lifestyle

Is Greggs Vegan Stake Bake any Good?

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / Leave a comment

The Bloke surprised me with this the other day and I HAD to share it with you!

First off, Id never know the flakey pastry was vegan, in fact it holds together much better so you don’t get covered in it. More importantly, it tastes EXACTLY like meat in a thick savoury gravy.

One thing to mention is The Bloke cheated on me and ate one without me! Seriously though, he said his was “…a bit more chunky, like proper little steak pieces.” My two bakes where more mince meaty; you could have had the filling in a (vegan) Cottage pie. Hmmm, not sure what to make of that inconsistency!?

I’m sure all three were vegan though, otherwise our tummies would have let us know very quickly!

Verdict Amazing! 5/5

🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

Ohii Pure Stick Deodorant in Citrus Tea

/ Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

I started using natural deodorant ten years ago as I couldn’t find any others that were cruelty free at the time. The salt based ones didn’t really work but the solid cream ones worked really well, even in summer. I thought I’d try this charcoal-based one by Ohii in Citrus Tea £10 from Urban Outfitters to deodorise and care for my skin even more.

This has a fresh, mild scent and one swipe is all I need to stay fresh all day! It doesn’t make my skin dry or itchy either, like some other solid deodorants do by the evening.

  • Cruelty free
  • Vegan
  • Aluminium free
  • Baking soda free
  • Doesn’t leave white marks/dries clear
  • Soothing Aloe

It would have got five out of five if it was packaged in glass, rather than plastic or it was refillable. I also found the labelling extremely hard to make sense of to the point where I missed the brand name completely, ha!

  • Rating 4/5

    • 🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

    Did I Get Quality ‘Basics’ in the Sales?

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 2 Comments

    Cotton Vest from White Stuff – Generous fit, soft, pretty colour/style. Too expensive at normal price, plus the stitching detail goes a bit wonky above the buttons. I actually bought this to wear as a breathable, loose pyjama top.

    Maroon Tee from Newlook – Lovely rich colour and so soft! I bought this to wear under jumpers or zip through hoodies.

    Mustard and Pink Jumpers from H&M – Accurate fit but they are shapeless and feel like cheap 1970’s school jumpers but thinner. I love the colours and the length though so I’ll be wearing them with a short-sleeve flannel shirt underneath.

    Cotton Rich Joggers from M&S – Generous waste, medium leg length (I forgot to get some from the ‘tall section’ lol). I have thick thighs, and what I call an ‘arse-extension’ as all the fat is on the top and back, rather than the sides of my butt and these are still baggy at the back!? The material has a yoga pant feel not a traditional tracksuit bottom feel but they are quite light and soft. Perfect for chillin but still presentable enough to go out in with ankle boots.

    Shaggy Hot Peach Jumper from M&S – Flattering colour and so snuggly soft! Unlike the too-big trousers, M&S think this jumper is XL but it fits like a 14! Shockingly the seam of the arm half unravelled after an hour but I’ve sown it back up as its the last one in stock. So cozy, I’m going to be living in this for the next few months.

    Jazzin Jane Trainer from Rocket Dog – Most of Rocket Dogs shoes are naturally wide fitting. These are breathable, soft and light, even though they have protective rubber soles. The chunky buckle is so easy to fasten.

    Faux Cowboy Boots from Nasty Gal – Rubber sole is much softer than traditional wooden soled cowboy boots. Easy to walk in and I can wiggle my toes but the fit is slightly snug across the width of them. I could do with a 7 and half these days really. Bought more for posing, than walking in though so I’m not bothered.

    Conclusion

    Although people leave reviews online about fit and quality, I always thought that it’s mainly items on rails in shops that get put in the sale because they are low quality. I’ve changed my mind, and next time I’ll read more than just a few reviews!

    I think sales are a good way to try out basics from brands that you’ve not bought from before.

    Overall, I think I did well to get such huge bargains on the items that I’ll get a lot of wear out of. I know that at 5’8 I’m a bit leggy and that a shoe size 7-1/2 or 8 is difficult to find in fashion shoes, so I’m chill with that too.

    Basic Self-care List

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    Everyone needs a bit of motivation and simple reminders sometimes.

    1. Get the feck up
    2. Brush teeth
    3. Wash
    4. Apply deodorant
    5. Cleanse/Exfoliate face
    6. Add moisturiser/Facial oil
    7. Get dressed
    8. Comb hair
    9. Very milky hot/iced coffee
    10. . Have something (pretty much anything) to eat
    11. Catch up on notifications on social media
    12. Write or read blogs and comment
    13. Order food shop?
    14. Wash clothes/Vac up?
    15. Make a nice meal
    16. Bath/Shower?
    17. Read a book/Watch telly
    18. Hug/phone someone
    19. Cleanse face/Brush teeth
    20. Take a cup of water to bed

    I wrote this for myself but if it helps you to function too, then great!

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

    Make Your Existing Wardrobe Work for You in 12 Easy Steps

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    It’s so easy to automatically go to your old faithful items that you feel safe with or to keep on buying more of the same type of thing. By doing this, you are hiding the potential of the clothes you already have and possibly your own potential as well!

