♡ iyastevie ♡: November 2017

♥ Festive Bath Cocktail Recipes!

As you will have guessed, one of my favourite things to do is take a bath! I especially love taking baths when it's colder outside, as you appreciate the warmth of the water so much more and I tend to spend more time in the bath when it's colder outside. I love to cocktail products and try to get a bath with an entire scent family or pair scent families together that work well. I thought I would share some of my favourite bath cocktails that include the seasonal products that are still available or you might be able to grab in store. A few of these cocktails will include LUSH Kitchen products, so I apologise if you haven't been able to grab any, but check Facebook and Depop destashes and you may see some of these products pop up on there.

'The Monster of Calacas'

Contains: Monsters Ball bath bomb, Calacas shower gel, Calacas body lotion and Man in the Moon bubble bar

I like to slice up some of my Man in the Moon bubble bar and pop it into a sieve along with a couple of drops of Calacas shower gel for bubbles! Pop your sieve under the running water and watch the bubbles emerge! I then pop my Monsters Ball in the bath and watch the colours appear! I use Calacas to wash my body and sometimes my hair and then use my Calacas body lotion once I am out of the tub and dried off.

'Celebrate with Bubbly'

Contains: Golden Wonder bath bomb, Bubbly shower gel, Bucks Fizz body conditioner and Celebrate body lotion

I like to use my Bubbly for bubbles as well as washing myself, so I squeeze a small amount onto my hand and put under the running tap to create bubbles. I then pop my Golden Wonder in and see the colours emerge. After washing with Bubbly, my hair also, I use my Bucks Fizz to condition my skin and then my Celebrate body lotion once I am out and dry.

'Christmas Cola'

Contains: Santa's Christmas shower cream, Reindeer & Robin FUN and Christmas Sweater bath bomb

One of my favourite scents this year has to be Santa's Christmas, which you could also get in Reindeer and Robin FUN, which I love to use for bubbles. I then wash using my Santa's Christmas, and if I want the scent in my hair I use the FUN as it doesn't leave my hair with too much moisture. I then pop the beautiful Christmas Sweater in the tub and watch the magic begin!

'Honey, I Want to Wash the Stars'

Contains: Gold FUN, Shoot for the Stars bath bomb, It's Raining Men shower gel and Honey I Washed the Kids shower jelly

I love to use my Gold FUN for bubbles with a cube or two of Honey I Washed the Kids shower jelly. I then pop my Shoot for the Stars in the water and watch the bath melts pull apart and provide the bath with a smooth feel for the skin. I then use my Honey I Washed the Kids shower jelly to wash my hair with and It's Raining Men to wash my body with.

'Lord of Monsters'

Contains: Lord of Misrule bath bomb, Monsters & Aliens FUN, Lord of Misrule shower cream and Lord of Misrule body conditioner

Firstly, I use a few chunks of Monsters & Aliens FUN for bubbles, then I pop my Lord of Misrule bath bomb into the water and soak up the gorgeous vanilla and patchouli scent. I use my Lord of Misrule shower cream to wash my hair and my body and I then use my Lord of Misrule body conditioner once I am out of the bath and dry, as I would a body lotion.

'Sleepy at Twilight'

Contains: My Two Front Teeth bubble bar, Blue FUN, Twilight shower gel, Black Pearl shower gel, Luxury Lush Pud bath bomb and Sleepy body lotion

I use a combination of My Two Front Teeth bubble bar and Blue FUN for bubbles, popping chunks of both into a sieve and sticking under the running water. I then drop my Luxury Lush Pud into the water, watching the rainbow of colour take over the water. I then wash using a combination of Twilight and Black Pearl shower gel, also using Twilight for my hair. I then use Sleepy once I am out of the bath, all over my body to prepare me for a good nights sleep.

Have you ever tried any of these cocktails? These are some of my favourite scents from LUSH and I love leaving the bath after layering up on the scent and smelling like it all night! Let me know down in the comments what your favourite LUSH cocktail is and whether you've tried any of these!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post, it is very appreciated! Make sure to follow so you can see the next time I post! ♥ xo

**Disclaimer: All views, opinions and photos are my own.**

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, by iyastevie

♥ My Knot Wrap Collection!

I used to think that the knot wraps you could purchase from LUSH were just a more expensive and eco friendly version of wrapping paper, which essentially they are. LUSH market knot wraps as reusable and recyclable packaging for their products, a nice way to present a bundle of LUSH products you may purchase for someone. I never used to buy knot wraps at all, I didn't go for any gift sets that contained them and I actually sold a couple that I was given by my mums friend when she purchased a couple of gift sets a couple of years back. Now, I really wish I had held on to them, as knot wraps don't seem to come back the same year in year out, they differ.

