Pure Gym | Pure Loser Weight Loss Course

Today I'm coming at you with a rather special 'what to expect post' as you guys will probably know in the past I have covered a wide range of things from pure gym including kettlebells and spin most recently and I'd like to share my most recent gym going endeavour with you which is a little different to the usual half hour class and you're outta there that I'm used to, and that ladies and gentleman is the Pure Loser 6 week course.

It was the New Year (figures!) when I saw Pure Gym advertising their weight loss programme, I was always quite put off of trying it before now because the programme was very restricted and focused solely on what you can't eat rather than easing you in with a balanced diet, but since their course restructure the options feel a bit more open and therefore I was far more willing to give it a bash. The course itself lasts for 6 weeks and costs £20 in it's entirety, and includes a binder full of foodie and fitness info, a food diary, nutritionals as well as a weekly weigh in to keep you in check.

The first week the course was explained to us and we had our first ever weigh in and body fat measurements taken, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that in week one I had lost 3lbs which was fantastic as my weight plateaued months ago! Our trainer and holy spiritual weight loss guide, Andrew, is great he is full of tips for the week and recently introduced us to my new favourite snack psyllium husk with mixed seeds (don't worry domestic goddess post pending!)

I'm not going to lie the toughest part has been keeping myself in check during the evenings, I went vegetarian for a week and a bit but hubby wasn't all too pleased with the amount of quorn I was serving up nightly, he eventually had enough and succumbed to a McDonalds (and a Dominos, and a Burger King etc...) Since I work a 9am to 5pm job and attend the gym until around 7.30pm most evenings, I'm shattered by the time I get home and need to get myself into more of a routine of Sunday batch cooking - maybe you guys could act as my Sunday alarm and reminders? (please!)

To date I have lost 4.5lbs and ideally I'd love to lose 3 more before the formerly fat lady sings, I have upped my game in the gym, cleared my cupboards of smackery and asked my husband to hide everything else (though I reckon he has just hidden things in high places!) so as Shia says, JUST DO IT!

Have you guys ever joined a weight loss programme or had personal training sessions at the gym? I'd love to hear how you got on and how you managed your work / home / gym balance! Be sure to leave all thoughts and kindly comments in the box below, come share your experiences with my on Twitter or if you would just like to keep up with how I am getting on be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, JUST DOIN' IT!

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Girl's Career | The Worst Job I Ever Had

Well guys here we are, I have been wanting to write this post for a very long time but unfortunately I have had to subdue myself and wait for a couple of years following this anger inducing incident purely because I felt my head would explode from the sheer rage this particular post would inspire in me. As you can probably tell from the title of this post today I'm going to be sharing my experience of the worst job I ever had and just before I begin I just want to say it was nothing to do with the nature of the work or the industry and in no way do I want to put you off of this line of work as I have actually gone into it myself, but I am a big believer in that your environment can influence a great many things and that has never been so clear than when I worked in this particular role.

The job was advertised through my university email newsletter which students received every week, I was 19 at the time and had just finished my first ever work placement at a film festival in Glasgow and with that behind me I was ready to take on my next work challenge and do something a bit more relevant to my degree than my regular Saturday job. The role was for a part time marketing assistant (2 days per week) at a garden centre in Aberdeenshire and sounded right up my street, from writing up press releases to helping maintain their website, social media channels and assist in organising events to attract visitors I was there and I was ready.

The initial interview was held by the centre manager and the current marketing manager which is when it was in fact revealed that as opposed to assisting someone as the job title suggested I would be doing maternity cover for the actual marketing manager and would therefore be on my own from the off with a one day handover. But being the young, enthusiastic, budding career woman I so am I decided it was just another stepping stone and the experience would be well worth it. I started the job two weeks later. The location of the job meant that I would need to walk to my local train station and get a train for 20 minutes then walk a couple of miles through an industrial estate but I was willing, ready and excited just to get a paid marketing opportunity at my age, I convinced myself that it would all be worth it in the end.

I quickly found my footing and within my first week was able to secure some press for the garden centre in their local newspaper, a member of staff was taking part in a charity skydive and not only did I succeed in getting her story picked up by the local press, but she was photographed in the garden centre with her uniform on, exposing the branding to the wider community. I held social media competitions, maintained the website and began looking in to advertising for the coming summer months, overall everything was running smoothly. Now I just want to say that despite the actual work running smoothly the social aspect of the job left much to be desired, nobody spoke to one another and it basically consisted of 8 hours worth of solitude mixed in with super awkward lunch breaks where attempted interactions were met with steely silences, and I was about to find out why.

I was introduced to the owner of the garden centre fairly early on in the time I worked there, he was an older man who was very much a country, farmer type man who didn't take to me from the off, we had different interests, different sense of humor (though I now know he didn't have one) and to be honest he found my job as a nuscience and didn't see why he needed marketing at all. Which disheartened me when I found that any and all adjustments, events or money I spent had to go through him after going through the centre manager, which is where the problems really began.

It happened that when I started the garden centre was looking to host some new events and invite new businesses into the garden centre and I was asked if I could come up with some event proposals, so with that in mind I got right to work. After I had a list of event suggestions and about 5 detailed event proposals I handed them to the manager and the owner (who discarded the proposals immediately without reading them) but as they said they were busy at the time I decided I'd continue my work and come up with even more and go back to them the following week. Again the following week the owner knocked me back, not reading my proposals and I then asked about marketing budget, he didn't really explain but he said well we'll see what the events are we don't have a marketing budget as such.

The following week I had a 3 page document full of events the centre could do that would bring in customers, social media likes, press activity and most importantly revenue and about 10 detailed event proposals and I went in with my go getter head on and I insited on scheduling in a meeting with the owner and the manager so I could move forward with my work. We sat down in the office with the event proposals, just so you know this was a tiny office right in the middle of the garden centre and I was excited to finally get the opportunity to present my ideas (because guys not to toot my own horn but those ideas were amazeballs) and that's when the shit hit the fan (excuse my language but for this man I have said FAR worse in the past)

The owner slammed my proposal down on his desk and proceeded to yell at me over why his garden centre was not as big as another rival Aberdeenshire garden centre (who are known pretty much all over the UK) and that it was my fault and I wasn't doing my job and essentially belittling my skills, my degree and my character. Of course attempting to get a word in appeared futile and by this time he had not only attracted the attention of the other members of staff in the office, but the attention of customers passing by the office. He said and I quote, 'Isn't social media your degree isn't that your job, aren't you supposed to be getting my Facebook page likes?' spoken like a true technophobe, this drove me crazy and yes I did snap back, and yes I did get emotional to which he did make a sexist comment. I explained that I had gained them press coverage, engaged with his customers (a damn sight more than he did) yes I had improved likes to their Facebook page, a very tiny tiny part of my job, which if he had spoken to me he'd could have asked me to prioritise that. But, and this was the stinger that really wound him up, I explained that in order to be able to post on social media and attract business as a whole you actually need to do something, for example have promotions that will interest customers, host events, competitions etc which had been pitched to him but ignored on several counts.

