Thursday 19 March 2015

This Week on Instagram : 19.03.15

I have done pretty much nothing this week but work on my dissertation, plain and simple.

It's due to be in tomorrow! Ahhhh!!

I'm just so nervous, I wish I had planned my time better but that's all too little too late, at least it's almost completely done!

Anyway, posts have been sparse this week because of this so apologies, they should get better next week!

Wish me luck!

If you want to follow me on Instagram go HERE!

Thanks for reading!
Birds in Blossom x


Sunday 15 March 2015

My Picks : George Home


1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Since Spring is on the way I'm been wanting to have a good spring clean and update my room decor. 

One store that I always finds has a lot of home stuff that I love is ASDA, well, the George Home section. So I went online and had a look at what they had to offer since sometimes in store they only have a limited selection.

The above are my favourite picks, I love rustic and woodland themed things and I like kind of woody, neutral and monochrome tones, so all of these are right up my street and just so, so pretty!

I already own a couple of these items and will be buying more once I've submitted my dissertation and have the time!



Are you planning on sprucing up your space with some new decor this spring?
What do you think of the choices I've made?


Thank you for reading!
Birds in Blossom x

Friday 13 March 2015

This week on Instagram : 13.03.15



Not much to say about this week, it shows by only having 4 photos instead of my usual 9. I have had no time to do anything other than going to work and working on my dissertation. Which is in next friday!! Eep!

I did make some soaps, candles and bath bombs in my breaks from my computer though for my Mum. I'll be giving her the gift basket on Sunday, I hope she likes it!

That's all though folks!
There may not even be one of these next week because I'm really cracking down on work.

If you want to follow me on Instagram go HERE
Though it may be pretty dead this nexk week! Just warning you.

Thanks for reading!
Birds in Blossom x

Thursday 12 March 2015

Homemade : Soap


If you saw the homemade bath bomb post I did on Tuesday, you'll know I'm making my mum some bits and bobs for mother's day on sunday and today I made the next thing for her little basket of goodies I'm constructing!

Homemade Soap!

Here's what you'll need this time:

1. Soap base - Hobbycraft £5.39 for 1kg
(I wanted a white base but got a clear one because that's all they had)
2. Surgical Spirit - £1.80 From the local pharmacy
3. Spray Bottle 
4. Fragrance/essential oils of your choice 
(I'm using the same ones that I used for my Bath bombs)
5. Decoration - Blue Malva Flowers £3.29 
(and the rose buds I used for the Bath Bombs) 
6. A Soap Mould - I'm just using some ramekins I had in the kitchen.
7. Coloured dye (optional, I'm not using any)


Here's what you do:
  • Depending on the size of your moulds you're using, cut out some of your soap base with a kitchen knife. Don't worry if you don't cut enough to begin with, you can always add more.
  • Melt the soap base in the microwave, I do quick 15 seconds bursts and then check on it. Keep doing 15 seconds until the soap has become fully liquid. If you over heat it, it may discolour, so be careful!
  • Once melted add your fragrance and essential oils. I didn't measure mine, I just added each until I thought it smelled how I wanted it to. Mix thoroughly to spread evenly. This is when you'd add your colour if you wanted to.
  • Next, I poured a thin layer of soap in the bottom of my mould, I then stuck the rose buds in facing down.


Once you've fully covered the bottom of the mould with the rose buds, fill the rest of the mould with your soap solution.
  • Now using the spray bottle filled with the surgical spirit, spray the top of the soap. It's to remove any bubbles.
  • Leave until fully set.
  • Once done carefully remove from the mould.
If you're not planning on using the soap pretty much immediately I would suggest wrapping it up in cling film or in tupperware so it doesn't get wet.

 And you're done! 

I also did the same thing again but instead of the rose buds used the Malva flowers, these flowers actually dyed the soap blue so I'm not sure whether they will dye your hands slightly if you use it. I'll just have to warn my mum before using this one!


That's it, simple!

These make really nice, quick, easy and quite cheap gifts! Perfect for the likes of Mother's day!

What do you think? Will you be giving this a go?
Do you ever make your own soap?

