Current Netflix Top Picks #12

Yet again it's been a little while since my last Netflix recommendations but around December is always the best for new films and TV shows. We've been binge-watching a load of boxsets recently but mainly I'm all about the festive films at the moment! Christmas24 is pretty much on all day and Netflix have released a few new Christmassy films so it's safe to say I am in full on festive mode and have loads I want to chat to you about.

Peaky Blinders

Okay let's start with something non-christmassy first and I don't think you could much further away from the festive period than Peaky Blinders. I know, I know I'm about 5 years behind but I've finally caught up and I am SO glad I gave it a chance. For a long time I just thought nope won't be my sort of show but to be fair, I thought that about Game Of Thrones too and I ended up loving that in the end, and that's exactly what happened with this too. After seeing one too many clips on Gogglebox, we started it a few months ago and now I'm ready for the next series, though I'm sure they'll be a decent wait for that. Cillian Murphy is incredible as Tommy Shelby but the whole cast are brilliant. It's just a fantastic show and even if like me you think it might not be for you, give it a try!

Let It Snow

This is one of those typical cheesy American Christmas movies but isn't that what we all secretly love? Based on the novel by John Green, this follows a group of highschool students who find their love lives and friendships colliding when a snowstorm hits their town. It's a film I'd have probably absolutely loved as a teenager, it's clearly a young adult story but it was still really sweet. It's got a great cast too including Kiernan Shipka from The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina, Isabela Moner from Instant Family, Jacob Batalon from Spiderman and Liv Hewson from Santa Clarita Diet.

A Christmas Prince (and A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding)

I finally watched A Christmas Prince! People I follow on Twitter have gone on and on about this (and the sequel) so when a third film was announced recently, I thought you know what, let's see what it's about. I'm not gonna lie and say they're the best Christmas films out there cos I've seen better but they're a fun one to watch whilst putting up the tree or whilst chilling in the afternoon. If you haven't seen either of them, the first film follows Amber, a young American journalist who has been sent to Aldovia to cover a press conference for Prince Richard but whilst there she ends up falling in love with him. The second film I'm sure you can guess is about their upcoming wedding, and whilst I didn't think it was as good as the first film, it's still enjoyable and I'm excited to see the third one next month!

Christmas With The Kranks

I'm pretty sure I included this in a Netflix post this time last year but who cares, I love Christmas With The Kranks. It's a film I remember watching when I was younger and even now every year I enjoy it just as much. It's cheesy, it's funny and it's heartwarming, it just sums up everything that a festive film should be. I'm going to go and watch it again now!

The Politician

Ben Platt is a star. I was a fan of him anyway due to playing Evan in Dear Evan Hansen, but he is absolutely incredible in this. The Politician is a really unique show that follows wealthy student Payton who knows that one day he will be the president of the United States. Before that though he has to conquer becoming the school's student body president, which might not be as easy as he first thought. I think it's such a brilliant idea, so unlike anything else on Netflix on the moment and it's actually quite Wes Anderson in some aspects (Grand Budapest Hotel) and it works so well. There's also some really beautiful music throughout and it actually tackles some tough subjects too. I am beyond excited for the second series, it's 100% one of the best shows I've watched this year.

Have you watched any of the shows/films I've mentioned? Would love to know your thoughts on The Politician if you've seen it!

Follow Me - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Bloglovin!

Kathleen Natural Bright Mask Review*

I've spoken many, many times before on my blog about how much I love a face mask. Each week I like to set time aside where I can for a bit of a pamper night and that usually includes a long hot soak, fresh nails and of course some of my fave skincare products and a face mask is always included within that. For a long time I've been turning to sheet masks but as they're single use, it can sometimes feel like a bit of a waste of money so I was thrilled when the lovely people at Kathleen Natural asked if I would like to try out one of their brand new face masks. Of course I jumped at the chance!

The new range of masks from Kathleen cover four major skin concerns so hopefully that way, there's something for everyone. There's the Deep Pore Treatment which is ideal if you suffer with blackheads and breakouts. Next, there is the Dead Sea Mud Mask which is great for oily and sensitive skin. There's also the Collagen Mask which stimulates collagen production reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And finally, there is the Bright Mask which is the one I was keen to try out. The Bright Mask can help control acne breakouts due to active ingredients like Hibiscus. The natural acids present help to purify your skin by breaking down dead skin and increasing cell turnover. This mask also contains White Willow Bark which I'd not heard of before, but it's apparently both anti-inflammatory and antibacterial which clears your pores and alleviates irritation. A few other ingredients worth mentioning are Vitamin E which prevents your skin from damage, Sandalwood which is excellent for scarring and Shea Butter which will all know is uber moisturising so softens rough skin.