I have been collecting knot wraps for just shy of a year now, I have some seasonal and some vintage knot wraps that I purchased from my local store. They have a huge box full of knot wraps, some which are regular line and seasonal and quite a lot of vintage knot wraps. Some of the vintage knot wraps are seasonal from years past and some are knot wraps I've never seen before.

Knot wraps are made from recycled plastic bottles, and the size of the knot wraps depends on the number of bottles that are used to create it. I have small knot wraps that are made from 1 500ml bottle and my biggest one was made from 6 500ml bottles. That might not sound like a big difference, but the knot wrap sizes are majorly different, one being the perfect size to wear in my hair and the other being big enough to cover my king size bed. Of course, the prices range based on the size of the wrap.

I collect knot wraps because I think they are really nice to wear in your hair and they look beautiful all pinned up and draping down my large cork board I have in my bedroom. As I do with gift boxes, I am trying to grab a knot wrap from every seasonal release LUSH do, so I have a few from Christmas this year and I hope to grab some with their Valentines Day collection in January, if they release one.

Now it's time for you to see which knot wraps I have collected! Let me know which one is your favourite!

Berry Christmas knot wrap - Christmas 2017

I am in love with the beautiful bright colours on this knot wrap! I knew I had to have it when I saw it at the Showcase back in September. This is a new addition to my collection, having only bought it a couple of days ago. I wish this was a size smaller so I could wear it in my hair, but I might buy another one and have my Mum shorten it.

Pudding & Candy knot wrap - Christmas 2015

This was an absolute find in the knot wrap box at my local LUSH! I've never seen this knot wrap before, but the candy canes sold me straight away! I love the bright neon green and the fuchsia colours that have been used to create this Christmas pattern! This is a one for certain I will be wearing in my hair this festive season.

Evergreen knot wrap - Christmas 2017

This may be one of my favourite knot wraps, especially for wearing in my hair! I love how festive this knot wrap is and I think it'll be perfect for wearing in my hair on Christmas day. I love the mistletoe images and the bright green and red that has been used. I'm very happy I got this knot wrap!

Koi knot wrap - 2017

The Koi knot wrap is a not wrap that was hand made by the Organic Cotton Project in Fukushima, made with bespoke Japanese cotton. I grabbed myself one of these as I thought it would be limited edition and I didn't want to miss out on a Japanese special. Although this isn't my favourite knot wrap, I do love the cause behind it and the colours are pretty.

Pretty as a Picture knot wrap - 2016

Pretty as a Picture is one of the most stunning knot wraps I own, it really does suit it's name. This is a regular line knot wrap, so anybody can get their hands on it if they want one. I love the floral design and the colours. I've worn this one in my hair a couple of times, but it's a bit too long for my liking, so it spends most of it's time pinned up on my cork board.

Botanical knot wrap - 2017

When LUSH released this knot wrap, I think everybody went crazy! We have seen this beautiful pattern on tote bags, LUSH t-shirts and the limited edition self preserving tubs of Ocean Salt, Mask of Magnaminty and Dream Cream. This pattern was a hit with us Lushies, as if I even need to say that! The stunning art work makes for a beautiful knot wrap and I am super happy to have it in my collection.

Bundle of Fun knot wrap - Easter 2017

I bought a gift set full of FUN purely for this knot wrap! How beautiful and bright is this one! I was sold when I saw the bunnies printed on it, but I really do love the vibrant shades of colour used. This is another knot wrap that I love to wear in my hair, especially in the summer months to add a pop of colour to my outfit.

The Snowman knot wrap - Christmas 2017

Another recent purchase is this knot wrap, which I couldn't say no to as it has super cute pictures of some LUSH products that have been released this year. The Snowman has images of Butterbear, Man in the Moon, Snow Angel and Snowman. I love how bright these colours are and I think it's the perfect bounce of colour for the winter.

The Morton knot wrap - Fathers Day 2017

How stunning is this knot wrap? Another one that I wear in my hair often is The Morton. I love the deep blue and pop of pink and green. I think this would also make the most perfect pocket handkerchief for a man in a suit, it's lovely!

La Guadeloupe knot wrap - Vintage

I found this knot wrap a few months back in my local store. I have no idea where this one came from, what season it was released for or what year it was made. The label doesn't even state how many plastic bottles it was made from, so I think it's a super old one! I love the bright colours and that it's so very different from the rest I have in my collection.

