Lifestyle: #VoiceOff Challenge

I was recently contacted by the lovely Nicola, from The Exeter Deaf Academy who invited me to take part in their #VoiceOff challenge. I am a big supporter of local charities, so I jumped at the chance to take part in their campaign to raise some money and awareness for a wonderful cause.

If you aren't familiar with The Exeter Deaf Academy, they are a charity who run a residential school and college for students throughout the UK, 40% of which are from Devon and the students range in age from 4 to 24 years old. 

The main aim of the Deaf Academy is to enable deaf people to acquire language skills, develop socially, emotionally and excel educationally. Their vision is to see deaf people valued by themselves and their society, to build confidence and education, and also to help with good and appropriate employment and housing.

They also have an outreach program to support deaf students in mainstream schools and colleges too.

I think The Deaf Academy is such a wonderful charity, they support their students in everything from language skills to housing, all while building their confidence and independence for when they leave full-time education.

Here is some more information about The Exeter Deaf Academy, and the work that they do.

#VoiceOff Challenge

I have signed up to take part in the Ultimate #VoiceOff challenge, which involves switching off your voice for 24 hours. It's different from a sponsored silence in that you can find fun, alternate ways to communicate, such as texting, miming or even signing. I talk all day every day (I'm the biggest chatterbox), from answering the phone at work, to chatting with my boyfriend about how our days have been - my voice is the main way I communicate with the people around me. So I can only imagine how difficult it must be to not be able to communicate through speech - trying to share your opinion or simply asking a question becomes a mammoth task.

Voice Off day is on the 15th of  June, and I will be working all day. (I work in a hotel)

I have already informed my Manager that I will be unable to answer the phone, or speak with any of the guests all day. I know it's going to be a hard challenge, as my job does require me to speak with our guests, workmen, visitors and colleagues and I answer the phone multiple times a day.

My workplace are being very supportive, and my Manager has told me that he will be happy to answer the phone for the day!

I am going to be communicating via text message, gestures, writing down messages and pictures, and I will attempt to mouth words to see if people can understand me. I will also be wearing a badge on the day, provided in my fundraising pack to let the people around me know why I won't be speaking for the day.

I will be getting all of my work colleagues, friends and boyfriend to sponsor my #VoiceOff challenge, to hopefully raise some money for The Exeter Deaf Academy. 

The sponsorship money raised will all be going straight to the Exeter Deaf Academy to support their projects, such as family support and counselling services and the development of a social enterprise to provide work experience opportunities for young deaf people.

I will be documenting how I got on with the #VoiceOff challenge here on my blog, along with my thoughts on how it felt to switch my voice off for 24 hours and also to let you know how much money I have raised for such an amazing charity.

If you also want to take part in the ultimate Voice Off challenge, and raise some money for a brilliant cause or to find out some more information - click here to read the #VoiceOff FAQ's. 

I hope you enjoyed this #VoiceOff challenge post.
If you would like to support my Ultimate Voice Off Challenge, and help me to raise some money for the Exeter Deaf Academy - that would be amazing!
Here is the link if you would like to sponsor me!
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/laurenpercival

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

*I am not being compensated or paid for taking part in the #VoiceOff Challenge, I am simply taking part to raise money for a good cause!

Lifestyle: Sleep Easy

I have been struggling to get a good night's sleep recently. I keep stirring in the night, waking up bursting for wee thinking my bladder may or may not explode at any second, getting up hours before my alarm, and feeling so drained of energy after working all day that I've been having afternoon disco naps. So I thought I would share with you some of the steps I have been taking, to try and get some much needed shut eye.

Unwind

Evenings are always my time to get everything done. I usually work my way through my to do list for the next day, maybe squeeze in a workout, binge watch my YouTube subscription box, write up blog posts and have a where did the last hour go? quick scroll through Twitter. 

I like to try and get everything done by about 9.00pm, which leaves me the rest of the evening to relax.

Namaste
I've recently started doing at home yoga once a week, in the evenings. I find it so difficult to switch off from the world, my head is so full of lists, schedules, doubts and worries, that it's nice to take half an hour to sit, stretch, breathe and lose myself - all while strengthening my body at the same time.

Pamper

I love having a hot shower in the evening - oh how I wish I had a bath! At the moment I've been loving the Lush Twilight shower gel I received for my birthday last year. It has a lovely lavender scent, which feels so calming and really clears my mind. I then do my skincare routine, and if I'm feeling rather fancy I might pop on a face mask or paint my nails.

