Manchester Blog

This isn’t a long blog post but just a quick update as to what I’ve been up to recently!

Unfortunately my blog and Twitter are not apart of my full time job and I very rarely get time off from where I actually work. The very rare occasion where I did have a few days off work was a few weeks ago and I took the opportunity to travel to and spend the day in York. The weather was lovely, it was part of my mums long birthday weekend and overall it was a lovely day out and if you're a Harry Potter fan.. which most of my family are.. then York is a must see place for you to visit.

Tucked away in a side street of York is an 'oldie worldie' street known as 'The Shambles'. It has won awards for its picturesque views and it known as one of the best preserved medieval streets, where many of the buildings date back to the late fourteenth and fifteenth Century. Before The Shambles became more of a destination for tourists, it was originally a street where local butchers used to gather and sell their cuts of meat to the locals. Some of the buildings also had slaughterhouses at the back and you can still see some of the hooks where they would display and hang their meats to sell.

The street itself is a very narrow street, with cobbles and little shops on either side. The Shambles is one of the UK’s most popular visited streets which attracts tourists, shoppers and a quite a lot of school trips and now consists of souvenir shops, cafes, a bakery and a few Harry Potter themed shops. There is also an all year round Christmas shop! There is also a local market, street performers and little cafes, bars, shops and eateries close by.



Overall, I had a really nice day and the weather was amazing. It was very busy as it was nearing the end of the school summer holidays but I would definitely recommend a visit to The Shambles, or even to York itself. It’s a really nice place and a great family day out.

Raise your hand if you think last year flew by.. it literally whizzed by me and Christmas and New Year came and went within seconds. At the start of this year, I published a mini 2018 goals post which you can read here and as part of my goals for this year I want to not only work on posting more content to my blog but I also want to try and do a few giveaways. So it’s the beginning of January, people are hating being back at school, work and generally have the winter blues.. I thought now would be the perfect time to run a little giveaway on my blog.. everybody loves a mug right?!

I was kindly given a selection of goodies from Scribbler and thought it would be a great idea to pass some of their generosity onto one of my followers. Firstly though I would like to tell you a little bit about Scribbler and what they do.


Scribbler offers a large range of personalised cards, stationary and gifts that you can order online or purchase from your nearest Scribbler store. The cards they have to offer cover one of the largest ranges I’ve seen online and the range that they offer is unique, innovative and bang on trend. There are some really funny cards and gifts available on the website (see the photo above and you will understand the humour Scribbler brings). I definitely recommend giving their website a look by clicking here.

Anyway let’s cut to the chase.. I want to give this lovely (but funny!) mug to one of my followers. If any of you mugs would like to enter my giveaway, it's easy peasy. There are a few terms and conditions at the bottom of this blog post which you should read but other than that it's simple... the winner will be picked at random and the mug in the picture above will be posted out.

To enter this giveaway you must:
1. Be following on at least one of the following - Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or BlogLovin'.
2. This giveaway is open to the UK only.
3. The mug will be posted out as secure as possible but any damage in transit will not be my fault.
4. Giveaway will run for 3 weeks from 13th January 2018 until 3rd February 2018. 
5. The winner of the giveaway will be picked randomly by Rafflecopter.
6. Winner to be emailed. If no reply within 48 hours than another winner will be chosen at random.

You can enter the giveaway below using Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep an eye out for future giveaways!

I came across an interesting tweet on Twitter yesterday by a user who is visually impaired called Rob Long. He recently reached out on the popular social media platform asking users to change their accessibility settings to help blind and visually impaired users gain a full Twitter experience. 

He explains that by changing your settings this will help visually impaired users ‘see’ the images that you post with your Twitter content. The simple change means that any images used will be described to the user, letting them enjoy the full experience of the information you are sharing on social media. Rob Long explains below how quick and easy it is to change your accessibility settings on Twitter and I encourage everybody to go ahead and do this. 

