118. November Favourites

Hello lovelies! I hope you've had a fabulous month. This may be my personal favourite monthly favourites yet because it's been a very exciting month as I've literally been waiting years for some of the things mentioned in this post! There's a bit of a theme this month as several people I love have made me super proud this month and I've cried a fair bit with happiness in all honesty.

1) Adele - 25. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you will be aware of Adele's highly anticipated return. Quite a few of my tears this month are because of this lady who is beautiful both inside and out. 25 has been described by Adele as a make up record whereas 21 was a break up record but that doesn't mean that 25 is not full of raw emotion and tear jerking songs. My top three tracks off the record are I Miss You, When We Were Young and Million Years Ago. I love the nostalgic feel of both Million Years Ago and When We Were Young but I Miss You is my absolute favourite because the instrumental is perfect as the drums and the backing singers just add to the dramatic lyrics. For those of you who watched the BBC One show on the evening of the album's release date will know the story behind Million Years Ago and it just shows how down to Earth and genuine Adele is and how she's not let all her success change her as a person. My favourite part of the show was when Adele surprised her impressionists, she's just so lovely and funny. Adele's my favourite artist and I was lucky enough to see her with my friend, Lauren, at the Manchester Apollo in 2011 and we were literally next to the stage. She waved at us and I almost died with happiness. Lauren and I also met one of Adele's support acts, the Grammy Award winning Civil Wars. This week, she announced that she's going on tour next year, how exciting?!

2. Sir David Attenborough narrating Adele's music video for Hello. If for some absurd reason, you don't like Adele then you might as well skip my second favourite too because this video is the best thing since sliced bread, it contains two people who I adore. Please watch it, you won't be disappointed, trust me. I can't get over "The Lesser Spotted Adele". I sincerely hope that both Adele and Sir David Attenborough are immortal because the world won't be the same without them both.

3. Heidi. This month, we welcomed a new member to our family...

Yes, I've finally bought my first car and I am just so happy and grateful, alhamdulillah! We are quite lucky with the public transport links in Manchester but it's still far from perfect and especially in this weather, I like being in the warming presence of Heidi :') She's a Ford Focus Zetec/Titanium hybrid for anyone interested.

4. Chris (Simpsons Artist) - Motivational Quotes to Help You to be More Positive. I have followed Chris and his wonderful artwork and unforgettable stories on social media but to have something physical is brilliant. This book does exactly what it says and is like no other book. I highly recommend it as a Christmas present as it will definitely make your loved one laugh and smile which is all you can ask of a present.

5. Great Britain winning the Davis Cup - Regular readers will be aware of just how big an Andy Murray fan I am which is why it comes as no surprise just how proud I am of him, Jamie and the rest of the team for winning the Davis Cup for Great Britain after 79 years today. He's made history yet again and it's the perfect way to end such a wonderful year for Andy during which he got married and announced that he is becoming a father! Actions speak louder than words and the quality of tennis Andy has played over the past three days  and in fact, for the past decade, should silence critics such as David Lloyd. Well done and massive congratulations to Team GB! 

6. Paperchase foldaway shopper - Last month, a 5p bag charge was introduced in England so me being my super organised self decided to invest in a small foldaway shopping bag that I can keep in my handbag at all times. I don't mind paying 5p for a bag but as a biologist, I know just how damaging plastic bags can be to marine species. This bag was £4.50 but it is well made, folds up very small and has a handy hook so you can attach it to your bag or keys and never forget it. When I'm using the bag, I attach the pouch to it so I don't lose it. As it is a waterproof material, it's great in this awful weather and I like the psychedelic floral pattern too.

7. Next Suede Slippers - My feet are always so cold during winter so I treated myself to a new pair of slippers this month. I love wearing burgundy and these are as warm and cosy as they look. They have a strong sole with a good grip like outdoor shoes so you won't slip and they won't get ruined if you do have to nip outside in them. They are available in lots of colours so I've included a link to them. If you are thinking of buying these then I would say go a size up, I'm usually a size 6 in Next footwear but went for a 7 in these.

