Making A Start On Zero Waste

My name is Ariana and i produce a lot of rubbish. So i decided to do something about it and joined the Zero Waste Movement. 

I'd never really thought about how my trash could effect the planet so much. But upon watching documentaries i realised that not only am i contributing masively to landfill site  and all kinds of pollution. I'm also contributing to the overall effect of Climate Change. Climate change is something i feel really stongly about and thinking about it i just knew that it was time to change. 

Now i know a Zero Waste lifestyle isnt going to happen overnight. But im taking small steps everyday to reduce my plastic usage and my overall waste amount. Here are some of the things that i have done so far and maybe you could try too. Like Tesco's say... "Every Little Helps". 

This one might seem like a no brainer, but the first thing i did was switch to cotton bags from supermarket plastic bags. Not only does this save you money in the long run it also cuts down on plastic waste. I started off by purchasing a few cotton bags of various sizes, some for bulky items and some smaller ones for fresh produce. 

My next step was to purchase a non-plastic water bottle. So whilst browsing in T.K.Maxx i came across the Apana Glass Water Bottle. Its only downside is that its lid is made from Plastic :/ but its better than a dispoable plastic bottle. I use this bottle everyday now and dont know why i didnt think about the change earlier.

Now when it comes to the bathroom there are so many changes that you can make! I've started off small by producing some products from Lush, including the Montalbano shampoo bar, T'eo Solid Deoderant Bar, Miles of Smiles Toothy Tabs and Needles and Pines Shower Jelly. (I'll be reviewing all of these products in my next blog, so make sure to check that out!) almost all of these products come without plastic, but for the ones that do come with plastic there are various ways to use the packaging after. 

My final step that i have taken so far is cancelling my Birchbox subscription and changing my bills to paperless. This saves on paper waste and cuts down on carbon emissions at the same time so its a win win :) 

Im always looking for new ways to cut down on my trash, so feel free to leave any hints and tips in the comments section! (They'll be much appreciated) 

Thats all for now.

Over and Out.

Joining the 'One For One' Movement

Joining the TOMS 'One For One' movement is something that i never thought that i would do. Mainly because i wasn't keen on the shoe design. But over time i've kept looking at them and have grown to love them. And so last week i decided to purchase my first ever pair of TOMS shoes. And you know what, im glad i did. Now that they have arrived i love them even more and i feel like i've done a good deed for the week by helping a child somewhere by giving them a pair of shoes. 

Although it may seem small to us in a well developed country, but having a pair of shoes can mean the world to a child elsewhere. I may have only made a very small difference to my wardrobe but in turn i have made a huge difference to someone else's life. Which enriches me personally as i feel better for it. 

As well as buying TOMS shoes that are many other ways that we can help the less fortunate. For example: TOMS also offer to give out sight treatment to people when a pair of their glasses are purchased. And a similar act is made when purchasing any of their other products. 

Another way that you can help is to go barefoot on 'One Day Without Shoes' which is on May 12th 2017. By doing this and posting a photo on some source of social media TOMS will gove a pair if shoes for everyone who tags them #TOMS. 

After making my first purchase, i have decided to buy more of their shoes over time as i find that they make great shoes for summer holidays and light walks out because they are light and airy. I am also vouching to purchase one of their bags to help others in another way. 

If you know of any other ways that we can help please feel free to comment below and over time i'll personally try to ahieve all of them to make the world a better place over time. 

Much Love

MadRamblings

Money Saving Troubles

Sometimes we all need to save a bit of money, whether you saving for a new car, moving house or just saving for a rainy day it can be hard to make all those pennies add up. So here i am trying to help you out with hints and tips. 

I tend to find that its not always about saving money but about spending less. You can do this in many ways. I recently found an internet challenge that asks you to not buy any toiletries for a month. (E.G. Shower gel, shampoo, body spray etc). The aim of it is to use up all your old bottles first. I decided to take on this challenge and have now find that i have enough body products to last me at least a year!!!  So by using up your old products you in turn save a fair amount if money which can be added to that all important piggy bank 🐷. 

Another thing that i've found is that eating meals out can cost you well over £2000 a year!! Which is quite a large amount of money if you ask me... To reduce this amount we can make more meals at home or if you dont have time every night you can always make meals in bulk and freeze them for whenever you're in a rush. 🍴🍕

A further option to "spend less and save more" is to look for free things to do. Whether you have children or not you dont need to spend a huge amount on days out. Using apps such as "Foursquare" you can find many fun things to do and it often provides information on the price. The kids will always enjoy free days in the park come rain or shine ☔️☀️

There are many other ways to save money but these tend to be the main few that i follow. Do you have any other ideas?? I'm always looking for new ways to add to my money pot and pay off my debts. So please add any ideas to the comments section 😊

Love Ariana

Meadowhall Shopping Haul

There's only one thing to do after pay day. That's right you guessed it!! Go shopping!! For the people that know me, they will know that i adore shopping. And as i'm going away on holiday this year i thought it would make the perfect opportunity to do a shopping haul from one of my favourite malls. 