But, and as I'm sure you guys already know. There is really no talking to some people and this man ladies and gentlemen appears to be more interested in making a show of his staff and belittling their skills than actually aiding his business by creating a positive environment, I guess that's his prerogative.

Anyway, getting back to that day, I understandably left early, I was quite upset by this encounter actually and I'm not proud to admit that but you know I was 19 and it was my first experience of marketing and being thrown in at the deep end and it left me rather disheartened. I had about 3 / 4 days to think things over, I discussed with my family what I should do and the general consensus was for the garden centre owner to stick his job where the sun don't shine, but I decided to seek help in the marketing manager on maternity leave before making my decision and I was gobsmacked by her response.

She basically came back and said she was expecting an email like this from me some time before and said she understood and that this particular man was a bit of a misogynist and difficult to work with due to his prejudices towards his female staff, mixed in with his general dislike and disdain for anything new, innovative or relatively technological I was destined to fail from the beginning. And that was it for me, I wrote my resignation letter and handed it in the following week without working out a notice period. There was no way I could work for such a man and no way that this experience would aid in furthering my career whatsoever. Upon handing in my notice the manager of the centre made a desperate attempt to vouch for the owner offering up all sorts of excuses about a difficult home life and stress to which I replied, you know leave it at home, as a business owner you can't take every little encounter out on your staff, then I made my exit and moved on to bigger and better things than pansies and garden gnomes.

Apologies this post has been a little long guys, but I have been carrying this around with me for the last 3 years and I just decided to spill it all out of my brain for your education and entertainment here today. My general advice to anyone working in a toxic environment like the above would be to just get out as soon as possible, I was lucky in that I was working two jobs at the time and my other boss was so understanding and I was able to pick up as many hours as I liked there to support myself through university. I hope you guys have enjoyed this little insight into my career path hiccup today, I would love to hear if you have ever faced anything similar in your life or career, be sure to leave your comments and experiences in the box below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my latest posts be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, you can stick your pansies.

H.Elizabeth x

Make up application | You're doing it wrong!

This is something that I have been meaning to post for such a long time now, it's something I myself only learned last August before I was about to get married from my make up artist for the day, and let me tell you this one tiny make up tip and beauty blunder, that I'm guessing more than 90% of the nation get wrong, can revolutionize the way you do your make up on a daily basis. Now let me just start off by saying I realise most of you who read this will roll your eyes and think that is ridiculous I'm not doing it that way nor will I ever, but just trust me on this, try it for a week, a couple of days even and it will save you time, product and ultimately money! Sounds too good to be true right? Well you'll soon see for yourself.

I remember having my make up trial and wondering of all wonders what on Earth is this woman doing to my face? That weekend I had been suffering quite a bad breakout of immense and stress inducing proportions, so much so, that I thought my wedding make up artist wasn't going to touch my face with a barge pole let alone product, and I panicked a little when the first thing she did was come at me with some eyeliner and shadow products. But what about my base, 'bout my base? I said (lyrically) and it was just then that the obvious dawned on me, you're supposed to apply your eye make up first aren't you? Yes siree bob that thur is a hole in one! My make up artist then went on to enlighten me and my maid of honour that by applying your eye make up and brows first you're less likely to smudge your base and muss up your eyeliner. Logic right?!

At first I thought, ugh rubbish that won't make any difference to me, but being a lifestyle blogger and an I'll give anything a go once type of gal I thought I would make the effort and try it her way for one week. And guys, it has changed my life (well my face at least) I used to be plagued by eyeshadow dust, blasted by clumsy finger smudges and don't even get me started on those eyeliner fails, but with this technique this is a thing of the past. Because I haven't had to touch up and re touch up my base I've actually been saving an incredible amount of product as well as time and money (see I told you we'd circle back around to this)

Have I dazzled you? Maybe, maybe not, maybe you're sat at home thinking, as I did, what a load of rubbish I need a base from which to build my facial empire, and so to all of you naysayers I challenge you to one week, that's right just one week of trying things my way and just see how different your make up routine becomes. If you take on my challenge or just want to have a chat about this beauty base technique be sure to leave your comments and experiences below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to be dazzled some more be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, revolutionising my own facial empire.

H.Elizabeth x

Blogger Tag | 11 Things You Didn't Know About Me

Today I'll be doing my first blogger tag in a long, long time as I have been tagged by Karen of Tiny Bird Heart to take part in the 11 things you didn't know about me tag. This is right up my street becasuse as you guys probably already know I'm super nosy and can't wait to pass my questions along and get all of the gory bloggery details from everyone else. Without further ado here are 11 things you didn't know about me:

 
1. Your favourite blog
I follow so many blogs on Bloglovin that it's really difficult to pick just one, but if we're thinking about one I revisit on a regular basis then it would have to be Becky's Milk Bubble Tea, I think her photography is gorgeous and I love her week round ups from instagram, overall two very enthusiastic thumbs up! 

2. Your favourite holiday destination so far
This year my husband and I spent our honeymoon in Paris and a trip to Disneyland and it has got to be the highlight of my year. The weather was perfect and we had so many fun activities planned from a romantic dinner cruise to going a bit crazy on the rides in Disneyland it's definitely my one to top! 

3. The last film you watched
This might be a weird one but the last film I watched was the 51st State with Samuel L Jackson, Robert Carlyle and Meatloaf, it was on BBC a few days ago and it was by far one of the oddest movies I have ever seen. A synopsis for you would be lots of drugs, explosive diarrhea and Sam L Jackson in a kilt... 

4. Your favourite teddy or soft toy growing up
I don't think as a child I was particularly attached to one teddy or soft toy but I did like socks and dusters, so take from that what you will! 

5. Your favourite decade
Fashion wise I have to say the 1960's, when I was a teenager I went through a mass phase of flower crowns and baby doll dresses and I just love the music that came from that decade like Dusty Springfield and Nancy Sinatra, but tech wise I have to say I'm pretty happy with here and now.

