Hello my lovelies, today I'm going to be writing about a unique, men's watch that Chris and I have been really excited to share with you. I was fortunate enough to be sent a Dark Sandalwood and Burgundy watch from the Conway series by JORD, to review with my boyfriend.
The watch arrived beautifully packaged in a smooth, varnished, wooden box, as shown above. Before even seeing the watch itself, we knew that the quality was going to exceed our expectations, as the box alone is a work of art. Complete with the JORD logo engraved on the top, the box has a magnetic lid for security and a drawer underneath to keep the cloth and spare pieces that come with the watch inside.
We both found it difficult to pick out our favourite watch from their vast collection but settled on this particular one because of its versatility. The dark wood and wine coloured face looks sophisticated and goes so well with a lot of the clothes and accessories that Chris already owns and enjoys wearing on a daily basis.
The watch modelled by Chris.
One of the main reasons I was so enthusiastic to work with the brand was the material all their watches are made from; wood! Most watches that I either see in shops or have owned myself have either been made with metal, which I personally always found uncomfortable and cold on your wrist in winter, or they're made from leather. As a vegan, purchasing things made from real leather is something I'm completely avoiding, so you can imagine my excitement at being contacted by a brand who's watches are all completely cruelty free and vegan.
JORD also have a full collection of women's watches, as well as men's watches - there really is something that will appeal to everyone's taste and suit a variety of occasions and outfit choices.
As part of the campaign, myself and JORD are doing a giveaway, which will give you the chance to win a $100 JORD e-gift code. Anyone who signs up through this link will receive a $25 e-gift code and the winner of the $100 e-gift code will receive an email from JORD when the competition closes.
Hello my lovelies, I'm lucky enough to have been sent a My Jolie Candle to try out and review for you guys.
Before I get into reviewing the product I think it'd be a good idea to tell you a little bit about the company themselves. My Jolie Candle was founded in France by two brothers who wanted to revolutionise gifts for women. They developed the unique concept of putting a piece of jewellery at the bottom of each of their candles so that once the wax has fully burnt down, the owner would receive a small, yet beautiful gift. After hearing about such a unique brand, I just had to try out their candles and see for myself what My Jolie Candle had to offer.
The candle that the company sent me was their Cherry Blossom scented one. I was asked which scent I would like to try and after looking through their website and being completely spoilt for choice, I asked them to send me anything summery as that would coincide with the coming season a lot more, than if I'd have gone for some of their more wintery scents such as Gingerbread or Christmas Tree.
When I received my candle in the post, it came in a cute box, as shown in the photo above and the packaging itself was filled with confetti and glitter, which I just thought was a really lovely touch and made me even more excited to try out the candle. Within the packaging I also received a compact mirror and some small, polka-dot nail files, which will be perfect for travelling with.
The company included the following postcard as well...
I've honestly never been a particularly huge candle enthusiast but knowing I'd be getting a piece of jewellery once I'd burnt the candle down, made me excited to get using this candle.
The scent was exactly what I expected it to be; light and floral. It reminded me almost of a sweet smelling perfume, perfect for the spring and summer months.
I was also really happy with how long the candle lasted. I was planning on actually timing how long the candle took to burn down but I ended up completely forgetting. I know that I had it burning for a pretty long time though and I was surprised at how long the candle took to completely melt down to the bottom.
The jewellery I received at the bottom was so dainty and pretty and it fit around my wrist perfectly. I had a look on Instagram after I'd tried it on, to see what other jewellery people were getting at the bottom of their candles. I was so surprised to find that not one person had the same piece of jewellery as another person, which I thought made each item of jewellery, even more special and unique.
I think that these candles would be perfect as part of a birthday or wedding gift, or even just as a little treat for yourself.
If you would like to purchase one of these candles, click here and use my promo code: AMY10 at the checkout for a discount.
Green Day drunk bunny on stage before a gig in 2013.
Hello my lovelies, something really exciting happened at the start of the week that I just have to tell you about - I finally got my first tattoo!
I've been fascinated by tattoos ever since I was in primary school and as I've got older, the urge to be covered in them has only grown stronger. I'd been seriously considering getting tattooed for years, thinking about what I wanted and where abouts on my body I'd like to get them.
Back in January I decided that I couldn't wait any longer. I had the money I needed for a small tattoo, I had all my ideas to pick from and I'd researched and probably gone through every single tattoo shop's Facebook and Instagram pages in the entire North West, and I'm not joking. You might think that that's ever so slightly over the top, but if something was going to be marked permanently on my skin for the rest of my life, I had to know that it was going to be perfect, regardless of how small or simple the tattoo may be.
