of those where you press the cotton round down on the nozzle, which did make me use less each time. It's Acetone free which is a huge plus for many. The packaging is great too.
I did find some on eBay which is less than i paid. I don't think I would get it again. Whilst it ticked a lot of boxes , it didn't impress me anymore than my cheap Boots one! 

This Caudalie Beauty Elixir came in a set with other items. Its a 30ml bottle & I certainly would not have paid for the 100ml as I didn't think it was that great. I tended to use mine as a face spray for the warmer weather. Not impressed at all though.

This has to be my favourite foot cream. The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive Foot Rescue does a fantastic job & I miss it now it is gone. I will be getting some more very soon I hope as I am totally not liking the Origins one I am currently using.

Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream . Hmm. It came in a gift bag. I doubt I would use it otherwise. It was not bad, just not for me. Smelt a bit old lady to me...sorry! 

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder. This is my current go to powder. Mine is in Warm Beige. I have another not opened yet as I am making myself use another from Bourjois ( which was my old favourite.)  

This came in a big set at Xmas. I can't say No7 Body Wash blew me away though. I am known for using shower gels quickly but this seemed to only cover not even a weeks worth. Smelt pleasant enough & I would use it if it was bought for me but I can't say I would rush to buy it for myself.   

The Body Shop Olive Shower Gel . This is 2nd of the small bottles I had. As before it smelt nice enough & washed well. I wouldn't buy it again for myself though. Like the No7 this particular scent I would only use if someone bought it for me. 

I am GUTTED this is finished. I got mine from eBay. Bath & Body Works Signature Collection Sea Island Cotton Shower Gel. IT SMELLS AMAZING! I need more. It washes really well & the scent lingers for hours.

Anyway, that is all my empties for this time. I am sure I will be back soon with more!

Amanda x

Puppy Accessories Haul

Sadly on the 10th July 2014 we lost our beloved Westie. He was 17 years old & really not in a good way. The time had come to make a very sad but right decision. This left me though not only without Barney but also without that companionship that only comes when you have a dog . We had our holiday on the 14th August & I was determined when we came home that our search for another dog would begin.

 

So, I had in mind it would be nice to take in a rescue dog. However, with Fin being just 4 years old this did limit us to what we would be able to re-home. We filled in forms for a couple of places & on Monday morning we got a phone call from Raystede to say that had some puppies that needed re-homing & would we like to take a look? Er.. yes please I said! We were told they are a Chihuahua, Pomeranian & Jack Russell mix. Whilst a toy breed was not really what we were looking for we still wanted to take a look & then would could take it from there.

I was besotted from the 1st. There were 2 puppies & whilst I would actually liked to have re-homed both, I had to make a choice due financial reasons! There was a boy & a girl. We chose the girl as we felt she settled much quicker with us & there were other reasons too ( including for me being told she was the runt of the litter!!)
It also meant I could buy a pink lead - to Robs disgust meaning I will be the only one walking her :-D!

At time of writing this we do not know when we can collect her but you can be sure I will update you with a photo when we do! I am though sharing with you a little Pets At Home haul!

Smallest came with me & it was he who chose the toys, the bowl & mat as well as the bags of treats.
I had recently joined their card scheme so also had a 10% off everything voucher too.

I forgot to take a photo of the bed. HERE. It was £10 which I think was £5 off. So with 10% too worked out quite nicely.

Matching bowl & mat! You can tell he is my son as I would make them match too!

Pink lead!! Oh yes! At least ,after all these boys I can bring something girlie in the house with reason!

She will come with a collar that they put on her  but it was cheaper to buy this than it was a lead on its own. I expect I will change it to this anyway - hopefully it will fit OK. I went for Toy Dog size as that is what they class her as.

The only thing which I am expecting to change. I could have got the X- Small but went for just small. I can exchange if I need too. 

Choosing toys is a bit event. Whether she will want to play with any of them remains to be seen. These though were chosen by Smallest. 

We are all set then apart from her food which we will get when we know what she has at the centre. Patience is not a trait of mine!!

Thank you for stopping by
Amanda xxx

Beauty Product Empties #13

I have tons of empties this month. I was going to post up after I got back from holiday next week , as I am sure I would have had more to add. However, with 16 items here I just want to get them popped in the trash!!

Avon Advance Techniques Shampoo with Moroccan Argan Oil. It was nice enough. I may well buy again when the need arises as at just £2.80 it did the job I needed. Smelt very nice.

