Friday 28 July 2017

The Story Behind The Business: Hue Hippo

So I know this blog is a little late (work has been manic). But here it is, introducing Hue Hippo!

Aysha graduated from university last year and went straight into full-time work. As you can imagine this was a little shock to the system and she started drawing colouring pages as a way to cope. She initially started Hue Hippo as a place where people could download her colouring pages for free. I t was a way for her to share her work with the hope that they might just help others relax. By doing this Ayasha realised just how much she missed drawing and this led to the evolution from colouring pages to comics and illustrations. 

So what inspires her designs? 

"food, puns, food puns and positivity"






 For her colouring pages, she draws inspiration from everyday objects and her comics are inspired by her personal experiences!
Aysha also works with themes and is currently finishing her 100 women series. Aysha was incredibly inspired by this series because she not only drew these fantastic women but she also researched each and every one of them. She fell in love with the idea of working on a project for a long period of time so in August she is starting another one! 100 Species to Save.






She also publishes a bi-weekly front page style comic entitled PUNchline inspired by brilliant puns. Aysha has also just started a new comic series entitled Alternate Reality which will be posted on her social media platforms in August.



Realistically Aysha wants to build up her fan base on social media and drive traffic to her website but the dream is to be able to turn Hue Hippo into a full-time project.

So what part of the business is Aysha most proud of?


"I've had a few people tell me they look forward to seeing my comics on their newsfeeds because it puts a smile on their face or because 'it's just what they needed to see today'. Some tell me about how my colouring pages have helped them unwind, I think these are words that Hue Hippo can be proud of."
Currently, Aysha's designs aren't for sale but you can download her colouring pages here for free.






Saturday 22 July 2017

Your New Destination for Gift Shopping: GIFTDO

To me, nothing is better than a personalised gift. The fact you have put the time and effort to make a gift personal to the recipient just goes to show how much they mean to you.

Now I love making gifts for my friends but I don't always have the time which is why I was so happy to find new website giftdo.co.uk  GIFTDO have teamed up with some of the UK's top gift suppliers to provide you with the perfect present for anyone!

Now when I say they have a gift for quite literally anyone I mean it. From personalised trinket boxes, glassware, and necklaces to tea sets and leather bracelets. Not only is it all beautiful but it is also affordable! At the time of writing this post, there is quite simply nothing over the price of £50 so no matter what your budget you are guaranteed to find something.

Not only do they do fantastic personalised gifts but, they also have a great range of generic presents. From a beard brush, unicorn makeup brushes and watches to cocktail sets, baking sets and books. I've even found a few things I might just have to get for myself.

Unlike many gift sites, GIFTDO offer free shipping on everything no matter how many items you buy! Now that is something I can really get behind!

So what are my picks? Why thank you for asking! Here are just some of my favourite items!

Personalised Light Bulb Cocktail Glass £15.99



This is the perfect gift for someone who is a fan of the quirky. Easily personalised with the recipients favourite drink or cocktail and a witty quip. I might just have to get a couple for me and my friends.

Personalised Rose Gold Trinket Box £19.99



This is the cutest piece of storage I have ever laid my eyes on! This would be the perfect addition to my hall way table to pop my keys and other bits in so I don't forget them on the way out!


Beard Care Set £14.00



The number gift for the bearded man in your life! Need I say much more?

So next time you are stuck finding the perfect gift for someone you love head over to GIFTDO!





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Thursday 20 July 2017

Liebster Award

So, first of all, a massive shout out to the fabulous Isabel at Boxes and Swatches for nominating my little blog for this fantastic award! You are AWESOME!

Now many of you must be thinking what the hell is a Liebster Award? Well, I said the same thing! The Liebster Award is a must do post for all bloggers. You will find all your favourite blogs will have been nominated at some point. The rules of this award are pretty simple!



You must acknowledge the fabulous blogger who nominated you.
You need to answer all 11 questions chosen by the nominating blogger.
You should then nominate 11 other bloggers.
Here is the fun bit! You get to choose 11 new questions to be answered!

So here are my answers!

What is your favourite book/s?

