#01 Weekly Wishlist

I've definitely got health on the brain seeing as my latest post was talking about finding motivation and achieving some fitness goals and now most of the items on my first Weekly Wishlist are all health related.....

I thought I'd start doing a Weekly Wishlist because I always see so much I want to buy! I'm notoriously bad with my money and I'm an incredibly impulsive person so I've always got huge lists in my head on what to splurge my money on when payday comes around (it's so close this month as well! Getting dangerous..!) 
Maybe my unhealthy shopping habit will come up with a few items that you'd be interested in too? 
Not much passes beneath my radar so would be rather lovely to think I could introduce people to some new brands or products.
I'll also be doing a monthly 'Tried and Tested' post which reviews what products I've finally caved into and bought - I may be impulsive but I do like to do a bit of solid research and hear actual people's opinions on items before I buy them. 

Take a look at what I've been lusting all this week:

The Lumie Bodyclock - £59.95

I did mention this product as being on my wishlist in my last post. I've read loads of different magazine reviews that describe it as being a really gentle way to wake up so that definitely piqued my interest. I've always found that I wake up much earlier in a light room so it's obviously a mode of waking up that I should respond too - and if I can get myself in a routine of waking up earlier then that will be a goal achieved!
I picked out the Lumie Bodyclock Starter 30 refurbished clock as on the website it describes it as being "the perfect first wake-up light", and it also remains one of the cheapest. It is expensive considering I can just keep using my phone as an alarm so I think if I eventually do splash the cash I will get the cheaper one just to see how effective it is and if I like it. If I don't I'll give it to my Mum who's notorious for not setting alarms and sleeping in.
I have also wanted to buy a proper alarm clock recently as I just don't quite trust my phone to remember to wake me up every morning - anyone else ever feel like this?
On the official Lumie website the clock is currently on sale at £44.95, but you can also get it from Boots, Amazon and John Lewis where it remains slightly more expensive. It has lots of gold star reviews on all these websites which is nice & reassuring!

A Bosu Ball 

I love these things and have used them before - like an aerobics ball cut in half these are awesome for balancing and engage your core like nothing else. Some of the exercises on Kayla's BBG workout in the later weeks require use of a

BOSU ball so I will definitely be investing in some point but I have been wanting one for a few months now.
They usually come in blue but I rather like the snazzy pink one and are available in loads of online stores. I think I'll get the pink one from Amazon but if you want the blue then I would recommend getting it from Fitness Superstore as it seems to be considerably cheaper then some of the Amazon options.


Resistance Bands

Resistance bands are a pretty necessary piece of kit that can work wonders for your legs and thighs, and I did have a rather fetching purple one somewhere but in between commuting between Manchester and Scotland and moving flat it seems to have got lost. You can get some lovely ones from Bodyism (whose books do some great resistance workout exercises using them!) but I would recommend having a look on Amazon again for something a bit cheaper. I wouldn't pay 12 quid for what's effectively a larger, tough, rubber band. 

Water Infuser Bottles & Water Filtering Bottles

Now this is when things get confusing as I can't quite make up my mind as to which one I want to get.
As I mentioned before in my last blog post I feel the water up here is quite gunky so I wanted to get a water filter, however that does me no good for work so I'm thinking about investing in a water filtering bottle. As I was researching them I also came across bottles where you can infuse fruit flavours - unless it's ice cold I really hate the taste of water so I'm an avid squash drinker - hopefully a fruity infusion can help me kick the habit of a lifetime?
I'll pop up the contenders and if you've used one before then leave me a comment and help me make up my mind!

The Aqua Zinger
This one looks great and I've seen it reviewed on a few blogs. Seems to do the job well and infuse your water with hints of fruit. I think I'd go for the blue colour.

The Citrus Zinger
Like the Aqua Zinger except this one is designed for oranges and lemons - it has a neat little citrus press on the bottom which allows the juice to go into your water without the fleshy bits and pips getting involved too. Orange would be my colour of choice.

Puregadgets Fruit Infusing Water Bottle
I really like the bright colours on these and clear fruit compartments. Will make your water look even juicier (although chances are the water will probs end up going murky and might not look so appetising.) The perils of photoshop - where even water bottles are made to look good.

Fruit Infusing Water Bottle (sold by Wimports)
Pretty much the same as the others except it has a more rounded, metallic top. Hey - they all do the same job so my choice is pretty much going to be down to which I think looks best. I am going to be staring at it on my desk all day!