Toni & Guy Nourishing Deep Conditioning Mask for Brunette Hair. This is my 2nd pot. I love this so much. I have other masks to use up right now but will definitely have this on my repurchase list. It leaves my hair feeling in such fantastic condition. Sometimes I can go 5 day without washing my hair & maybe having to spray a tiny bit of dry shampoo on day 3 or so. Topmarks!

Sanctuary Body Wash. I got this in a set for Xmas & I can honestly say I would not have chosen it myself. The scent almost seems to masculine for me. It washed well enough but the fragrance put me off.

Soap & Glory Scrub Of Your Life. Loved this. This is just a sample pot but I think I have a full sized one as well somewhere. has the scent that Soap & Glory are famous for & leaves my skin tingling nicely from the scrub. I generally use my Soap & Glory body butter after too so I keep the scent lasting longer.

The Body Shop Raspberry Body Scrub - this looks just like jam ( don't eat it though!!) The 1st time I used it I was horrified by the colour of my shower as the red really stands out. hehe. Its a good enough scrub though. I don't think it was that great though so I am not sure I would buy it again. It was nice to try it & it did smell lovely.

The Body Shop Peppermint Foot Scrub. This is amazing stuff. Smells good & does the job its meant too. I was using it in conjunction with the foot cream as well as the foot soak but I don't have this in a back up until I can get to The Body Shop next.... Horror! They need to do it in a bigger pot , although £7 for just 100ml is quite expensive enough really.

Urban Veda Radiance Exfoliating Facial Polish . This did a good enough job. I got it in a Birchbox otherwise I would not have thought to try it. Not sure If I will purchase the bigger size yet though. 

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I seemed to take a few uses to get used to a cleansing balm. By midway through the pot though I have been hooked by this one. There is no scent to it - which is not a bad thing I think for the face sometimes. I usually use this in the evening as it does such a fantastic job of removing most of my make up. I can even use it OK on my eyes unlike some of them. Will have to see how the finances are after our holiday! 

The Body Shop Satsuma Body Butter. I could sit & smell this pot all day long. I am so sad this one has gone. I need more in my life & it is so refreshing. I like to use them after using the same scent shower gel ( which went in last months empties) so bot of those need to go on a re-purchase list too.

Nivea Irresistibly Smooth Body Lotion. Another Xmas gift item which I got 2 Christmases ago I think! One of those I used for a bit & then went back to. I love it. A nice perfect day to day lotion. Sinks in fine. Smells really gentle. Like everything I have lots of lotions to use so I will just have to hope Santa might bring me another this year.

No 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water. I am going to be honest. I don't like it. Its not the product to be fair, I just don't think it is right for my skin. I got this in a deal last year so had 2 of them to use up. I am quite glad it has gone. 

Weleda Wild Rose Smoothing Eye Cream. Nice enough but for the price if it I have used better.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm. I bought this after I saw Essiebutton raving about it on her blog. It was OK. At times it actually seemed to dry my lips out more but it was pleasant enough to use up. No re-purchase though. It was nice to try something else though.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. I go through a lot of this. Where the Nars concealer is my Holy Grail this is a perfect accessory for day to day life. This is a staple of my make-up bag. My shade is Light (2) if you wondered.

Soap & Glory Thick & fast Mascara. There is still product left in it but it is over its 6 month self life & has a smell about it that isn't quite right. As a mascara it was great for every day looks. I found it didn't build up quite so well though. 

L'Oreal Color Riche nail Polish in Versailles Gold. Such a pretty colour. I love this but with a round a quarter left it has to go bin wards :-(. Its just drying out too much. It takes me forever to paint my nails & then looks awful because it just goes on so dry. I can't recommend this range too much so plan on getting another bottle of the same colour plus a few more colours too.

Travelling With An Stoma

This Thursday ( Today ) I am off to Majorca for a much welcome holiday with my wonderful 3 boys. 

I am not one to be scared of flying, in fact I love it & that side of the flying I cannot wait for.

However, this is my 1st trip to the airport & on a plane since I got my Illeostomy. To say that makes me nervous is an understatement. 

Whilst , I am sure the people of security in the airport must see things like Stomas on a day to day basis , for me I am almost terrified. 

I usually always set of the scanner, although usually this is down to wearing shoes with metal bits on , & the thought that a search will of course bring attention to my bag is a little bit scary if I am honest. 

I have paperwork from my GP to explain everything ( including the meds I will carry in my hand luggage , as I can't chance those in my suitcase) & really I am sure all my worries will be for nothing. I can't help though but be a little apprehensive. I think a lot of people would if this was their 1st flight since having it done too?

I've already told hubby he must go through 1st , followed by the boys so that if the scanner does go off for me or they need to check my bag, the boys will at least be with him whilst this is happening. Naturally he is too stay close to me too - irrational fear anyone?

