Introducing; RedRubyRouge.com

Every so often a website comes along that I just lose my mind over and RedRubyRouge is exactly one of those sites. I am a sucker for unusual design and this site has so many amazing examples of unique designers that I instantly compiled an epic wish list of goodies and I just had to share.

How could I not be on board with that approach?! So much care and attention has obviously been taken in selecting the finest in talent for stocking the shop and they have really created something special.   I had been eyeing up a Baggu for ages which is what led me to the site so it was first up for ordering when a 20%  discount voucher came winging its way into my inbox. As I had hoped, this new foldable tote/backpack made from tough nylon akin to a parachute is the ultimate in 'be prepared' style. Finally someone is nailing the mix of practicality and style and this little beauty is going to be put to all sorts of good use. My mum has already jumped right in and ordered one for herself as she is always looking for a decent extra tote for when she is out shopping and as she uses a stick the fact she cans sling this on her shoulder is a massive plus.

Following some seriously quick free delivery and a further 15% off purchases for signing up to the newsletter my baggu was very closely followed by an order for these amazing Hiro and Wolf earrings which just spoke to me massively. Modern but chic, I loved the mix of textures with the tiny pop of metallic and at £12 they seemed like too good a bargain to miss out on never mind the added fair trade credentials which I love.

As you can see from the below- these two purchases are clearly not enough as  I pretty much want EVERYTHING. Even narrowing down my choices just for this post was hard enough- you seriously need to go and check out the line up for yourself, but hopefully this gives you a pretty good taster of what they have on offer.

1. Black Cat Scarf / 2. Mrs Jermyn Neon Clutch / 3. Baqqu Breton Stripe
4.Elizabeth Stone Agate Necklace / 5. Hurraw Green Tea lipbalm / 6.Wild Thing Fox Necklace
7. Anna Joyce Star Tote / 8. Wild Thing Digital Cuff

So good right? My birthday is coming up next month and this little post might just be popping up in the other half's inbox shortly....!

Debenhams SS15

I think by now we all now I am a huge fan of Debenhams thanks to it having pretty much all my favourite brands and products under one roof and handily open later than most shops so I can get in around work hours.  I was really excited in the run up to their SS15 press show as I always find some amazing pieces showcased at it and they never fail to put on a great event. This year the PR team really pulled out all the stops and held the night at Glasgow's gorgeous Gallery of Modern Art which was a really show stopping venue for their catwalk and really helped set the tone of the level of design we were being treated to.

Pre-show we all had the chance to take a look at rails of amazing colour and print from a whole host of designers from Jenny Packham, to Henry Holland to Betty Jackson Black. I was delighted with the neon on offer alongside some beautiful spring palettes of coral and mint which just so happens to be my favourite colours ( always mixed in with a little gold). Some of the stand out collections this time were the floral prints at Preen, the orange pops of Betty Jackson, and the reliably fun designs and bold colours from Henry Holland. The 'I love it when a brand surprises me' award this year went to the colour use from Ben di Lisi for Principles. That mint dress coat is just STUNNING and would look amazing with the ombre coral in this dress.

Accessories wise a beautiful clutch from Star by Julien Macdonald totally stole my heart, and was completely unexpected for me as I usually associate his lines with quite wild designs but this little beauty is modern and chic and on offer right now for £28! The prices of the outfits on offer were fantastic considering the look and feel of the pieces that caught my eye, I love how accessible Debenhams make these collections feel. I can't wait to get in store and check the rest of the lines out, I just need to set aside some serious shopping hours to be able to get round it all!

Glasgow Reviewed; Deluxe Mani at Pure Spa

Ihave been meaning to head along to the newly opened city centre Pure Spa for AGES as It is always handy to have somewhere so perfectly located to head to for all pampering needs. Sitting on West Nile Street this is perfectly placed as a haven from all the madness and the perfect spot for getting glammed up for a big night out or for celebrating something special. I popped in to try out the deluxe mani which they are offering right now for treating your mum too this coming weekend and it was the perfect way to start my sunday!

Greeted by the super lovely team, I got settled in with a coffee ( the package does come with bubbly but even for me 10.30 on a Sunday seemed a little early!) and picked out a gorgeous Leighton Denny colour ( a popping red called Viva La Diva) and selected which extra service to take advantage of. My nails have been totally terrible of late so I opted for the cuticle treatment but you can also  choose to have an exfoliation or hand massage- I like that with the deluxe option you can tailor the treatment to suit. The salon itself is bigger than I imagined, really well turned out and clean and fresh which is always important to me when picking out somewhere to take someone to. They have a nail bar, brow bar and pedi bar alongside a sauna, tanning room and multiple therapy rooms on offer alongside a great menu of treatments to choose from.

I was delighted with the end result of my mani the staff are really attentive and knowledgeable and I am keen to get myself booked in for one of their bigger treatments so I can really put them to the test and get a go inside that sauna!  I think a deluxe manicure session with your mum would be a perfect way to treat her- bubbles, gossip and some glam time and with being right in the town you are in the perfect spot to head out for some shopping and food! The package for two with a glass of bubbly is £42  Handily they also have spas in Silverburn shopping centre, Edinburgh and Aberdeen so you can treat mum wherever you are.