    1. Put all of the clothes which you always wear out of site, this includes most often worn accessories.
    2. Get out all of the items of clothing, accessories and shoes which are left and put P1000097them around your bed.
    3. Try on all of these items.
    4. For any items which don’t fit properly or have seen better days is there a way you can get them altered or fixed cheaply and quickly?
    5. Have you kept these items for VERY nostalgic reasons and feel you could never part with them?
    6. If the answer is ‘No’ to the above two questions they should go to charity or a friend or be throw away depending on quality. Label the charity/friend bag so you don’t get it mixed up – trust me.
    7. Are there any clothes that are ‘alright’ but you never wear? Maybe they should work in theory but you don’t really like them, or your personal style has completely moved on? Put them aside for now.
    8. Are there any statement items that you love but are very difficult to style? Try mixing these items with your everyday go-to items you put aside at the start or any other items left. Deal with one statement item at a time and build the outfit around that. Wether accessorising will help or hinder is at this point is up to you.
    9. If there is any item still not working but you still love it, is there another item you DI01BqvXUAA5V1o (1)can buy which will make it work? Such as boots (too cover cankles) or a little cardigan/shrug (too cover batwings) or a plain coloured vest/tee you could wear underneath (to cover up a bigger bra) or just a different style of underwear?
    10. Will it go with any of the ‘alright’ clothes? If you are still drawing a blank then the lovely but unrealistic statement items and the ‘alright’ clothes should join the charity/friend bags so one else can enjoy them.
    11. Now look at all of the clothes you have left. Try to shake off the usual rules you apply and look at each item as if it’s the first time you are seeing it. This is a god time to enlist the help of a family memeber or friend who’s style you like but is different to yours. Who knows, they might come up with an outfit you never would have thought which actually really suits you!
    12. When you create realistic outfits that you will actually WANT to wear, take photo’s of them so you can remember your new discovery, even when you are tired or in a hurry.

    Remember your clothes are there to fit in with you, not the other way around.

    Enjoy your new outfits!

    ❤ Chrissie ❤

    Hangover Prevention and Selfcare Bedtime Routine

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 5 Comments

    In a way, these are general ‘sleep hygiene’ tips, no, not washing your sheets everyday but tips on how to get your head down, get a restful sleep and to wake up feeling (and looking) vaguely human.

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    Beauty Kitchen Products – Oil

    They are an independent UK company who try to be as sustainable and natural as possible. This oil is wonderful for taking makeup off with, to give the face a quick massage with and to nourish skin. No more waking up looking like a dried up Mummy, with curiously puffy eye bags.

    Laptop/Book

    Before I go to sleep I watch an episode of 90210, Lucifer or You Tube makeup tutorials by Wayne Goss, with the screen dimmed. If my eyes aren’t too tired I’ll read a character driven novel. Anything that’s interesting but not taxing.

    Healthy Crisps

    I always find I need salty food to soak up the sugary alcohol I’ve had. It also means I don’t wake up starving but too tired to make breakfast/lunch. I find the crunching really relaxing as i carry a lot of tension in my jaw.

    Oil Based Lip Balm

    Skin needs both oil and moisturiser so I apply this before it’s needed. I’m such a mouth breather at night XoD

    Scrunchy 

    How do people sleep without their hair tied back, how!?  When I do that, it wraps around me like a Face-hugger from Alien and then I wake up with it looking like statically charged spaghetti.

    HYDRATE! (Waiting for my new flask to arrive)

    I always have weak, sugar free cordial (water just goes straight through me) to sip before I go to sleep, throughout the night and before I get up in the morning. This stops me feeling shite, keeps my skin clear and reduces eye bags and ‘desert mouth.’

    _____________________

    Before I started this routine I used to wake up with a really flushed face, crazy hair, bloating, bone-dry skin and feel more tired than when I went to bed! This has made a significant difference to my morning chronic fatigue and mental health; most days I’ll happily get up at 11.00am, rather than dragging my sorry arse out of bed at 1.00-2.00pm like I used to.

    🥂Chrissie🥂

     

    Would You Rather tag (with bonus christmas questions)

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 4 Comments

    I came across this on the awesome Hunida’s blog. It originated with The Newbury Girl  (I think) but I wanted to keep the chain going so I joined in!

    1. Would you rather lose all of your money or all your sentimental items?

    When I first read this question I immediately thought I’d want to keep sentimental items (I do have a giant shoe box as a ‘memory box’) but having no money would take away all of my independence and make me totally reliant on others. So it would have to be the items *sob*

    2. Would you rather experience unrequited love or never love at all?

    I don’t think I’d like to be incapable of love. The guys I’ve loved haven’t loved me back to the same extent and vice-versa. So to never be madly, intoxicatingly in love again would be okay with me!

    3. Would you rather own your own business or work for someone else?

    I don’t have the executive functioning to be my own executive (bad Aspie joke) and I’ve actually liked a lot of my bosses, so I’d work for someone else.

    4. Would you rather give up television (including streaming/YouTube) or reading?

    I get eye strain really easy when reading and I love that I can watch telly with people and chat about it.

