Holiday checklist guideline xoxo

Sun, sand, sea and cocktails on the beach! Yes it’s time to get excited beautiful women around the world, after all your saving, workouts and ‘I’m going  on holiday’ conversations the anticipation is almost over! And here are a few tips on what to fill your suitcase with xoxo 

At the beach or by the pool

Beach bag (the roomier the better)
Beach Towel

Camera (don’t forget to pack the charger)

Hair ties or hair band - essential for ‘sea hair'
Sunscreen

Bikini
Sunglasses
A book or magazine

IPod

A large bottle of water

Flip flops

Hotel Room

Travel adaptor - Essential for all electrical goods
Extension lead – So the majority of your electrical goods can be plugged in at once
Phone charger
Spare plastic bags 

Tissue

Stereo speakers to plug your IPod

Bathroom

Face wash
Moisturiser
Shower gel

Body scrub

Face flannel
Body lotion
After sun

Diarrhea tablets

Insect bite cream
Tweezers - Don't forget to pack these in your suitcase and not your hand luggage
Toothbrush and toothpaste

Mouthwash
Razor and shaving gel (If you haven’t waxed)
Shampoo and conditioner
Deodorant
Pain killers 

First aid kit 

Toilet roll 

Shower cap

On the plane

Book, magazine, cross words or word search

Snacks
A warm blanket as not all airlines will provide this

Comfy socks
Passport
Travel insurance
Travel pillow

Travel sickness tablets

Your holiday wardrobe

Dresses (Day & evening)
Slippers, wedges, sexy heels and trainers (in case you decide to climb a mountain or a similar activity)
Shorts
Skirts
Maxi dresses

Maxi skits

Vests

Playsuits
Tops
Scarves
Jewellery/ Accessories
Underwear sets, also bras that can be worn with everything
Cardigan - in case it gets chilly

Handbags

Makeup and beauty bits

Hair straighteners
Hairdryer
Hairbrush and comb

Grease

Grease 

Wrapping Foam

Make-up bag which contains all your make-up

Face wipes

Nail Polish

Nail Polish remover 

Cotton wool/ cotton buds/ nail file

XOXO

Detox special xoxo

Ingredients: 1 mango, 4 kiwi fruit, 350 ml of pineapple juice, 4 fresh mint leaves. Method 1:  Cut the mango into 2 thick slices as close to the stone as possible. Scoop out the flesh and chop coarsely. Cut off any flesh adhering to the stone. Peel the kiwi fruit with a sharp knife and chop the flesh. Method 2:  Put the mango, kiwi fruit, pineapple juice and mint leaves into a food processor or blender and process until thoroughly combined. Method 3:  Pour into chilled glass and serve.

Recipe and method from the everyday smoothies and juices, xoxo

How to explain the OFFSIDE RULE to Women xoxo

Ok, so you’re standing in a single file queue in Topshop, smiling and tapping your feet because you’ve just picked up the most beautiful dress you have seen in ages and can’t wait to get to the till. The girl in front of you realises she doesn’t have her purse, prompting you to look for yours; only to realise you don’t have yours either!!! But there is hope! Your friend is at the back of the queue and she is offering to throw her purse to you, you can’t queue jump until the purse has been thrown! You let out a shout because you successfully caught your friend’s purse allowing you to quickly dodge the girl in front & arrive breathless at the desk.

Thats the offside rule!!! 

I hope this helps, xoxo

Weave, wax, thread, pluck, tan, massage, manicures, pedicures and everything in-between... Summertime is almost here!!!! xoxo

The sun has begun to peep through the clouds, the clocks are due to go forward on Sunday 27^th March and the birds will be singing before the ringing of your alarm interrupts your sleep. Yes ladies, summertime is almost here, but what does this mean? Braving the cold is finally over,  no more flinching at the gush of wind that challenges your every step, no more running to escape the sudden downfall of rain, no more wearing legging under jeans or layers upon layers under coats the time has come for the sun to hug your every step. 

It’s time to put away the coats, hats, scarves and gloves and step into the high heels, vibrant dresses, sunglasses and everything feminine. It’s time to make the streets of your city your catwalk!

But in order to feel completely fabulous in our femininity we must be ready from head to toe...

Treat yourself to... 

Water, yes as much water as you possibly can each and every day, it is good for you, will energise you and flush your insides out resulting in flawless glowing skin (bare in mind, water cleanses the body so your skin has the potential to get worse during the internal detox before getting better).

Thread, pluck or wax your eyebrows. Nothing beats a well shaped clean finished eyebrow; it will tidy up your overall appearance.

Wax, shave or hair removal every necessary area, the results will speak in volumes. 

Treat yourself to a full body massage, a good massage will probably put you to sleep but it is worth it! Your body will be completely relaxed, put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.

Book an appointment and slip into that big leather sofa, allowing every nail and toe nail to be taken care of... Let them scrub away the walks of life from under your very feet as you relax. 

xoxo

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, a love story for the soul...xoxo

Tongues were wagging and Redeeming Love was the topic EVERYONE was talking about! Curiosity and excitement drove me to search Amazon, I wanted to know all about it and why it had, had such a profound affect!