6. The last person you retweeted and what it said
The last person I retweeted is really a company, specifically STV Aberdeen and it was giving news on our brand new potential Cat Cafe which I wrote a little bit about here.

7. Your middle name(s)
Since getting married last year this has changed as I now have two middle names as I was very reluctant to give up my last name so I just shifted everything up, so now my full name is Hannah Elizabeth Cosgrove Adams.

8. Who was your favourite Spice Girl?
Need you ask! Ginger spice was definitely my favourite, I loved her hair colour and how she owned it and really I just related, is that a little sad?

9. What are you currently reading?
I'm so bad at starting books and never finishing them just because you know... life. But at the moment I am half reading Stephen King's Misery and I'm loving it, I love reading horror novels as I'm far too scared and squeamish to watch the movies.

10. Do you play any instruments?
Nope unfortunately I do not have a musical bone in my body though I do wish I could play something cool, but then doesn't everyone?

11. Can you curl your tongue?!
Yes I can, I can also lick my elbow in case you wanted to continue the freakery here!

So guys the rules are simple, as always tag the blogger who selected you for this tag and answer the questions at the bottom, keep the love going by tagging more bloggers in your post and ask your own 11 questions. Today I'd like to tag Lisa of Diary of a Jaded Zombie, Dyan of the Little Blog of Everything and Jude of The Wee Blondie, and ladies I want to know:

1. Who is your blogging inspiration?

2. What are your hobbies other than blogging?
3. Dead or alive who would you love to have dinner with?
4. What is your favourite childhood memory?
5. Where is your favourite place to shop?
6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
7. What is your favourite drink at Starbucks / Costa?
8. If you could only have one make up product what would it be?

9. Would you rather have bushy brows or unruly underarms?
10. What is your favourite film?
11. What is your 'party trick'?

Can't wait to read your responses ladies, be sure to leave me your links to them in the comments below or on Twitter, apologies for the weirdies. And as for the rest of you lovely lot reading this post if there's anything you'd like to know or if you'd even like to just answer these yourself be sure to leave me your responses in the comments, and as always if you liked this post and you'd like to see more of my face, tags and general oddballness be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, contemplating bushy brows and body hair!

H.Elizabeth x

Cafe Culture | Aberdeens First Ever Cat Cafe Crowdfunding Appeal

Cakes, coffee and cats, these are indeed a few of my favourite things and very soon myself and my fellow residents of Aberdeen may be able to simultaneously enjoy all three with thanks to The Cat in the Window cat cafe. Yes that's right the Granite City is potentially heading the way of Edinburgh, London, Paris and Tokyo with the latest cat craze sweeping the world and cafes everywhere!

The Cat in the Window is the brainchild of local Aberdonian and self confessed cat lover Heather Lynch who simply wants to bring her love of cakes, home bakes and cats to all of us right here in the Granite City. The cafe will feature 10 feline friendlies and serve a selection of sandwiches, tea, cakes, coffee and delicious home bakes.

Now you guys know how much I love local business and particularly ventures that involve coffee, cake, cats or critters and I find Heathers business venture to be so inspiring. Heather was in a job and sector she was unhappy with and so what did she do? Changed all of that with her cat cafe ventures. I truly hope the business starts up and becomes a raging success, there's nothing I love more than seeing people follow their ambitions and achieve, achieve, achieve. I salute you Heather Lynch!

The hope is that the cat cafe will launch early 2016, and be able to give a little bit back to local charities working to protect felines in the area and of course work together to create as positive an environment as possible for the cats in residence.

Now before we all rush and put our cat lady jumpers on the cafe is still in the planning and development stage due to funding and while the start up funds are generously being covered by the Princes Trust the cat cafe is relying on a crowdfunding appeal which I am planning on donating to come payday and if you're a fellow Aberdonian or you just love cats I hope you will too. So if you're interested in dining in feline style or as Health so aptly put, 'if this is up your alley cat' please be sure to visit the crowdfunding page and give their Facebook a quick like.

Until next time folks, cat with your coffee anyone?

H.Elizabeth x

Scrub a dub dub | Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub Review

After bumping a little bit of this product from my friends shower a few weeks ago, yes really and I am terribly sorry but I couldn't resist, I have been obsessed and quite honestly on the hunt for one of these to call my own, yep from the title you've guessed it, it's the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub and I am head over heels!

Ever since my courtship with Soap and Glory began all of those years ago I have forever been a scrub em and leave em type of girl, the cleanliness and soapiness of the fragrance enticed me in and from then I have been a goner, swearing I would try nothing exfoliation wise every again. Oh boy was I wrong, it's safe to say now I'm a Sugar Crush convert and this is one infatuation that's built to last.

Upon opening the Sugar Crush body scrub I wouldn't blame you if you thought it looked more like a chip n dip than a beauty product, but don't let first impressions and looks deceive you there's more to this little goodie than meets the eye. Boasting a make up of fresh lime, lemons, vanilla musk and almond oil with exfoliating properties like sea salt and brown sugar and moisturising agents like macadamia oil (I'm a sucker for skin oils!) Sugar Crush will leave your arms, legs, elbows, booty and general body buffed to a high sheen and silky smooth.

The lemon and lime properties are what really make the shower experience come alive, particularly in the mornings, afterwards you feel so energized and awake it's hard not to fall in love as well of course to be ready to greet the day. I now use this scrub twice a week, usually after my weekly hair minimizing rituals and it leaves me feeling smooth for days and ready to take on the world - now can your shower scrub do that?! I follow this with my trusty nivea moisturiser and I'm good to go!

Whats next for Granite City Girl and Soap and Glory? I don't know, perhaps I may venture forth into shower gels and moisturising creams but we shall see, what is your favourite Soap and Glory product? I'd love to hear what your picks from the brand are! Be sure to leave a comment below, come share your faves with me on Twitter or if you'd just like to see more from me be sure to follow the blog on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, scrub a dub dub.

H.Elizabeth x

   

Granite City Fashion | Cocktails with the Girls

Can you believe it has been over eight months since one of these posts has been published on this very blog? Well what can I say I've been roaming the Granite City as a nudist and haven't had very much in the way of styling, so in light of my newly found clothes and obsession with the summer sales that have suddenly came into play I thought I would share a what I wore post revolving around my recent dinner and night out with the girls in Dundee because I must say I was pretty pleased with myself!

