It's time to move on!

You may have noticed I haven't actually posted on this blog since January, which is a pretty big rarity for me! I have been writing Daisy Dayz for 4.5 years now, and I have barely gone a week without a post (even whilst on honeymoon for a month!) so it has been hard in some respects to go for almost 4 months without posting anything, but I've been feeling a little off for a while about the whole blogging thing. I hoped that the new design at the end of last year would encourage me to start working again, but it still didn't really work. So I decided the best idea was just to take a break, there is nothing worse than forcing yourself to blog, just for the sake of it, as not only will you get frustrated with yourself, but you will also not produce work your readers actually want to read. So I needed time away and time to think. My life has changed so much over the last year (with work and moving) and I feel like I have outgrown my blog. Daisy Dayz was always started as a daily fashion blog, but I feel like that is no longer a priority in my life, I still love fashion but its not my focus any more. I have grown so much since starting Daisy Dayz, and it really was a saviour to my sanity when I needed a creative outlet after finishing you.
But all that being said I don't want to leave blogging, so after much consideration and deliberation, and lots of talking it through with Jon, I came to the decision to retire Daisy Dayz Blog...but I will be starting a new one, a grown up blog that more suits the person I am now, and this time it will be a joint collaboration with Jon, so I won't be taking on the entire job myself and it will give us something else to work on together! I haven't launched it yet, but after a few weeks of trying to decide exactly how we want our blog to look, the design is finally sorted, and the domain name is bought and the site is live - but we will officially launch on the 1st June! So without further ado, you will now find me and Jon over on Two Hearts One Roof. I really hope a few of you lovely ladies (and gents!) will follow me over to the new site too as I would love to see you all there.
Daisy Dayz has been an amazing part of life. It has opened so many doors for me, I have gotten to do things I never thought I would be able to. Worked with amazing companies, been to awesome events and meet some truly amazing people, from all over the world (in person and online!) Some of who I am happy to call real friends now (you now who you are ladies!). And I just can't step away from all that, not yet, I think blogging will always be a part of my life, I just need a change, need new scenery! The new blog will be more lifestyle based, more home and design, food and recipes, just general life (don't worry there will still be fashion every now and again!) I just want all you amazing guys to come with me too.
Ok so thats enough of me being all mush and sentimental. This will be my last official post on Daisy Dayz but I will be leaving the blog live, at least for a while. Please do come see us over on the new blog when we launch on the 1st June as I would love to get your opinion of the site! 
Two Hearts One Roof

Weight Loss Wednesday - West African Curry Recipe - Slimming World Friendly

Well ladies I had my 1 month weigh in last night. I started with a weight of 13st 9lbs and last night put me at 12st 13lbs! I am pretty pleased with my overall loss for my first month, although last nights loss was only 1.5lbs, which was a little disappointing. But that being said it was still a loss which is the main point! Plus I had a pretty rubbish week diet wise actually due to me still being ill, but I am happy to say I am almost finally over my cold.
Well as this week has been so rubbish on the food front (really it has been very dull and not particularly good syn wise either!) I thought I would bring you all a great recipe we have enjoyed a number of times over the last few weeks - West African Curry. If you are on Slimming World then it is around 2 syns a portions as the only thing you have to count is the Mango Chutney. The original version of this was found in an old ASDA Choices Cookbook but I have adapted it slightly for my taste and to make it more slimming friendly!
West African Curry Recipe

