*I was invited to this event and gifted a goodie bag - all opinions/thoughts are my own, see my disclaimer for more information. 

Finances for me have been a little wild, I got a credit card at 18 and went crazy then when I got to university the banks was offering overdrafts, more credit cards and then after university they offer loans and more credits cards. They wasn’t all explained to me and explained that it probably wasn’t a good idea to accept everything and spend spend spend but we live and learn. That’s my story anyway... 

The Giff Gaff Game Plan is offering a place on the Internet where you can keep track of your finances, credit score, money saving offers and budgets. Having all these things in one place makes it so much easier and it's great to have more information to hand when it’s truly needed. 

The game plan was all explained to us at the event in a presentation style workshop. The Giff Gaff member went through how the game plan came about, what’s it about and how useful it can be. I was impressed to find that Giff Gaff have listened to its members to create this place for your financial needs. I also learnt I know hardly anything about my credit score and how it’s used, measured and took into consideration. Sometimes we need more information on the things we should of learnt in school and didn’t and in a place we can trust that’s easily accessible. The Giff Gaff Game Plan is the place and I truly believe it’s a helpful tool especially for us younger ones but will also help anyone who wants to keep track of their finances, check their credit score, budgeting, look for suitable money options and it’s all in one place! 

The rest of the event took up the theme of saving money through home cooking, crafting and recycling but first came lunch. Lunch was beautiful and the hotel really put on a wide selection of foods from sandwiches, salads and light bites; there was also veggie options. Dessert was gorgeous too, a full chocolate pudding and we could help ourselves to wine or soft drinks throughout. It was lovely to eat a nice lunch in such a beautiful building; it was like an afternoon of luxury... how do I live this life I asked myself :) 

The cooking workshop was ran by Herb and Spice Catering who made a Vegan Mediterranean dish within a short time. Made with a few ingredients and some chopping of vegetables and just like magic there was a restaurant style meal. We of course got to eat the food after the workshop and even though we just had lunch I was pleased to taste the new flavours, spices and textures. The dish was delicious and it really wasn’t too hard to make, we came away with the recipe to try the dish at home ourselves. It was very fascinating to watch someone cook and move around the kitchen station. 

Moving onto the next workshop which was kinda my favourite of the day, jewellery making! What I didn’t expect was to create a necklace using an old t-shirt! Yes we used old t-shirts cut up into long pieces of stretchy string like pieces to make a necklace. The process was shown to us by Tea and Crafting and we was led through the whole process. The necklace is made by finger knitting which I picked up quite quickly and have been doing this at home since the event. I even made a second necklace whilst at the event as I was getting pretty quick with the process. The necklaces which can also be worn as a hair band have a festival like theme to them in my opinion and I'll be sure to take mine with me to the festivals I’m attending this year. This is another way to save money to recycle an old t-shirt into something new or you could make these necklaces as gifts for friends and family. 

Finally the last part of the event was the Clothes Swap, we’d been asked to bring along up to 3 items to be in the clothes swap. If your unfamiliar with how a clothes swap works, well you bring along items, these are usually ranked into categories; clothing, coats, shoes and bags/accessories. This is so you don’t go away with items not worth your items basically and makes the swap a little more fair in my opinion. I brought along a dress from New Look, a River Island hat and a Zara t-shirt, all had only been worn a few times and the Zara tee was actually brand new. I was afraid that there wouldn’t be anything for me take away as a lot of the other bloggers was smaller sizes than me but I found a lovely bag with a bee on it and a Pretty Little Thing dress. I feel like the Clothes Swap was a success and I think the Giff Gaff members was happy with how it went too. Again this is another way to recycle and save money, get your friends together and host a clothes swap at your house or organise one in your home town. Any items left over would go to a charity shop and again be recycled and you'd support a good cause. 

So although this was a little bit of a different event for me I had a really good day and learnt a lot about the Game Plan and how to save money in other ways. It’s an important subject and I think we all should take our finances seriously! 

At the beginning of the event everyone was handed a tag with a word on it; mine was ‘Enlightened’ these tags were used to split us up into groups. My group was a small group of 4 including; me and the lovely SwishMySwag plus 2 other bloggers.

The first treatment room we was directed too was 'The Planets' treatment room, this room felt calm from the moment I walked in; with low lighting, a beautiful scent filling the room and a charming decor set-up. Within this room we was treated to a palm reading exercise which is actually part of the Planets treatment; this treatment is also the longest treatment that Lush provide and lasts 3 hours. The palm reading was really fun and very insightful, I already knew a bit about reading my palm but it was nice to be refreshed about it and of course it had a Lush twist so I learnt some new things about my palms and myself. I have to say this was one of the treatments that really did ‘Enlighten’ me. Also included in the Planets treatment is a 90 minute full body massage, a 30 minute hand and arm massage which includes the palm reading and a 60 minute lifted facial treatment. 