As always, Thank you for Reading!
Birds in Blossom x

Tuesday 10 March 2015

Homemade : Bath Bombs


One of the things I'll be giving my Mum this mothers day is some homemade bath items, well some bath bombs and soaps at least.
Today I'm making the bath bombs!

So, here's what you'll need to make a Bath Bomb!

(Oh! before I begin, you can probably get these items cheaper elsewhere but I was pressed for time and wentfor I went for convenience, though I didn't think most of these things were poorly priced at all!)

1. Bicarbonate of Soda - Wilkinson's, £1 for 500g
2. Citric Acid - Wilkinson's, £1 for 50g
3. Fragrance - Hobby Craft, Rose Fragrance £3.86 for 25ml
4. Essential oil - Wilkinson's, Lavender Oil  £1.25 10ml
5. Decoration (optional) - Hobby Craft, Rose Buds £2.96 per pack
6. 1 or 2 mixing bowls
7. Measuring scales
8. Spoon for mixing (optional)
9. Water, preferably in a spray bottle
10. Colouring (optional) - eBay, Rosebud Pink mineral pigment powder 
£2.50 for 5g
11. Bath bomb mould - eBay  £3.99 for a 6cm round mould


The mineral colouring powder hasn't arrived yet so today I'm just making white rose scented bath bombs with lavender oil.

  • So first, measure out about 75g of the bicarbonate of soda and sift into a bowl, then add about 35g of citric acid and mix using your fingers or a spoon until fully combined.

  • Next,you can either split the mixture in half and add about 2g of colourant to one half, OR you could colour the whole mixture, OR like me leave it white.

  • Then, add about 2ml of your rose fragrance, I just squirted a little bit into the mixture until I thought the fragrance was a nice 'strength'. Also add a similar amount of your essential oil, in my case I used lavender to make a really floral scented bath bomb, which relaxing tones.

  • Here's the tricky bit, you use your spray bottle to add water, little at a time until the mix becomes damp. If you make it too wet the mixture will start to fizz and effervesce, I did this on my first attempt, it was super messy and didn't work. So you want the mix to start to stick together, it will sort of look and feel like fake snow.

  • Now fill one half of your mould with your mixture. You can alternate your coloured mixes to make a stripey pattern if you want, but as mine is all white I just filled the half fully pressing in down so there are no air spaces. Leave a little mound of mix at the top of the half so when you press the two halves together they'll merge. 
  • I then did pretty much the same to the other half of the mould but before putting the mix in, at the bottom I put about 5 rose buds, so they'll poke out of the bath bomb once complete. Then I joined the two halves together with a little force so they'd set together.



  • I left the filled mould for about 10 minutes so the mix would set (but I leave them overnight before properly handling them). To remove carefully take one half of the mould away, your bath bomb should have formed so only the mould is removed. Then cup the non-mould half of the bath bomb in your hand and carefully lift of the other side of the mould. Your bath bomb is complete!



I really enjoyed making these, they were super quick and easy to make. I know my Mum will love them!

On Thursday I'll make a homemade soap post!

What do you think? Will you give these a try?
Have you ever made your own bath bombs before?

Thanks for Reading!
Birds in Blossom x

Sunday 8 March 2015

Hair Growth Products I'm Using


If you saw my Hair ideas post, you'll know  I want to grow my hair out, and though it is the healthiest it's been in a long time, there's no harm in giving it some extra help!


The things photographed are the products I'm using right now. Most of these I found by just browsing shops but the Sea Kelp food supplement I bought due to 'boxes of foxes' youtube video, she also bought many of the products I have here as well which boosted my confidence in them!

I didn't buy all these at once, otherwise I would have cried for my money, or more the lack of money.
They aren't all that expensive individually, but together... yowza.



So my routine goes like this:

When I have breakfast I take Cod liver oil (£1.45), Sea Kelp (£5.99) and Biotin (£5.99) supplements.

Then I brush my hair with a wide paddle brush (I've had mine for years you can find them for cheap everywhere!), but with tough knots I use my Tangle Teezer(£10.99) as I find this causes less breakages.