8. Accessorize Stacking Rings - I love wearing rings but one ring won't do and in summer, I bought a set of rings from Accessorize but wanted some new ones as I got bored of them. I admit I went a bit crazy and ended up buying three sets because they were just so nice and would go with pretty much any outfit as I opted for a silver set, a gold set and one with lots of different coloured gemstones.

Silver stacking ring set 

Gold stacking ring set

Gemstone stacking ring set

9. Twinings Salted Caramel Tea - Salted caramel is one of my favourite flavours so I was super excited when I spotted this in Tesco and just had to try it. This smells absolutely divine and you can drink it without feeling guilty. It is perfect for this time of year! I made one of my colleagues a cup of this and she loved it too.

10. Meha Art and Design Manchester coaster - Fellow Mancunians and those of you who have been lucky enough to visit Manchester around Christmas will be familiar with the wonderful German markets that are here every year. I was after a nice coaster for my desk at work and this Manchester themed one seemed fitting for the Mancunian Sheep. As I mentioned in my previous post (which you can read here), I love supporting independent retailers which is why I will include the links for the artist who has designed this gorgeous coaster. I love the pops of colour and the intricate detailing of some of Manchester's best known landmarks like Malmaison. Meha's stall is just opposite the H&M on Market St and she's so lovely, definitely worth visiting her stall if you're after a unique Christmas present or treat for yourself.

You can find Meha Art on the following: Facebook, Twitter and etsy.

11. Peep Show - My television favourite this month has to be Peep Show. The similarities between myself and Mark are scary and I'm gutted that this series will be the last one however, I can see why they'd rather end the show on a high just like Miranda did around this time last year. At least there are nine series that fans of the show can binge watch to get their fix of Mark, Jez and SuperHans. My favourite scene of the series so far has to be Sober Hans' juicing stag do.

I hope you've enjoyed this post. Let me know what your favourite song is on 25! Hope December is best month of 2015 for you all. 

Until next time, take care.
Love,
Mancunian Sheep x

116. October Favourites

Hello everyone and Happy November!  Hope those of you who celebrate Halloween had a fabulous time yesterday whether you were out trick or treating or attending a party! I'm pretty sure I say this at the start of every monthly favourites post but I can't believe how quickly the last month has gone by. At work, we've already decided on the venue for the Christmas lunch, it's insane just how close we are to the festive period once again. I can't wait for Christmas this year as it will be the first time in six years that I won't be revising for January exams during the Christmas break (sorry to rub it in to anyone studying for A-levels or a degree) but hold your horses, we still have November and most of December to get through first! Here's what I loved in October:

1. Barry M Gelly Nail Polish in Chai - My love for neutral nail polish shades continued from September and I've been loving this grey shade from Barry M. This is probably the first grey nail polish I've worn as far as I can remember and I love how versatile it is. As for the formula, I wouldn't say the Gelly range is more shiny than the standard Barry M nail polish.

2. Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Balm - Every winter, I like to have a new lip balm. Last year, I used Lush's Lip Service but because it was in a tin, I decided to go for one in a tube this year. This has a very subtle vanilla scent much like the Nivea original blue lip balm and it has good staying power, I only top this up once during the day. This has SPF 20 too so is great for all year round.

3. Ted Baker Kassady Leather Crystal Bobble Matinee Purse - After over two and a half wonderful years, my Cath Kidston button spot folded zip wallet broke (R.I.P) :'( I fancied a change so decided to go for Ted Baker because their purses are real leather and I just love their vibrant colours and patterns. I went for bright pink so it's easy to spot in my bag. I love how it has card compartments on different parts of the purse so I keep my four most used cards at the front. This purse also has an ID window where I usually keep my staff card. The rose gold hardware and monochrome pattern compliment the bright pink and tone it down.

