Personalised Disney Planning Notebooks | Papier Discount

Unfortunately, this year's trip to Disney has had to be cancelled for obvious reasons but I'm straight on with planning for a trip in 2022 so I've treat myself to a new Disney planning notebook from Papier. They're selling through the last of their Disney notebooks so now is the time to grab one if you'd like one; they have lots of different designs from traditional Mickey and Minnie to the Genie from Aladdin and they are available in either hard backed or soft backed books with plain, lined or dotted paper inside so there's something to suit most needs!

If you've ever been on a Disney holiday you'll know that it does involve at least a little bit of planning to make the most out of your holiday so that you can decide what you're going to do each day 

I can't wait to start planning my 2022 Disney holiday with my new notebook so if you'd like to do the same you can get £10 off your first purchase making it only £9.99 which I think is an amazing price for such a good quality personalised Disney planning notebook. 

Follow this link to the Papier website to get £10 off your first purchase! (I also get £10 to spend on Papier if you use this link) Please do let me know if you buy one, I'd love to see your choices of Disney planning notebooks!

5 Things To Get Excited About This Summer

If you’ve been following the news, you’ve heard that the summer holidays are probably going to be cancelled. It’s hard to tell how long the Coronavirus is going to impact our lives. However, the government has issued warnings about pre-booked summer holidays. In all likelihood, I'll not be able to jet off on the Florida holiday I have booked but in all honesty, the last 8 weeks really has put things into perspective and made me realise that having a holiday isn't the be all and end all; there's loads of other things I'm looking forward to being able to do eventually.

#1. Seeing friends and family
We can expect lockdown rules to ease more and more as time passes (fingers crossed that the 'r' stays down!). As of this week, car trips are allowed, which means that you can drive to your favourite spot in the countryside if you fancy a walk in the woods. Of course, social distancing still applies, but we can gradually expect a change of tone. In a few weeks’ time, you may be allowed to meet with friends and relatives. Perhaps, it will be an opportunity to have a catch up picnic in the park or play a game of ball together... who knew I'd actually look forward to maybe partaking in a bit of sport?!

#2. Getting more fresh air
Finally, you don’t need to worry about how many times you want to step outside. As we’re now allowed to go out as often as we wish during the day, chances are you’re going to work on your summer tan. Here’s a little tip to remember: your skin has not been prepared for prolonged sun exposure this year. If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to add some UV protection makeup and lotions to your beauty kit. You can find out more about SPF protective makeup here, because nobody wants the typical chalky sunscreen lotion. Or if sunning yourself in the actual sun isn't your thing then I'd highly recommend Skinny Tan Wonder Serum for all your fake tanning needs.

#3 Seeing the UK
This one is a little bit more tricky in my opinion, because I realise that lots of the tourist hot spots currently want to keep people away still which is completely understandable but hopefully, in the coming months, before summer is over tourist areas in the UK will start to welcome us back - I for one can't wait to visit some of the seaside areas local to me!

#4 Sales, sales sales

We’ve been told to limit unnecessary purchases. However, you have to be realistic. The fashion industry contributes heavily to the UK economy. It’s time to embrace fashion sales – mid-season sales are everywhere – to support the country. Ultimately, brands are trying to survive as much as any other industry. Buying your new summer number could help to keep jobs and it's well worth having a look online before the fashion retailers re-open their doors to the public again.

#4. Garden Parties

Kind of ties into the whole seeing friends and family but hopefully there'll come a time this summer when we will be able to have a few people round for a BBQ or a little garden get together. Add a summer playlist, a few fruity cocktails, and some homemade ice creams and you’re ready for the summer. 

Summer is going to be different this year However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t make the most of it. The lockdown rules are allowing for more freedom and movements for everyone. If we respect the rules today, chances are it’ll be safe to meet up with friends before soon! 

Recipe: Wagamama Style Chicken Raisukaree

We're in the third week of the UK 'lockdown' and I think it's safe to say that we're all starting to miss our favourite takeaways and restaurants and it's definitely made me realise how eating is an actual hobby of mine rather than just a necessity to live!

One of the things I miss the most is Wagamama Chicken Raisukaree so I decided to try and recreate my own and it was surprisingly simple to do so I thought I'd share my recipe and method so you can also have your own piece of Wagamama while in lockdown and beyond!

Chicken Raisukaree Ingredients (serves 2)

250g chicken breast (cut into thin slices)

2 teaspoons lazy garlic (or 2 cloves minced)

1 red onion

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 can coconut milk (400ml) - I use light coconut milk but you can use normal

1 chicken stock cube

100g mangetout

1 red pepper (sliced)

Juice from 1 lime

Small handful of coriander

How to make Chicken Raisukaree 

1. Heat a wok or frying pan with a drizzle of oil or a spray of fry light 

2. Slice the red onion (I like it to be quite chunky) and add this, along with the garlic, to the pan and fry until soft. 

3. Add the chicken and cook through 

4. Add the curry paste, fish sauce, stock cube, coconut milk and lime juice. Mix gently and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

5. Add the sliced red pepper, mangetout and coriander and continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes. This should mean that the pepper and mangetout still have a crunch.

Serve with rice (I used a heart shaped dipping bowl to get the heart shaped pile in the middle of the plate) 

So that's it! That's how to make Wagamama style Chicken Raisukaree - a really simple recipe that doesn't cost an absolute fortune to make and I guarantee you'll want to make it more than once! 

What's one recipe you'd love to recreate at home?

Making Your New House A Home, On A Budget

Moving into a new home is an exciting time. Finally, you’ve got your own space to decorate and do with as you please. But one of the things you can expect when buying your new house is that it’s going to cost you a lot of money. By the time you’ve covered the deposit, fees and moving costs, you might not have much left at the end of it.

But no doubt you’ll want to start working on making your new house a home, something that can feel difficult when funds are low. Luckily, there are some great ways you can decorate your home on a budget and turn your hand to DIY projects without having to spend a fortune.

Take a look at the following tips to help you get started:

Prioritise your needs versus your wants

When you first move into your home, it’s natural to want to decorate every room straight away. But if you add up the total of what that’s going to cost, you’ll soon see that it’s a very expensive job! Prioritisation is key here, and you’ll need to spend time thinking about the things you need (bed, sofa, wardrobes) versus your wants (garden furniture, expensive rugs, etc.). Buy the things you need first, and then you can save to bring in some of the things you want.

Browsing the sales is a good way to find some home bargains, so you could pick up some excellent bargains on furniture and home decor that can free up some room in your budget for other items.

Shop on the high street

The high street is an excellent place to find fashionable and affordable home items. Some of the best homeware retailers on the high street include Zara Home, H&M, Marks and Spencer and Next. You can also find some extremely affordable decorative pieces in places like Wilko or Primark, helping you kit out your home for less. Taking the time to browse different stores could help give you some inspiration, and could even help you find some of your most coveted items at a much lower price.

DIY can go a long way

A bit of DIY can go a long way in your home, with projects like wall panelling being a simple way of making your home look chic and more unique to you. While buying ready-made items or hiring help seems like an easy option, you’ll save a lot of money by doing these projects yourself.

Get the items you need from a building supplies store  and watch some tutorials to help you get started with some DIY projects that will really help to transform your home.

Turning your house into a home is a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun too. Remember that these things rarely happen overnight, and while someone’s home might seem perfect on Instagram or Pinterest, it’s taken them a long time to get there. Take your time and pursue the projects that will make you happy - which room will you start with first?