I’m a blind twitter user. There are a lot of us out there. Increase your ability to reach us and help us interact with your pictures, it’s really simple and makes a huge difference to our twitter experiance allowing us to see your images our way. Thanks for the description 😎 pic.twitter.com/hCsjoFdmev

— Rob Long (@_Red_Long) 3 January 2018

Changing your accessibility settings on Twitter really is simple. All that you need to do is:

The blogging community comes in all shapes and sizes.. some are female, some are male, the age range of a blogger can vary, the niche area that a blogger focuses on can also be different and some blog full time and some during their spare time. I am wanting to increase the amount of blogs that I post but blogging doesn't just mean writing and posting, it involves a lot more.. brainstorming, planning, writing, editing, scheduling for social media, speaking with companies and brands etc..



With a full time job it can often make it extremely difficult dedicating time to not only developing my blog but also creating read-worthy content on a regular basis. I've noticed that many people are in the same boat and are asking how do you blog whilst working a full time job?! 

Also the fact that last week was actually National Work Life Week (2nd October - 6th October 2017) it's time to ask the blogging community what tips they have for blogging whilst working a full time job and I've found some amazing bloggers willing to offer their top tips and invaluable advice..

VirtualWombat.com launched in January 2017 so I'm still very new by some standards. I cover pretty much anything depending on what's tickled my fancy. I like to write a good comedy post and have a laugh, as well as covering nerdy stuff, gaming, tech and parenting topics. There are usually 3 or more new posts and articles a week.

What difficulties have you faced blogging and working full time?
It can be hard finding the time to get everything you'd like to do done. Especially when the inevitable pressures of a profession are at their highest. So far I've managed to keep a relative balance between working, blogging and family life with a bit of leisure thrown in for good measure.

What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling? 
I just use the notes app on my iPhone to record ideas. I write when I feel like it and don't force a specific schedule on myself. I also use an app called social oomph to help with scheduling content for Twitter.

How do you make time away from both work and blogging?
I like to game a bit and I'm a pretty accomplished digital artist. I don't share my pictures very often though which is something I'm working on changing at the moment (Keep an eye on the site late October). When we have spare time at the weekends I like to try and get out for some fresh air and photography too!

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance?
Don't feel pressured into a fixed schedule. If your content is good enough people will read whether it's once a week or five times a week. If you push too hard you'll burn out. ALWAYS make time for your hobbies as more often than not that's where I find my inspiration.

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time?
That's a really difficult question! I'd love to be my own boss. It really depends on whether I could match the level of income I get from my job, which would be a big ask. We'll see how things develop in the future!

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance?
Get to know other bloggers and communicate with them. They're a great source of inspiration. Write what you love, it's easier and quicker than trying to write an article about something you couldn't give a damn about!




I started blogging back in December 2015 but started the blog about mental health. I work for a digital mental health service so I thought it'd be good to write about that but I quickly realised I wanted my blog to be a hobby and not connected to work so in February/March 2016 I switched tact and began writing about beauty and lifestyle. I'm not overly consistent with blogging and I definitely need to be, but typically I post about 3-4 times a month and one of the posts will be a video.

What difficulties have you faced blogging and working full time?
I find balancing FT work and my blog very challenging. Sometimes it's OK but when work gets busy or I'm travelling a lot, my blog and my social media pages suffer. It's finding the time and motivation after a long day at the office to turn the laptop on and get writing. I typically carve out at least one weekend a month where I'll just blog, take and edit photos and film videos. I'm currently finding that to work quite well for me.

What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling?
I like notebooks and tried a bullet journal but that wasn't for me. I now use a notebook for brainstorming and for tracking my scheduled tweets. My planning could be better but I often find I'll just end up spending too much time planning and not enough time actually 'doing'. I use my wordpress drafts section a lot of managing blog posts.

How do you make time away from both work and blogging? 
Having just a weekend a month when I really throw myself into blogging helps keep a balance, although I'd be lying if I say I don't blog during the week as well. I'm never far from my laptop or phone. Most nights, I'll always stop for dinner with my boyfriend and I try to turn everything off at 9pm for an hour and then I may work a bit more before bed.

