Juniper Daze Designs Homeware Review*

I am such a sucker for cute homeware, and I am genuinely always on the lookout for the new bits, that I probably don't really need and can't really afford. I just love homeware okay. I've spoken about the bane of my life, our spare room quite a few times on my blog and after living in this flat over 2 and a half years now, I am so set on turning it into an office this year. When the chance came up to work with the lovely Steph from Juniper Designs and review some Personalised Map Heart Coasters, I was so excited as I knew they would look so perfect in our soon to be office.

Steph set up Juniper Daze Designs only recently and her products are mostly map themed, which I think is such a unique and lovely idea, something you don't see much of in other shops. She makes and sells just a few products at the moment ranging from Map Coasters to Hanging Decorations to Fridge Magnets to Frames. She gave me the chance to pick something from her Etsy shop and after much deliberation I went for the Heart Map Coasters. I just loved how they looked on the website and knew they would be so perfect to go on a white desk for when I'm working in the office.

All of Stephs products can be personalised, and Steph was super nice in letting me pick a location for each coaster. I originally asked for the location on the maps to be Leicester, as that's where I went to uni and the place me and George first got to live together. I then changed my mind and asked if it was possible to pick a few more locations and she was so accommodating and was more than happy for me to pick more. In the end I went for Sheffield, Leicester, Manchester and London. All four of these places are special to me for different reasons and now each coaster is unique and personalised and I just think they are going to be such a nice thing to have forever.

I fell a little bit in love with these as soon as I opened the parcel, they were better than I imagined and it's always such a nice feeling knowing something has been personalised specifically for you. I could tell so much time and effort had gone into these coasters and I really couldn't be happier. I just think they are so different to other homeware bits and as they can be personalised, I think these would be such a lovely gift, either for a birthday, christmas or even a wedding. You could pick a place you know is special to someone and surprise them with either these or one of the other products available. I think personalised gifts always show you've gone to a lot of effort and really thought about the person.

I really don't have a bad word to say about these. They feel really good quality and being made from wood and felt backed, they won't slip about on your desk when there is a drink on top which is something that really annoys me! I received 4 coasters which costs £16 but you can also get them in bundles of 6 or 8. As I've said these can be personalised, just let Steph know what location you would like on the maps, it's as simple as that. They are just lovely.

If you would like to know anymore about Juniper Daze Designs check out the website here, or you can see the other products available on Etsy here. I'll definitely be picking up a few more personalised products in the future! Steph has kindly provided me with a discount code for all my lovely followers, for 10% off on orders over £5 enter the code - TRAWLING.

*Thanks so much to Steph at Juniper Daze for designing these for me. As always I only work with brands I feel are relevant to my blog and all opinions are my own

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6 Things I've Learnt In 6 Years About Relationships

So today is actually mine and Georges 6 year anniversary. Is it an anniversary if you're not married? I'm not sure but today it is 6 years since we first got together. I actually can't believe how fast it has gone. We're closer to 10 years together than we are to 1, I just find that insane! As I've been in a relationship for 6 years now, I've learnt quite a few things in that time and I thought it would be fun to tell you some of them. Let me know in the comments if you relate to any of these things, and also if you're in a relationship, what you've learnt! I'd love to know.

1. Boys are messy

This is something I've had to deal with right from the start. I remember when I used to go round to Georges for the weekend and I'm sure he won't mind me saying, his room was usually a bit of a tip. I used to wait downstairs while he made it all clean and tidy on a Friday night and on the Sunday before I went, I always liked to make sure it was nice and tidy for him for the week, also in the hope he would keep on top of it and it wouldn't be a mess again within a few days! Unfortunately boys just are messy a lot of the time. I think we both do our fair share of house work now, but there are times when clothes will just be left on the floor, or NEXT to the laundry basket, or they'll be pots on the side rather than in the sink. They'll always be stuff like that but I've learnt to deal with it, I don't think boys look at mess like women do, if I see mess I need to tidy it up, but it's like they just see things in a completely different way sometimes!

2. Time without phones is so important 

I'm sure most people can say they are guilty of spending far too much time on their phone, me included. It's basically attached to my hand, I take it everywhere. We're definitely guilty of sitting down to watch a film or a TV show and yet still spend the majority of it on social media. I always feel like I'm missing stuff if I'm not on Instagram or Twitter for a while, but really it's ridiculous. Every so often we'll have a day where we just have no phones, or we'll try to only go on them if we need too. Or if we're going to watch a film, we'll leave our phones somewhere else and just properly spend that time together without going online. Time without phones is SO important, everyone gets a bit obsessed with social media and it can take away from special moments. Even just when we're away in London, I try to have less time on my phone. I take photos and maybe post a few on Instagram, but apart from that I want us just have that time together without wondering about anyone else.

