My day in pictures // Bank Holiday farm trip

I've been trying to get outside more this weekend! I always find I feel much happier and more balanced when I get out in the fresh air.This time we headed over to Totnes Rare Breeds farm which is a popular attraction this time of year.I love it because there are plenty of places to sit and watch the world go by,as well as various rare and farm animals to feed and pet.It's pretty reasonably priced too,adult tickets are £5.95 and children's are £4.50.

It's a good couple of miles away from where I live,so we decided to make the most of the weather and walk along the Village cycle path.It's very popular with dog walkers (I always get to meet some adorable pets!) and I love to watch the sun dance through the trees.

This beautiful owl was the first animal I saw when I came in and what a way to start! His handler was getting him to show us his wings and he was so obedient and affectionate.I love seeing animals and humans having positive and happy relationships.

There are plenty of owls to look at and I just had to get a picture of this little guy.He looks like he's up to something, but he looks adorable nonetheless.

I would hazard a guess that these Alpacas are considered a rare breed as I never see them wandering the countryside.You get a bag of feed when you enter and this one wanted all of it! They're really interesting animals that are very curious about people and their pockets.Most Alpacas don't spit either,which I am very grateful for.This little fellow is called Cappuccino which makes him even cuter!

If you like cute farm animals then you won't be dissapointed as there are lots of little chicks and ducklings to watch waddle about.

This trip definitely makes me want to life the "Good Life" and have a field full of animals! I'd really recommend this to any animal and nature lovers.You can spend a good few hours in there and there is a little cafe to visit if you get hungry.

Most areas have a local farm you can visit,they're really eye opening and a great way to support your conservation and welfare programs.Even Cities have got in on the act and offer various pet and wildlife farms.

What have you been doing this Bank Holiday?

My day in pictures // Bank holiday seaside trip

This time of year Devon is full of tourists,and I can see why but maybe I'm a little biased! I think we can all agree that there is nothing better than a day at the seaside,it's so relaxing to sit on the warm sand and listen to the sounds of the waves lapping the shore.The only thing with beaches in the UK is that the sea breeze can be a bit too icy,but that's what tea was made for.We decided to make the most of the four day weekend and head to Paignton and Torquay.

First stop was Paignton so that we could have a walk along the sandy beach.It was very busy but the atmosphere was so happy,people were laughing and relaxing after a long week.It was quite windy and I think I probably should have worn tights,a bit of skill was needed to avoid a Marilyn Monroe moment,but it was worth it to take in the beautiful scenery and let the salty air clear my mind.

 I was pretty cold after that so I thought I'd take a break and stop for a cuppa at the pier cafe.Seeing as we were already at there,we went to see if we could win anything on the games,I swear they're fixed,but I'm a sucker and I can't just walk past them.I could walk along the Pier for ages,taking in the smell of hot doughnuts and feeling the salty air whip through my hair (I'll need no salt spray for my hair today!)

I decided to keep the amount of money I spent to a minimum by going on the 2p machines.There's something about these that bring out the little kid in me,I love the clinking sounds,flashing lights and how my hands smell like coins for hours.This pot lasted me a while as I kept winning a few back,so feeling quite full of myself I decided to head to the claw machines but as you can imagine,I didn't win anything.Some people were putting loads of money in,it's so easy to spend more than you would just buying the toy.

Paignton is great fun but it's quite a small town,so we decided to head over to Torquay to see what was going on.We got Torbay Dayriders on the bus which was £9.80 for both of us,so if you're down here and you want to travel around Torquay,Paignton and Brixham I would recommend this as a cheap way to get around,as you can go back and forth in one day as much as you want.

This time of year Torquay really comes in to it's own,the famous English Rivera palm trees sway in the summer breeze and the grass is blanketed in flowers of all colours.We thought this would be a perfect place to have a picnic so we sat down for some food.I'd definitely recommend taking a packed lunch if you could to avoid the long queues and the expensive prices.

 I couldn't leave Torquay without doing a little bit of shopping,and this guy was certainly drawing a crowd in on the High street.I've never seen a busking act like this before,but he did manage to do it! Rather him than me but he seemed to be enjoying himself and making quite a bit of money.


I came home really tired but we had so much fun,I'm definitely going to go to Torbay more when I can because I love a change of scenery and the people are always so lovely.