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance? 
Don't be too hard on yourself. It's impossible to be 100% at work, blogging, social life, relationship etc all the time. It's OK to change focus from time to time. I realise that's not too helpful but I guess a lot of it is about gut instinct - if you feel like you're neglecting your work, ease off blogging for a bit and vice versa.

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time? 
I don't think so. I adore blogging and making videos but I'm a very small fish in a huge digital pond. I also blog because I enjoy it and I would worry that blogging full time would mean there's too much pressure on it as a source of income to really enjoy it in the same way. Never say never but at the moment it's not part of the plan.

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance?
Chat to other bloggers in the same situation and share tips :)



I started blogging properly at the beginning of this year. I then took a long hiatus because college got really hectic. In August I started blogging again.

What difficulties have you faced blogging and working full time? I don’t always get the chance to take good quality photos or the time to keep to a schedule which sucks.

What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling?
I always keep a notebook on me to write notes or ideas down. I generally try and do all my work for the week on a Saturday or Sunday or write blogs on my phone and email it to myself when I am waiting for my host kids as I am an AuPair. I am trying to find a good scheduling app but I am not comfortable with that yet. I think it all comes down to baby steps. I will get there eventually.

How do you make time away from both work and blogging?
I do blogging stuff on the weekend and then work stuff during the week. I generally do my blog work either before or after I work on a Saturday or a Sunday morning as I am an early riser so it helps.

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance?
Sometimes your social life has to take a back seat when it comes to work. I always ask myself what is important. You should wake up early and try and do work stuff before you leave and do what you need to do that day. In my case, I wake up and go to a coffee shop. I enjoy working at coffee shops and I feel like I do my best work when I am around people. I also ask myself what will benefit me more? How can I further myself? What is best for my future. From that, I am able to distinguish what I should be doing.

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time?
That is the hope for the near future. My hope is to cut down on the amount of work that I do so I can focus more on my blogging and makeup.

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance? I always tell people to do what they are passionate about. I also believe that you should fall in love with your blog. If your main goal is to monetize your blog and nothing more than I think you will burn out and end up hating what you do. Write what you love and you can guarantee that the money will eventually come around.



What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling?
I write a lot of my ideas in notes on my phone and also in a special notepad but more often than not, little scraps of paper can be where I jot down thoughts or things that come to me in the night or on the way home from work when I seem to be most creative.

How do you make time away from both work and blogging?
On the weekends and sometimes in the week I go for walks with my girlfriend around Richmond or go out for drinks with friends. Sometimes it could be checking out different restaurants as I love eating out when I can afford to, and I have a list of places I want to visit on the blog too http://bit.ly/lookdwn-places .

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance?
Do find time for yourself - try reading as that can also inspire new ideas. I find it extremely difficult to juggle the three and would be lying if I said that the blog got all the attention it needs. However, days off and weekends are a great time to do blog posts and all the admin that comes with having your own blog - checking broken links, reformatting images and promoting it too.

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time?
I would love to do this and that would be the ultimate dream! However, I'd need to make sure that I have enough money in my savings to live on before taking such an important step. I'm not really in blogging just to make lots of money or to be famous, I just enjoy writing and always have. It would be great to get some recognition as a blogger but that's not why I do it!

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance?
Getting a good night's sleep means you can work well in all three areas and function properly. Try and get into a routine and don't burn the candle at both ends as they say.

For more about Josh:
I also wrote a more detailed post on my blog about why I started blogging and why I still keep at it here: and a separate post on Integrity in Blogging here



I started blogging about 3 months ago, I blog about anything and everything hence my name all things blog it’s whatever i can relate too at that time. I blog once or twice a week depending how much spare time I have.

What difficulties have you faced blogging and working full time?
The most difficult thing I have found is time management, I work full time, bring up two children so finding time to blog can be difficult or switching off from everyday life to get into the blogging mindset.

What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling?
Whilst I'm at work, I keep notes/journal of things we all discuss as a morning programme is on in the background and try and gather ideas together. I use buffer for time management for Instagram.  Twitter is also fab for people retweeting my stuff to get it out there.