3. Not everyday will be perfect 

Some days can be so lovely and everything can just seem so perfect but there are always going to be days where you argue, or snap at each other for no reason. Sometimes you do just wake up in a bad mood and take it out on the other person, sometimes they've done something small wrong, but you completely overreact. That's just what relationships are like sometimes. You stress about money, you stress about family, you stress about work, all of these sorts of things can happen and it can affect your relationship. Talking is the most important thing and whenever I'm feeling particularly stressed or down, I say, because otherwise I'll just snap and things will be 10x worse. They'll be good times and bad times over the years but it's just about communication, looking after each other and getting through it all together.

4. You Should Never Go To Bed Angry 

No matter what has happened each day, no matter if we've had the biggest argument in the world, we always say I love you before we go to sleep. There have been times in the past where we've fallen asleep mad, and then I've woken up in the night and had to say it then, just because I hate the thought of something happening while we're asleep and then our last words to each other being something not that nice. I know that's pretty deep but anything can happen at any time, and you never know when you're going to lose somebody, so saying I love you every night for me is a must. Never go to bed angry, always try and resolve whatevers gone on before, I just think it would be the worst thing in the world for your last words to somebody, to have been in an argument.

5. Small Gestures Matter 

As much as big gestures are nice and presents are always lovely, the small gestures are the ones that matter. Just doing the pots after tea, taking the washing out of the washer, a foot rub, a bunch of flowers. All of these things are just little ways of saying I love you, and show that you care. It's not all about spending money and doing big amazing things.

6. Don't Bottle Things Up

 I am so guilty of this but it's the worst thing. I don't like to bother people when I'm feeling down or stressed so I let whatevers going on in my head, build and build and build and then one day I could drop a spoon on the floor or something trivial like that, and I'll just snap or have some sort of breakdown. Don't let things build up, if you're partner has upset you, tell them! and talk about it. Communication is key, how can they resolve things if you don't tell them? or if you're feeling low how can they make you feel better if you don't tell them? Bottling things up only makes things worse for everyone and usually leads to even bigger arguments when there really is no need.

There have definitely been difficult times in the 6 years we've been together, but somehow we've made it through all of them, there isn't anybody else I would want by my side. I've learnt a lot about myself, and I've learnt a lot about men! I would love to know if you agree with any of these, or if you're in a relationship, what else you've learnt! I still can't believe it's been this long.

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Should I Have An Instagram Theme?

This is something I have been thinking about for a while. Should my Instagram have a theme? and I'm really not sure what the answer is. Instagram has become so popular over the last few years and it was only really towards the end of 2016/the start of this year that I really started to make an effort with it and try and grow my following. I've never really had a proper theme, but I have tried to go with the same sorts of backgrounds and props etc. to make things a bit more consistent. Whenever I have had quite a few photos all similar though, I've then started to get bored and just wanted to share my more personal photos. I'm never quite sure what to do and whether a theme is a good idea or not. 

I thought I would list a few pros and cons to having a theme and I'd love to know what your opinion is.

Pros

• It looks consistent - It can possibly look better to a brand or just to other bloggers if you have a bit of a theme and stick to the same sorts of photos. It can look more professional and if people get used to your theme and the pictures you post, it can be a good way to build a following. People know what sort of photos to expect from you and I've definitely noticed a spike in my followers whenever I've had a bit of consistency.
• Trying out new props - As stressful as it can be taking Instagram pictures, it can also be a lot of fun and I do love buying new props and thinking about how I can arrange them for a photo. I've definitely got a few favourite things I like to include in my photos and I do think that way people can notice which pictures are mine on their feed.
• It looks nice - I do think some Instagram accounts I follow are absolutely gorgeous and I love the theme they've gone for. Whether that's bright colours, certain props, a white background etc. They do look lovely and I admire people that can keep up with that and make all of their photos look beautiful.

Cons

• Unable to share personal photos - I know a lot of people have a seperate instagram for their own personal photos but I've always just had one that I use for personal stuff and blog stuff. I worry about posting certain photos in case they don't fit a 'theme' so then they just don't get shared. Sometimes I want to post different things that aren't blog related e.g. birthdays, anniversaries, quotes, food, and I can't when I try and stick to a theme.
• Photos can look repetitive and can get boring - I did go through a bit of a phase where for quite a few photos I kind of stuck to a theme and I did like how it looked for those photos, one after the other. But I also felt a bit like they looked repetitive and if someone new was to look at my blog they might not notice that all the photos were different, if that makes sense? I just feel sometimes it can look like you're repeating yourself and it can get boring.
• A lot of peoples instagrams look the same - As so many people try to stick to a theme I find a lot of peoples Instagrams look exactly the same and I think that's a bit boring. No one really stands out and thats a shame, because everyone is trying to do the same thing. For example when Marble was the big thing (which it kind of still is) everyone was going for the same types of photos, and I just think be creative, and a bit different. You don't have to follow the crowd to try and fit in.