After 'The Planets' room we was directed to another treatment room which is the home to the 'Karma' treatment. Within this treatment 2 members of the Lush Spa team work together to bring you inner calm and peace; it’s about redirecting your energy flow around the body to align your mind and body and help concentration. Whilst we was in this room we did a meditation exercise which I found amazing, I’d already had a long day at work and my mind was full of things I needed to do, this short meditation helped me feel less stressed and see a way through my never-ending to do list. The Karma room also had very low lighting, decorated with themed items and it felt tranquil. The full treatment includes a four-handed full body massage, the use of hot oils, singing bowls and a Shirodhara ritual to bring you rest and a head and hair massage using warm coconut water which is poured from a Shirodhara vessel over the third eye.

Our next activity was one of my favourite parts of the event; bath bomb making! We made Spa Exclusive Golden Slumbers Bath Bomb with scents of lavender and chamomile blue oil. Whenever I’ve been to Lush event I’ve been able to make a product and it’s so much fun, members of staff talked us through the whole process whilst giving us information about the product and ingredients. Sometimes they have product making in store so look out in your local store for this because you’ll not leave disappointed. 

The next part of the evening was all about the Tales of Bath treatment which is the treatment were you actually have a bath! Yes you have a bath in the Lush spa but don’t worry it’s all pirate and the Lush team have had a lot of positive feedback about this treatment. This treatment features music from a Bath based musician, a massage and of course an actual bath. The room itself was again low lit and felt calm and relaxed as soon as I walked in, we was told all about the treatment whilst watching someone have a massage, even though this exercise was just visual I still felt so relaxed.  I think it was the beautiful music! Apparently this treatment is popular with pregnant ladies as the massage is done whilst lied on your side and the bath makes it all that more relaxing. 

Lastly our group was treated to 'The Comforter' room which included an arm and hand massage. Within with room was heated beds with heated blankets and tranquil music playing, we was all handed a sugar rush drink in a martini glass which tasted delicious and was definitely a sugar rush! Next we were shown how to do a hand/arm massage using spa exclusive rose serum then we paired up and took turns; I paired up with SwishMySwag. She did a wonderful job!! I think this treatment is a good all rounder if your undecided on which treatment to go for, it’s actually the first treatment lush offered and it’s still very popular! Lush advertise this treatment on their website as "it reminds you not to take life too seriously" and I think we all need this sort of mind-frame sometimes.

Before the event was over everyone tucked into the Vegan pizza Lush had provided which was really good especially the garlic bites; I could of eaten lots of these. I’d definitely have Vegan Monday’s again. 

I really enjoyed my evening and enjoyed all the mini sessions in the treatment rooms. I was able to get lots of information on each treatment and an insight into what they involve. I’ve never really seen having a spa treatment as something I would enjoy but I think I could definitely enjoy a Lush Spa treatment! 

If you fancy checking out any of the Spa treatments that are available at Lush Liverpool you can pop into store, ring to book or go online here. All the staff are super lovely and will help you with any queries, information and you’ll have the best time! 

iPhone photo (my camera wasn't allowed into the arena)

Most of the gigs I attend are at small venues and are a bit on the alternative side so this was a whole new experience for me especially that I was in a suite for the evening. Suite 14 was situated very central to the arena stage and the place had a fantastic view, the whole arena was seated for this show but as I looked around, it looked like no matter where you was sat, you'd have a good view as the arena is theatre style. I was really impressed with this, the arena isn’t too big, has a good layout and the sound was good too! Here's me posing in front of the suite wall featuring some musician's, I was probably dressed a little punk for a pop show but that's me and I can't stop wearing my Pastel Goth Kimono from Librastyle Tees.

I’ve previously heard of Manfrotto, more so from my other half, he bought one of their camera bags a while back, he got one of the Diesel Street range bags. These bags don’t look like a camera bag and have other uses, I was told more about these styles of bag whilst at the event. 

The event started with a welcome drink and some mingling with other bloggers and Manfrotto staff; I was lucky to know a couple of bloggers at the event so was able to catch up with them too. Lunch was served with some nice sandwiches and crisp along with a brew if you wanted one then we got stuck in with the workshops. 

After lunch we was split off into a few groups for some workshops, my group went into one of the event rooms first. The room was set up with Manfrotto equipment, flatlay set-ups and beauty set-ups; there was lots to take photos of. This workshop started with a couple of the Manfrotto staff talking us through first; the best tripod I’ve seen and it’s totally on my wishlist. The 190Go! is a tripod that in my opinion was built with bloggers in mind, we all love a flatlay and with this tripod that’s even easier to achieve now. No climbing on chairs, walls or whatever to get that perfect Instagram shot, using the 190Go! means you can tilt the camera flat above your flatlay, you can get in close, come further away or just use the head of the tripod to get the best angle. Of course the tripod is lightweight being made of Carbon Fibre and folds down into a manageable size just like most of Manfrotto’s tripods. When I looked at the price of this tripod I was a little shocked but I suppose if your using your photography or blogging as a business then this would be a really good investment.