Now, I'm a bit of a shoe fanatic and so i must have gone in just about every shoe shop looking for a new pair to wear. But after hours of searching i finally fell in love with a pair in the Vans shop. The vans shop has always been one of my favourites and their new pattern styles are just perfect for a summer vacation. And so i chose the "Old Skool - Hawaiian Floral" in white. Im not normally a white shoe person but i just couldn't resist these beauty's!!

Another one of my favourite shops is "Lush". They're completely against animal testing which is a great plus and they have some amazing products too. They make the most amazing smelling bath bombs and so it's a shame that i dont actually have a bath tub. However they also do a small range of cosmetics. Im not very good at applying liquid eyeliner but now i'm going to have to learn as i just could not leave their "Motivation" liquid liner. Its a deep turquoise blue which matches my eyes almsot to a T. And i have so many outfits that it will work with. 

For any of you who use tumblr you will know that Urban Outfitters is basicly tumblr in one shop. But the only reason i went in this time, was to buy purely a Tangle Teezer. As i have long hair that always messy i became fed up of using your average hair brush. But since using this, my once chore is now bliss and completely pain free. It comes in a variety of colours but with purple being my favourite, its the one i had to choose. 

Now for the holiday clothes... Notmally i wouldn't shop in Hollister because i find it too crowded but they have some amazing pieces this season and so i dragged myself in. Buying not one, but two items (Thank Goodness for student discount!) 

First up is the "Floral Babydoll Dress". I saw it hung up alone in completely the wrong place but as soon as i saw it i knew it was just perfect for my style and bodytype. And so i picked it up and tried it straight on. And now it lives happily in my wardrobe. 

Secondly, i bought "Embellished Tap Shorts". These screamed out to me as perfect for a festival. And so these will be in my bag for Leeds Fest this year. I love the pattern on them and the shiny pieces just add that bit of sparkle to brighten them up in the sunshine. 

And finally, my last piece is a top from "Victoria's Secret - PINK". I saw it on the hanger and i was just drawn to it. I love the bold patter in the writing and i like the plain white background, which is perfect for hot summer weather abroad.

That just about sums up my haul,, have you bought anything recently that you just couldn't resist? Let me know! 

Lots of Love, 

MadRamblings x

May's Favourites

As a bit of a shopaholic for adorable and amazing things i thought i ought to share my May's favourite purchases with you. Most of the items come from some of my favourite brands and some are from newly found small companies that i have fallen in love with. I normally like to shop around for the best prices but for some things i have to choose the real thing and go for quality. 

To start off my list is this amazing piece from "Festive". I love this because its so quirky and different and i've not seen much like it before. The bold colours (although not to everyone's taste) really caught my eye and I just couldn't resist!

Next on my list is a piece from a small company i stumbled across just the other day, scrolling through the website i could've bought literally everything on there. But in the end i settled for these cuties. 

I saw them and fell in love instantaniously! They're just so me and so they went straight into the shopping cart. If you love any thing cute or food with little faces on LittleMissDelicious is the place to go for your jewelery and home furnishings. 

I also have just a litttttle obsession with smelly candles. I could spend a whole pay packet on them. But this month, in the end i settled for two candles. One from BombCosmetics and one from WaxLyrical. Both of these candles were reasonably priced and the aroma's are just amazing. Or as my brother says "They smell like God's second vagina!" (He really has a way with words that amazes me).  Festival Dream by BombCosmetics all-in-all looks and smells fantastic, and beat of all the scent lasts long after you blow it out. Which in my mind is like getting double your money's worth. And as for Celebration by WaxLyrical,, well its perfect for a relaxing bath and glass on wine. 

Now, anyone who knows me will know when it comes to clothes I'm a sucker for a sale. My eyes light up as soon as i see the word. And this month was no different! As soon as the email came theough i was on the website like there was no tomorrow. As a big fan on Jack Wills i couldn't resist these next two piece's. First off is the 'Clevendon Pintuck SS Shirt'. It features a contrasting collar to the shirt and cute puffy sleeves that i adore. 

And Secondly is the 'Harwich SS Pintuck Dress' which is really simlar to the shirt and is just my style and so i couldn't resist buying it as well. 

That about wraps up my favourite purchases of this month. Is there anything you've bought this month that you fell in love with instantly? Let me know ☺️ 

Lots of Love, MadRamblings xx

Saving the Planet one step at a time

As Spring arrives so do many other things in Britain, ice cream vans, tree blossom and of course lots of bugs. But one problem we face is the declining bee population. Bees are essential for the pollenation of flowers and the production of honey. Without them the world would not function properly. As a teenager i think that it is very important to preserve the world today for a better tomorrow. And so i have taken it upon myself to help out our bees by giving them a home to nest in and by plating seeds that are perfect for them to pollenate. These small simple things, can help out greatly. Here are the things that i bought to help save Britains Bees.

A Bee Box - Pennells Garden Centre, £12.99

Various Seed Packets - Pennells Garden Centre

Seed Trays - Pennells Garden Centre

John Innes Seed Compost - Pennells Garden Centre, £3.49

Have you done anything to help out or have any other ideas of how to help? Comment with any hints or tips below☺️