Comfort

Comfort is definitely key in my eyes. After showering I'll whack on some cosy pyjamas, and maybe my dressing gown if it's a chilly evening and settle down on the sofa with a cup of green tea.

I love fresh bed sheets - there is no better feeling than sliding into a clean, fresh bed and cocooning yourself in those sweet smelling sheets. Pure bliss.

Netflix

Ian, my boyfriend and I, don't get to spend much time together during the day as we both have full time jobs, friends and commitments. So we always make sure we spend some quality time together in the evenings. After ten is our time - we curl up on the sofa, pyjamas on, with all the snacks and settle down to watch our current Netflix obsession. Some of our favourites are: Person of interest, Chuck, White Collar, Dexter and Warehouse 13.

Phone Free Zone 
I try, emphasise on the try, to not check my phone after 10.30pm. I find it's a good time to switch off from the online world. It's nice to spend an evening with your loved ones or even solo, without refreshing your instagram feed every five minutes and missing half an episode of How I Met Your Mother because you were liking a picture of someone's cat. However cute it may be...

Tea

I love a good cup of tea. I always make myself a green, peppermint or camomile tea before bed, as I find it relaxes me, settles my stomach and helps me to drift off. My current favourite is the PG Tips strawberry cupcake green tea - deeelicous. I'm always on the hunt for new teas, so if you have any recommendations please leave me a comment below.

Bedtime

I try to go to bed at a reasonable hour. I usually go to sleep around midnight, as that's the time I start feeling tired and ready for my bed, and I get up any time between 6.30am and 7.30am, depending on what shifts I'm working, or if it's my day off I usually lie in until around 8.30am. That gives me about seven to seven and a half hours of sleep, which for me is just right.

Light's Out

My last tip is the most important. For me, total darkness is key for a good night's sleep.

Draw your curtains, drop those blinds, turn that pesky hallway light off and starfish!

Sweet dreams.

I hope you enjoyed this 'Sleep easy' post, What are some of your tips for a good night's kip? Maybe you a yoga fan too, what are some of your favourite ways to unwind in the evening?

I'd love to know, leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

Lifestyle: Positive Vibes

I like to think that I am a positive person. I've always been a glass half full kinda gal and you will usually see me with a big smile on my face and a ridiculous cackle to boot - but sometimes other people, difficult situations and my anxiety (I don't talk about it much here on my blog, but it is something I have privately been struggling with for a while now) can bring me down, until all of my positive intentions go right out of the window. 

Once you get into that negative state of mind, it can be difficult to pull yourself back out - but I always try to lift myself up again. 

Here are a few little tips that I use to get those positive vibes flowing, and try to get back to my happy self.

Crank up the tunes

Music is a huge love of mine, I always have some form of tune playing in the background be it dancing around to the radio in my kitchen, going for a walk with my headphones in or having a car sing-along with my boyfriend.

Here are some of my favourite feel good songs that always put a smile on my face whenever I hear them (even when I'm feeling particularly low) hopefully they'll put a smile on your face too!

Send me on my way - Rusted Root (90's kids, you'll probably remember this one from Matilda!)

You make my dreams come true - Hall and Oates

Buddy Holly - Weezer

If it makes you happy - Sheryl Crow

The Longest Time - Billy Joel (If you watch How I met your mother, you'll get me!)

I believe in a thing called love - The Darkness

Cool for cats - Squeeze

Waka Waka - Shakira

Hey ya - Outkast

One week - Barenaked Ladies

Chelsea Dagger - The Fratellis

Fresh air

Walking is one of my favourite things to do - just going for a brisk walk can give me a fresh perspective and helps to clear my mind. It's just me, the beautiful surroundings, my feet pounding away and my thoughts. Perfect.

Sleep it off

Naps are a gift from the gods. It's amazing what a twenty minute power nap can do to boost your mood. Sometimes you need to just switch off from the world, curled up with your cosiest blanket, in your favourite pyjamas. Snooze away.

Social media free zone

As much as I love social media, it's nice to take some time for yourself offline every now and then. Read your favourite book, flick through a magazine, watch a few episodes of your current Netflix obsession, soak in a hot bath or grab a cuppa and a slice of cake with a friend. Social media can sometimes be the cause of negative feelings, so it's nice to log off and enjoy some well deserved you time.

