Now it's August, companies are sending out the Autumn/Winter samples. Today I am reviewing two new shades of Clarins Rouge Eclat lipstick and two shades of the Clarins Crayon Kohl eyeliner.

Rouge Eclat lipstick is packed full of goodies, such as Vitamin E, Jojoba and Sunflower to protect and soften lips and minimise fine lines. They market it as the first 'age defying' lipstick.

Now that Summer is here and many of you will be jetting off on holiday, you may be looking for some new sunglasses to take on your trip. Here is my pick of the stylish sunglasses that every self-respecting fashionista would want in her life in 2015.

Recently we were given the opportunity to review the Travelodge at the Bullring in Birmingham. 


This Travelodge is excellently located right in the centre of Birmingham and less than a minutes walk from the Bullring shopping centre. The hotel has recently been updated with a modern look and features their 'Dreamer' King size beds, normally used in luxury hotels Worldwide. 

As soon as we went into the building Craig on reception met us and was very welcoming and cheerful. He found our reservation quickly and confirmed that we had breakfast included and explained that it was a buffet.

Our room was on the fifth floor and unfortunately didn't have a view, instead we overlooked the service area for the vegetable market next door, and the rubbish area. However on the plus side we were virtually next to The Bullring, with many shops and places to eat and drink, within a very short stroll.

The room was a decent size, and contained one double bed and two singles. The room smelt fresh when we went in and was very clean. There were tea and coffee facilities and a fan in the room, which we needed as it was a warm day and we did not have air conditioning. The window only opened a few inches.


The bathroom was compact and bijou and in excellent condition   The bath was quite short but it didn't bother me as I am only 5ft 2inches. If you have been to a Travelodge recently you will know there are no toiletry bottles instead they have dispensers on the wall. The pressure on the shower was excellent and the water temperature was great and easily adjustable. So often in bathrooms you get mould on the shower curtain or around the the taps but there was non here - it was spotless. I liked the fact that they had hand rails on the side, always useful if you are having a bath. 


The room didn't have a lot of storage space. There was no wardrobe but instead an open area with hangers for clothes. There was a few scuff marks on the wall but the condition of everything else was very good.
The bar/restaurant area downstairs was spacious and clean and very modern. We thought it was a lovely area. When we went to sit down after a couple of hours out, Craig who was on check in earlier, came over and asked if we needed anything. He explained if we did just to go over to the bar.  

That night myself and my husband had a decent nights sleep. The 'Dreamer' bed was supremely comfortable although the room was warm and we did have some street noise as we had to keep the window open to keep the room cool. My son, who is 18, slept on a fold up bed, which was a full size single bed - it was a little springy but he slept well.



Breakfast in the morning cost £7.65 and was served in the cafe/bar near reception (little ones eat free). There is a selection of cereals, crossiants, muffins, grapefruit and orange segments and a cooked buffet breakfast with hot and cold drinks. It wasn't an extensive breakfast, it would be nice to see more fruit but it did the job. The quality of the bacon and sausages were good we both thought. There is also a breakfast box to go which is a contential style breakfast that cost £4.95.


I was really impressed with the customer service here, Craig was very cheerful and eager to please, and every one of the staff members I encountered had a smile. The hotel is extremely well situated in the centre of Birmingham and a short walk to most attractions and although it is not a luxury hotel, you do get a hotel stay in a city centre for a great price. Typical prices are £45 a room but you can get some bargains in the Travelodge sale so always sign up for their newsletters to be the first to find out. Wi-fi was good and although not included in the room was only £3 for 24 hours for two devices.

The public areas downstairs were cool in temperature but the bedroom was warm and this is something to think about if you are visiting in the summer. The fan does help a little. 

Would I stay again? Yes I would if I was on a tight budget and wanted to stay in the centre of Birmingham. The beds are great, the rooms are clean and modern and the staff are super helpful. 

The recent refurbishment programme nationwide has really improved a vast majority of the hotels and has brought the chain into the 21st century.  Travelodge is now the number 1 choice of the crafty budget traveller in the UK.  

I am getting older, there I said it. I am no longer in my 20's or 30's and as I creep up to my 45th year, the first grey hairs have appeared, and I have noticed some pigmentation on my face and fine lines. Overall I am lucky and I don't think I look my age but there is also no getting away from the fact that I am ageing. 

Personalised gifts are all the rage and one such company that has made a name for themselves is GoneDigging. Recently they have relaunched their website and are now called IJustLoveIt. 





They are proud of the fact that they are still the same company run by the same enthusiastic people with excellent customer service with the added touch of a great new name.

They now stock an even wider selection of personalised and non-personalised gifts which will appeal to everyone. If you want a great gift for kids then you can get one here, if you enjoy wine and good food then there is also a wide range of gifts for you and jewellery lovers will love the selections too. If you love your sports, they have golf, rugby, cricket and tennis gifts and with the Premier League kicking off on 8th August, I Just Love it have a terrific range of footie gifts for the football fans amongst you as well.



In this weather why not browse the great gardening gifts and if you are looking for the kids for back to school items, the personalised sport bags, lunch bags and boxes and stationery are a great idea.

  
I Just Love it also have a wide selection of gifts for all special occasions too such as christenings and graduations, weddings and anniversaries. My nephew is getting married next year and I think I may buy him the personalised newspaper below, which will certainly be an unique gift that no one else will have bought!

I think it's alway nice to give something personal to the ones you love. I know I love receiving personal items too. The fashion for personalised jewellery is something which I have followed since owning my own jewellers years ago. Charm bracelets and engraved jewellery were popular then, as it is now.

One company that approached me recently to review an item from their website was Belle Fever. Belle Fever specialise in personalised jewellery for that someone special.





Belle Fever is run by the owner and founder of the company, Sarah. Recently I interviewed her to find out more about the company.

• To allow everyone to capture those Moments in Life;
• To create unique designs that make us as unique as our personalities;
• To be able to keep love ones close always;
• To make it affordable for everyone;
• To start a family heirloom that can be passed on to generations; and
• Quite simply to solve all your gifting ideas with something different yet affordable for everyone.

Win A Tree Of Life Necklace From Belle Fever