After starting university I began to stretch my ears (even though it went massively wrong, but lets not talk about that) and realised that the stretched ear and tattooed life was definitely for me and thought that I should just go for it and arrange a date to get one done.
I booked my tattoo for almost a month later and I can honestly say that I spent the month leading up it questioning whether I was getting the right tattoo, in the right place. I questioned the colours, how I was going to hide it from my parents and employers if I had to. You name it, I thought about it and worried about it. The night before I was even Googling this...
I'd originally booked in to get a Sherlock inspired tattoo but I knew deep down I wanted to get a Green Day themed one as my first tattoo at least. I ended up changing my mind and went with the Green Day drunk bunny and despite what you might think, there's a lot of meaning and thought behind it, well for me anyway.
As I'm sure all of you are aware by now because I don't shut up about it, I absolutely love Green Day. I love everything about them, their music, their individual personalities and what they stand for. There's a couple of tattoos that Billie - Joe, the lead singer and guitarist of the band has, that I really wanted to get. His drunk bunny tattoo was one of these.
Billie - Joe Armstrong pictured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
If you've been following me online for a few years, you'll know that I also go by the nickname, Bunny so this was another reason that I felt getting a bunny tattoo would be more than apt.
When the day finally arrived for me to get my tattoo, I surprisingly woke up feeling more excited than nervous. Unfortunately my boyfriend Chris was unable to come with me but my bestie, Lauren was more than happy to come along.
I walked from my house down to the local tram stop to meet Lauren, as she was coming to my town from the centre of Manchester. We were somehow half an hour early (I'm always late for everything and was pleasantly surprised that I'd managed to get myself out of bed, showered and dressed so quickly). We decided to go to Greggs and get something to eat, especially because I hadn't had anything that morning. I opted for pizza which I instantly regretted as I took the first bite. I honestly thought that one of my front teeth had broken, it was that hard.
We then made our way over to Inflicted By Ink, the shop I'd chosen to get my tattoo done at. I signed a consent sheet, explained what I wanted to get and after Lee printed off a picture of it and Simon sorted out the stencil, I had my arm shaved and some weird cream put on it that looked suspiciously like, and there's no pleasant way to put this - cum.
Ready to go!
Looking down at my arm, even with just the transfer outline on it, I knew that that was exactly what I wanted. I then went and sat down in the tattoo chair/bed thing, which I must admit was a bit of a struggle to get up on to, but I managed.
Simon started first with the outline as you can see in the photo below and I'm going to be honest, it hurt way more than I thought it would. I'd been wanting to get tattooed for so long though that the pain was never really something that I considered and people's stories of how much it hurt or how they threw up or passed out certainly wasn't going to put me off.
It did hurt; a lot at first and for a few seconds I genuinely thought that I wouldn't be able to do it. Beforehand, Simon explained that it would probably feel like being repeatedly flicked with an elastic band but to me it was more like having an injection where the needle only goes into your skin a tiny bit of the way and then it's dragged through your skin. That's the best way I can describe it. I'm really selling this as a wonderful and positive experience here aren't I?
For me the outline was the worst part and I'm not sure whether that was because it was a new pain that I've never experienced before or whether it genuinely is the most painful part of getting a tattoo.
The outline is done!
After the outline, the black parts of the bunny were filled in and that didn't hurt as much, although I'm sure all three people in the shop at the time would beg to differ. Needless to say I was quite vocal for the hour and twenty minutes that I was in the chair and I called Simon some pretty nasty names so if he's reading this then I'm very sorry for swearing at you ;)
Below is the video I put on Instagram of some of the black being done.
My arm was starting to look a bit red at this point and it looked slightly swollen but I guess if you're being stabbed really quickly like that, your skin isn't going to be a particularly happy bunny... pardon the pun. That was such a shit joke :/
A photo after all the black was done. Taken from my Snapchat: amy-97
The pink part of the tattoo was done after the black and that's when it started to hurt quite a lot. I'm fairly sure that Simon said he was using seven needles for that bit instead of just the one so that would probably explain the pain. I didn't want the pink part of the bunny to match exactly with the original version, which is a much deeper pink. My favourite colours are black, grey and bubblegum pink so naturally it only felt right to go for the colour actually called 'Bubblegum'.
A couple of hours after having it done. Taken from my Instagram: amy_96_
Once my tattoo was finished my arm was wrapped up, I was given an aftercare sheet of how best to look after my new tattoo and Lauren had to help me get my purse out of my bag and get my backpack onto my back which was a bit of a task.
We then ventured to the sweet shop, where Lauren bought a pick and mix and then we went to Asda to pick up the recommended cream to use on my tattoo, called Bepanthen. I've been applying a thin layer of this a few times a day and I'll go into more detail on this in a video I'll be making once my tattoo has fully healed. However this cream seems to have worked well so far and I'll certainly be using it on any tattoos I get in the future.