What I wore on my body

Whistles Jumpsuit - John Lewis Sale

This has to be one of my favourite purchases as late, I got it for the bargain price of £48 in the John Lewis sale, marked down from £120, who cares about last season right?!? It may not look like much but the fit and shape of this jumpsuit when I wear it is just perfect. Truth be told I have completely given up on trying to fit in with the summer shades, in style patterns and seasonal trends, I have fully embraced the dark side if you will and now focus on the style and cut of clothing rather than what the magazines are telling me is 'in' this month. Statement pieces for all seasons I say! 

Statement Necklace - Lisa's Wardrobe! 

No, sadly this isn't the name of a boutique, though I imagine if she did happen to open one from her wardrobe she could make a killing! As you guys undoubtedly know by now I'm pretty rubbish with accessories and jewellery and such and tend to just wear the same thing on a daily basis, but what can I say, inspiration struck Lisa seeing my jewel-less self and the rest as they say is history!

What I wore on my head and face

 

Head - Backcombed Pony

Having been told this looked 'mental but in a good way' I had to somehow sneaksy this hairstyle into a post, despite not actually getting a decent picture - ain't that just the way though. This style is super messy and super easy to do, and bonus for getting all of this hair out of my face for an entire evening. All you need is a bobble, hairbrush and thousands of kerbie grips, and you wish I was kidding!

How I made my face
Eyes -    L'Oreal Colour Riche Liner
              Benefit's 'Roller Lash Mascara'
              Make Up Revolution Iconic 2 Shadow Palette (1 & 8)

              Eyelure Enchanted Lashes in Posie

Brows - Sleek Brow Palette 'Light'

Face -    Smashbox Primer 

              MAC Pro Longwear Foundation NW15

              Collection concealer in Cool Medium

              Smashbox Contour Powders

Lips -     Rimmels Red Diva Liner

              MAC Brick o La Amplified Creme Lipstick

We had such a lovely chilled out time in Dundee and we looked 'too glam to give a damn' doing it (sorry guys I have recently discovered that phrase and have been looking to sneak that in for weeks!) I hope you enjoyed reading this post and having a nosy in my wardrobe as much as I enjoyed writing it, please let me know what you thought in the comments below and of course if you have your own OOTD posts those are one of my favourites to read or look at rather so be sure to leave me those links. As usual I look to respond to every comment left so be sure to drop your below, come chat with me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my postings and hostings come find me on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, feeling too glam to give a damn (yes thats right twice in one post!)

H.Elizabeth x

#Hayfever Problems | Things people with hayfever are sick of hearing

In case you hadn't guessed from the title of this post, I am a hayfever sufferer, and I stress the word suffer with great emphasis and general pain, because I honestly don't think this is stressed ENOUGH throughout summer! Every year, without fail, ever since I was seventeen years old I have been foiled by the countless television adverts and magazine articles on the build up of summer, how amazing it's going to be, how warm, how stylish and oh so disney-esque and wonderful, but when it does come, it feels like the firey, itchy inferno where dreams of carefree summers go to die as I'm struck down with the plight of my hayfever yet again!

So in light of how depressing and generally sniffly, itchy and painful my summers are I thought why not share this joy with you lovely people on the blogosphere and keep you safe out there, safe not from pollen, oh no, safe from those you are potentially, in fact, if you don't suffer with hayfever, really I mean safe from those you will undoubtedly anger from the following phrases they really don't want to hear right now:

#1 Have you tried Benadryl?
What you really should be asking seasonal sufferers is if there is anything they haven't tried, trust me this disease is so irritating we've tried everything, eye-drops, nasal sprays, plug ins for the house, showering twice (sometimes thrice daily) so by asking if we have tried the most common hayfever relief on the market, all you're really asking for is a swift kick in the nads.

#2 Try eating local honey
This does not work. Trust me I've tried all of the tricks, and I don't even like honey, so really I subjected myself to months of spoons of warm honey and lemon water, honey in cereal and even honey on toast for naught!

#3 It's because you don't eat the right kinds of foods
Diet has a great deal to answer for, somehow all of the 'health blogs' of the world have it in their heads diet is the cure for all of your ailments, well let me tell you this honey, my diet is A - OKAY - I eat healthily, barely ever drink and still I sneeze.

#4 It's because you don't exercise enough
See above and apply to exercise.

#5 Just stop itching

Really its the only very naive who think this is helpful, and all I can really do is tilt my head and say 'really?!'

#6 Why don't you go to the doctors?
Have you ever tried walking in to your doctors office with a case of hayfever? I have, thrice! The outcome is always the same, a new tablet that does little to nothing to help me but is somehow 'as strong as you get' every time, or sometimes you're practically laughed out and told to come back with a 'real illness'

#7 Why don't you get rid of your outdoor cat or just keep her inside?
Perhaps the most infuriating and narrow minded of all - yes, in fact why don't I just live inside a bubble and wait out the summer!? Better yet I'll seal myself off from all human contact because believe it or not pollen grains don't just cling to fur it's all over yo face!

#8 My hayfever is so much worse
Great, let me blow your nose and itch your eyes since you have it so much worse. I don't care!

#9 You look awful
What's next comments about my weight and shape? No matter the time of the year, how swollen, puffy and red my face gets it's never an invitation to comment on my appearance, least of all when I KNOW how I look, not only does it look terrible, it feels terrible.

#10 Hayfever isn't that bad
Ignorance truly is bliss and if this statement doesn't sum it up for all you seasonal sufferers, then I don't know what will. Pass judgement on things you know, like being a douche!

Alas the hunt continues, today I can merely dream of a day where outdoor BBQ's don't bed me for days, a day where I can open my windows freely in summer with only the fear of bees coming in to launch an all out war in my home, and a day where I can cuddle my hairy baby freely without sneezing, itching, oozing and wheezing. So now that you guys have that lovely mental picture I'll bid you farewell - off to my icy tower of concealment where pollen goes to die. Be sure to leave your (helpful hayfever) comments below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to keep up with the latests be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm off where summer dreams go to die!

H.Elizabeth

Beauty How To | How to (correctly) apply false eyelashes

Lets be honest folks, this post has been a long time coming. It seems these days I can't go anywhere without somebody asking me how to apply falsies from friends and family members to the girl washing my hair at the hairdressers. So I thought given the increase in you folks asking I would do a quickie tutorial to give you a little helping hand and I can almost promise you that by following these simple steps you'll be lash wearing pros!

