March Happy Mail and Messy Box

I've been an avid reader of A Beautiful Mess for a long time now, nobody can scrapbook quite like those girls! Last month I decided to try out the A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail Service, and I loved it, and ended up ordering the brand new Messy Box service this month to try it out too. I ordered a month to month subscription for both, and figured it was just a one month deal, but when my Messy Box arrived, there was this month's Happy Mail inside too, so without realising I'd been charged for two months! I figured I'd show you guys both, since I have pretty mixed feelings about the contents and the experience I've had with them too!

For those of you unfamilliar with Happy Mail and Messy box, here's the essentials. They are both subscription services that run month to month, Happy Mail is an assortment of cards and prints perfect for sending snail mail, whilst Messy Box is scrapbooking supplies. It's a US based service, but for an extra $2 you can have international shipping inclusive of import taxes, which is pretty darn cheap. The prices are in USD, but I ended up paying £18.24 for the Messy box, plus a £1.54 charge from my bank, and £14.63 for Happy Mail, plus a £1.48 bank charge. The website says they ship on the 10th of each month, and both months I received mine on the 30th, so it takes almost three weeks to arrive for international shipping, not great but not terrible either. 

 Of the two, I think the Happy Mail subscription is my favourite, although I'll admit, I think last months was better. There's nothing wrong with this months, I think I just thought last months was more exciting, and more me! This months box contained 9 assorted cards and postcards with envelopes, one large print, one sheet of stickers, six neon gift tags and one shopping list notepad. I love the notepad, it's really cute and I'll definitely get a lot of use out of it, and I love the print too. Also, that pug card, so cute

The Happy Birthday, Thank You, and New Home cards are handy to have for any future dates coming up, although you probably wouldn't need these every month! It's always nice to have these kind of cards on hand though! The others I'll either send to my friends, or use within my scrapbook, I love the one with the Dolly Parton Quote, and the rainbow envelope it came with is so cute!

Unless you send a lot of post (or have a LOT of friends), I don't think you'd need to get this every month, but it's a nice little one off to get every now and then!

 Now I'll be honest, I was a little underwhelmed with the Messy Box. Don't get me wrong, I'll use everything in it, but I just expected something more exciting! I feel like there's a lot of card stock here, and for the price point I'd rather buy another Project Life kit. I think I expected more variety, stickers and stamps and even some variation on the card would have been nice, like a glittered sheet or something, all of the cards here look pretty samey. As a concept it's a great idea, but I just felt it lacked variety. 

In the kit you get a roll of washi tape, some white split pins (why?! This is the most unexciting inclusion of them all), some gold chipboard letters, an assortment of journaling cards, and some thin tissue paper circles and hearts (not entirely sure what I'd use these for?) for the price, a real let down.

Something to keep in mind, I was under the impression I'd signed up for a month to month subscription, where I can cancel at any time. What they don't tell you is that you have to pay a $15 fee per subscription to cancel the service. Had I known this, I probably wouldn't have ordered any at all, since I'm not really in a position financially to commit to the subscription!. My suggestion would be to go for a 6 month subscription instead, so you don't incur any cancellation fees (after the six months)!

Whilst this months boxes didn't blow me away, I wouldn't rule out ordering these in the future, and I really think they're on to a great thing here!

I think I'll stick with Project life kits for now, but if you send a lot of mail, this is a great kit!

5 Ways To Juggle a Blog With Other Commitments

Most of us in the blogging world aren't lucky enough to be able to devote all day every day to our internet hubs. Most of us have to balance in work, school, parenting, something else that takes up a good old chunk of our time. I started this blog back as I started uni, and as I'm coming to the end of my 3 year degree, I feel like I've finally worked out how to keep on top of everything!