You can contact the West Nile Street spa on 0843 507 1888

Introducing; Go Nutrition

In my last post I was filling you in on a review I am doing with AG Fitness which involves learning strength training over a few sessions. I am half way there now and absolutely loving learning weights and good form and looking forward to building my strength up and adding some heavier weights down the line. The great thing about Andy's approach is his attention to the nutrition aspect of training and the importance of a strong balanced diet to  help you reach your goals. I would say thanks to a lot of work, that my diet is pretty good but I was aware that there are times when I am not quite taking in enough protein for my needs and seeing as it is vital to muscle repair and building I thought it was time to explore options to increase my intake.

I will throw my hands up and say I have avoided protein drinks in the past as I have preferred to get protein from natural sources and  have long associated them with some really intimidating gym fiends and also because of the added chemicals and sugar and it always looks so expensive! However knowing I was planning on making strenght training a more regular addition I figured now was the time to look into a bit more and experiment. After comparing a whole load of different companies offerings and reading up on forums with people who consume products like this daily- I came across Go Nutrition who were getting rave reviews for the range and quality of products on offer that are coming in at really good prices. I was really taken with the transparency of the ingredients they are using and its something my research showed that is not the case across the board, their open and honest approach is seriously commendable and seems to be proving a big hit with customers.

"You won't find cheap fillers in our products, you won't find us faking the protein levels by adding cheap amino acids and you won't find us hiding the exact ingredients of our protein blends, greens powders or amino acid formulas behind so-called proprietary blends."

To get me started I have tried out the Maple syrup and pancake Whey Protein 80, the Amino Go and the Creatine Monohydrate.

Now I am not in a position to review the full effects of taking supplements like these as they are all so new to me so I can't compare or even fully comprehend what benefits they are doing to my muscles but I can report that after my sessions and any other gym work I have done on my own that It has definitely helped with any aches or pains that I have had post gym in the past. For comparison Ally is also attending these sessions and due to his protein levels being super low he has still been feeling the effects of lifting weights wayyy after he should be where as I haven't found that all. Week one, when I hadn't used these, I was definitely in a lot more pain! You can read a lot more about the products and the full breakdown of benefits on the site but in terms of the whole process I have to commend Go Nutrition greatly. As a total newbie to the area I was really impressed with the level of customer service they offer, the answered my mountain of questions and helped guide me in what products might be of use and explaining why. I found the website fantastic to navigate- I love that you can shop by pre/post workout timing, by goal or by brand. They have the full nutritional breakdowns on offer alongside some really useful guides and info on how best to use products and even their own magazine style pages called The Pulse- and they also happen to have some damn good deals on the go too!

 I have already put in for my next bundle ( I want all the flavours!) thanks to an offer that popped in my inbox. They have same day dispatch, cheap delivery ( free over £50) price matching, 30 day guarantees, live chat service and a referral scheme which means you get free protein with your first order and excellent information on how to use it and their products- I honestly can't fault them!

If you are starting out strength training or looking to start supplementing your diet like this, I highly recommend finding your feet with Go Nutrition- and feel free to use my referral code to get you started with your first order ( disclaimer- I get a treat too!) Even my PT has jumped on board to try it out!

Just pop BZIPTN at the check out to use it and enjoy the free protein.

For you, For Everything

I got an email from the lovely guys at Joe Blogs letting me know about a fab competition Great Rail Journeys are running for Mother's Day where you could win a trip to Bruges , which is somewhere Ally and I have been desperate to explore for ages! The task is to write a post saying why you are thankful for your mum and it brought an unexpected tear to my eye as of course I am hugely thankful to my mum (Mizzipins, as I like to call the poor thing,) for so so many things but it actually really inspired me to write a little bit about another mum I am thankful for, Ally’s mum, Jackie.

If it wasn't for her Ally wouldn't be the incredible person he is today and the one that I count myself lucky to be with every single day. She raised him and his twin sister alone and with very little which now I am older I can appreciate must have been incredibly difficult- yet she never moaned, never complained and never let them think they had any less than any others. To this day he is touched and excited to receive even the smallest thing from a person which is such a wonderful quality to have. She instilled in him a beautiful respect for women that I continue to admire and he continues to demonstrate in so many ways. He is thoughtful, encouraging, romantic, caring, sensitive and loving in abundance thanks to the home she provided for him growing up. She created such an infectious sense of fun and adventure in him that just makes every day brighter, and he passes it on to everyone he meets. He is fiercely loyal and devoted like her, loves to settle down and watch westerns like her and he can cut a fine shape to all her favourite 'Jackie Disco' hits. Everything he does, he does with a twinkle in his piercing blue eyes and with a mile wide smile, that are her mirror and it brings a wonderful sense of joy to my life.

Passing on the love he has learnt to his gorgeous nephew

I never got the chance to meet Jackie as she passed away the year Ally and I got to know each other- and it is something that I often struggle with. It is odd to feel as close to a person that you didn't get to know, but I treasure that feeling. Through fond stories told, old photos found and visits where she lies now to fill her in on our recent adventures, I have formed a bond with her that I couldn't have expected.  It is her birthday tomorrow, which every year brings a reflective pause to our lives- a moment to remember and reminisce and take a step back and cherish what she has given us- which makes writing this seem the perfect timing. I know if she was here right now she would be beyond proud of the man he has grown up to be but I know he carries her with him everywhere, and allows her to inspire everything he sets out to do.

a new day, a adventure, a new silly face!

So as normal this Mother's Day I will celebrate alongside my mum that I realise I am so incredibly lucky to have and who I appreciate that bit more now. 

But I will be celebrating Jackie too, as if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have everything and that’s something I don’t say I am thankful for enough.