Now, this is a hard one! I read so much but I have managed to narrow it down to three! So if you know me you will know I am obsessed with Harry Potter. Now this next book was given to me by my mum when I was in my teens and it is called The Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes. Based after the war had finished, the British Navy was transporting an army of Australian brides to the UK where their British military husbands were waiting for them. War time Britain is a time in history I have always said I would want to go back to so falling in love with this book was so easy. I have probably read it at least ten times by now. The third and final favourite book is Me Before You by Celia Ahearn. I'm sure you have all watched the film but I promise you the book is just better (don't get me wrong I adore the film, it might just be my favourite) and had me in tears. So beautifully written Celia knows how to write a beautiful love story yet still talk about such a taboo subject in the most real and sensitive light. 

What song/track can you listen to over and over again and not get bored?

Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond of course! Not only is it a brilliant song but the memories I have connected to this song just bring a massive smile to my face everytime I hear it.

Do you remember the first blog you ever read? If so, which one?


Honestly, I can't remember.


Are you a spender or a saver?

Definitely a spender! It's a terrible thing but I can't help it!


Do you have a favourite magazine?


Now, I haven't read a magazine for quite a while but my favourite magazine as a teen was Bliss and I can remember the only reason I bought my first issue was that it came with a Punky Fish make up bag!

What is your favourite font?

I wouldn't say I have a favourite font per-say but I do love a good old fashion type writer style font!

What social network do you really hate/not get?

I must be the only person but Tumblr. Like I just don't get it which considering it is a blog site is ridiculous!

Do you have a pet? If so, tell us about them. If no, do you want one?

Now I don't have a pet, nor have I ever but I have always said I would like a pig. Not one of those silly micro pigs but a proper Gloucester Old Spot!

Do you prefer holidays somewhere hot or cold?

I've never actually been on holiday anywhere but the UK and they are neither hot or cold. I have always wanted to visit Iceland though so, for now, I will have to say cold!

What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

I'm terrible I hardly ever go to the cinema. The last time I went was for my birthday back in April with my awesome friend Cameron! Now we are both fans of anime (he is definitely a bigger fan than myself) so we went to see Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale. This was the first time I saw a subtitled film at the cinema. It was amazing!!!

If you could go back in time and give 16 year old you some advice, what would it be?

I have two pieces of advice for 16 year old me! The first is don't ever under any circumstances believe you aren't good enough. Don't listen to those who love to put you down. The second is in about two years time when the guy with a big nose asks you over for a movie day say no, you will save yourself from a life time of pain.

So now it is my turn to choose the questions!!! Here is what I came up with:

Are you part of a fandom and if so which one/s?
Does pineapple belong on pizza?
Why do you blog?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Where is the one place in the world you would like to travel to?
Who is your role model in life?
Who is your favourite author?
If you could be a Ben & Jerry's flavour what would you be and why?
What is your favourite fragrance?
High heels or sneakers?
What is your dream in life?

Here are my nominations!

Gemma at itsgemmaaarrr
Ashley at Ashely Legacy
Amie at Amie Holt
Lindsay at Latte Lindsay
Eps and Amy at Eps and Amy

Ok I know in the rules I said I was supposed to nominate 11 bloggers 8 is close enough!!!

I look forward to reading all of your answers and congratulations on your nomination!!!




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Wednesday 19 July 2017

The Story Behind The Business: Kristal Cave

Introducing Shannon the master mind behind online store Kristal Cave.

Shannon grew up surrounded by people who had a strong belief in the abilities of crystals. This is opened the door to her love for the spiritual. Because of this, she made the decision to attend spiritual classes where she learnt more about the healing abilities and properties of crystals.

Crystals are believed to help with the curing of ailments and protect against disease. Many people believe that crystals are conduits for healing by allowing positive energy to flow through the body eliminating the harmful energy.

After buying several crystals for personal use, Shannon decided to start selling them herself. Pretty soon she started incorporating them into jewellery designs. The aim of the store is to be able to open the door of crystal healing to everyone by making them affordable.

The next step in her business dream is to be able to stock handmade tarot cards, notebooks and larger crystals for your home. Again all of this will be sold at a reasonable price!

So what is the dream? Shannon would love for the business to grow and prosper but eventually, she would love to open a physical store where people can visit and get advice on crystals.

You can buy Shannons crystals on Depop and Etsy and connect with Shannon on Facebook, Instagram and by email.







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Tuesday 18 July 2017

My Weekend Away: Caerleon Arts Festival

This weekend I visited one of my best friends in Newport, Wales. 

I love a good local festival so I was super excited when he told me it was the Arts Festival in his village. I love walking around and looking at all of the beautiful things people have made. 
Now, I must apologise for the zero photos, but I have no confidence using my camera in public at present. 