When I wash my hair I use the Lush 'New' Shampoo bar (£5.75, it lasts a lot longer than my normal liquid shampoo), then I use the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment (£8.49) as instructed on the packaging.

To condition I use the Salon Science ProAccelerant 2: Conditioner (£17.00) this is the priciest thing I bought and I will not be buying it again because of the price (I don't actually remember paying that much I swear it was closer to £11 but that's what it says on the website!), instead I think I'll buy the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Conditioner (£6.99), the only reason I didn't buy this is because I couldn't find it in Boots in store anywhere. 

I may even buy the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Bundle (£25.00) as you get a lot for your money and I really like the products so far! Lastly once I'm out of the bath I towel dry my hair and use the Lee Stafford Hair Growth leave in treatment (£11.99) and let my hair naturally dry.


For quick morning washes I use the 

OGX Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil Shampoo and Conditioner (£6.99 each or 2 for £10) not shown in the photo as I left them in the shower whoops!, and try to let it naturally dry as much as possible before using a hair dryer on a low heat. 




Other than the products, I'm eating much healthier and drinking more water, which I can tell is really improving my hair health. Also, I only very rarely use heat on my hair so that is a big help too in reducing damage and breakages!


I'll be posting a before and after results in a few months hopefully! Keep watch!


Have you used any of these products? What do you think?
Had any positive results?

Thanks for reading!
Birds in Blossom x


Grow hair, GROW!

Friday 6 March 2015

This Week on Instagram : 05.03.15


Don't be too surprised to hear I haven't been up to much again this week...
You'll be hearing that a lot for the next few weeks, the deadlines are stacked and the pressure is on so most of my life is at a desk working away right now!

I did make one last batch of cupcakes for a while since I knew I won't have time for baking in the coming weeks.

I also have been working on my Mum's mothers day gift!

Other than that there's not much to report!
Oh! I may be doing drawn OOTD if I can get the time and right 'look' to them! Keep a look out!

If you want to follow me on Instagram go HERE!

Thanks for reading!
Birds in Blossom x

Thursday 5 March 2015

Mother's Day Gift Ideas 2015

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

It's Mothers Day on March 15th 
(in the UK at least!)

Consequently I've made a little gift idea selection, it's pretty generic but some people may be completely at a loss and this may just provide the spark they need so. I guess, every little helps!

Number 4 is Homemade bath bombs and soaps! This is what I'll be making for my Mum, I'll be posting a tutorial early next week!

8 is the most average, but always a winner, mother's day gift, a bouquet of her favourite flowers (my Mum's fave are Lilies).

These are all pretty reasonably priced for what they are, obviously things like the perfume and watch are more expensive but a good price for the product!

I'm making my mum a gift basket, which I'll probably include in the homemade soap/bath bomb post!

This was just quick and simple, not that unique but a good staple!



What are you getting for your Mum? Any other ideas?

Thanks for reading, lovely!
Birds in Blossom x

Wednesday 4 March 2015

THE END IS NEAR! ... (the end of uni that is)


I actually went onto twitter and I was only going to write a jokey tweet about how absolutely everyone is asking me what I'm going to after uni... but then I thought... I don't actually know and then some deep thoughts ensued.

It's both super scary and so exciting at the same time.

I mean I have an idea of what I want to do but nothing is certain and I like that. I like the idea of the freedom and choice I have. I like that I can do whatever I want to do.

It's such a weird feeling being this close to the end, it definitely has yet to sink in, I'm just waiting for the day it does and I have one huge existential crisis. 

Once I'm through that though... my life, like real life, begins. 
So Freaky!

I mean, I could go straight to employment, set up my own business, go travelling, become a gold-digger and do nothing at all (joking obviously)! Seriously though, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

Honestly, it is so strange this place I'm at right now, I have crushing deadlines all coming my way in the next few weeks but I see the end, I feel the excitement, I can smell the freedom. 

I can not wait!




This wasn't a substantial post but this blog is only an extension of me and just about my life, so my bad if it was boring!

Thank you for reading though!
Birds in Blossom

Goddamn I'm going to miss student discount *cries forever*