• Organise your time. A big old planner is your best friend. Block off your work/school/mummy commitments, and any social arrangements, so you can see what time you have left. Then you'll have a better idea of what time you have to devote to your blog. If you can block off a couple of hours a week to take all your photos, great. If you have an afternoon off at the weekend to write content, fab. If anything, I find that scheduling these things in makes me more likely to do them, because I know I won't get another chance to do them!
• Plan, plan, and plan again. At this point in life, I've got notebooks coming out of my ears. I keep an Erin Condren Life Planner with everything from my classes to social events, to to do lists, to meal plans in, which is basically my own life manual. I then have a separate diary for Uni deadlines, classes and to do lists, a diary for each of my blogs where I keep track of my schedule, a notebook for each of my blogs where I plan the photos I need to take, to do lists, and a notebook filled with blog ideas to name a few. I also use the Simplenote app on my phone to draft blog posts on the go, jot down ideas and make lists. Writing everything down makes it easier to stay on top of things!
• Don't expect too much. We'd all love to be able to post everyday, but sometimes it's just not feasible. Make a realistic schedule, and if you can post more often, great, but if not, don't kill yourself over it. Two awesome posts a week is better than seven lukewarm ones.
• The reserve tank. Every blogger needs a reserve tank. In fact, I have two. I have an ideas reserve tank, for when I run dry on post ideas, and a blog post reserve tank, 5-10 ready to upload posts, for just in case I run out of time. I don't use them often but they come in handy!
• Get on top of your schedule. When I'm posting daily, I like to have a rough idea of what sort of post is going up every day for the next month. It could be something like 'monthly favourites post' which is fairly self explanatory, or it could be 'haircare review'. I like to schedule my posts a week in advance, so I know I have a few days buffer should something come up which means I can't get a post done in time. Staying ahead of yourself is half the battle!

Do you have any top tips for fitting blogging around other commitments?

Disneyland Paris Hotel New York

 I'm one of these people who likes to research the crap out of every aspect of my holidays before they happen, I like to know all about the hotel, the area, the food, the activities. It's partly an anxiety thing, I'm an anxious traveller, and the more I know about where I'm going, the better I feel, but it's also a fear of missing out thing! I don't want to miss something important!

Anyway, getting to the point, when I was searching for the Disneyland Hotel New York where we were staying, I realised there was very little information about it, a small amount of info one the Disney website and a few less than helpful trip advisor reviews. So, I figured I'd add to the pool in case anyone else out there was looking for information, or if you're nosy like me, you can have a peak inside the hotel!

So the Disneyland Hotel New York is billed as a four star hotel with a 'contemporary art deco' feel. As you can imagine, it's all themed around stereotypical New York imagery, from the bright yellow cabs to the walls painted like subway stations.

Let's start with the good stuff! The rooms were spacious, clean and quiet, and the hotel itself is situated right at the edge of Disney Village, making it the closest hotel to the park (bar the hotel actually in the park!). We were grateful for how close it was after spending all day on our feet! The staff were all super friendly and helpful, particularly at the concierge! The wifi is great too, we were able to stream Netflix easily from our rooms, which is unusual for a hotel!

The hotel has two restaurants, an a la carte and a buffet-style diner, as well as a bar which serves snacks. Our room was bed and breakfast, and we could have breakfast in any of the restaurants. They had a good choice of pastries, cereals and continental meats and cheeses, but they could have done with more fresh fruits and the hot food was a little weird. They had delicious pancakes and good ol' american streaky bacon, but the scrambled eggs were powdered (big no no) and the sausages were veal, which was a bit weird. 

The hotel has a big old swimming pool, with a big jacuzzi at the back, and 3 people steam rooms and saunas in the changing rooms. The pool was a little chilly, but it was nice to get a few lengths in after a long day at the park!

 Whilst there was nothing specifically wrong with the hotel, it definitely didn't quite match up to some of the other 4* establishments I've stayed in. Decor is definitely dated, whilst to a certain extent it fits the theme, some areas definitely needed updating, such as the bathrooms, and in some places the wallpaper was looking pretty tired. It was lacking basic amenities that you would expect with a five star rating, like tea and coffee making facilities in the room, and somewhere to sit in the lobby.  None of this was deal breaking, but the sort of thing you'd expect to see in a four star!

With this hotel, you're definitely paying for the location over anything else! Whilst we enjoyed our stay there, if we were going back for more than a few days, I'd definitely consider staying somewhere self catering, it got very boring eating out in all the not very healthy restaurants!

Sleeping In A Different Bed

I'm something of a serial insomniac, so for me getting to sleep is tricky at the best of times, never mind when I'm not in my own bed. Whether it's a hotel, a friends house, or the sofa because you've had a row with your other half, here are my top tips for getting to sleep easier in a bed that's not yours.