Often I find people say to me, 'Oh I just CAN'T put on false eyelashes, can you do it for me?' and instead of doing it for them (as this serves to be even more difficult - imagine someone coming towards your eyeball with glue and something furry...) I actually watch them try to apply them to see where they're going wrong, and usually it's nothing to do with the actual application of the lash but the duration of the glue setting time that appears to be the issue. So today I'm going to act as lash guru extraordinaire and talk you through just how to apply false eyelashes without the faff!

Now just before I get in to the nitty gritty here are some relatively common sense tips I have learned (often the hard way) Never put glue directly on to your natural lashes or lid, if you are going to be wearing eye make up that day apply it prior to your lashes and touch up afterwards, for a more natural look I recommend putting a thin layer of black liner along your lash line and finally always make sure the smaller lashes on the line are along your inner corner.  Pick your lashes and you're all set to go.

1. Carefully remove the lashes from the lash tray, most people recommend taking them off directly with tweezers but I pick gently at the corners of the lashes until they wiggle free. (You otherwise risk yanking clumps of the lashes off thus ruining your lashes before application)

2. Shake the small glue you will have been given as it can be quite runny in consistency when you first open it. Apply a relatively thin line of glue to the lash line only, you should have as much for it to be noticeable but not dripping off. Put the lash down on a clean and clear counter space then apply your glue to the other lash. (Giving the glue a chance to dry ever so slightly and become 'tacky')

3. Hold your first glued lash in the middle of the last and place along the centre of your natural lash securing that along your original lash line. Adjust according to your own lash line and press down gently. To adjust it slightly when secure you can push the inner and outer corner - it shouldn't come off but it will make the lashes more comfortable. Repeat the process with your second lash and you're good to go!

Stage 2 is usually where most people go wrong and they often think the sticky mess they've created all over their face and lashes is because they are missing a steady hand but the trick really is getting things right with the glue. These tips should work on all types of lashes you buy in store but just for disclaimer purposes I am using Eyelure Limited Edition Enchanted in the style 'Poise' at the moment, I use these on a near daily basis and if taken care of properly these will last me for about a month.

Okay guys I really hope you have found this 'how to' guide helpful in some way, shape or form and of course I would love to see your eyelash efforts so be sure to share your thoughts, tricks and tips in the comments below, come share your experiences with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to see more from me you can follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, batting my perfectly applied lashes.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Summer | Happy Snaps

TOP L - R: Our honeymoon in Paris and our jaunt to Disneyland
MID 1 L - R: After completing the Colour Me Rad 5K in Aberdeen and straightening up our flat
MID 2 L - R: Taking on a BooTea tox and a trip to the theatre
BOTTOM L - R: My brand new spectacles (in love!) and off seeing Elton outdoors at the AECC!

As we're (I'm) still easing back into this whole blogging malarkey after my blogging hiatus I thought that rather than explaining myself in full and generally boring you to tears with every little thing that has happened and gone on in my life I thought I would just share a few of my recent snaps from May - June that show some Granite City Girl highlights shall we say. I am of course planning on doing a little bit more about Paris, what we saw, what we did and how we got on in the city of lurve but I wanted to save those juicy bits for another time!

Just in case you were wondering these snaps are all from my Instagram feed, you can find me @granite_city_girl but as you know you can also find me on Twitter and Bloglovin if you want to see more of my face.

Until next time folks you know where to find me.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Child | Childhood Quirks and Musings

One of my favourite programmes on television has got to be You've Been Framed particularly the cat and children segments because they do and say the funniest things, in fact it has quickly become one of my favourite past times to watch such videos on You Tube and I could literally waste hours laughing myself into a sleepy stupor with my iPad, and most nights I often do! But as you know, writing inspiration strikes in the damnest places and I thought it might be fun to share some of the sillier things I remember from my childhood that I used to think were true or real or just generally some silliness.

1) Before the age of 5 I used to call a dressing gown a 'gasshing goon' which now saying it out loud as an adult sounds like a wound or something quite disturbing to say the least. I'm not entirely sure why I thought this or said it like this but it just happened to be one of my earliest quirks.

2) When I was much younger my family rented the animated version of Charlotte's Web in which at the end (spoilers) Charlottes' babies (spiders in case you didn't know) fly away on little parachutes leaving Wilbur alone with only 1 baby spider left (who can't fly)... and I literally thought baby spiders were born with little webbed parachutes attached to them. The fact they didn't in fact fly away when they hatch was only brought to my attention 2 years ago, needless to say my reality was shattered and I was also slightly relieved!

3) I used to think that when I hit the age of 16 that I would magically become tanned with long blonde hair just like Barbie because that's what most girls were in the movies and of course that's what Barbie and Britney had! (This is a sad state of affairs for beauty standards in children!)

4) As a kid I used to think you could get sucked down the drain when you took the plug out of a bath - this is due to a very poorly constructed episode of Sesame Street (or the Muppets) in which the baby is sucked down the drain.

5) Whenever I was getting something taken off over my head for example a vest or jumper I used to scream, and I don't just mean a little, I mean blue murder! Again I'm not sure what I thought was going to happen, but I still do this if I get stuck in a dress in New Look or somewhere the clothes are ridiculously small... (true story)

Well guys I hope my little life musings have cheered you up today, my reminiscing has cheered me up no end and I have to say that these little quirks and musings are what I'm looking forward to seeing when I have my own kids some day, you know as long as the quirks aren't loud or disgusting...

 

 

As always if you have enjoyed this post be sure to leave your comments below, I would love to hear if you had any childhood quirks or just plain stupid things you used to say or do as they make me smile, or of course if you'd just like to keep up with me and the latest Granite City Girl posts you can catch me on the Twittersphere or the blog in Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, I'll be chilling in my gasshing goon (which thankfully does not go over my head!)

H.Elizabeth x

Blogging | Back to the Drawing Board

Bonjourno to all of you reading (procrastinating) as you can probably tell from the title of this post it is another little update for all of you who do tune in week on week and care about my ramblings, musings and general goings on of the Granite City Girl and today I'm afraid we're going to get a little bit real with ourselves (me) and add a little note on taking on more than you can handle.

As you'll have known if you've been reading these last couple of months have been a little bit difficult between all of the events, life moments and holidays we have been preparing for (yes I know, it's a hard life!) I just haven't been able to give my little corner of the internet the time and dedication I feel it deserves and so I'm bringing myself back down to Earth in the coming months and getting back to basics, in that I am going to be limiting my posts to twice a week once again because it's just a bit more practical between work and a few other exciting life developments. Remember that you can also keep up with me on Twitter and Bloglovin for your daily dose of Hannah!