Bepanthen is a cream that protects against nappy rash but is also really good to use on a fresh tattoo.
As I'm writing this I've had my tattoo for five days and I'm at the point where large sections of skin are peeling off. Chris and a few of my friends who have tattoos, have reassured me that this is totally normal though and so long as I keep putting the cream/moisturiser on then I'll be fine.
My tattoo five days after getting it done.
I'll probably be posting more photos in a video that I'll be filming once everything's fully healed and isn't looking so crusty and gross.
Before I finish this really long blog post, I just want to say that I'll definitely be returning to have Simon do my next tattoos as he's done such a good job of my first one. Both Simon and Lee made what would have been a really nerve-wracking experience for me, into a chilled out and hilarious one. I'd recommend Inflicted By Ink to all of my readers and viewers and even my closest friends. I'm usually quite a shy person around new people, especially in situations where I'm nervous but it's safe to say that despite the pain, I was comfortable and I don't think I stopped laughing (other than to swear in pain).
I'll leave all the relevant links below so that you can check out the shop and Simon's work if you're interested.
Since I've been commuting to university for the last few months, I've had a lot more time to listen to music, as travelling there and back each day isn't a quick journey. I've noticed that every day I seem to play a lot of the same music so I've compiled a short list of some of my favourite songs this month for you guys to listen to.
Gold Steps // Neck Deep
Neck Deep have quickly become one of my favourite bands thanks to the most recent album they released, Life's Not Out to Get You. It was really difficult for me to pick just one song from the album to share with you in a blog post because it's just one of those albums for me that I can listen to every single song on, and not want to skip over any of them. With Gold Steps in particular I think that the message portrayed through the lyrics is so important and reflects the tough times in life perfectly - something which everyone can relate to. I think if you ever feel down or life isn't going your way, that this is the perfect song to rock out to. If gives you a bit of a kick up the bum to keep trying but makes you realise that life can't always be perfect but if you carry on then things will get better for you. I'd really recommend giving this song in particular a listen but the whole album is beautiful and carries some really strong messages in the lyrics, which I'm a complete sucker for.
Follow You // Bring Me The Horizon
Bring Me The Horizon's most recent album That's The Spirit, is another album that I can listen to without wanting to skip over any of the songs. My favourite song is Follow You because it's something slightly different to what you'd expect to hear from the band. It has a really chilled out vibe to it but the lyrics are really powerful and kind of dark in a way as it's about loving someone so much that you'd follow them into the depths of hell just to be able to hold their hand. I know a lot of people were disappointed with the overall sound of That's The Spirit when it was first released but I personally was and am a huge fan.
Save Rock and Roll // Fall Out Boy
As a huge Fall Out Boy fan and a secret lover of Elton John's music, this song makes me so incredibly happy. Personally I would have thought Fall Out Boy and Elton John singing and playing would have been an unlikely combo, probably because their audiences differ massively but they've made it work surprisingly well. There's something about Elton's voice in this song that just ties the whole thing together and makes me feel all warm inside. The music video is brilliant as well so if you haven't listened to the band before or heard this song in particular, be sure to check this one out.
Stressed Out // Twenty One Pilots
I don't know whether it's just me that hasn't looked hard enough but I've never come across a band like Twenty One Pilots before. Admittedly I haven't listened to a lot of their music but from what I've heard their sound and style are really unique. In this song Stressed Out, I love the mixture of the rapping and pop-punk spin they put on it. It's something I never even considered to be a thing and being someone who doesn't listen to rap, I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying this song. I've honestly had this stuck in my head for days and I'll catch myself randomly bursting into song when I'm on my own.
Lean On // Major Lazer (Pop Punk)
I've been subscribed to a YouTube channel called Ghost Killer Entertainment for a while now. They upload covers of mainstream songs but a band will cover it in a 'punk goes pop' style. I throughly enjoyed the original version of Lean On by Major Lazer but the cover by Openside is even better in my opinion. I like how overall the song has been kept pretty similar to the original and only changed slightly making it heavier. I'm a fan of the vocals on this one, they're what makes it better than the original for me. I'd recommend checking out other covers on the GKE channel as the majority of them are amazing.
Shirt - It was absolutely freezing when we took these photos so unfortunately there's no photos of Chris' shirt where he isn't wearing his jumper and cardigan. If you watch my videos you will have seen it a lot though as it's a personal favourite of his. The shirt itself is by DKNY and it's covered in a black and white print of New York. I'm unable to find this on the website as he got it last year for his birthday so unfortunately I can't give you any prices or a link to the exact shirt. :(
Jumper - Having bought Chris this jumper for Christmas, knowing he'd love it, it's safe to say that after seeing him wear it so often, we're both hugs fans of it. I bought this from New Look and it cost £20.00. Chris had been telling me for months in the lead up to Christmas, about how much he wanted a cream coloured jumper and when I spotted this one with black, ombre sort of pattern on it, I just had to buy it for him.