For little over a week I waited patiently (with the exception of the ‘why was it taking so long’ rants!) Finally it arrived, neatly wrapped in a brown cardboard box it lay on my bed starring back at me, I couldn’t conceal my grin; my hands and body launched forward ripping open its package. I stood and starred at its front cover taking it all in, I opened the front page slowly and carefully as I began to read.

Looking at my bedroom clock I realised it had just gone 2am, I couldn’t believe how quickly time had passed but I didn’t want to put it down; I had to be up for work in a few hours, I told myself I would finish the next few sentences and go to sleep... I got to sleep a few minutes before 4am. Over the next few days every free moment I had was spent with Redeeming Love.. I read it on my way to work, during my lunch break, on my way home from work and as soon as I got home; it had taken my heart hostage, I simply couldn’t get enough, I had fallen in love.

The tale of Redeeming Love is so much more than a flow of ink on a series of pages, it brought life to my imagination, it reinforced true love exists and spoke to my heart in a language it understood that true love saves, stands and fights for you.

I cried, felt frustrated and got excited at the rollercoaster tale. It encouraged me to question my choices, my motives and the motives of others.

I give Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers 5 out of 5 and recommend you read it. I have read it twice and it was even better the second time! xoxo

40 days and 40 nights...!!!

My last night of food freedom is upon me! (Insert discipline) for 40 days and 40 nights I will be giving up things that I love for things that I love not so much... Lent has arrived! 

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Christian tradition; it is the season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent is a time of sacrifice for Jesus, it is a time for repentance, communion with God, thanks-giving and abstaining from things we enjoy i.e. television, food, internet etc. The forty days represent the time that, Jesus spent in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, where he endured temptation by Satan.

Biblical scriptures for reference; 

Matthew chapter 4 verses 1 and 2

Mark chapter 1 verses 12 and 13

Luke chapter 4 verses 1 and 2

Matthew chapter 9 verse 15

See you on the other side of your spiritual growth! Happy fasting... xoxo

10 Things I Want To Say To A Black Woman by Joshua Bennett .... I was lost for words!!!! xoxo

Take control of your finances... xoxo

Money is a powerful tool and having it means we can enjoy benefits such as houses, cars, food, clothes, shoes, holidays, and so much more... But with so many things on offer how do we do this without a little overspending here and there? How do we stay on top of our finances? How do we regain control?

Here are some great tips from Lloyds TSB to help you stay on top of your finances and if you are in debt these tips are equally as good, they will provide you with a structure to help you overcome your mountain xoxo

What's coming in?

Try keeping a spending diary for a month. You'll be surprised! Start by jotting down all the money coming in to your household each month, such as salary, tax credits, child benefit, etc.

What's going out?

Next, you should write down all your household’s basic living expenses. This includes regular commitments, everyday spending and occasional spending. To help you do this, use your bank statements.

Bank online

If you have access to the internet, most banks allow you to manage your bank account online. You should log in regularly to check your spending and balance. You can also go online to view your statements and/or print them off if you need to. Doing this will help you identify your incomings and outgoings. You should always check your bank statements for anything amiss and cross-reference it with your list of outgoings.

Ring-fence your money

Open an additional current account so you can ring-fence enough money to cover your bills from one account and leave the rest in your other account for everyday spending. You’ll always have enough money to cover your bills, and you’ll know how much you have left to spend.

Spread it out

You may find that spreading larger payments over the year (for example, your car insurance or TV licence fee) makes more sense for you. Setting up a monthly direct debit to cover these payments can help you avoid the burden of a large lump sum, which can be helpful if money is tight.

Start saving your money

If you have some spare money at the end of the month, you should think about starting to save. Because whatever crops up in your life, whether it’s an unexpected bill, a sudden repair job, or a shock redundancy, having some savings squirreled away can help take care of it. There are several different ways to save, but if you want to access your money at short notice, then an instant access savings account is a good choice.

Think ahead

Avoid impulse buying! However, you need to be aware of your weak spots and allow for a little unplanned spending now and again. If you can plan your spending in advance, you're less likely to buy things you don't need or can't afford.

Bank that bonus

Put part of any pay rises or bonuses into a savings account, as long as you don't have any outstanding debt. If you do have debts, you should think carefully about whether you ought to pay these off before you ring-fence your extra money. If you’re a tax payer, you could make the most of your yearly tax-free savings allowance by opening an ISA.

Live a cash-based life

Consider withdrawing a fixed amount from your account at the beginning of the week and using this for all impromptu spending. But don't carry too much cash at any one time – only take what you think you will need each day to cover small purchases.

Monitor your budget

Once you've completed a budget plan, you'll immediately become more aware of your outgoings and what you have available to spend. You should keep track of your budget each month and make sure you update it whenever things change (for instance, if your utility bills go up during the winter months).

Remember, this is a process; try not to be too hard on yourself if it doesn’t go exactly as you planned, giving it your best effort is what matters. Good luck lovelies’ xoxo