Sweat it out

I love exercising, I find that it helps me to relax and also takes my mind off any negative feelings I might be dealing with. It doesn't have to be an hour long slog in the gym, just fifteen minutes of yoga, stretching or even dancing around your living room is enough to get that blood pumping, and releases those delightful feel good endorphins.

Chocolate is the answer, who cares what the question is
Sometimes only chocolate will do - fact. I'm not talking about 'eating your feelings', but the odd bar of chocolate while enjoying some quality time with my other half, best friend or even solo while watching Friend's re-runs can really brighten my mood!
Check out my top five favourite bars here. #drool

I hope you enjoyed this 'Positive Vibes' post, Do you struggle with anxiety too? What are some of your top tips for getting back into a positive mindset?

I'd love to know, leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

Health: Five Favourites

Ah, chocolate - the answers to all of life's questions are hidden in the smooth, decadent layers of each piece. Just kidding, but it's pretty damn delicious isn't it.

Dark chocolate is my favourite. I love the bitterness and rich flavour - it satisfies those sweet cravings without giving me a sugar crash. I find that sometimes when I overdo it on the sugar (looking at you Easter!) I get a headache and just end up feeling a bit rubbish to be honest.

So with all of that in mind, I thought I would share with you my top five favourite chocolate bars, that will keep your sweet tooth well, sweet - and are much better for you than a slab of Dairy Milk. Win, win.

1. Doisy and Dam Coconut and Lucuma Dark Chocolate

Dark, with a kick of lucuma (which has an almost butterscotch/maple syrup taste to it) and a subtle hint of coconut. I love the combination of flavours, and the coconut doesn't overpower the bar - simply delicious.

2. Lindt 90% Dark Chocolate

Super dark, with a rich flavour. A square or two of this is more than enough to satisfy your sweet cravings. I love that Lindt chocolate bars have the biggest squares (the bigger the better I say!) as it makes having a couple of squares seem like so much more - the perfect after dinner treat.

3. Ombar Coco Mylk Chocolate

Milky, creamy and just delicious. If you are a fan of milk chocolate but want to be a bit healthier, I'd definitely give Ombar a whirl. Their chocolate is so creamy, and tastes just like milk chocolate but without the sugar overload. It's dairy free, and suitable for vegans too - a winner!

I'm desperate to try their buttons too, mmm.

4. Conscious Chocolate The Dark Side

This one is a bit Marmite. The chocolate has a soft, squidgy texture to it and doesn't have that 'snap', which might not be to everyone's taste. I always keep my chocolate in the fridge regardless, but I'd definitely recommend storing this bar in the fridge, as it hardens up and has a lovely rich taste to it.

5. The Raw Chocolate Co Vanoffe

Super sweet almost white chocolate taste, with a strong vanilla flavour throughout. This is the perfect bar if you're not a fan of dark chocolate, or are making the transition to raw. It has the creamiest texture, and just melts in your mouth. I love that it comes in a handy 22g bar, which is perfect for taking on the go and helps to keep my portion sizes in check. (I could easily nibble my way through so many bars!)

I hope you enjoyed this 'Five favourites' chocolate heaven post, What is your favourite chocolate bar? Are you a dark chocolate lover like me?

I'd love to know. leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

Healthy Recipe: Garlic Slaw

I love taking seemingly 'unhealthy' dishes and giving them a healthy makeover. I've already revamped a fruit crumble, French toast and pancakes, so I thought I'd try my hand at a savoury dish. Coleslaw is one of my favourite side dishes, I love having a freshly made sandwich or salad with a dollop of slaw on the side. Delicious! This coleslaw recipe is easy peasy, healthy and only requires five ingredients to make - win win!

If you recreate this or any of my recipes, I'd love it if you tagged me on Twitter or Instagram (@clumsybaby) so I can have a nosy! 

You will need:

1 medium carrot

1 green cabbage

1 medium onion

1 pot of Greek yoghurt

(I used the Fage 0% 170g pot, as I love the thick, creamy flavour)

Garlic salt

Method:

1. Peel the carrot, thinly slice into strips and add to a large mixing bowl.

2. Peel back the large green leaves of the cabbage, and chop the end off. Slice the cabbage in half, shred each half and add to the bowl.

3. Peel the onion and chop both the ends off. Cut in half, slice each half lengthways and cut into chunky strips. *Top tip: If you find that your eyes are watering or stinging when chopping an onion, simply breathe through your mouth, not your nose while chopping and you'll be tear free!