When I was writing this I actually found it was much easier to list the cons rather than the pros so I suppose maybe that's telling me I shouldn't have a theme! I just think it's a lot of work and I don't think I have the patience for it. I also never want to feel like I can't share a certain photo, Instagram shouldn't be that serious I don't think. For now at least I'm going to stick with what I'm doing. Sharing whatever I want, when I want. Some photos might be similar and have the same sorts of props, and other photos could be of food or whatever I feel like! 

Have you got an Instagram theme? Whats your opinion on it?

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June Favourites - Baywatch, The Handmaids Tale and Summer Drinks

I feel like I'm struggling with monthly favourites a bit at the moment. There are so many shows and films I want to include but when it comes to actual products I'm not really changing things up! I'm going to try my best to carry on though and this month I did find a few new things I wanted to mention.

Wicked Book - George bought me this a few months ago, I mentioned it in this post actually and I couldn't wait to get started on it. Unfortunately I'm one of those people who really has to be in the mood to read so it took me until the middle of June to actually start it. I've mentioned Wicked enough times on my blog so I'm sure you're aware of the story, it's a massive show on the west end and broadway, most people have heard of it, but I was really excited to see how the show would translate into a book. I literally had no expectations but so far I'm enjoying it. I'm a few chapters in and even though it is strange how different it is in the book, it's a really good one to get lost in and I can't wait to get reading the rest.

Primark Winnie The Pooh Footlets - Okay I had to include these because they are just ADORABLE! I am obsessed by anything Winnie the Pooh, he is just too cute so when I saw these on Instagram a few months ago I knew I had to have them. I fully expected to miss out on them because the Primarks near me don't tend to have all the stuff I see online that I want, but they had these and they were only £2.50. I just can't get over how cute they are and they are also so soft! I love wearing them and I know they are not going to leave my feet in the colder months later on this year.

Marks and Spencers Room Spray - I've mentioned this at least once on my blog since I bought it but it's just so nice I had to feature it in a favourites post. A room and linen spray might seem a bit boring but I love any sort of homey bits like this and this has genuinely been making our flat smell amazing. This is from Marks and Spencers, my new favourite place for homeware and even though they had quite a few room sprays to choose from, the Patchouli and Clove stood out for me, just because it smells mainly of mens aftershave. Is it just me who loves the smell of mens strong aftershave? Well now I've got this I can make every room smell like it! I've been spraying this on the bed each morning after making it and also a little bit in each room. It's also nice to spray onto washing when it's just out of the washer so that when it dries it smells even better! So obsessed with this. It was £5 so not the cheapest but honestly worth it.

MUA Sheen Lipbalm - This was something I won in a giveaway last month and I'd never even seen this before so I was really excited to try it and see what it was like. It's the MUA Sweet Sheen Lipbalm in the shade Peach Dream. I don't tend to put any product on my lips, I just feel like I look weird with brighter colours on so if I do it's always a nude sort of colour but I've started using this and I'm really loving it. It adds some colour to my lips but it's really subtle which I love and it's actually really moisturising. I just love what it looks like on and how it makes my lips feel. I'm definitely going to look out for more of these next time in Superdrug as they are brilliant and I'm sure they are only £2.

Fanta Lemon - Okay isn't this just the perfect drink for Summer? I remember always getting it when I was on holiday when I was younger, it was just the 'holiday' drink and so perfect for around the pool! With the hot weather we've been having recently, which to be honest I'm hating, I'm such an autumn and winter girl, this drink has been a life saver! 

Baywatch - I was really looking forward to seeing this film and in June we got round to it and had a bit of a date day, and I really really loved it! I was a bit sceptical and thought it might just be cheesy and a bit crap but it really wasn't. I thought it was really funny and I loved the cast. I mean, its Zac Efron for one who I seem to love a bit more after Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and then there is The Rock, who doesn't love him? He's just so cool isn't he. It's not the most amazing film and I didn't expect it to be, it's just a chilled, funny one and one that I know I would watch again. 

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The Handmaids Tale - This wasn't something I was intending to watch but after seeing a few tweets I started recording it and one night in June we watched the first two episodes and just got hooked by it! We've now watched 6 episodes I think and I'm enjoying it more and more every week. If you're not sure what it's about, it's basically set in a dystopian near-future where women aren't allowed to work, own property, control money or read. With widespread infertility due to warfare-induced environmental contamination, those left fertile are forced to become handmaids and are taken away from their own families and children, and are assigned to couples who want a child. They have to submit to ritualised rape with their male masters to become pregnant and bear children for him and his wife. So that was quite a long explanation and I know it sounds mental but it's just such a good tv show. At first I was a bit like what the hell am I watching but it's so tense and actually a little bit scary. With everything going on in the world it only makes it feel even more real!

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Have you been watching the Handmaids Tale? or have you seen Baywatch? I'd love to know your thoughts or what you've been loving this month!

Last months favourites - May - Seventeen, Line of Duty & Insta Stories

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