The second part of the event was a cocktails and food photography workshop with pro photographer Eddie MacDonald, I was super excited about this part of the event as Eddie was using a lot of Manfrotto's lighting equipment which I was very interested in. During the workshop Eddie spoke to the group about how important lighting is in Photography, this brought back my old college days and refreshed my memory about lighting. Weather your using natural light from a window or using professional lights, angles and placement of the product all come into play. It can take a lot of work to get the right shot but working with the lighting you have can help you. I picked up lots of tips about lighting within this workshop and was introduced to some of Manfrotto's lights. Eddie was using the LED Light Lumimuse 3 in the set up, this little light give off a really good light, it's lightweight so perfect for working on location and carrying around, it has rechargeable batteries, you can change the colour temperature and comes with a carry case. I was really impressed with the portability and colour temp that I went ahead and purchased this light, I think it's gonna really help with my photography and will be great for up-ing my phone photography game.


To end the event in style there was a fashion photography workshop with London Fashion Week photographer Nicole Gomes, we was in one big group for this workshop and again I picked up some top tips especially for shooting with models. Nicole has a super fun character and you can tell she really loves photography, looking at her style of work has inspired me and I really like what she does; it has a little bit of an edge to it! We was shown how to direct the model into place, working with the location around you and again working with lighting. Nicole was using Manfrotto's LED Light LYKOS Daylight, this is a powerful light that's a real game changer. The LYKOS Daylight is portable, gives a lot of light for a product it's size, you can change the light levels using the LCD display on the back of the light; theres also a bluetooth option so you can use the wireless controls. Now this light is a little on the pricey side for some of us bloggers and photography lovers but again if your using this for business or work then it's a fantastic investment and much more easy to use and portable than studio lighting. Whilst in the workshop we saw Nicole photograph a model, learnt how to change the position of the lighting to get that shot you want and look you want. Fashion photography doesn't have a standard in my eyes, you can play around with different looks, lighting and locations and achieve something totally different and fresh. If your not lucky enough to have lots of interesting locations around you then Manfrotto also have you covered with their Perspective Background Arch/Grecian, I thought these was pretty awesome, you can look like your out but be taking the photos from your own home/studio; these are also perfect for nervous fashion bloggers because we can shoot in the comfort of our homes. There are a range of designs to choose from and they are super super easy to put up, Nicole demonstrated this in the workshop for us.


Manfrotto put on a interesting and fun event, the workshops were full of information and product knowledge, we was told all about the products from staff who was also very passionate about photography. After leaving the event I was straight on the Manfrotto website to see what items I could add to my photography kit, I currently have an Olympus Pen but use a DLSR occasionally so I wanted to buy something that would work for both of these as well as my phone. I was kindly gifted a small tripod in the goodie bag from the event so I will be using this for my phone and mirrorless camera. I really wanted to get a light to use for quick product shots so I bought the LED Light Lumimuse 3, so far its helped me with my phone photography; I'll be talking more about this on my Instagram soon so check back for that.


Thanks to the Manfrotto team for putting on the event, for my invite, lunch and for all the top tips and product information during the day. You've got a Manfrotto fan for life now! If you want to shop on the Manfrotto site, you can grab 20% off until the 4th of December using code 'Follower20' (this is NOT an affiliate code), let me know what you pick up in the comments.

As I’ve said above the event room was filled with lots of items to see, there was lots of gifts for her, for him, for the kids and even for your pets! There was everything from clothing, perfume, homeware, lingerie and toys; in all different sizes from large presents to stocking fillers; you’d probably be able to do all your Xmas shop at Debenhams this year! 

Beauty and the Beast is super popular this year so there’ll be a chip cup under lots of trees this year along with everyone’s favourite unicorn items; I’m particularly a fan of the unicorn cushion you can see above. Pick up a gift guide in store at Debenhams and get the kids to circle their present choices to give yourselves a hand when deciding what to get them. Remember Debenhams have a click and collect service too so you can shop from the comfort of your own home and pick at a convenient time for you, pick up when you don’t have the kids so they don’t clock anything your buying :) 

You can share a glass of prosecco with the dog or cat on Christmas Eve because Debenhams have dog/cat friendly procecco, add a toy into the mix and settle down with a new food bowl filled with Christmas dinner left overs (only the food safe for animals to eat of course).

Men... aren’t they a pain to buy for? Well I think so, I struggle every year to shop for the other half but this year Debenhams have a few ideas up those sleeves. Novelty stocking fillers like flying UFO gadgets or the usual socks but if your looking for something a little bigger Debenhams have men's fragrance sets, Christmas jumpers, nice wallets or alcoholic gifts. Clothing is always something to wrap up at Xmas too, pick up a nice new shirt or some smart shoes and pop them under the tree for them.



After seeing the choice of gifts available at Debenhams this Christmas I'm pretty sure you could complete all your Xmas shopping in one shop, weather your shopping for the other half, the kids, pets, family members, friends and even neighbours. They have small gifts, large gifts and even personalised gifts so its definitely worth a look in Debenhams this festive season.