Until next time folks, we're going back to basics.

H.Elizabeth x

Au Revoir | Granite City Girl's Honeymoon

Bonjour et Au Revoir mes amis! Yes no sooner am I back from my little blogging break than I am jetting off once again, but this time I really do have a good excuse, honest. You see we're off on our honeymoon for a week, finally  after almost 10 months of wedded bliss we are finally off to celebrate! We are so looking forward to our little Parisian break, this past year has been a whirlwind of events, milestones and general happenings, from dissertation all the way back in April 2014, to graduation, our wedding and new job opportunities you could say it has been all go in the Granite City Girl household, and so I bid you adieu today once again as we jet off for another little break, but don't worry I shall return and with plenty of content to be sure to be sure!

 

Until next time folks, I'll send you a postcard, au revoir.

 

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Girl is on a break

                           

We were on a break!!! Is probably what you're going to be hearing me say when I return in a couple of weeks, no guys it's not you this time it really is me! But don't worry this really is just a break not a break up, honest.

 

As you guys know I have quite a few things and stuff coming up in the next few weeks, between work, photoshoots, meetings, preparing for our holiday next month as well as being asked to be Maid of Honour at one of my best friends wedding I really feel as though I have been burning the candle at both ends and I'm sorry to say that I feel as though my little corner of the internet has been falling to the wayside. Blogging has become a bit more of a chore as of late than I would generally have liked it to ever become and I have always said that if ever there came a time where I just wasn't enjoying it quite so much or perhaps I felt it was too much of a strain on my life that I would take a break, and that's what I am announcing today.

 

Fortunately guys this isn't forever, blogging and writing continues to be a great love and passion of mine and I do hope you don't miss my posts too much, I hope you understand and remember I'll see you in a couple of weeks as I return to my usual schedule. Of course I'll still be updating you on Twitter so you can always catch me over there if you miss me terribly.

 

Until next time folks, we are on a break!

 

H.Elizabeth x

Retail Therapy | Examples of Great Customer Service

Have you ever had an experience in a store or with a brand that has been so great you just had to give it a share? Well in the last four weeks I can safely say I have had the good fortune of having at least three experiences like this, I have encountered commited individuals who stand by the company brand, uphold their names and just take general pride in their work and what they do. Individuals who I have personally seen go above and beyond just for me, the customer, and you know I find that so often when we go online and confront the interwebs that we are shown such negative views, opinions and reviews and everyone is so quick to want to complain when they have had a bad experience, but very rarely do we read about these magnificent little moments in life where a complete stranger has made your day in the simplest of ways, and I really just want to contribute to that positivity today and share my recent experiences of fantastic customer service.

 

Lush, Union Street, Aberdeen
As some of you know I recently bought a shampoo bar from the Lush store in Dundee as part of my Dundee shopping splurge. Unlike my local Lush the ladies in that store didn't give me any extra information on the product I was buying which is fine because I thought I had an idea of how to use it anyway... well I was wrong. Within a week my shampoo bar crumbled to ginger nut biscuity consistency and washed away in my shower, to say I was a bit disappointed was an understatement. Undeterred I went to buy another at my own Lush and said I bought one the previous week and it crumbled (along with my hair hopes and dreams) Hearing this the shop assistant was incredibly shocked and extremely apologetic that nobody had shown me how to use this product, as compensation she gave me a freebie of a little round tin to keep my shampoo bar fresh, working and she also gave me a set of instructions on how to use the bar. To say I was chuffed was another understatement and today I wanted to recognise this young ladies generosity and thank her for not brushing me off or treating me like an idiot for my mistake.

 

Pure Spa Head Offices
To say I love Pura Spa does not do justice to how intense my feelings for this brand are, I have never had a bad word to say about them their facilities are always above par, their staff are so friendly and the atmosphere is nothing short of sublime in terms of relaxation. However as some of you know at Christmas I gifted my mum  a voucher which she wasn't too keen to cash in, so seizing the spa opportunity I have patiently waited for a package to come available that would suit my pre holiday needs, and I found one in the form of their Spring Spa Sensations, a foot ritual, booster treatment and use of the sauna for £49, a pretty great deal right? Well upon taking my voucher (which I paid £50 for) in to book this treatment I was turned away and informed that their 'seasonal deals' were vouchers and I could not buy a voucher with another voucher, and my paid for spa voucher was therefore exempt from any and all seasonal deals they may have (which sort of renders the voucher pretty useless for anything I ever book in for) I wasn't chuffed and spoke to their head office, who could not have been more helpful! The lady I dealt with via email said that it was not the case I couldn't also benefit from the Spa Sensations offer and booked me in fuss free online, apologised profusely and has said if there are any issues on the day to display my email chat with her (fingers crossed there won't be!)

 

So I know this post has been a little different to what you may be used to seeing here on Granite City Girl (mainly because I'm usually ranting or moaning about something negative... sorry!) but I hope it has made you feel the warm and fuzzies as much as it has for me. Have you ever found that an experience of great and attentive customer service has brightened not only your day but your entire week? I would love to hear all about your experiences in the comments below or Tweet the companies you just love the service of at me on Twitter! As always if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City posts you can follow me on Bloglovin.

 

Until next time folks, continuing to feel the warm and fuzzies.

 

H.Elizabeth x

Is public debate dead?

Hello everyone, I apologise in advance (once again) for this rather lengthy and specific rant I may be about to embark on however I feel a few of you will probably have experienced something similar to this in the past or perhaps you deal with things like this on a daily basis (dear lord I hope not!) but I'd like to share something that made me really angry, disheartened me a little bit and generally ticked me off surrounding a local issue and public debate (which after this encounter I can assure you is well and truly dead!) Don't worry I'm not going to go into excruciating detail about this particular encounter but it really did get me thinking about the way in which we, as a public, interact with one another when we come up against conflicting ideas, opinions and general newsy type information that is flung our way on a day to day basis.

For me this revelation really started with Scotland's independence campaign, living in Scotland the divide between the Yes and No camps was far more obvious than people outwith the country but my issue really began with the campaign strategies. I think and I just found the way in which Yes and No debates were hosted and managed was a disgrace, inside the political parties and outwith. Now, no, I am no politician, but in my opinion the way in which our current politicians do conduct themselves is a bit crazy, normalizing name calling on television, dirty fighting in campaigns and debates only creates the impression that yes, this is how professional debate is supposed to go - how is this any different from 'plebgate'?