I've been using this twice a week over the last month and I've been thoroughly impressed each time. It's a product I look forward to using all the time now! I've been cleansing my face with my usual Garnier Micellar Cleansing Gel Wash and then applying a thin, even layer of this. I then leave on for 15 minutes and as it's a clay consistency you can really feel it drying on your skin which I strangely enjoy. Once dry, I remove with a warm, damp cloth and rinse my face to make sure any remaining residue is gone. One thing I really love about the Bright Mask is that it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or tight in any way. I usually find with clay masks that afterwards my skin is in desperate need of moisture but I've not had that with this, and whilst I have still been applying my L'oreal Hydra Genius Moisturiser, that's just more about keeping up with my routine. 

I've also found a subtle improvement in the condition of my skin over the last few weeks since using the mask. Whilst I've still had a few breakouts, I've actually felt it's been really drawing our the impurities and the general state of my skin is far better than it was. My skin looks brighter and it feels rejuvenated each time I use this so I'll 100% be continuing with my weekly application. There's just something very spa-like when using a face mask, especially one like this and I think it's so important to take that time each week to just chill for an hour or two and really indulge in some self care. 

If you didn't already know the face masks are 100% natural, 94% organic, suitable for sensitive skin and vegan-friendly so there are many reasons to try one of these. Maybe something to add to your Christmas wishlist if you're a bit of a skincare addict? You can buy all of the masks from the Kathleen Natural website and they range in price from £19 to £28.

Have you tried any products from Kathleen before? Are you more of a sheet mask fan or do you love masks like this too?

Similar - Kathleen Sensual Rose Roll-On Oil Review*

*PR Sample

Follow Me - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Bloglovin!

The Perfect Meal For Winter - Shepherd's Pie With Schwartz*

Now, I know we're not quite there with Winter yet but god, it feels like we are! It is absolutely freezing! I'm not actually complaining though, I've always said I'm more of an Autumn/Winter gal so give me cold and rain over sun and warmth any day! Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but this time of year is when I feel at my happiest. With cold weather, comes those warm comforting meals too, and let's be honest, the food is definitely one of the best things about Winter. I've shared many recipes over the years that I like to turn to on chilly days - warming slow cooker chilli and chicken pie just to name a few and today I wanted to share a new Shepherd's Pie recipe.

Shepherd's Pie is one of those meals I can make over and over and just never get bored. It's a bit of a staple for us now, you just can't beat the thick gravy, the soft mash and the crispy cheese on top, and recently I've been making it with a Schwartz recipe mix. I'm a big fan of Schwartz and have used their products for as long as I can remember so I was thrilled when they asked if I would like to give their Shepherd's Pie a go, and of course I said yes. I find recipe mixes like this make cooking so much easier - it's clear exactly what ingredients you need, you also get cooking instructions included and they always pack the meals full of flavour. So let's get onto the recipe!

Ingredients: for 4 people
1 sachet of Schwartz Shepherd's Pie Recipe Mix
450g lean lamb mince (you could use beef if you prefer)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
200ml cold water
100g peas
675g mashed potato
Grated cheese

Method:
1. Pre-heat your oven 200 degrees (180 fan)
2. Peel and chop your potatoes for the mash, I used Maris Pipers as I find they give the fluffiest mash and don't take too long to boil. Rinse under the tap then add to a pan of water, boil and then set aside once soft
3. Brown your mince in a pan along with the onion and carrot. While these are cooking, mix your sachet contents with 200ml of cold water
4. Add your mix to the mince once cooked and stir well. Add in your frozen peas and leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes so the sauce can thicken
5. When the sauce has started to thicken a little, pour your mix into an ovenproof dish. You can now make your mashed potato (I always add butter, milk and salt whilst mashing) and then top the mince mixture
6. I then use a fork just to neaten the mashed potato and then I add grated cheese. How much is really up to you!
7. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes then serve with vegetables!

Both George and I devoured this shepherd's pie and I can't wait to make it again on a cold Winter's day. The recipe mix added so much flavour, it was full of herbs and spices and I could really tell the difference compared to how I've made it in the past. We had ours with vegetables on the side and Yorkshire pudding because everything is better with a Yorkshire pud or two, and it was incredibly filling. I'll definitely be picking up this particular recipe mix again in the future and if you want to aswell, you can find it in Tesco!

I'd love to know if you use the Schwartz recipe mixes too? if so which one is your favourite?

*This post is in collaboration with Schwartz but all views are my own

Follow Me - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Bloglovin!