4. Schuh Wonder flats - I wanted some new flats for work which weren't Chelsea boots so decided to go for these lace ups. A lot of you may not know this but if you write a review for the Schuh website, they reward you with a 15% discount which lasts for 90 days. I reviewed my Crocs sandals a few weeks ago so thought I may as well use my discount code on these. What attracted me to these was the white sole and the tan detailing. Also, as they are real leather at a mere £55, you can't go wrong. I've worn these most days since purchasing them. Honestly, whenever I buy a pair of shoes from Schuh, I wear them so much.

5) George Animal Print Socks- My Mum and I were in Asda and I spotted these and they were so adorable that I just had to get them. The colours are gorgeous and the animals are so cute, my personal favourites are the robin and polar bear so I'm saving them for Christmas. Unfortunately, they don't seem to be on the George website so I'm unable to include a link but check in your local store if you want some. I've worn the fox ones so far #foxsox

6. Icestone Gelato, Oxford Road, Manchester - So a new dessert place has opened near work which is great news as most of my friends, colleagues and I have a very sweet tooth. Two of my colleagues and I went to Icestone Gelato for lunch I kid you not (yes, just to reiterate, we had dessert for lunch and no main in sight). My colleagues and I all had banana in our desserts so at least we got one of our five a day, teehee. I went for the banoffee cookie dough and one of my colleagues went for a banoffee and Nutella waffle. My other colleague decided on a crepe with strawberry, banana and cookies and cream gelato. Their gelato flavours sound amazing, they have everything from Jaffa Cake to Bounty so there's something for everyone. I can't wait to try them all next summer!

7. The Apprentice Honest Subtitles - Have any of you been watching The Apprentice? I am so disappointed with the girls this year, they all spend most of their time bickering instead of paying attention to the task. I miss Nick but love Claude as he's so brutal. After each episode, there's a short video uploaded onto BBC iPlayer with the highlights and honest subtitles and it's so funny.  My favourite moments of the series so far have been the guy who was trying to sell fish to a vegan café and the guy who was fired in week one who suggested "Sugar Babes" as the team name. In the honest subtitles for episode 1, when the secretary answers the phone, the subtitles are "You can go through to get shouted at now". Watch all the Honest Subtitles here.

8. Everyday Sexism by Laura Bates - This is the first piece of feminist literature I've read and it certainly won't be the last. Many of you will be familiar with The Everyday Sexism Project which was quite prominent on social media during 2012 and 2013. It is a website set up by Laura Bates that allows women and girls from all over the world to submit their experiences of you guessed it, everyday sexism. Bates has gone onto write this book and it was a fantastic read. What I loved about this book was how the different chapters focused on a particular oppressed group in society, examples of chapters include Women in Politics, Double Discrimination and Women in the Media. Each chapter starts with vital statistics, for example, did you know that the UK parliament comes 57th in the world for gender equality? For a developed country, that's awful. Laura also includes a chapter about the difficulties men face in society and I think that was a brilliant idea.

I am a feminist and I'm incredibly passionate about encouraging more young women to study STEM subjects and work in those areas too, however, gender equality has to work both ways. Men need to feel comfortable in society so they are able to seek help for eating disorders, domestic abuse and suicidal thoughts. 

I give Everyday Sexism 5/5 for taking a hollistic approach to sexism and also using statistics to back up the points made. It's a great introductory read for anybody looking into reading more feminist literature like myself.

9. Bridget Jones' Diary - I am a massive Colin Firth fan, I don't think it's possible for a film to be bad if he's starring in it. Surprisingly, I've never seen Bridget Jones' Diary from start to finish (shameful I know) and after seeing some scenes on Gogglebox, I watched it last weekend. I love British rom coms from the early noughties like this, Wimbledon and About a Boy but obviously I was too young to watch them when they were released initially. *SPOILER ALERT* Bridget and her friends are just so lovable and it was great seeing a few other familiar faces including Celia Imrie, Jim Broadbent and Sally Phillips. I'm so happy Bridget and Darcy end up together because Daniel's a lying cheat and I can't believe he blamed Darcy for being unfaithful when it was him all along. My favourite scenes are when Bridget and Darcy prepare her birthday meal together (blue soup, yum yum) and when she runs after him in the snow at the end.