4. Now that your vegetables are all chopped up, you can add the pot of Greek yoghurt and a few shakes of garlic salt to the bowl. (Salt to your taste)

5. Give your slaw mixture a good stir, until all the vegetables are coated in the yoghurt - and that's it, done! Simple to make and full of flavour.

Transfer your slaw to a plastic container and store in the fridge - your coleslaw should keep for four days. My recipe serves about four to five generous portions.

You can have fun with this recipe by adding in paprika for a bit of a kick, or throw in a handful of walnuts for some extra crunch and texture.

I hope you enjoyed this easy peasy 'Garlic Slaw' recipe post, Are you a coleslaw fan? Will you be recreating my recipe?

I'd love to know. leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

Lifestyle: Life Through My Camera Roll #6

It's been far too long since my last 'life through my camera roll' post, I usually try to make them a monthly edition, (catch up here) so I thought it was about time I caught you up on what I've been loving/doing/munching lately! 

I've been feeling so happy lately, as it is finally starting to feel like Spring here in the UK. I've been wearing my new gorgeous lace up flats, I've had my eye on these beauties for a while now and finally picked myself up a pair from Primark. So comfortable, and they look great paired with skinny jeans - I can't wait until the weather really starts to warm up, so I can wear them with bare legs and a midi dress. 

Speaking of fashion, I popped into TK Maxx a few weeks ago for a nosy, and treated myself to some new workout wear. There were so many pieces I fell in love with, but I managed to restrain myself from buying the whole shop and just picked up a matching set. I love the fit and style of these leggings, they have a wide waistband which sucks everything in, and the cutest ruched detailing on the bottom. The vest is also pretty fab, it has a built in bra band which is a great support while working out.

Me and my boyfriend Ian, headed to a local food market on our weekend off a few weeks ago. I love food markets, fairs, festivals - if there's food, I'm there! We spent a sunny afternoon wandering around the delicious stalls, and had a spot of lunch.

There were so many dishes to choose from, the paella looked amazing - but I opted for the falafel and homemade houmous pitta bread, with tabbouleh salad. It was delicious and really hit the spot.

I also treated myself to a churro, I couldn't resist! I went for the Black Forest churro, which comes with cream, berries and chocolate shavings - so decadent, but oh so good!

Speaking of decadent, I've been obsessed with the Rebel Kitchen mylks. I love all of the flavours, my favourites being the chocolate orange, chai and matcha green tea. They are delicious, nutritious and satisfy those sweet cravings. 

I am a huge green tea fan, I guzzle my way through cups and cups of the stuff every day. So when I spotted this beauty while doing my Tesco shop, it went straight into the basket! Strawberry cupcake green tea? I mean, doesn't that just sound amazing! It tastes delicious, it has a very sugary strawberry scent and I will definitely be picking up another box!

I finally bit the bullet and got my hair cut last week. I'd been putting it off for months, as I just feel so uncomfortable in that chair. But I got it out of the way, and it wasn't too bad at all. I love my new do, I went a little shorter than usual as I wanted to take some of the weight out of my hair. It feels so light and bouncy, love!

I popped in to Boots a few months ago as I had run out of my favourite Porefessional primer, and was looking to pick up a new one. I went for a drugstore brand this time, and gave the Collection primed and ready one a whirl. It mattifies my skin like a dream, feels soft and is lovely to apply. It also contains Witch Hazel, with it's anti-blemish properties is a great bonus for keeping those blemishes at bay. I've already repurchased this beauty, I'd highly recommend if you are looking for a great value pore-minimising primer.

Lately I've been struggling to drift off at night - as soon as my head hits the pillow I seem to have too many thoughts and worries whizzing through my brain, which is making nodding off that much harder. I won this 'Sleepwell sleep spray' in a Twitter competition a while back, and I had never gotten around to using it, so I thought I would give it a go. I'm a sleep spray convert - I find a few sprays on my pillow really does the job. I feel calmer and much more zen when settling down in bed. I love the aromatherapy scent, the combination of lavender, petitgrain, grapefruit and rosewood is heavenly. Snooze away.

I hope you enjoyed this 'Life through my camera roll' post, What have you been loving lately? Have you ever tried a sleep spray before?

I'd love to know, leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

Health and Fitness: Spark and Gusto Subscription Box*

When the lovely folks at Spark and Gusto* asked me if I would like to review one of their subscription boxes, I of course jumped at the chance. Anything food, fitness or health related and I'm all over it!

I was kindly sent their April box to try and test, and share my thoughts with you lovely lot!