What are you doing this Bank Holiday weekend? Any nice plans?

                                  

                                            

I've got mail // The Blogger's Snail Mail

I was so happy to get home from work as I'm looking forward to the Bank Holiday,but receiving this lovely gift and note from Vicki at EllieBearBabi (go and follow her, she's awesome) made it even greater! I've been chatting to her over on Twitter as part of The Blogger's Snail Mail which was set up by Gemma over at Lipstick & Lashes.Basically,we got to know someone and their blog,and at the end of it we could send a note or letter and a gift for no more than £5.This budget really helped us to get creative! Luckily my snail mail pal is very crafty and I wasn't disappointed with it's lovely presentation.

The first thing I noticed was the beautiful Butterfly wrapping, and look at all the goodies that are inside! This definitely inspires me to take more effort to wrap up presents prettily.The cute note was a lovely personal touch too,thank you Vicki for all of your kinds words.By the way,I wish I had that handwriting,I can't write in straight lines on blank paper (many school notebooks were thrown away!)

I love the design from the back of the card,it's very fitting seeing as it comes from a very creative person.In my head,I'm a 1950's housewife who is really good at sewing, so this appeals to my nature.

Let's have a quick peek at what's inside shall we?

I always like to have a mirror in my handbag as I'm prone to getting stuff stuck in my teeth (hello spinach) and this is so cute! Vintage pin up design and a heart shape.What more could I want?

 This looks really interesting! SPF is one of the things I look for in a moisturiser, but I've never seen this before (maybe it's a Northern Irish thing?) I love Nivea products and I've heard so many great things about BB creams,especially with the Summer coming up when it's nicer to wear less make up.

This sheer pink lipstick is by a company called NYPM and I'm really excited to try a different brand.I don't have many pink shades,so I will be branching out a bit which is always good.It will make a nice change from my usual red or purple toned lip colours.

I do like to add a little bit of colour to my cheeks,but I prefer a subtle rosy glow over an Aunt Sally (Google it) look. I've heard that this tint is a good dupe for Benefit's version too,so fingers crossed! As for the nail varnish well it couldn't be more perfect.I love sparkles and I've already sung the praises of Jess nail polishes here.I'm creating a bit of a nail polish collection (let's hope they don't take over my house)

I've had so much fun chatting and writing my letter,it just goes to show how far good words and friendly gestures can go! I wish people wrote letters more as it always feels much more personal and special to receive your very own handwritten note in the post.Thank you Vicki for taking the time to create this lovely package,it definitely brightened my day!

Do you ever write letters? I think I might start (it's an excuse to buy pretty stationary.)

Bucket list // 30 before 30

Things have been going really well recently,I've been feeling much more well in myself and I've been thinking of what things I want to achieve in the future! I've seen other blogs do "bucket lists" where they write down what they want to complete in their lives and I think they're a great way to keep focused.I decided to do a 30 achievements by 30 list.This gives me a whole 7 years to see how many I can tick off.I couldn't decide as I have so many,but I narrowed it down to my "must dos"

1. Swim with Dolphins
2. Donate my hair to charity
3. Visit London
4. Get a mortgage (easier said than done!)
5. Have a flat/house decorated exactly how I want it (I love cosy homes with plenty of throws and cushions.)
6. Help feed and bathe Elephants (I wanted to ride one but after researching it seems unethical.)
7. Start a family
8. Stay recovered from Anorexia
9. Have a pet (preferably a pug if Sam would agree!)
10. Visit America 
11. Stay in 5 (or more) hostels
12. Cook a three course meal from scratch
13. Keep up with blogging
14. Take a dance class with my husband
15. Be in an audience for a TV show
16. Try to reduce/control my anxiety
17. Stay up all night to watch the sunrise somewhere pretty
18. Visit Bora Bora and stay in a over water hut
19. Have a good skin routine (I want to stay looking young!)
20. Go Ice Skating with Sam
21. Pay more attention to staying hydrated (I get horrible headaches)
22. Visit Italy (Rome or Venice!)
23. Wear classic clothes not trends
24. Water-ski
25. Hot air balloon ride
26. Donate food to food bank/homeless charity
27. See Pandas at Edinburgh Zoo
28. Visit the other countries in Great Britain 
29. Expand my cooking knowledge (I'm good at my favourites but I want to cook some "dinner party" type food.
30. Work on becoming more optimistic

So there is my list! I tried to include a good mixture of long and short term achievements,as well as ones that don't cost the Earth.I'm going to create a page with these on so that I can be reminded and write posts about them as I go.