Bopple - normal or sport?!
This is just a simple water filter bottle but I've seen them everywhere - even my niece has one! Seem like a really nice simple bottle and I like the colours they use. My only concern is they seem quite thin - would they get scrunched like a normal water bottle does? I'd want it to maintain it's shape. I also can't decide whether I like the sport one best or the normal.....

Such a tough decision....maybe I'm looking into this far too much...
All are available via Amazon anyway. 
And finally....

Fountain Beauty Supplements

Another product where I just can't quite decide which one to try! They all look so good and I've fallen head over heels in love with the branding. Any product that has that chemistry/apothecary look to it I am happy to try!
I think a round was sent to all the big beauty bloggers recently as reviews all suddenly popped up on their pages and there's also been a whole heap of magazine mentions (all of which you can view on the Fountain webpage.)
The product seemed to do well with lots of the reviewers liking it, and saying they've kept on using it. My main reasons to try include trying to calm down inflammations on my skin (breakouts, eczema) and also to see if it can try and help reduce my skin hypersensitivity. I love nothing more than trying new products and unfortunately my skin's just screaming out stop to me recently and reacts to the littlest thing - even products it's been happy with before. To start with I therefore think I'll try the Extra Strength Beauty Molecule and maybe next month give the Super Green Molecule a go - according to Stylist Magazine who recently featured it on their 'style list' each serving has the equivalent of eating six bowls of spinach!Now I like spinach but who has time to eat six bowls? If this potion can help me then all I can say is...

I bet you like that Futurama reference

Anyway, I think that's more than enough to be getting along with. If you've tried any of the products listed then please let me know what you think - you may persuade me that it's a product I actually need more than just want - or you may stop me from wasting my money on something that doesn't actually work!

Hope you liked it,

T x

Not Another Bill

Today something happened to me that finally inspired me to start the blog that I’ve been threatening to set up for several years now.

Yesterday I finally got round to signing up to the ‘Not Another Bill’ service online, after having read about it several weeks (months?) ago on a blog. 

This website had initially really intrigued me and I found it a really interesting and lovely concept – who doesn’t love receiving unusual knick-knacks through the post?

 But unfortunately at the time I was earning an almost unliveable wage and it’s only now that I have my fab new job that I decided I could afford to ‘reward’ myself with this every month.

It’s a beautiful website, and one that you could easily spend hours on. 

I’m currently going through the process of re-designing a website with my new job so I could easily rabbit on about the gorgeous design and layout but I’ll just settle on saying that the content is great and anyone reading this should really just check it out and see for yourself.

After relenting and signing up I also ‘followed’ the company on twitter – and this is really where the story begins.

I was pleased to immediately be sent a welcome message by Ned, who started the company and we struck up a conversation where we discussed what my favourite gift that had been sent so far had been – I explained that I had only signed up that day but from the past gifts that had been sent out, what had particularly caught my eye was a chip fork necklace from Tatty Devine, and an interesting crown ring from Rentaro Nishimura, after which he tweeted me the rather (now it seems anyway!) cryptic reply of ‘intriguing!’

I was left absolutely stunned when I received in the post today a package from Not Another Bill – I wasn’t expecting my first package till October, which featured a small gift wrapped box and a handwritten note from Ned himself saying

‘Dear Tamsin, We all like suprises! Enjoy Ned x’

Love the crest too! Wouldn't mind if a real life lion delivered my mail.

Lo and behold, I unwrapped the box to find…the Tatty Devine chip fork necklace.

My boyfriend James can vouch for how stunned, and genuinely touched I was on opening this surprise gift.

Apologies for my poor photography (and grammar.) I promise I'll practice!

After a year spent having my faith in humanity chipped away by working in a well known but budget department store where customer service is definitely discouraged in the face of other ‘more important’ factors, such as upselling and opening store cards (you know the drill) it was overwhelming to be on the receiving end of what is a very kind, thoughtful gesture, as well as an absolutely superb example of what customer service should be.

I actually turned to James and said ‘I wish I was a blogger so that I could return the gesture by telling everyone how fab this company is’ and so here we are.

Being my first ever blog its expected that I won’t reach a vast audience but really, I so wholeheartedly encourage everyone to check out this company– right now with similar companies its so easy to feel that you are one of many, and so it really is so lovely to find a brand that really does notice, and focus on the individual. And they really do choose such beautiful,  and unusual gifts to send to you, which can expose you to a fair few new brands & designers you may end up loving but might not necessarily have stumbled upon yourself.

Ned, and everyone at Not Another Bill – thank you so much, your gesture really has meant so much to me and has absolutely made my year, and from now on I’ll be shouting from the rooftops with praise for your company!

I certainly do like surprises, and this was one of the best.

T x