How do you make time away from both work and blogging?
I always set one specific night a week usually a Thursday for blogging and make sure I still socialise or spend time focusing on Just myself the other evenings. Time management is hard but if your enthusiastic about something you make it manage.

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance?
Understanding balance. You need to understand that it’s key. Be strict with yourself and set limits.

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time? 
I’m not I’m a position where I am able to do that with my following at the moment but if the opportunity was there completely at the end of the day we blog because we are enjoy it and it’s a passion and ideally that’s what everyone would want out of the job so if it pays the bills hell yeah!

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance?
Relaxing, when you get in from work relax and have a bath and eat before you sit down to blog then there is less pressure because there is nothing to do after you writing. Make sure you blog for the right reasons and you only blog when you feel excited to write and not just for the sake of it because your due a post.

I started blogging at the beginning of February this year! I blog about beauty, makeup and skincare. I always post on Monday's and Thursday's and sometimes have an extra post or two if I've been to an event or have something I'm eager to talk about!

What difficulties have you faced blogging and working full time?
Managing my time and having the energy to blog!After a full day at work dealing with little kids I'm exhausted and just want to relax, not sit down to write posts or work on my social media. I also need to make sure I take pictures in advance at the weekends so I can make the most of the daylight so this means I have to schedule my time carefully!

What strategies do you use to help with blogging / planning / scheduling?
I have a gorgeous big planner from LoveGiveInk which has calendars and to do lists. Whenever I think of something I make sure to put it on my to do list so I don't forget. Lists are my best friend, there's nothing more satisfying than having everything on your 'to do' list ticked off!

How do you make time away from both work and blogging?
I'm pretty bad at this but my boyfriend always reminds me I need to take a break and have some me time whether it be a social media free evening or a Sunday to myself!

What are your top tips for maintaining a successful work-life-blog balance?
Plan a head! Running a blog and working full time is exhausting so you need to have a schedule. I like to plan my content for a whole month in advance, then I know exactly what I need to write and photograph and when. Obviously if collaborations come along then I can swap things around a bit but having a plan is the only thing that keeps me sane!

Would you ever take the plunge and take up blogging full time?
Honestly I don't think so! As much as I love my blog, I really enjoy my job, it's always been a passion of mine to work with kids so for now I'm happy doing both. Maybe when I become a mumma I might like to take my blog full time so I can spend more time with my children but we'll  see what the future holds!

Anything else that you think helps maintains a work-life-blog balance?
Having you time! Sometimes you just need to say no! Put down your phone/laptop and just relax. If your not rested your content isn't going to be at its best!

Thanks again to all the bloggers that agreed to take part in my Blog. You are all amazing and I'm sure many will agree inspiring and thank you for sharing your advice. Do you work full time whilst blogging? Let me know in the comments below.

Keep posted by following on social media:
Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin

Everybody enjoys new technology (well most people I know do!) and when IllumiBowl offered me the chance to try out their motion-active toilet night light, I jumped on board and thought I'd give it ago. So I've been testing out the IllumiBowl* for over a month now and I'm actually impressed by this little nifty gadget.

Credit: IllumiBowl.com

IllumiBowl - around £10.00

IllumiBowl  are an American company who were first featured on a program called Shark Tank in 2016. They have created the worlds first toilet night bowl light and are taking the 'bathroom gadget' sector by storm. They are on a mission to introduce as many households as possible to the IllumiBowl motion-active night light and since being on Shark Tank, now sell the IllumiBowl world wide.

So what is the IllumiBowl?
The IllumiBowl is a little box with a small arm that fits around your toilet bowl and attached to the arm is a little light, which lights up when it gets darker (during the night) and when motion is detected.. simple yet genius! It will only light up when you walk into the bathroom during the night.. therefore making it easier on your eyes when you're half asleep - no more bright lights during the night, no more walking into the sink, bath etc.. you can go straight back to bed without fully waking up..or waking others up.. perfect!