What's on your bucket list?

    

Follow me around Exeter!

Today has been a successful day.There was no rain,and Exeter was blissfully quiet.Not to say I don't like crowds,I just like being able to move without being run over by 3 prams and an elderly man.I don't normally go to Exeter,I've always gone to Plymouth,but I fancied a change.People are always telling me how swanky and pretty it is,and I haven't been in years.We got the Park & Ride,which I would recommend as a great way to save money (you park for free and then pay a small bus fare which goes right to the City Centre.)

By the time we got there it was about lunchtime,searching around we saw lots of restaurants like Strada,Carluccios and Ask Italian,but it can get pretty expensive in there.Instead,we decided to head down to Debenhams to their cafe (which is great because I can smell the perfumes on the way!)

I had a Chicken Kebab flatbread which was surprisingly nice.The only experience of kebabs are normally have are of the late night kind! It was also a really reasonable price (£4.99) so I had more money to go shopping! After a sit down admiring the views,I thought I'd go for a wander and take some photos.

If you love history,Exeter is a great place to visit.It has a lot of ruins and old architecture to admire.This used to be an almhouse (a house for the poor) which I believe was built in 1458.It got bombed in 1942 during the war,but It really made me think about what might have happened here.It looks so bleak and ravaged now,but I'm sure it was bustling at one point.

I couldn't leave Exeter without taking a photo of the Cathedral.The carvings are so ornate and beautiful,the size of it really makes you feel small! I thought about going inside but you have to pay £6 per adult which seems quite expensive.Nevertheless,it's a pretty place to visit.Lots of people sit on the green next to it and have picnics in the summer.

This chap caught my eye as I thought he had a look of springtime about him.The flowers add a beautiful pop of colour to an statue I wouldn't normally look at twice.Apparently he was called Richard Hooker,and he was an important priest and theologian in the 16th century,the more you know!

I did actually manage to pick up some bits and bobs,although Primark can always be a bit hit and miss.I didn't spend too much either,which is a bonus! I always go in wanting a specific thing,and then leave with 2 things,none of which I actually went in to get,never mind.I'm going to do a haul tomorrow and show you all of my lovely purchases.

Where do you go when you want to take pretty photos?

A walk can do wonders

Everybody has those days.You know,the ones where things just don't go right or you feel just a bit groggy.I love to get outside and just take in my surroundings.It's really easy to get caught up in life and I think taking the time to breathe in some fresh air and taking 5 minutes to collect my thoughts can really help.It hasn't rained for a while here in Devon,so I'd thought I'd take the chance whilst I can to get out in the sun.

I thought I'd take some inspiration from nature and wear these cute floral canvas shoes(I know, florals for spring..how groundbreaking!).They are so comfortable and I managed to get them for £6.99 from the British Heart Foundation.They are Joe Browns,which I know can be an expensive brand,so I was rather happy with that!

I love it when all of the flowers start coming through.February can be quite a drab and grey month,so these beautiful snowdrops,daffodils and crocuses really help brighten up the day.I always want to start growing flowers but I know I would end up neglecting them (I was a terrible Tamagotchi owner),so I'll settle for seeing these lovely ones.

I'm lucky that the village I live has a river running through it,it's beautiful to walk along in the summer and is a great place to go and have a picnic.I spent I while watching the ducks splash around and stick their bottoms in the air (does anyone know why they do that?),and it was really relaxing to watch the sun sparkles on the water.

I love people watching too,I always wander about people,what stories they have and if they have any weird quirks.Also it's great to be able to see "normal" people,which is a refreshing change from seeing celebrities and models on TV.Although I love the countryside,I love visiting cities too,checking out all of the interesting buildings and sights.I'm thinking of taking a little mini break at some point.

What places do you like to visit? I'd love some suggestions!

P.S I am joining Bloglovin' and I've just got to post this here so I can claim my blog! I'll see you there! <a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11851881/?claim=djt5r6m6fy6">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>