Anyway, with luck that part will go as smoothly as poss & then we can just chill out until our flight is called. 

Then though we have the flight itself. Like I said flying does not bother me but I have no idea how my bag will respond to being in the cabin. Leaks happen of course now & then but usually I am either safely at home, or not far from home OR on holiday in the UK where I can at least keep things to myself much easier. This time I will be on a plane with no where to go apart from the loo. The thought of others knowing my business is a little bit odd. I will have to get on with it though & if a leak did occur just treat it like any other.  

Like I say I am sure everything will be fine. Fears though for my 1st flight with the bag though are surely not a surprise even if hopefully they will be for nothing.

Hopefully, I won't have too many nights sleep before then ( 3  to go if you wondered when I was writing this.)

Thank you for reading more of my ramblings!!!

Amanda x

What's In My Travel Toiletries Bag.

  Yesterday I posted my make-up bag & as promised here is the post with the toiletries for the holiday. I haven't included Toothbrush/ paste as we all take that with us don't we & that is all purely down to individual taste I think.

Above is everything I am taking bar the shaving items or the fake tan as I did not have them at the time of taking this photo.

I am never too fussed by what I use in way of shampoos & body wash when going abroad. If a holiday at home I tend to be more inclined to take something more interesting but not always. We usually take such things that the whole family can use. That way it cuts down on what space extras would use up plus these will all be gone by the time we come home again & if not I will be happy to just chuck them in the bin in Majorca. I'll try & commit to memory what they were like for my empties post although I can't see them being amazing really!

The shower gel is just a Boots one. Hopefully the scent is quite neutral. I always take 2 in 1 shampoos. I'm on holiday so can't be bothered with too much time spent in the shower & with the amazing dry shampoo these days anyway I have to spend even less time washing my hair. These 2 came from the Wilkos travel range. 

The Tresamme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray is a small size that I got in a gift set at Christmas. I kept it because I knew its size was perfect for travel. I have no idea how good it is as I have not used this before ( I really am A VO5 girl when it comes to hairspray usually.) The mini Batiste you can get in most places.  Most places sell the travel sized items on 3 for 2. This is not my favourite scent but nowhere had my tropical one left. Its only for a week, I can survive. Dove Anti-Perspirant. My favourite of all deodorants. Compressed can , although I am not a huge fan of them as I don't think they are that special but a good travel size. Again can be bought in a lot of places. Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess -the only perfume I am taking & I have held off wearing it for about a month so that I keep it for the holiday. It's the most beautiful scent ever.

Skincare now. Again trying to keep things a bit more simple. Most of this is travel or gift size.
The wipes came from Poundland. Usually sold 2 for £1 I think. I don't as a rule use them for actually cleansing my face. They will just be used really to help keep my makeup brushes clean ( to save taking the cleaner ) & will be great also for freshening up through the day.
I will use Simple Refreshing Facial Wash in the evenings to remove my make-up with the Simple Eye Make Up Remover to of course take off my eye make up. Both came with the mini Batiste in the Boots 3 for 2 deal on travel bits. I will use the No 7 Cleansing Lotion as my morning cleanser. Moisturiser then, I will mostly day time use my Clinique Face Cream ( see yesterdays post) as my moisturiser but for bed time I have Emma Hardie Rejuvenating Night Cream. I also am taking the Emma Hardie Age Support Cream on the days I don't use the Clinique. The sponge is my favourite one from Botanics, which I use when doing my facial wash. The Cosmetic Pads come from Waitrose Essential range. 

Lastly then, the items that don't feature in the main photo. St Tropez Gradual Tan Everyday Mousse is my favourite. I have tried other brands but this is by far the easiest I have used. I have nearly finished the 1st can of this so needed to buy another - it is  a shame even when they have a deal with it , it is still a bit on the expensive side. However I don't use it everyday. I tend to use it 2 days in a row then have 2 days break so the original can has lasted a while ( 2 months roughly.) I must not forget the mitt when I pack!!!
For shaving then , I am leaving my Gillette Venus at home & taking this one from Wilkos instead. If it works well I'll bring home & buy refills & if not I will throw it away. I got the Gillette Satin Care & plan to share it with Hubby. I did ask if he was sure but he said he probably only shave twice whilst away - he would not do it at all if I would let him get away with it - so he really didn't care.

That is everything then. Well there is more but that is deodorants & other items for the boys & hubby. Everything will go in a big toiletry bag together. I think I ought to go. Its taken me HOURS to do this blog post ( kids eh?) & fear I am now just rambling!!