How to set IllumiBowl up..
It's so simple and easy to set up and literally only took me a few seconds, so perfect to those who hate 'DIY'. To set up the IllumiBowl just following these simple steps;

1. Place 3 x AAA batteries into the back of the Illumnibowl;
2. Lift the toilet seat up and simply bend arm over the toilet bowl, whilst ensuring the white box is on the outside of the toilet bowl.. and that's it.. you're all set to go ..once it gets dark!
3. For the best motion sensor detection make sure the white box is facing the door as much as possible

Why do I need an IllumiBowl?
There's no particular reason why you need an IllumiBowl but after using it for a few days you will WANT an IllumiBowl for your bathroom. Although probably aimed at small children, this little piece of technology is amazing and helps brighten up your bathroom.. literally! 

Another great function about this product is that you can either set it to change through a cycle of different colours including white, blue, green, pink, purple, orange etc (once motion is detected) or you can set is to that it only lights up showing one colour - either way it's pretty cool and the light isn't too bright but is bright enough so that you can see where you are going.


The IllumiBowl will also only light up when the lights are off and motion is detected, therefore saving on battery power and making the batteries last longer. I've been trying out this product now for the past month and the batteries are still going strong. It's also simple to keep clean with a damp cloth.

Overall Opinion
Overall, I think that the IllumiBowl is an innovative product. It is a smart little gadget that it completely different to most other 'technology' products and although you may think that you don't need a gadget that lights up your toilet bowl, once you try the IllumiBowl.. you will WANT one. You will find this product to be smart, different but yet a simple little household gadget that is fun for all family members and all ages. It's also a great talking point for friends and family and I would definitely recommend trying out the IllumiBowl.

As well as IllumiBowl, the company have also expanded their cool 'light up bathroom range' to include IllumiSink (light up sink attachment), IllumiShower (light up shower head) and the IllumiSoap (light up soap dispenser) - I'd love to try more of their range to see how they actually work so watch this space.

Who doesn't enjoy getting there hands on the latest technology? I know I do and I love reading about and where possible, trying out the latest gadgets, so when I was asked to try out the Penclic R3 Mouse*, I was excited and somewhat intrigued as to what the mouse would be like to use. I had never heard of or even seen a pen built into the form of a computer mouse, so I couldn't wait to try it out.


Penclic 3 Mouse - around £59.99

Who are Penclic?

Penclic are a family-run Swedish company based in Stockholm, Sweden and they create ergonomic computer accessories which are unique, stylish, smart and completely innovative to what I have seen so far. 

What's included?

Include inside Penclic's smart packaging is:

First Thoughts

When I first opened the Penclic R3 I was impressed by the packaging that the R3 Mouse was presented in. It looks bright, vibrant and would stand out if purchasing from your local shop. The packaging is sturdy, well packed and prevents the R3 Mouse from moving about and stopping it from being potentially damaged.

The Penclic R3 is extremely easy to set up but you do need to let it charge for awhile before using (this was annoying as I couldn't wait to use it!). Once charged, you simply place the USB into the USB port of your laptop or computer, turn on your R3 Mouse and it connects almost immediately, turning the mouse wireless.

Using the R3 Mouse
At first I found the Penclic R3 Mouse strange to use, I have never used any form of ergonomic mouse before, so it does take some time to get used to. During the first few times using the R3 Mouse, I found that it made my hand ache but I think that this could be down to the fact that I wasn't used to using this style of mouse. After using the mouse for awhile, it became easier on my hand, comfortable to use and I found it very lightweight and easy to move around on different surfaces.

My full time job involves working in an office at a desk, so the R3 Mouse is perfect for this, not to mention it has been built to help prevent and/or ease repetitive strain injury (RSI) and after using this little gadget for awhile, I can see exactly why.. I felt that there was less strain and pressure on my hand and I didn't have to use as many movements with my hand as I usually would with a normal computer mouse. However, the only downfall was that I often found it difficult to get the mouse to 'click' where I wanted it to ..sometimes making it frustrating to use!