This recipe should take around 45minutes in total and will serve 4 people. 
Ingredients Fry Light 1 Onion, finely sliced 2tsp lazy garlic or 2 finely sliced garlic cloves 1tbsp Garam Masala 1tsp Ground Turmeric 2tsp Ground Cumin 2tsp Grounf Coriander 1tbsp Dried Mixed Herbs 455g Minced Lamb 2tbsp Mango Chutney 1tbsp Tomato Puree 115g Frozen Peas
Instructions 1. In a large wok or frying pan, heat the fry light and gently fry the onions until softened but not browned. Add the garlic, spices and herbs and continue to saute for a further 1-2 minutes
2. Add the mince and fry until browned, mixing it well with the spice and onion mixture
3. Add the chutney and tomato puree and mix to combine. Cook, stirring well for about 10 minutes. If the mince appears dry add 100ml of water
4. Add the peas to the pan and continue to cook for 5 minutes
5. Serve with boiled rice for a tasty meal!
Alternative - If you like an extra kick the original recipe used 1tsp of cilli powder and 3 whole cloves as well. Plus you can garnish the curry with freshly diced tomatoes (get in some extra super free!)
You can find all the other bloggers involved in Weight Loss Wednesday on the link. There are 39 of us in total, so lots of inspiration if you are looking to lose weight and get healthy this year!

Weight Loss Wednesday - Week 3 on Slimming World

Yes I know it's not Wednesday anymore but the last few days have literally been a blur due to me being sick! I am still sick, but actually feeling marginally better today, sore throat is still bad, but earache is gone, so now it just feels like a bad cold instead of something worse! Right anyway, on with the food! This is week 3 on slimming world and I am finding it easier to work out what I can eat but I have actually eaten very little the last few days, and the plan has strayed a little due to feeling so rubbish, but here's what I've eaten (you'll find my weight loss from my weigh in Tuesday night at the end!)

 Day 15 

Breakfast: Boiled Eggs and Tea

Lunch: Ham Salad, Seafood Sticks, Ryvita, Mozzarella and a Tangerine

Tea: Light Pizza at Pizza Express for a Leaving Do. It was still 25syns but was less than all the others!

 Day 16

No Breakfast

Dinner: Ice;and Hoi Sin Duck Skewers (1 syn a pack!!!), Stir Fry Veggies and Mozzarella (HExA)

Tea: Out for a family birthday at the indian, but only had a little portion of popadoms and half a curry (it has fruit in it too! lol!) 

 Day 17

New Breakfast/Snack: Cookie Crisp (25g is 4.5syns, its a surprising large portion as they are so light in weight) I eat them dry like biscuits

Fruit!

Lunch: Pasta Salad with ham, sweetcorn, cucumber, light cheese and 3 tbsp light than light mayo

Tea: Chicken in Pasata with veggies and roasted potatoes  

 Day 18 (when I started feeling ill)

Breakfast: Spagetti Hoops

Tea: West Indian Curry and boiled rice

 Day 19 (still ill)

Breakfast: Ryvita and Laughing Cow triangles

Tea: Beef Raviolli (2.5syns)

 Day 20 (most of this went uneaten)

Breakfast: Bacon, eggs and beans

Tea: Baked Ham, Mash and carrots

Day 21 (again very little was actually eaten) Lunch (was eaten): prawn sandwich, humous and carrots  Tea: Chicken in Chinese marinade (2 syns), potato wedges and fried veggies (I only ended up eating the fried veggies and a few wedges) So that was how my week went, as you can see I didn't actually manage to eat much, which actually helped on the weight loss front lol! So drumroll for the figures please (remember this is a 2 week loss as we couldn't weigh in last week)...I stared at 13st 6lbs after my first week and Tuesdays weigh in put me at...13st 0.5lbs yay!!! So a 5.5lbs loss over 2 weeks, I'm pretty happy with that! Hopefully this week will continue on the same thread, especially if I can get some exercise in, but that will depend on my health in all honesty. I'll also be aiming to post some slimming world friendly recipes this week too, so check back in if you wish to see them! How is everyone else's weight loss going?

Wish List - Shopping the Anthropologie Sale!

I have been nosing at some of the sales online so thought I would put together some wish lists. It's unlikely I'll manage to buy any of it as I am trying to save at the moment, plus I have decided not to buy any more clothes till I drop this weight! But I can always dream!

 Today's post is all about the Anthropologie Sale! And boy there are some major bargains to be had, some truly beautiful items!