1. Creature comforts. I'm a creature of habit, and I like familiarity. Whether it's bringing along your own pillow, a much loved stuffed companion, or even just something that smells of home, having something around you're used to sleeping with is a big help. I don't go anywhere without my bunny!
2. Aromatherapy. Now I know that whipping out an oil burner and a range of essential oils isn't ideal for travel, but having a soothing scent around really helps out. I have a travel sized version of the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, which is also, handily, refillable, and this lives in my travel bag! It works a treat at calming me down, and helping me turn my busy brain off at night. Another great option is to take a small aromatherapy oil, lavender and jasmine are great, to add a little to your pillow!
3. Blackout. I've gotten into the habit of sleeping with an eye mask, particularly since The Boy rarely goes to sleep at the same time as me anymore. I love my Victoria's Secret Eye Mask, which blocks out the light, but also is super soft and comforting on my eyes, and now I feel sleepy just putting it on. It's like I've trained my body to go to sleep when the mask is on!
4. Fade Out. I tend to need a little helping hand when it comes to switching my brain off at night, and right now, I'm all about the Bhuddify App, which has a whole section of guided meditations for going to sleep, and another section for when you can't sleep. They really help to let your brain stop thinking too much, and allow you to shut off!

Do you struggle to sleep away from home?

13/52

After the best Monday morning on record (eating Pancakes, riding the Rock'n'Rollercoaster and soaking up the sunshine in Disneyland), this week has mostly been returning to the real world with a crash, bang, wallop. I've been catching up with emails, blog work and Uni stuff, and starting to think about scary future things. Wahh for being a grown up.

However, there have been lots of happy things this week.

1.  Feeling like Spring had finally arrived in Disney. On our last day the sun came up, and made all the flowers, the castle, and the Spring themed decor that much prettier.
2. Eating the best McDonalds burger EVER (shh don't tell my nutritionalist) outside in the sunshine at Disney Village. Why is European McDonald's so much better?! They have order machines so you don't have to talk to people, better burgers and DAIM MCFLURRIES. Amazing.
3. Finding a beautiful black Moleskine Diary in my local Tesco, reduced to £3.50. I think I'm going to use it as a kind of journal, as opposed to a planner! But make it pretty with washi tape, of course! 
4. Feeling like I'm getting somewhere with my Uni work. Slowly. But we're getting there! 
5. Going to see Home with Con and a friend as a little post-birthday treat. It was seriously funny, Jim Parsons is the best.
6. Spending all day working from home with The Boy, and sneaking out for mid-afternoon coffee.
7. New stickers from Scribble Prints Co and Hello Stationery Co. Planner nerds unite over beautiful stationery.
8. Catching up over lunch with my girl Daphne. We ate giant burgers at Giraffe and drank out of mason jars. It was great. 
9. Thursday night belated birthday bubbles! I got a mini bottle of prosecco as part of a birthday gift, and on Thursday night the boy and drank up whilst watching Louis Theroux documentaries. WILD.
10. Donut sticky notes. That is all.

I'm looking forward to next week, even if it will mostly be spent working!



Have a wonderful week guys! x

Worth The Splurge #4

If you guys have read more than one post on my blog, you're probably already aware, I've got a weakness for high end beauty products. I've always found it hard to find 'perfect' products from the drugstore, but it's oh so easy in a beauty hall.

That being said, not every high end product is worth parting with your pennies for, but here are four that are.

The Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Full Coverage Foundation is a recent addition to my beauty ranks (thanks Daphne), and something that's been on my wishlist for a very long time. This is a pretty interesting foundation, it's good coverage, and a slightly 'moussey' texture, with a really long lasting formula. In terms of finish and wear it's fantastic, but I do find it a little drying on the skin, so it's one to avoid if you're prone to dry skin. I really like this, and I know I'll be reaching for this over and over come the Summer months.

The MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose is something of a blogger favourite, it sells out every time it's released, and everyone and their mothers seems to love it. I was sceptical but I managed to score this last summer, and it's become a makeup bag staple for me. This is a bronzey rose blush with veins of golden and rose shimmer, and a little of the cheeks adds dimension and colour in the most beautiful way. It's like a bronzer, blush, highlight hybrid, just this is enough to sculpt out cheekbones. I basically think this is cheek magic.

Let's talk about my one true mascara love, the YSL Shocking Mascara. Volume, length, and drama, I've never found a mascara that does as much for my lashes as this option. It's very very pricey, but this is a total treat purchase for me, not something I always have on hand.