My own experience of course was quite small, I commented on an article online for one of the local newspapers and was swiftly bombarded with abuse, vile comments and general rudeness, which needless to say I was flabbergasted at. Is this democratic public debate? I don't think so. How can we be expected for our views to be heard and our opinions to be taken seriously, if we can't even have a mature discussion about important issues within our community. Just to put this into a bit of perspective I demonstrated my support for a local build and stated it would give people a place to go as opposed to loitering in the streets, the response from one woman was to call me a German stereotype dating back to WWII.... yes I'm afraid that is the extent of public debate I have witnessed.

Needless to say this entire experience has put me off of getting involved in 'public debate' and specifically local 'public debate' for a good long while at least until there are some sort of guidelines, screening process or at least something put in place to ensure a real debate, specific to genuine, valid opinions about the topic at hand without cyber bullying, name calling and rudeness can take place, do you see that happening any time soon? Nope nor do I.

Has something like this ever happened to you that sparked a political revelation? I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and experiences (keep it clean!) be sure to share them in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, having a clean and rational debate with myself.

H.Elizabeth x 

Nose Piercing | Process, Pain and Aftercare

In case any of you haven't noticed, I have a nose piercing it is relatively new I've had it for about 7 months so I wouldn't blame you if you hadn't seen it but today I wanted to chat to you a little bit about it for those of you who are perhaps thinking about getting a nose piercing and you're not sure what to expect or perhaps you're just a little bit nosy (ha!) and want to know a bit about 'how much it hurt' or 'how can I blow my nose' or silly little things like that which I find a bit funny (but are in fact serious considerations!)

When I decided to get my nose pierced I went back and forth a great deal, I asked my family what they thought, of course they thought it was silly to put another hole in my nose, I asked my husband who as ever was so forward with his opinions and said, 'whatever you think' or 'do what you like you'll look fine either way' In fact when I was thinking about it I got outside the piercing studio about 2 or 3 times then decided against it. I googled and pinterested and instagrammed pictures of people with nose piercings to get an idea of how it would look but I didn't actually see anything that was particularly informative about aftercare or pain or anything really - which I was disheartened and a bit scared about, so I thought I would be a good little pioneer and give a full overview today. Step one I would say is to think about it long and hard - it's a bit like getting a pet I suppose - are you responsible, will you clean and look after it as you know you should and will you be patient enough for it to adjust to your face?

Choosing a piercer

Choosing a piercer for me was very easy, when I was 16 I had my lip pierced by what then was Retro Rebels (a Gothic clothing store and piercing studio on Aberdeen's George Street) then had a micro-dermal on my chest a couple of years ago (which was painful and fell out due to no fault of the piercer) and given they have been made over into Rebel Ink and in recent years have become one of the most reputable piercers and tattoo studios in the Granite City, I was confident they were the way to go. But when you are choosing a piercer yourself there is nothing better than word of mouth, speak to others who have been there, look at reviews online and of course go in and have a chat to the actual piercer to answer any and all questions you may have, and if they're not very nice or appear to brush you off, don't go there, they obviously aren't interested in the well being of their customers.

Getting your nose pierced

I still remember the day I went to get the deed done, I wasn't nervous as I am quite good with pain and I have been to the studio a few times to have tattoos done so I had already spoken to the piercer a few times previously and he is super friendly. All of the equipment used should be sterile and having been there before I had no worries (plus is just smells so clean which I love!) Unfortunately the day I went they didn't have the colour or style of stud I was going for but I was advised by my piercer which would look best (listen to yours, they are almost always right and I still have my red stud!)

The way in which the piercing is done is your piercer will draw a dot on your nostril where they think the best position for the piercing is which you will then have a look at to see if you are comfortable. They will then put a thin, hollow metal tube inside your nose to get the position of the needle on the dot and this is where it will go through.The pain itself only lasts a few seconds but I'm not going to lie, it does hurt, I would say more than a lip piercing but less than a tattoo but of course they are two very different types of pain and everybody is different but this is just my experience. There was a little bit of blood, but of course you have just had a needle go through your skin of course there is going to be a bit of blood. Needless to say I was chuffed with my new piercing and if anybody is interested it cost me £15 (for which I had a birthday voucher)

Nose Piercing Aftercare

Upon leaving the studio I was given a pamphlet about general piercing aftercare and the thing I love about a nose piercing is that it is a pretty low maintenance piercing to care for (a bit like a cat) but of course with anything you do need to be vigilant about looking after it otherwise it could become infected. Straight after having it done it did feel strange and I got worried for a while I would never be able to blow my nose in a satisfying way again, but this passes and as the swelling goes down it just feels like a part of your face and in fact I don't even notice that it is there most of the time!

I used good quality cotton pads and a saline solution every day for the first couple of weeks to keep mine clean but I did run into a couple of problems, for example sometimes you can develop something called a keloid - which is a small bump right next to the piercing and if it isn't give the proper attention can become a permanent part of your face. Thankfully mine was relatively small and with continuous cleaning it disappeared within a week but I would advise keeping make up and heavy products away from this area while it is healing (something I didn't really do!)

Today I have no issues or cleaning problems with my piercing and continue to love it just as much as when I first had it done, I can blow my nose, wash my face and do everything a regular person without a piercing can the only difference? I have some lovely bling on my face! This post has been much more long winded than I thought it would be, but honestly I just wanted to be as helpful and informative as possible when it comes to this kind of thing because it is important and I don't feel as if I could have left anything out in explaining the process and aftercare. Be sure to leave me a comment below if you have any questions, if perhaps you are thinking of getting a piercing or maybe you already have one and just wanted to add something, post it below, come share it with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, blowing my nose like a regular person.

H.Elizabeth x

Being Female | Getting Measured For A Bra

Ah the joys of being a woman, not only do we get to deal with the misogynistic realities of the working world (and world in general) get paid a joyful visit from aunt flow every month and feel compelled to wage war on our weight, faces and general appearances day to day but now we have to worry about the migrating state of our 'nunga nungas'. Not that this is exactly news to the female population it's just the sad state of affairs that come hand in hand with womanhood, but a recent bra fitting in my good old local British Home Stores has given me (and my boobs) 'the fear' and today I would like to share why.