Tulia Blossom Dress WAS £178 NOW £52.95

Leaps Ahead Dress WAS £258 NOW £76.95

Matt Bernson Street Fair Booties WAS £238 NOW £149.95

Peter Som Beaubourg Gladiator Heels WAS £198 NOW £49.95

Mademoiselle Tara Bow Stripe Dress WAS £218 NOW £64.95

Tailored Paisley Blazer WAS £118 NOW £58.95

Josseline Brocade Dress WAS £158 NOW £46.95

Plumage Trilby WAS £128 NOW £89.95

What do you think? Any piece catch you eye?

Beauty - Manicure Monday - Amethyst Velvet Goth

It's Monday again, so you get another Manicure Monday post. 

And this week its been all about this sparkly purple beauty! From Models Own Velvet Goth range, this is the Amethyst colour. It is actually a matt purple colour but with a heavy amount of sparkly glitter bits! It is really pretty although a bit of a pain to get on! As it is so thick it can be a little different to spread nicely across the whole nail, but once I managed it it looks great. Perfect for a party or a night out.

I picked this one up at the Clothes Show Live and hadn't realised it was a matt colour (or party of the velvet goth range at all actually) I just liked the sparkly colour in the bottle!

Home Interiors - Jimbob Art

I recently stumbled across this awesome designer who creates these really fun animal plates and other items with hand drawn illustrations printed onto them,  I have fallen for them hard. I think the plates  would look so much fun hung on a wall in a little collection, although I would happily use them every day too if I didn't think it would ruin them!
You can find them all on Wolf & Badger

What do you think?

Etsy Finds

This week I have been lusting after some statement jewellery pieces. Whenever I am on the hunt for something different (or just want to do a bit of window shopping) I always turn to Etsy first, and in the case of interesting jewellery I am never disappointed! Here are a few of the pieces that I am loving at the moment!
I'm a little in love with these stackable bangles from Handmade by Anne Potter, they are simple but bold.

These rings from Good After Nine are just killing me! I want them all!

I have been loving natural stone for a long time, now that I have a sliced agate necklace the next thing on the list is a rough stone ring. These are my favs! Number 1 and 3 are my top picks at the moment I think!

Left to right, top to bottom 1. Rana Jewels 2. Midwest Alchemy 3. Thula 4. Amanda Leilani Designs 5. MetalMorphoz 6. Prairie Fairy Designs 7. BeijoFlor 8. Specimental Designs 9. Moorea Seal
I am also really fancying a metal work necklace, something almost architectural in nature. These are the ones I found that caught my eye!

Left to right, top to bottom 1. Jamie Spinello 2. Wild Thing Studio 3. Squidlicks 4. Beach Bones 5. Blame Eve 6. Objects of O
Anything your lusting after at the moment?

Weight Loss Wednesday - Week 2 on Slimming World

So ladies I completed my second week on slimming world yesterday, you can catch up on week 1 here if you missed it! I started the week at 13st 6lbs after a 3lbs loss in my first week, which I was really pleased with! Sadly we couldn't make weigh in last night as we booked a last minute baby shoot (business still comes first!) and as I don't trust our home scales I haven't weighed this week so have no idea how much I have lost, but hopefully that will make next weeks weigh in look even better as it will be 2 weeks combined.

But here is what I have been eating this week

Day 8

Brunch: (didn't make it up for breakfast! lol!) Ryvita with Laughing Cow Light Cheese and Cucumber

Tea: Chinese Beef Noodles with Veg

In the early hours of the morning I promptly threw up the majority of what I had eaten on Day 8, and spent most of Day 9 feeling a bit rough.

Day 9

Tea: Slimming World Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Wedges and Baked Beans

I didn't eat anything else all day and struggled to eat this too after feeling so ill

Day 10...

Ummm, well...I ate a McDonalds! Sorry! But I still counted the syns, turns out a chicken legend meal is around 49.5 syns! Ouch!

Day 11

Breakfast: Ryvita and Laughing Cow Light, Crab Sticks and Tangerines (think I ate a Banana too!)