Weekend Summary #29 - Emmerdale Studio Tour, Lush Purchases & Our First Five Guys

It's been a little while again since my last weekend summary and as last weekend we had a bit of a busy one, it seemed like another good one to share. I don't do these posts that often but they're always some of my favourites to look back on. The reason I wanted to talk about last weekend was because George and I went to the Emmerdale Studio Tour! Now, if you're not a big fan of the soaps, this post probably won't mean much to you so I won't be offended if you leave now, but for those of you who are a bit addicted to them like me, I hope this is fun to read. Whilst for a long time Emmerdale was never on the same level as Corrie or Eastenders for me, though I still watched it, over the last few years I've actually become a really big fan. Some of the storylines have been incredible recently and I think some of the actors are brilliant, so it's now the one I look forward to the most. If you've been reading my blog for a long time you might remember George and I actually went to the original Coronation Street tour before they demolished the set and re-built it elsewhere and that was so much fun, so once I heard there was one for Emmerdale now, I knew we had to go one day.

There were two tours to choose from, either the studio tour which allows you to see working and replica sets, get an insight into how the storylines are created, a look at costumes and loads more, and then there is the village tour which shows you the outside set so you see exteriors of places like the Woolpack, Village Hall and more. Whilst I'd love to see the outside set one day, this time we went for the Studio Tour. We had a lovely tour guide who took our group round for 2 hours showing us all sorts of things that you just never know about when watching an episode on TV.

After an initial welcome video from the famous Val, and a look at some of the awards Emmerdale has won over the years aswell as the cast wall (fun fact, they've had to cover the photos with glass as Cain's photo has been stolen 4 times! There were lots of older women in our group talking about how much they love a bad boy which was certainly an experience) we started off at Beauty and Bernice and this was particularly interesting as this is where we were shown how the lighting works. As the sets are inside they obviously don't have natural light but the trickery that goes on is so clever. It's been so interesting to watch episodes since knowing how they create things in certain rooms. We then got to see the Dingles and there's the chance for you to get your photo taken professionally on the sofa which some people really got into!

Next up we got to see Rhona's living room, and there was also an area with a shrine to Ashley Thomas which was a little crazy and here we also got to edit a clip of an episode ourselves. I actually think ours was pretty good! That's one thing I think the Emmerdale tour has over the previous Corrie tour, in that it was much more interactive and you had more chance to roam around yourself and take photos. After this, we saw the Cafe and this then led onto the prison and the hospital. Up until this point all the sets had been replicas but both of these are 'real' and filmed in and some rooms were still set up as they'd been filming not long before.

After photos in The Woolpack, you then get a shuttle bus down to the ITV Television Centre. An array of shows have been produced in this studio from Where The Heart Is to My Parents Are Aliens, Heartbeat and Calendar. It's even acted as the main entrance to Hotten General in Emmerdale so this was a really interesting part of the tour. This is also the place they do film each week so here we got to see real life sets that had been used just days before. Some that were available to view (some were currently being dressed for Christmas and a few other things) were Moira and Cain's home which is surprisingly small, it's crazy how much bigger all of the sets look on the TV, Tracy & Vanessa's, and finally Robert and Aarons #robron. After a look at some of the props that have been used in some major scenes over the years, we were whizzed back to the first studio and had chance to check out the model village and gift shop before leaving. I do love a gift shop.

Overall, the Emmerdale Studio Tour was a brilliant experience and a great way to start our day together. The tours are 2 hours long so if you wanted to you could drive to the location of the outside set and get both done in one day. Both have to be booked onto separately though and prices are £32.50 each for the studio tour, and £34 each for the village tour so that's something to think about beforehand. If you're a soap fan though, it's so worth doing. I learnt so much about what goes into each episode and I have so much more respect for anyone that works behind the scenes! It's just fascinating to watch now knowing some of the secrets. I'd really like to do the new Corrie tour at some point now just to see what's different there now and see how that compares to this.

After the tour, we headed to White Rose Shopping Centre, where despite numerous trips to Leeds over the years we'd never been to before. It was pure Christmas. So many places were already fulled decorated, there were beautiful lights hanging and look at this adorable display!

We tried our first Five Guys finally which was insane. The amount of chips pleased me greatly. Can you ever have too many? I don't think so. And we got a little bit of Christmas shopping done. I treated myself to a few bits from Lush for the first time in forever, it's usually far too busy and I just can't deal with everyone wanting to help, which I get is their job but it's full on when you have anxiety. Luckily we were left to it this time which made it SO much more enjoyable. Though I could have spent loads in there, I was pretty restrained and just bought the Snow Fairy Bath Bomb and a mini bottle of Snow Fairy shower gel. It's been so long since I last bought it and I've fallen for it all over again.

After a festive Costa - their menu is amazing at the moment, we headed to pick Bear up from daycare and then it was an evening of curry, Strictly and a film. It was such a lovely weekend and I'm so glad we decided on going to the Emmerdale tour, it's honestly perfect for any soap fan! Have you been on either the Coronation Street or Emmerdale tour?

Follow Me - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest & Bloglovin!