Mark knot wrap - Fathers Day 2017

Another gorgeous knot wrap that I own is Mark, named after Mark Constantine himself. I also wear this one in my hair as it is the perfect size and I love wearing it with my black dungarees and a plain white t-shirt to give my outfit a pop of colour. This is also the same pattern that is on the Dirty gift box from the same seasonal release.

Fairyshiki knot wrap - Christmas 2012

I had no idea what year this knot wrap is from but I knew it was a vintage one, so I had to grab it when I saw it. I knew it was vintage because in one corner 'knotwrap by lush' is printed and it is in their signature font, whereas later knot wraps use the block lettering. Upon some research, I found that this knot wrap dates as far back as 2012, so I was super shocked that my local LUSH still had this hanging around! I think I'm going to wrap up a bottle in this knot wrap and leave it for show as the photos I have seen of this being done look super cute!

Mystic knot wrap - Halloween 2017

This is the only knot wrap I purchased at the Showcase this year. I love this knot wrap! It is my go to knot wrap for wearing in my hair. I love with blue, pink and purple combination of colours and the gold stars and moons are a super cute touch. I am quite interested in tarot reading and this knot wrap made me think of that as soon as I saw it, so I knew I needed it in my collection. If you can grab this one, I would if I was you!

It's Christmas Deer - Christmas 2016

This is the knot wrap that started my collection. I saw this last Christmas and knew I had to have it. I had it pinned up on my wall all of the festive season and to this date it's still one of my faves. This is one of the knot wraps that kind of comes back every year, just with a different style, as you will see with the next knot wrap..

It's Christmas Deer knot wrap - Christmas 2017

And this is this years version of the It's Christmas Deer knot wrap! I much prefer last years but I do like how this years version has all the reindeer printed on it. I will be hanging this one up for Christmas this year also, alongside the one from last year. They're going to look really nice together.

Butterbear knot wrap - Christmas 2017

I really think that this knot wrap is my favourite. I first saw this at the Showcase and knew I needed it. This knot wrap is huge, and I'm not even exaggerating. This one is big enough to cover my king size bed! I think I may sew it to a large blanket I have so it can be used as a bed throw, because it's just far too gorgeous to not do anything with it.

Flowers for You knot wrap - Mothers Day 2017

This is another massive knot wrap that I own, possibly the biggest with 6 500ml bottles being used to make this one. I very nearly paid nearly £80 for the gift set that came wrapped in this gorgeous knot wrap, but I'm glad I didn't when I saw that this knot wrap soon became available to purchase alone. I love this knot wrap and would love to have it framed when I move out.

Satsuma knot wrap - Christmas 2016

My final knot wrap is quite possibly the most boring of them all. This knot wrap came with the Oxford Street exclusive bath bomb Satsuma last Christmas, and the only way you could purchase this bath bomb was if you bought it along with the knot wrap, so i bought a few in the Boxing Day sale last year. The bath bomb was just as boring as the knot wrap!

Do you have a knot wrap collection? Do we have any of the same? I'd love to know down in the comments what your favourite knot wrap is and what you use yours for!

You can find the LUSH knot wraps on their website here.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post, it is very appreciated! Make sure to follow so you can see the next time I post! ♥ xo

**Disclaimer: All views, opinions and photos are my own.**

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, by iyastevie

In bonfire night, books

♥ November Visit

It only feels like yesterday that I was writing a blog post about our September visit, but then again it feels like forever a go that we were in London! It appears to have become a bit of a tradition that Reece comes to me for Halloween. This year it was my turn to go and visit him, but I had an important doctors appointment that I couldn't change or miss, so he ended up coming to stay with me. I unfortunately fell ill with the cold and developed a really bad cough on my last day at work before taking a week off to spend with Reece, so most of the week we spent in bed watching Stranger Things, and when we did venture outside, I ended up feeling ten times worse! How typical for me to end up ill when Reece is here! We did manage to get out and about a little bit, so here is what we got up to..

Pictured - Pizza from Romano's

When myself and Reece go out for lunch we always end up just going to Wetherspoons, as it's cheap, cheerful and we already know the menu! This time, when Reece met me outside of work, I thought we could try somewhere new. I had heard a lot about this little pizzeria inside of our city's market and I had seen people coming into work from their lunch break with huge slices of pizza, so I thought we would try there instead. I got a salami pizza and Reece chose a ham and mushroom. Honestly, the pizza was absolutely delicious and we will definitely be going back! At only £3 for a 9 inch pizza too, you can't complain at all! And yes, I am that girl who tells my boyfriend he can't eat before I snap a photo, I need it for my blog okay!