Lunch: Ham salad, with mixed dark greens and Spinich

Tea: Slimming World Burgers, Sweet Potato Wedges and fried peppers with soy sauce

Day 12

Breakfast: (more) Ryvita and Laughing Cow Light, Crabsticks, Tangerine and Grapes

Lunch: Sweet and Sour Mug Shot (not totally awful, but not great either!)

Tea: It's Sunday! So Sunday Roast

Snacks: Chocolate Doughnut (totally worth the syns!)

Day 13

Breakfast: (Seeing a pattern?) Ryvita and Laughing Cow Light Cheese, Crabsticks, Banana and Tangerines

Lunch: Salad and BBQ Chicken Chunks

Tea: Homemade Stew!

 Day 14

Breakfast: Totally didn't happen!

Lunch: Linda McCartney Red Onion and Rosemary Sausages, Pasta in Tomato Sauce, Cheese (HEA) and stir fried veggies 

Tea: West Indian Curry with Rice (my dad cooks this, its amazing! Will share recipe this week)

Snack: I indulged in a Kit Kat! It was 12.5 syns worth of yumminess!

I think food wise this week has gone fairly well, I didn't max out my syns, even with the naughty meal and my snacks!

What I am a little disappointed with is that we didn't manage to get any exercising in, practically none! Which is a little annoying, but between being I'll and working I simply haven't had the time or energy. Hopefully I can change that this week and get in a few more sessions on the Wii Fit.

This post is also part of the Bloggers Weigh Loss Wednesday being hosted by Barely There Beauty. Find all the info and other participating bloggers on the link!

Beauty - Manicure Monday - Green Flash

Yep Monday will now (hopefully!) be dedicated to my nails! The one bit of beauty that I actually get and do on a regular basis.

This week I have been wearing this blingy green/gold colour from Models Own, it's called Green Flash! And I love it! Even my boss noticed it, and he's a bloke! It went on really smoothly, did need 2 coats though but that is normal these days. Staying power, even without a top coat was pretty good though! I picked this up whilst I was at the Clothes Show Live, the colour in the bottle really stood out!

Sunday Catch-Up - 12th January 2014

Well I was planning to write a Sunday Catch-Up post like I usually do, but in all honesty when I started looking at my instagram and iPhone pictures to put the post together, I realised I had nothing interesting to show you, lol! Literally my entire weeks pictures are of food for my Weight Loss Wednesday Posts. My weight loss goal has taken over my thoughts a little! So as there is no point posting food pictures here, when I will be posting them on Wednesday anyway, I thought I would do a bit of a bumper Links and Love instead! So here is what I have been looking at and loving online this week: I've been a little bit obsessed with house renovation and inspiration blogs lately, usually I'm just on Design Sponge and Apartment Therapy but thanks to them I found two new awesome blogs - My Scandinavian Home and Little Green Notebook - I'm in love! And thanks to all the housey obsession I have fallen very hard for Eames Paris Chairs! And the Rocking Chair version! I want them!

I'm currently reading 3 books (well listening to 1). Nacropolis by Jeet Thayil which was shortlisted for the Man Booker in 2012, With My Body by Nikki Gemmell and Count to Ten by Karen Rose.

I've been working on some Valentines Day Craft Articles:

Valentines DIY for the Home

Valentines Cards for Kids

Valentines Food Ideas

Valentines Day Crafts for Kids

Valentines Day Fashion Crafts I went to see this in the Millennium Centre - it was awesome! So funny!!

I've been working with a great scientist, Doctor and Writer called Darja Wagner to edit her book on Fertility for over 40's which you can find here. Even if your not over 40 but you need some help with fertility issues this book is brilliant!, I've learnt lots about womens health I never even knew before!
So that's all folks! Hope everyones week has gone well, tomorrow will be a Monday Manicure post so remember to swing by!

Fashion - Surprise 30th Birthday Fun!

So a little outfit post for you all today, if you follow me on Social Networking sites you may already have had a sneak peek at this outfit I wore for my Best Friends Surprise 30th Birthday Party! It was masquerade themed by the way!