And lastly, let's talk about the Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipsticks, my favourite high end formula! These are sheer, but you can build up the colour for a more intense look, and they wear really comfortably on the lips. I've got three in my stash currently, but my favourite is Boy, the perfect nude. Just look at that packaging, they're so gorgeous!

What are your favourite pricey items?

Disneyland: The Park

Here it is, the first in a series of posts all about my Disneyland Paris experience! I've thought long and hard about the best way to do this, I know a lot of you are just interested in a general show and tell, but a lot of you are also in the details too. So, I've decided to split it into a few post, The Disneyland Park experience, The Walt Disney Studios Experience, The Disneyland Hotel New York Review, Eating at Disneyland and then a general tips/best bits post. Hopefully, this will cover everything you guys want to see! If there's anything I've missed that you'd like to know, just let me know!

 So lets talk about the park in general! We visited from Thursday through Monday, so we got to experience the park quieter, and busier on the weekend. I would definitely try to avoid a weekend trip, because the queue times were dramatically longer for everything, and it was definitely a more stressful experience! I've visited the park before, but we're talking about 14 years ago, and I've visited the California park more recently. I've never been to the Florida park so I can't compare it to that! It's definitely smaller than it's California counterpart, and there are fewer 'big thrills' rides!

The park was decorated for Spring and looked beautiful, especially when the sun made an appearance! I loved all the flowers round the park too, it all felt really beautiful, and like Spring was on it's way (despite the weather)!

It's worth pointing out at this point that it was FREEZING. With the exception of the last day, it was bitterly cold. Like, coats, scarves, gloves and hats cold. Like, on one day, my mum wore two pairs of trousers cold. Obviously this is kind of to be expected considering the time of year and destination, but when you're spending so much time outside it was really quite uncomfortable!

The park itself is quite compact, everything's quite close together, but you do end up walking miles whilst your there! My legs ached a lot! According to my phone, I was walking around 12k a day, which when you spend most of your time sat at your desk is a LOT. You'll definitely be wanting comfy shoes, I wore my Vans on the first day, and regretted it, then just stuck to my Nike 6.0s for the rest of the trip! 

 One of the disappointing things was that a lot of the park was closed whilst we were there. Obviously we knew this was going to be the case before hand, but on the website it just listed a couple of closed rides, when in actuality, a lot of the shops and restaurants were closed too. This was kind of a bummer in two ways, the first that obviously, things were shut. Both Space Mountain and Phantom Manor were closed, which are two of the bigger rides, and two of my favourites, so that was a shame. The second was that because big chunks of the park were shut, it made the rest of the park much busier, and bumped up the weight times for the other rides, so it's definitely worth checking what's closed prior to visiting. 

Ride times totally varied the entire time we were there. Thunder Mountain (my favourite!) varied from around 20 minutes, right up to 90, which is just madness, whilst the smaller rides generally were between 5 and 20 minutes. Not all the rides have fastpasses, so it's worth checking which rides do, and you can only have one fastpass at a time, so if you have one, you have to wait until you've used that to get another. Kind of annoying but I guess it's the most fair way to do it! The fastpasses are free, but done on a first come first served basis, a lot of the rides (namely Thunder Mountain and Peter Pans Flight) were out of fastpasses by midday, so definitely get in there early!

 DON'T MISS: Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice's Curious Labyrinth, Buzz Lightyear's Laser Blast, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups.

 The park definitely doesn't have as much character interaction as it's California counterparts, there were several organised character meet and greets around the park, but none of the characters just strolling down the street stuff! I'm not sure if this was just because it was out of season! There also wasn't as much music playing around the park, which my mum and I both commented on as a bit of a shame!

The park is undeniably stunning. The attention to detail is positively stunning, everything from the gas lights in the arcade on Main Street, to the 'barbers shop' inside one of the stores, to the rooftiles in Fantasyland! It's easy to spend the day just wondering around soaking up the details. Some of the stuff was a little run down, but there was a lot of maintenance going on whilst we were there. Discoveryland was a bit of a disappointment, most of it was shut and it all looked a little tired, but Fantasyland and Frontierland made up for it!

I somehow missed most of the parades, but I caught the Disney Dreams Lights and Fireworks display twice, and it was honestly breathtaking! Such a magical experience. 

Despite the cold and the closures, we had the most amazing time! I don't think you'd need more than two or three days in this park, unless it was really busy, I think we were there for the perfect amount of time to experience everything! 

I honestly can't thank my parents enough for the best birthday experience ever!