Pictured - Pumpkin carving

If you read my October Favourites you'll already know that myself and Reece carved some pumpkins this year! I love carving pumpkins and trying to be a bit creative with my carving, so this year I decided to go Harry Potter themed and carved a mini Harry and the HP logo! Reece and my mum both told me I couldn't do it, so I proved them wrong! Reece carved his initials into his pumpkin.

Pictured - Edinburgh

I had been wanting to go back to Edinburgh ever since we first went last year and I was on at Reece for months for us to go back the next time he was here. I was quite annoyed that yet again, we had got there just a little too early for the Christmas Market, as honestly, Christmas Markets are one of my favourite things to do during the festive season. I intended on getting most of my Christmas shopping done, but as no surprise to myself, I bought two Christmas gifts and a lot of stuff for myself! I really enjoy Edinburgh, I feel like we haven't even seen half of it and we will definitely be going back! Edinburgh is a city I could see myself living in, it's absolutely stunning architecture makes the city look so beautiful. I think Edinburgh may be one of my favourite places I've been to.

Pictured - The Elephant House coffee & cake

Last time we visited Edinburgh, we didn't even know that this little cafe existed until my parents went the week after we did and told us about it. The Elephant House is a small cafe situated on the Royal Mile and claims to be the birthplace of Harry Potter, as J K Rowling herself spent many a days in there, sipping coffee and writing her books. After queueing for about half an hour, because as you can imagine, it's a sought after tourist attraction, we both ordered a latte and I grabbed a slice of chocolate fudge cake. I wasn't keen on the coffee, it was quite strong and a little fruity, but Reece really enjoyed it. I did enjoy the cake though!

Pictured - Fireworks at Carlisle Fire Show 2017

We always attend my city's fire show and just because I was ill this year did not mean I was missing out! We missed the bonfire as we lost track of time and got their quite late, but we did watch and enjoy the fireworks. I love fireworks and how they light up the sky! The field was super muddy, Reece wasn't impressed that I made him walk through a clarty puddle to get to a really good spot to take photos and videos, which I have shared on my Instagram if you would like to take a look.

Pictured - Bookcase, Carlisle

After spending a few days in bed and binge watching Stranger Things, which I am currently obsessed with, I needed to get out as I couldn't stand being stuck in the four walls much longer, so we took a walk into town and went to one of my favourite places in Carlisle, Bookcase. I love this shop so much, I used to spend all day every Saturday in there. Bookcase is a second hand bookshop that is so huge, I still get lost after years of shopping there. I still find rooms that I didn't know existed! The rooms are literally floor to ceiling covered in books and they have one room that is full of really valuable and expensive books, they even had two signed Harry Potter books a couple of years ago! I love to search for first edition Harry Potter books here and I also love to look for vintage Enid Blyton books, as she was one of my favourite authors when I was a child.

Pictured - Bitts Park

We then took a walk around Bitts Park, where we have been many times before. I wanted to get some autumnal photos, but the field was too clarty from the firework show a few nights previous, so I didn't get to take as many photos as I would have liked to. We did come across some musical instrument style artwork that Reece played with for a while, but he said they were out of tune so got a little frustrated that he couldn't get the notes right.

Pictured - The Lanes shopping centre

I was super surprised to see that The Lanes had put up their Christmas decorations! I think this tree is stunning, and I love the hanging decorations that they have put up too. The photos really do not do it justice! It looks beautiful! It really makes me want to put up my tree now but it's in the attic and I am not going up there, too many spiders!

Pictured - Billionaires Latte and Americano in Costas

When me and Reece are together, one thing we love to do is go for coffee, whether it be after I've trawled him around shops or whether we just go out for a coffee. I love when the festive period is upon us and all the coffee shops bring out their festive drinks! Although my favourite has to be Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee, I was quite keen to try a festive drink from Costa this year! I bought myself a Billionaires Latte, a milky coffee with a dollop of chocolate and a large squirt of caramel. I found that even though this drink was gorgeous, it tasted more like a hot chocolate than a coffee and it felt like I was eating it as it had such a foody taste, so I got sick of it quite quick! You can only buy this in a medium size too, so I can't even suggest to get it in a smaller size if you want to try it. It was a lovely drink and Reece enjoyed finishing it off when I couldn't drink anymore, but I don't think I'd buy one again.

It won't be long until I've over to see Reece and then I can share with you all the magic of Northern Ireland at Christmas! We'll be visiting the Christmas Market again and I can't wait!

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog post, it is very appreciated! Make sure to follow so you can see the next time I post! ♥ xo

**Disclaimer: All views, opinions and photos are my own.**