Spark and Gusto are different from other healthy subscription boxes that I have come across. Their boxes are packed with everything from healthy snacks to fitness equipment and accessories. It's a great all rounder box, perfect for health and fitness fans. 

I received 10 items in my April box, which I think is a huge amount of goodies to see you right through the month.

Enough rambling... let's delve in!

The box comes with a handy little 'menu' telling you what items you have received, how they work and some information about how best to use them.

Let's start with all the food...

Creative Nature Blissful Berry Bar
I munched my way through this bar of deliciousness in minutes, I love how it was jam packed with fruit and goji berries too - the perfect snack to stave off those sweet cravings.

Fitbites Superfood Energy Balls
I'm a big fan of energy balls - I love having a couple as a mid-morning snack at work as they give me that much needed energy boost! There were two balls in the little resealable packet - a green ball which is designed to provide the natural fuel you require during exercise. The second ball is red, and includes hemp which is a great source of protein to aid muscle repair and recovery after your workout. The perfect pair for pre and post fitness fuel.

GU Energy Gel
This handy little packet contains an energy gel, which is great for on the go if you're off to the gym.
It's chocolate peanut butter flavoured, unfortunately I'm not a fan of peanut butter as I find it far too salty for my liking (I'm more of an almond butter kind gal) but the concept is great. The purpose of this gel is to give you a quick and easy hit of energy-dense calories to fuel your cardio workout.

CocoPro Ultimate Hydrating Recovery Drink
CocoPro is a great way to stay hydrated before, after or even during your workout.
The creators set out to make a drink that provided hydration and recovery all in one handy bottle, by combining pure coconut water and whey protein isolate.

Real Handful Strawberries and Cream Trail Mix
I am a huge fan of trail mix, I love nuts, seeds, dried fruit and a sneaky handful of chocolate chips... and this mix was a right winner. I loved the combination of strawberries and white chocolate - simply delicious! I had a quick nosy at their website and saw that they had a Banoffee flavour too, I need to get my hands on that beauty!

Resistance Loop
Now that you are well and truly fuelled up and full of beans, from all those healthy snacks - it's workout time! This resistance loop is an excellent method of resistance training, to aid the development of specific muscles and tendons. Spark and Gusto have a link on their blog showing a video of how to use the loop, which is such a handy touch.

SportTape Flex Tape Kinesiology Kit
This handy tape is an easy way to support and assist in protecting any fitness injuries, and it also allows for active recovery. This kit provides four pre-cut strips for your convenience, and also a little step by step guide on how to use it.

Go Hike Boot Laces
I am an avid walker, the village where I live is slap bang in the middle of Exmoor National Park, so we have some wonderful walks. I love these laces, they're a fun way to jazz up your walking boots while taking in the beautiful scenery.

Songbird Naturals Cooling and Soothing Balm
Working out, walking and being generally active on a daily basis can take it's toll on your body - that's where Songbird Naturals come in. This little pot contains a cooling balm that is perfect for soothing any sore areas you may have - it also contains anti-inflammatory properties that when massaged in to your skin, helps to aid your recovery.

Spark and Gusto Beanie
I love hats - I own a few bobble type hats, and they are such a staple for me in the Autumn, Winter and even Spring time (English weather is ridiculously fickle...) Especially for those 'it's been four days since I've washed my hair, and it's pretty much 90% dry shampoo' moments. Simply pop a beanie on and no-one will ever know. This is the perfect 'throw it on and go' hat, it's cosy, stylish, comfortable to wear and keeps my head nice and warm.

All in all I would highly recommend Spark and Gusto boxes, they are jam packed with so many amazing goodies, a must have subscription box for anyone who is a fan of health, fitness, adventures and staying active. (or perhaps if you want to give yourself a kick up the bum to be a bit healthier)
A wonderful company, created and run by such a lovely couple.
For more information about the company and how to get your mitts on a Spark and Gusto box, check out their website here.
Prices start from £28.00 per month for an ongoing monthly subscription, but you can also buy one off boxes directly on their website, through the online shop.

I hope you enjoyed this 'Spark and Gusto Review' What are your thoughts on Spark and Gusto? Are you a fan of healthy subscription boxes?

I'd love to know, leave me a lovely comment below.

Let's be friends!

Instagram | Twitter | Bloglovin

Love Laurenx

*I was kindly sent a Spark and Gusto box to try and test for the purposes of a review, as always all opinions and thoughts are my own. See my Contact/PR tab for more information.