There were so many great stalls selling jewellery, crystals and clothing, But, my favourite stall was the natural skin care made out of honey and beeswax, oils of olive and sweet almond. I am super poor at the moment so I didn't buy any but it is now on my wish list.

After looking around the market we went to listen to some of the live music they had on offer. So first of all, was a female duo who weren't anything to phone home about but the boys did like what they saw!
Now the second band were brilliant. The front man was absolutely bat shit crazy. He had the moves like Jagger and despite being Welsh, did a great rendition of the Proclaimers 500 Miles.! 
Now it wouldn't be a village festival without a rather awkward belly dancing routine. Imagine your nan and her best buddies in crop tops and jingling skirts. 

Now if you love a good village festival I would definitely recommend visiting next year!





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Sunday 16 July 2017

Sizzling Summer Market Night

Ok, so I will admit five posts in a row I must be going slightly crazy!!!! But this post is a little bit of a bonus one!!!
Today I am doing a little bit of a cheeky promo for what is set to be a pretty fantastic shopping event on Facebook. So as the title of this blog suggests the event is called Sizzling Summer Market Night and you can find it here. It is happening on the 23rd July at 7:30 pm BST.



Not only is this a chance for you to discover some brilliant brands and do some great shopping, but they also have a pretty awesome competition going on. You could win either a £10 gift voucher or one of two £5 gift vouchers to spend on the night!!! How awesome is that? To enter all you have to do is click that you are attending the event and share the pinned post. It couldn't be easier.



So who's taking part in this night of summer fun you may be asking? Well, here we go!!!

Now it's not all about the shopping, there will also be some fabulous freebies available. These include exclusive downloadable colouring pages by Hue Hippo, downloadable screen savers from Matt Miles Photography and personal Haiku poems that will be created and provided as a printable download. 

Now because giveaways are quite simply the best thing ever six of these fabulous businesses are holding an extra giveaway on Instagram. With six chances to win you can't go wrong all you have to go is follow one of the six brands on Instagram and look out for this picture! The brands are as follows:


Don't forget to have fun shopping on the 23rd July and let me know all the goodies you buy!!!











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Saturday 15 July 2017

I Built a Terrarium!!!

Ok I know four posts in a week plus a giveaway, I am spoiling you!!!

So this blog is inspired by Wednesdays post. After looking at so many brilliant terrariums by the fantastic Indoor Botanist I decided to give it a go myself. And I have to say I enjoyed it (even if I did get stabbed).

The hardest thing was finding the right container or vessel. But finally, I found a simple glass vase in TK Maxx for just £4.99. I also found a massive tank for just £20 that I would love to eventually create something awesome with.

So how did I make it? First of all, I poured in a layer of stones (£1 for a bag in B&M). I then added a layer of potting soil (£2.50 for a big bag from Wilko). Now, this is the tricky part, getting the cacti from the pots into the terrarium. As you can see from the photos I chose some particularly mean cacti. I ended up wrapping them in a tea towel and pushing them in with a spoon. Probably not the most conventional method. The cacti were actually super affordable (from £1 at Wilko). I then added a couple more stones to the top as decoration (and to support on of the cacti). And Pow you have a simple terrarium. Now, this is what I am most impressed with! I have finally started to get a hang of my camera so admire these beautiful photos!!!








As Always
Love Hayley Beth XXX




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Friday 14 July 2017

Birch Box July

Now I know I'm not a major girly girl or super into makeup. But I am obsessed with this month's BirchBox.

So, first of all, let's talk about the box. Now I never keep the box instead I recycle them and use my existing storage. But this month's box is so beautiful. Who doesn't love palm trees and a sunset!



Now onto the contents. So I never get any of the cool stuff like makeup brushes or hair brushes, but this month I got tangle teaser!!! My hair gets so knotty so this is absolutely brilliant! Now the excitement is over onto the rest of my goodies. This month every box had a Benefit lip and cheek tint. I received the Cha Cha Tint which is an orange sort of colour.
Now in this hot weather, we are all relying on our deodorant so much. So when I saw the Native Unearthed coconut & vanilla Natural Deodorant Balm. This stuff is so much better than your normal can. You apply it directly to your underarm and they smell like vanilla all day. Honestly, there is really no going back!!!
Every night I use micellar water. So when I saw the Balance Me Flash Cleanse Micellar water I was stoked. Containing camomille it will be a brilliant help when it comes to relaxing at the end of the day.
I'm currently struggling with super dry hair so I cannot wait to use Percy & Reed Perfectly Perfecting Wonder Overnight Recovery. So far nothing has worked but I live in hope.
Finally the last item I received a Kensie Eau De Parfum sample. It is a lovely floral scent that is perfect for the summer.






