The Hive by Gill Hornby

Don't you just love surprises? I know I do!

A Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago a copy of The Hive by Gill Hornby was delivered to my door by the postman. It was in nondescript cardboard packaging with no compliment slip enclosed.

I guess it is a prize from a giveaway I have entered but I had no idea it was coming!

Okay, its not like I am being whisked to Paris or anything but I was still really excited!

It looked promising read; a Sunday Times bestseller and high praised reviews. I couldn't wait to start reading my mysteriously received new novel.

On the whole the book was..okay. It could have done with some more depth of character and some situations seemed to just peter out..  But I find myself asking if I cared not knowing more? Probably not. And that's not like me at all! Predictable outcomes to a tee and it didn't have me laughing out loud or really rooting for anybody really. I would say it is a perfect 'pick up, put down' book for your summer hols but definitely better reads out there in the same genre for your buck.

It was lovely to read a 'real book' again, I have had a kindle for a year now and forgot how nice it is to curl up with a paperback, I must do it more often.

Lxxx

I Love Running, Running Hates Me, exercise day #1

I've kind of fallen off the wagon a bit recently when it comes to my diet and exercise.  A lot of change has been happening in my life generally and I've just kind of let it slide. Not the best.

I've been consciously avoiding the scales as I am worried about what they will say. But that really is just a recipe for disaster so had a word this morning and jumped on and faced the music.

10st 7 1/2 was the result so I have put on 6lbs. It's not the end of the world but as I still had some weight to lose anyway I'm glad I've taken the control back now.

Bye bye wotsits!

I am going to attempt to do some sort of exercise each day for 100 days to help me get back on track and I'm sure it will help clear my head with everything else that is going on up there.

So this morning I pulled on some gym pants and hoodie and dragged myself out for a run. I always love the idea of running and jogging. I like the idea of getting the cobwebs out your hair and spending some quiet time out in the fresh air. I am terrible at it though!

I tracked my distance with the Nike running app and managed 2.94km in 27.56 minutes. There really was a lot of walking and heavy breathing though.  When I came in I thought I would be pumped up for the day, instead I had a bit of a rest...

I'm going to try my hardest to stick with it, running we will become friends!

Lxxx

Competition Wins #1

I started entering online competitions in February this year.  I have won 12 times now and would have to say I am well and truly addicted to my new hobby!

I thought I might do a wee post on my wins from now on.

I was waiting for 4 items to appear and the Postman dropped one off this morning. I was excited to find out what it was!

It turned out to be 6 items of make up.I haven't owned anything here before so I am super excited to try it all out. What a lovely prize...

The first item was a cheek stamp from the brand seventeen, it's not a product I have used before and I am looking forward to trying it out. RRP £4.99 at Boots.



Next up is Supercat Eyeliner Pen by Soap and Glory. I am really excited I won this! It has absolutely fabulous reviews and is the reason I entered the competition in the first place. I can't wait to try it out on my next night out.  I simply adore Soap and Glory bath and body products so this is a brand I am very much familiar with. RRP £6.00 at Boots.

Next is a lippie from MUA in shade 13. It is a red lipstick, I really do not suit red lipstick at all! So I have kept this one sealed and I am going to pass it on to my sister Gill who looks great in red lipstick. RRP £1 at Superdrug.

I can't wait to try the MUA Pro-Brow Eyebrow Kit. I will do a review of this product when I have tried it out. I currently use Browzings by Benefit which I am completely in love with. Browzings costs £24.50 currently and  MUA's product costs £3.50, I am hoping to have found a brilliant dupe product in MUA. On first impressions the packaging of browzings and MUA is similar and both come with mini tweezers. I like the fact that MUA's brow palette has an option of a lighter or darker colour. Watch this space!

I was excited to see a L'oreal Paris color riche l'ombre pure eyeshadow in my winning haul. I am someone who in the past has very much stuck to what I know.  I am trying to branch out when it comes to make up and have been wanting to add eyeshadows in to the mix of my make up collection. The eyeshadow is in shade 205 - Nude. To me, it is definitely a shimmery gold colour rather than a nude. Not that I am complaining, every girl needs some gold and glitter in her life! Can't wait to try this out.  RRP £5.49 at Boots.

My last winning product is Face Form Conturing and Blush Palette in shade light by Sleek Makeup.  I have to say - conturing terrifies me! haha. I really want to give it a go though and you will probably find me over the next couple of weeks looking for a YouTube video that is dumbed down enough for me to copy!  Please let me know if you have any that you can recommend to me. I will write a future post of how I get on with trying this product out.

Sorry for the quality of some of my photos, still trying to get to grips with basically everything when it comes to blogging!

Have you tried out any of these products? I would love to know what you think of them.

L xxxx

Slimming World

I thought I would write a little about Slimming World for my first proper post. Their eating plan (definitely not a diet - you don't need to give up CHIPS!) has completely changed my life.

There are 3 eating plans created by Slimming World; I follow extra easy. The website explains the plan better than I could but as the name suggests it is extremely easy to follow and understand. The best thing about it in my eyes is that nothing is off limits. Barely any measuring, not having to forgo firm favourites like chicken tikka massala and cooked spaghetti carbonara and still being able to lose weight is a dream come true!

On the 1st December 2013 I stepped on my dusty, briefly forgotten bathroom scales. I had never really been overweight before.  I was always wanted to lose a couple of lbs here and there but not medically overweight. I stepped on to the scales and found myself 11 stone 6.5lbs. I couldn't believe it! And this put me in the overweight category for BMI. The lbs had been creeping up while I was enjoying glasses of wine coupled with crisps and creamy dips or my favourite comfort food macaroni cheese just a little bit too regularly. 

I used to attend Slimming World classes and still had the membership pack so I picked them up and had a quick recap and got on my jolly way. That was almost 4 months ago now. Week one I lost 5lbs and I have steadily been losing weight ever since with the odd blip along the way (i'm only human!).  

I have felt really motivated to lose weight this year because I have a holiday to Barcelona booked. If my motivation wavered I think I would attend my local Slimming World group where for £4.95 you are weighed followed by Image Therapy (a helpful group session great for sharing recipe ideas and much needed support and inspiration). But for now I am happy enough to have the money in my pocket and weigh myself in weekly at home. 

I am however surrounded by the best support network over on Instagram.  There are 100s of us on there who post up our weigh ins, meals, snacks and ask each other questions. I don't think I would of done half as well without all the lovely support and chat from the Instagram girls (and boys!) I'm sw_eatclean_lorna on there if you would like to follow me! I follow everyone back except those who I feel are running Pro Anorexia accounts.

So I am now 17lbs lighter and feeling fabulous!  I originally decided I wanted to lose 3 stone, now I am not so sure I want to lose that much. I am comfortably in size 12 trousers (trousers!! Not just stretchy leggings for me now!) and would love to get into some 10s so I will really play it by ear on deciding what my goal is.

                                           LAST NIGHT                              1/12/13                          

Slimming World - you and I make a wonderful team. Long may it continue!

L xxxx

Testing The Water..

So I have been very late in the game in finding bloglovin' but have loved reading lots of lovely blogs on there.

So much so in fact  I have taken the step to create my own!

*GOING THROUGH MY MIND*

Do I have enough interesting things to write? Will anyone actually want to read this?

Is my blog the most poorly designed one out there? (Oh yes, but I will muddle through and work on that one!)

I hope to bring something new to the table as we are all so deliciously different. 

Looking forward to writing my first proper post!

L <3 xxx