Recently I noticed a gap, more specifically, quite a large gap between my actual chest and my bra (a size which has suited me just fine since I was 18 years old) and I got a shock. Given that I have been working my bottom off in the gym I suppose I should have expected this, but being the curvy lady I am never expected to lose all of my weight from my chest first. For the first time in 4 years I was clueless (and bra-less) and after seeing a sign in BHS for a bra fitting service, something I have never ever had done before, I leapt at the opportunity for a bra revamp!

The girl who measured me was so helpful and informative and because some of you, like me, may not know how a bra is measured I'll just go over that quickly. First you are measured under your bust to get the circumference which helps workout the banded part of your bra for example I was shown to be between 36 and 38 (typical!) Then you will be measured at the fullest part of your bust to get the cup size (I believe that your band measurement is subtracted from your bust measurement and that gives the cup size) The results revealed to me that I was wearing a bra that was miles too big for me, and I mean by something like 3 or 4 sizes too big, which in turn got me thinking of the repercussions of wearing the wrong size of bra and what it really means for my general health, well-being and my 'nunga nungas'  

Wearing the wrong size of bra doesn't just effect how they look or the way in which your clothes hang (poorly if anyone was wondering) as I found there are a multitude of problems that can occur from wearing the wrong size of bra and the world has to know:

• Stretched boobs; wearing the wrong size can cause your tissue and skin to stretch resulting in, you guessed it, saggy boobs!
• Back pain; a bra that is too big doesn't offer you the support you need and you'll find yourself more hunched over with poor posture resulting in back pain.
• Back fat; yes the dreaded back fat which I thought was just a disgusting thing I had and therefore had to live with - nope bra is too tight!
• Bra gap; if you have a gap your boobs will just straight up fall out of there - thigh gap - yes please, bra gap - no thank you!
• Indigestion; strange one but I have heard that if your band is too tight it will dig into your ribs and upper stomach and can cause indigestion.

So really what began as a simple days shopping turned into a real learning experience for me and I'll be damned if I wear the wrong sized bra ever again. I feel much better in myself knowing I won't have any of the above problems (for a good while at least) and that I'm doing something small to actively benefit my own health as well as of course reaping the benefits of my clothes hanging better and generally feeling more comfortable day to day, ladies you never know the true joy of a well fitted bra until you have been measured properly, so I urge, if you do one thing in these next couple of weeks take 10 minutes to go and get yourself professionally fitted!

I hope you have enjoyed this rather school teachery, PSE esque post and at least come away knowing something you perhaps didn't know before. As always I appreciate any and all comments so be sure to leave yours below, come share your thoughts with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to stick around and see more Granite City Girl posts you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, holding up my 'nunga nungas'

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Art and Culture | Albyn Gallery

It isn't often that I am let out of my cage enough to sample the local culture (it is a habit I am trying to break out of believe me) so when I was contacted by the PR for a local up and coming gallery in Aberdeen's West End with a unique twist to come along I practically leapt at the opportunity.
 

The Albyn Gallery, as I was to learn, plays host to over 100 pieces of unique, mostly modern, art pieces and has everything from Pino's romanticism, Disney Illustrations by Allison Lefcort (which yes is as exciting as it sounds for Disney lovers) and a plethora of works by Bill Mack, who is famed for painting classic film stars from the 1920s to the 1970s on pieces of the original Hollywood sign. The gallery is owned by the Douglas family who began collecting art a few years ago and are keen to share their love and passion for art with the public, Keith Douglas, the owner of the gallery has said, “As a family, we love art and have amassed a fantastic collection. I believe that art collections should move and evolve and, aside from some particularly sentimental pieces, I look forward to sharing my collection with others and continuing to develop what we enjoy in our home.”

But before you brush Albyn off as ' just another art gallery' let me just shed some light on how unique this collection and experience at the gallery truly is. First of all the Douglas family's passion for their collection is unrivaled, which you can tell from the way in which Keith imparts his knowledge of art, their collection and the art world in general (something I'm sure you are aware you cannot get at your run of the mill gallery) Secondly I just want to take a moment to mention some of the more unique pieces of art that really drew me in for example the Hollywood works by Bill Mack with some interesting surprises, the unique use of media by Martiros Manoukian and the wonderfully upbeat works of Dorit Levi. But for those who aren't very into art or are perhaps amateurs (like myself), don't worry the history of each piece will  be enough to satisfy your culture buds, so there really is something for everyone.

In short I thoroughly enjoyed my evening at the gallery and to be shown around by someone as passionate about art as Keith was nothing short of a delight. When you visit Albyn you'll be given nothing short of a truly unique experience that you simply don't get at your run of the mill gallery and you'll definitely come away with more nuggets of information than you'll know what to do with, and let's face it for those of us in Aberdeen such places are few and far between and we ought to grab these opportunities when we can!

 

I hope you've enjoyed this little glimpse into Aberdeen and Granite City Culture, it was lovely to be shown around the Douglas family's art gallery and I do hope you get the opportunity to book in a visit, be sure to head over to their website for a taste of what they have on offer. As always I love to hear from you so be sure to leave a comment below and if you do get a chance to go along to Albyn Art Gallery I'd love to hear about your experiences on here or on Twitter. Of course if you'd just like to see more from me and the Granite City be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.
 

Until next time folks, I'm feeling cultured and artsy.

 

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Events | Shoes and Sparkle with Union Square

Hello everyone, I just thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about an event that I will be attending in the Granite City next week that I am super excited about that features food, fashion, frolics, and to boot (pun very much intended) it is in my favourite shopping centre, Union Square.

The event is called 'Shoes and Sparkle' and will be held on the 5th of March from 5pm in the stylish setting of Valeries Brasserie Cafe. The event is free to attend and hosts brands such as Dune, Clarks, Sole Trader and Deichmann who will be showcasing their SS15 collections with an informal showing and a bit of background surrounding the inspiration behind the designs and trends of the season. Plus I hear there is going to be quite a nice little discount for shoes purchased on the evening!

A representative of Union Square has said it is set to be the 'ultimate celebration of all things shoes' now if that isn't enough to get shoe-a-holics hearts racing then I don't know what is. I'm really looking forward to going along on the evening to see the collections they have in store, and  of course potentially meeting some other fashion, beauty and shopping enthusiasts and bloggers (not sure what this is going to do to my bank balance though!)

As the saying goes 'Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she will conquer the world'

Until next time folks, I'm looking out my gladrags.

H.Elizabeth xx