Dress: Oasis

Shoes: Ruby Shoo (via eBay)

Floral Crown: Bought at the Clothes Show Live but can't remember the company!

Necklace: Vintage 

Bangle: Wallis (via Clothes Show Live)

Mask: eBay

Me and the hubby!

The Birthday Girl and her beautiful family!

Me and my sister having a bit of Photobooth fun!

All our acrylic props are from the awesome Funky Laser!

You can find more of our Photo Booth fun from the night on our Facebook page!

Weight Loss Wednesday - Week 1 on Slimming World

On New Years Eve I took the decision to finally get back in control of my weight and my size! I have tried dieting myself before but find I can't always keep to a diet or fitness plan, so this time I have decided I need help from other. This meant joining Slimming World...on New Years Eve! Plus Jon has joined too, so hopefully that will help me keep on track even more, and keep me motivated. As I will be posting my Weight Loss story every Wednesday (day after my weigh in!) I have also joined up to Weight Loss Wednesdays, a new blogging group for 2014 run by Jennifer of Barely There Beauty. It is a group of bloggers who all have the goal to lose weight and get fit and healthy in 2014. We will all be posting different info about how our personal challenges are going, and info about food, dieting and fitness. You can find out all about the group and the list of bloggers signed up to it on Barely There Beauty.
So this is the moment when I am totally upfront and honest with you all and share my weight...eek! I'm hoping sharing all my weight loss journey with you will help me keep on track and possibly help others who are going through the same thing as me in 2014!
So according to the Slimming World scales on the 31st December 2013 I weighed 13st 9lbs! I am firmly in a size 14, no matter how many times I try to persuade myself I am still a 12! I have opted not to set a final goal yet, so set an interim goal of losing 1st. I am hoping to get back to 10st 10lbs which was when I last really felt happy, so I have 3st to lose and I am hoping I can succeed this year (or at least get a large proportion off this year!) This is how my first week on the diet went!

 Day 1

Breakfast: Egg, bacon (no fat) and baked beans

Lunch: Pumpkin and Oats Ryvita and Laughing Cow light Cheese (wasn't hungry)

Tea: Minted Pork with veggies

Snack: Tangerine (had 2!)

Day 2

Breakfast: Ryvita and Laughing Cow Light Triangles with 2 boiled eggs and Tea

Lunch: Veggie Pasta

Snacks: Grapes and Tangerines

Tea: Sticky BBQ Chicken with Veg and Rice

Day 3:

Breakfast: Ryvita and cheese! (notice a theme here?)

Dinner: Veggie Pasta with some extra boiled egg

Snack: Grapes

Tea: Lemony Pork and Veg Tray Bake - will be bringing the recipe for that soon!

Day 4 - this happened!

We were at the 30th Birthday Party so the diet kinda jumped ship! We only had breakfast in the day but then had this.

Day 5

Breakfast: Bacon (no fat), eggs, potato gratin and beans

Tea: Chicken, veg and banana rice dish - my mums recipe which I will share at some point too!

Snack: I treated myself to a Viscount Biscuit as I haven't used many syns this week

 Day 6

Breakfast: Veg and Chicken Omlett, Bacon (no fat), beans and mushrooms

Snack: Lots of fruit, I ate even more than this!

Tea: Cottage Pie (3syns as mum couldn't find extra lean mince in Tesco!)

Day 7
Breakfast: A pile of fruit to take to work with me
Had a late lunch: Roasted Potatoes, Beans and Linda McCartney Sausages

Snack: I treated myself to some galaxy at the theatre as is was my first full week over with!

We had our first official weight in last night and I was...13st 6lbs! Yay!  I lost 3lbs! So I can definitely say this week was a success, even though I had a day off plan! It's a little difficult to get used to the plan, but I am sure after a few weeks doing it I will be fine. I know I should be eating 3 meals a day, but I rarely did before so it is no different. I haven't felt hungry at all either so that is really good in my books.
Is anyone else on Slimming World or another diet plan?