    5. Would you rather give up sushi or tacos for the rest of your life?

    I’d give up tacos. The ones in the UK are really hard and crispy and just break in half as soon as you bight them. I love veggie sushi, it’s so refreshing but filing.

    6. Would you rather live in your hometown and never travel anywhere, or live in another country but never visit home?

    I have lived in my hometown all my life and love Manchester but it would be cool to live somewhere else and have my Dad visit me (he loves travelling btw).

    7. Would you rather live in the desert or live in a frozen tundra?

    Hmmm, extreme heat fatigue probs or terrible circulation probs. I’d be unconscious with the heat so frozen tundra it is.

    8. Would you rather eat dessert (but never dinner) or dinner (but never dessert)?

    I’m such a salty person – so to speak. I find a lot of deserts too sickly after a while.

    9. Would you rather run a successful blog or a successful YouTube channel?

    Blog! I hate the sound of my voice as my Dyspraxia means my pitch and tone can accidentally be a bit over the top (too dramatic) or really monotone (too sarcastic sounding), plus when I’m fatigued I sound a bit pissed, ha!

    10. Would you rather give up all makeup/cosmetics products or give up “dressing fashionably”?

    I need skincare but I actively try to avoid wearing anything that happens to be in fashion at the time. So I’d bin fashion (or the idea of things being in or out of fashion) in general actually.

    5 Bonus Christmas Questions!

    1. Christmas jumper or Christmas Jewellery?

    These 5 are my questions so I can cheat and say both jumper and jewellery, and a Crimbo scrunchy and pin badges and socks and…

    2. Classic or Contemporary Christmas Songs?

    Contemporary as in Stay Now by East 17 and All I Want For Christmas by Mariah.

    3. Christmas dinner with ALL of your family or dinner cooked by your fave chef in a restaurant?

    Well seeing as my Dad is going on holiday and he’s my only family, it would have to be a restaurant in this scenario. There’s a really fit Asian chef that was on Celebrity Masterchef this year.

    4. A big surprise present or five things off your wish list?

    As I’m (just about) financially stable and can’t buy my own stuff, I’d love a big surprise! Maybe a trip to see The Northern Lights.

    5. Snowball fight outside or ice skating at a rink?

    I tried to ice skate once, for fifteen terrifying minutes. I’m ace at snowball fights though, tactical and ruthless!

    ________________________________

    Please feel free to join in with this tag and include your own photos of your choices if you want, or just comment instead!

    🎄Chrissie🎄

    Pocket Dolly Wisdom book – Wonderful, Witty & Wise!

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 2 Comments

    The second book I treated myself to for Christmas is Pocket Dolly Wisdom by Hardy Grant Books (£5.24), a little hardback book full of quotes from the simultaneously fabulous, yet down-to-earth Dolly Parton.

     

    Full of Dolly’s opinions on fashion, her career, love, her hair, life, men, and her womanly assets!

    Me and my Dad ended up reading out our fave quotes to each other and it started some interesting conversations about life, self worth, style and also gave us a good laugh, so please don’t think that Dolly is just for middle aged Mums!

    As I once apparently said as a kid “I want to be like Dolly Parton when I grow up.”

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

     

    Zad’s Vegan Takeaway Manchester

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 3 Comments

    Last Saturday I treated myself to Zad’s takeaway in Chorlton; it was a treat because the minim order for delivery (even if you are only a mile away) is £15 which is expensive for me. Still, I’ve had their wonderful food before and thought it was worth it.

    I ordered a 9” vegetable pizza, curly fries, ZFC – spicy fried cauliflower instead of chicken – which tastes weirdly like KFC and a salted caramel cupcake.

    I ordered using their app at 8.00pm and selected delivery for the earliest available 9.00pm as I was starting to feel hungry. By 9.50 I had to make a snack as I was getting really bad hunger pains. I’d tried to phone several times but it just rung out. My food arrived at 10.10pm! No apology or acknowledgment that it was over an hour late .

    The pizza was hardly warm, the fries were cold and soggy. I was so hungry and gutted! The ZFC was amazing as was the cupcake. I didn’t have the energy to reheat the pizza and bake the fries in the oven so I had to save them for the next day. They were both awesome once heated/cooked again but that’s the opposite of why people get a handy takeaway.

    I left a polite complaint via email but that as well as two other phone call attempts have been ignored.

    I really want to give Zads a great review but I can’t because of how late the food was, how soggy the food was and how non- existent their customer service is.

    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤

     

    Guru by Rupaul

    / Vamp It Up Mcr (Chrissie) / 4 Comments

    1F8CFFCC-D676-4F8E-A07E-F7D80B1AF61E

    Guru by Rupaul (Sphere publishing £14.99) is 191 page photograph book that is also full of wisdom, insight and and one-linners that slay, proving she’ll never sashay away.

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    I decided to treat myself to this for Christmas and I’m so glad I did! This would make a great little coffee table book for anyone who’s more creative and quirky, rather than pretentious and snobby.

    356B8F85-AC00-4600-A306-17D533080501

    A lovely detail I found at the back is a list of Ru’s fave books, films and music!

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    🖤✨Chrissie✨🖤