Now because I am just a really nice person I have a lovely referral code for Y'all. Just enter D4Z9G or click here and sign up today! You will not regret it!!!

Do you get a subscription box that you think I should try? Let me know in the comments!!!

As always
Love Hayley Beth XXX



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Thursday 13 July 2017

Anxiety Talks|Notebooks and Journals

Hello, my lovelies!!
Now I know I only posted a blog yesterday but this is gonna be a regular thing! I'm getting on this blogging stuff!!

So let's get down to it.

So the biggest way I filter all of my thoughts are writing. Writing in my journal is the only way I have been able to get through this past month. When I am really struggling with a certain something (don't really want to go into it right now) I write a letter. I tell him everything I am feeling and everything I want to tell him. As soon as the pen hits the paper I feel my worries and anxieties leave me.
I find I often cry as I write, but to me, this is just another form of release.

To me a journal also needs to represent you, you need to love it it is an extension of your mind. Because or this I always get the best. I love that new notebook smell so I buy notebooks all of the time. I am slightly obsessed.

So when two brilliant Notebook companies told be they were gonna send me some notebooks I might have done a little dance!!! A massive thank you to Noted in Style and Mount Street Printers for making this post possible. How beautiful are these books!







I also have a discount code for all of you guys. A brilliant company called Unique Planners have let me give you a fantastic 15% discount. Just use code HAYLEY15
Now if you like more contemporary notebooks check out The Bookery and make sure you use discount code HAYLEY15 for an awesome 15% discount.

I am also going to give one of you readers two of these amazing notebook!!! All you need to do is comment on this post!!! Giveaway ends on the 31st July 2017 at midday.

As Always
Love Hayley Beth XXX



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Wednesday 12 July 2017

The Story Behind The Business: The Indoor Botanist

Welcome to another look into the story behind a brilliant business. Introducing The Indoor Botanist.

Nigel had always had an interest in plants from a young age. as a teenager, he kept propagated house plants and even volunteered as a warden for a local nature reserve. Despite all of this he had never been much of a gardener.

The Indoor Botanist started as a profitable hobby. It wasn't until a visit to America that Nigel realised there was actually a market for them. Each terrarium is individual with each of them being inspired by life itself.  All it takes is a visit to the park and seeing a couple all loved up or a family walking in the hills, or just simply a bird perched on a bird table to kick off their creative juices. Sometimes they find interesting vessels which simply scream out an idea of their own - such was the case when they found a lampshade which They were then able to adjust to make into a 'vessel' which became known as "Rescue" 


Nigel and his wife love incorporating hand-crafted (and hand-painted) miniatures into the terrariums to tell a story or just to put a smile on someone's face. For example, the Star Wars and Thunderbirds themed terrariums They deliberately only use high-end miniatures, imported from either the USA (used in the 'contemporary' range) and Shiwan, China (the Chinese characters called Mudmen). These cost a lot, hence the price of some of the pieces are high - for example, it's not uncommon for a Mumna to cost us £20!!!

So what is the dream?  Nigel and his wife Bev aren't out to seek their millions, they just want to earn a comfortable living. One thing they would love to do is commission a piece for a well-known tourist attraction. Recently they were approached by a property developer to commission a large terrarium for a board room. The vessel itself cost a mere £6000. 

Now if you loved the look of these terrariums as much as me, you'll want to know how you can get your hands on one! Unfortunately, because of their delicate state terrariums, can't be sent via courier. Instead, you can often find them at fairs and events. Alternatively, they do offer a hand delivery service within 30 miles or they are on occasion happy to meet you half way. The Indoor Botanist recently moved over to a new e-commerce provider making it easier for you to make a purchase. Check out their website here and make sure you read their blog post on the importance of plants within the workplace!




Do you run a brilliant business with an amazing story? I want to hear from you!! If you would like to be featured on The Story Behind The Business email me today!!!


As Always 
Love Hayley Beth XXX


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