Features of the Penclic R3 Mouse

• Can be used by both right and left hand users
• Laser sensor
• Compatible with PC and MAC
• Wireless
• Rechargable
• Click and scroller

Overall, the Penclic R3 takes sometime getting used to but it is generally a smart, sleek little gadget that is ideal for using with a laptop or computer. I sometimes found it difficult to use as it often wouldn't click where I wanted but hopefully with time, practice and patience, I may be able to work out how to precisely 'select and click' exactly where I need to. The fact that it is lightweight makes it easier to transport alongside your laptop and is perfect for people who find it difficult to use an ordinary mouse.

VERDICT

Score: 4 out of 5 : Innovative, different and unique. Just wish it could be used with my iPad and had more 'click' precision.

PROS

- Wireless

- Simple to set up

- Rechargeable

- Lightweight / Portable / Smart / Sleek

- Can use on many surfaces

CONS

- Takes awhile to charge

- Can't use with iPad

- Not always precise when 'clicking' the area you want

Who doesn't love a face mask once in awhile?! I've never actually used Superdrug's own brand face masks before but when I saw that the price tag of their Dead Sea Purifying Clay Mask was only 99p I thought I'd have a try - at 99p you can't really go wrong can you?

Credit: Superdrug.com

Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin

Pick 'n' Melt Christmas Gift Set - RRP £12.00

Who are Pick 'n' Melt?

They are a new and innovative company which pride themselves in being the ultimate scented pick 'n' mix candle company, offering over 250 different scented wax melts or scented candles. They have been established since November 2016 and offer vegan friendly candles made from natural, sustainable, vegetable soy wax.

Christmas Candle Gift Set

I was kindly sent the Christmas Candle Gift Set to try out and the set included;

The scents which were included in the gift set are; 

Snow, Festive Tree, Mistletoe and Wine, Christmas Time, Cocoa and Log Fire, Robin Red Breast, Christmas Spice and Frankincense and Myrrh. 

Once I received and opened my package from Pick 'n' Melt, I was greeted with a lovely ceramic candle wax warmer, which has their logo on the side, a pick 'n' mix yellow and white, candy striped paper bag which inside were the wax melt candles and a 'menu' of the different scents available - the packaging compared to other candle companies used is very unique and innovative and definitely stands out from the crowd!

The Product Itself..

I was worried at first about how powerful the scent of the candles were - very strong scented candles always seem to give me a headache! However, I found the smell to be overpowering as all 16 bags of wax melts were together in one bag! When using the candle wax melts individually, the smell is strong but not too overpowering and from the candles used so far, it smells exactly like the scent described on the packet.

It took approx. 5-10 minutes for one pack of wax melts (6 small cubes included in a pack) to turn from a wax cube into liquid and overall the scent of the candle did last a good few hours.. approx 5-6 hours in total. I did however find it useful to light the tea light candle a few minutes before placing the wax melts on top of the dish.  I also found the ceramic wax warmer to be of very good quality, sturdy and is a candle warmer which can be used any time of year. It would make a perfect gift for friends and family ..or even yourself!



Pick 'n' Mix - Join the Party!

They also offer a monthly subscription where you can try more of their candle scents, exclusive offers and competitions. At the moment they currently offer two different subscriptions;

• Standard Subscription £8.00
• Supreme Subscription £12.00

I think this is a great idea and gives people the chance to find their ultimate favourite Pick 'n' Melt scent. Also gives you the chance to create your own scents by mixing different wax melts together! A great way for Pick 'n' Melt to develop a trend on social media / Twitter! You can find out more about this by clicking here

Verdict:

Overall, I think the Christmas Gift Set is great and I would recommend buying this. The Pick 'n' Melt brand itself is creative and unique and offers the largest selection of candle scents I've ever seen. I would class this brand to be towards the luxury end of the 'candle market' but still priced competitively. I hope to see them roll out more larger candles of popular scents in the future!

• Long Lasting (wax melts)
• Quirky / Innovative - the packaging, brand and range of scents
• Large Selection of Scents
• Competitively priced