Cardigan - I've had my eyes on this cardigan ever since Chris bought it a couple of months ago. It's made of the softest cashmere and on the couple of occasions where I've had the privilege of wearing it, it's kept me so toasty and warm. It was bought from a brand called Savile Row, who I believe sell men's clothing including suits, shirts and knitwear, amongst other accessories.
Jeans - Admittedly these skinny jeans have seen better days from skateboarding but I know that they've served Chris well over the last year that he's had them. For both of us black skinny jeans are a wardrobe essential as they go with pretty much any footwear and anything you choose to wear on your top half. This pair are from Next and cost between £20 and £30 (I can't remember as they were bought so long ago now). I love the way that this jumper in particular looks with plain, black skinny jeans as the cream colour in the jumper breaks up the black section of the jumper from the jeans, creating a 'stand-out', classic look. This outfit could have been quite dull, had the jumper been entirely black as well.
Boots - You're probably all familiar with the popular footwear choice that are Dr Martens but if not I'll give you a run down on the boots that Chris is wearing. These are just plain black, 8 eyelet Dr Marten boots. Looking at the website, these should be £105, however Chris actually bought these off a friend for £40, who had come across them in a charity shop and bought them for £6! Whilst you may not stumble across a brand new pair of Dr Martens in your local charity shops, you may be able to find them cheaper on Amazon, as they sometimes have offers on, or elsewhere on the web.
Necklaces - I've written a blog post about the Pokémon necklace before so some of you may recognise it from there. I bought this for Chris last Valentine's Day and we both have half of a pokéball each on a chain. You can find them here on Etsy and you can even have your own message engraved into the back of each one! The other necklace was made by one of his friends for Christmas.
My Outfit
Top - This top was given to me a few months ago by my auntie. It's by a brand called Jane Norman and is a really tight fitting, yet comfortable and breathable top to wear. I really love the lace-up detailing on the front as it looks as if it's almost a corset and adds something quite edgy to the overall look of it and any outfit that you may choose to wear it with. If you're around the same age as me, you'll remember that pretty much every single girl used to have a Jane Norman bag at school, me included!
Hoodie - This hoodie is so old and has been worn and washed so many times that it feels like cardboard to wear. It's warm, but not the most snuggly like it was when I bought it. I've had it for years and I lived in constantly until it started to feel a bit scratchy inside. I got it from H&M and at the time they had such an array of different coloured zip up hoodies like this one for really good prices.
Jacket - If you follow me on social media or know me in real life, you will have seen just how much I wear this leather jacket. It's 100% my most well worn item of clothing and I think if I ever lost it or anything ever happened to it, meaning I couldn't wear it again, I would have to hold a funeral and I would cry for weeks on end. I bought this two winters ago from Miss Selfridge, after hunting for a leather jacket for months and never finding one that I liked. Despite being more than I ever anticipated paying for a jacket, it was undeniably love at first sight and I had to have it.
Skirt - This tartan mini skirt is my most recent purchase and I bought it online from PULP and it was £13.99 in the sale. It's a little shorter than I anticipated it being but it's such a comfortable yet striking skirt to wear. As I wear a lot of black clothing, things can get a bit dull and boring sometimes so adding a skirt like this to an all black outfit really brings everything together to create a cute yet totally badass look.
Tights - You probably can't see that I'm wearing tights in any of these photos but I'm just wearing some really thin, skin coloured tights from George at Asda. They're really nothing fancy and only cost a few pounds for a multi-pack. They really help to give me that extra confidence boost as I'm not someone who likes to fake tan and in the cold weather my legs can look really pale or even purple if I'm really cold! These tights just help to smooth over the pigmentation and give a flawless finish without making my legs look orange.
Boots - I have never been so in love with a pair of boots before, until now. Since my biker boots have been worn to death (my ankle is almost poking through the back because the leather's worn down so much), I thought it was time to invest in a new pair of sturdy boots and what better place to look than the Dr Marten's shop? These are the Vonda boots and cost £130 from the Dr Martens store, however I did manage to find them a little bit cheaper on Amazon, however the pricing on there is always subject to change. I never expected these boots to be so warm and comfortable, especially with them coming so far up my legs, I thought they'd be really cold with tights but they're so so warm and comfortable. I'd recommend these 14 eyelet ones to anyone who wants a pair of boots that can withstand anything and will keep your feet and legs warm in cold conditions.