I had to give this 5/5 as it is such a classic and has become one of my all time favourites. The above picture includes my favourite quote and I really must read the books soon. 

10. Paddington -  Paddington and I have quite a bit in common, we both love marmalade and own a blue duffle coat. Colin Firth was originally cast to play this iconic lovable bear but the film's release was delayed and Ben Whishaw ended up taking on the title role and he did a marvellous job. *SPOILER ALERT* After an earthquake in darkest Peru in which Paddington's Uncle Pastuzo unfortunately dies, Paddington's Aunt Lucy sends him to England after she moves into the Home for Retired Bears. Explorer Montgeomery Clyde visited Pastuzo and Lucy long before Paddington was even born and they told him all about Peru and in return, he taught them all about British culture after he realised that the bears could speak English. The Brown family spot the eponymous bear at Paddington Station but Mr Brown is determined for Paddington to move out. Mr Brown isn't the only one Paddington needs to worry about because a Cruella de Vil-esque taxidermist is after poor Paddy. Mrs Brown and their children are much more welcoming of Paddington and want to help him find Montgomery.

My favourite scenes were when Paddington wreaks havoc in the Browns' bathroom and when he carries a random dog down the escalator after taking a health and safety sign literally. Although this film is aimed more at children, it's a fantastic film for the whole family to enjoy and laugh at. I love marmalade and how quintessentially British Paddington is so I have to give this 5/5 too. 

Phew, well done if you made it to the end of this post, have a great November. I have

a couple of exciting posts planned for this month so see you soon. 

Until next time, take care.

Love,

Mancunian Sheep x

113. September Favourites

Hello everyone, I hope you're well. Apologies for not posting much these past few weeks, I started work in mid-August and have been ill so haven't had much time to blog. I would like to wish all my Muslim readers a belated Eid Mubarak, hope you all had a lovely day. 

Autumn seemed like it was here but now we're getting an Indian summer, not that I'm complaining. I've not been out to enjoy the sunshine this weekend as I'm being a sloth in bed because  I am working for the next two Saturdays. Also, I've not been getting much sleep for the past few days as I keep having coughing fits (yes, I've had Freshers' Flu for the 4th consecutive year). 

This month's favourites are diverse even for me but there is an autumnal feel to a few of them and two others link together as well. Instead of keeping you in suspense, I shall get on with sharing my September favourites with you all. 

1. H&M maroon tote bag - I have been on the hunt for a maroon/burgundy bag for the past 2 autumns and Accessorize didn't have any that I liked but I spotted this one in H&M whilst casually browsing and at £14.99, it was a complete bargain so I had to get it. 

It is generously sized and has a main zip so I was very impressed considering the price. On the interior, there is a small zip compartment for your keys, phone etc. Also, there are two other open compartments that I put pens in. The bag is available in other colours and you can find out more here.

2. Nails Inc Jermyn Street - I've actually had this nail polish for over 2 years and it is still in great condition. Regular readers know that I love nail polish and don't get me wrong, I love my bright and pastel colours but I've been really enjoying Jermyn Street this month as a more neutral shade. In my opinion, it is a combination of mauve and taupe and co-ordinates well with my new bag. 

I am wearing just one coat of Jermyn Street in these photos, you can see just how brilliant the Nails Inc formula was. I'm yet to purchase any of the new Nails Inc. products since the brand's overhaul last year but may well treat myself to Alexa Chung's collection.

3. John Frieda Frizz-Ease Secret Agent Touch Up Crème - My other beauty favourite this month is a hair product which I have needed for years but only found this month. I have thick hair and there are quite a few baby hairs around my face which annoy me as flyaways. This is the first item I've found to tame them to give a sleek but not greasy finish. It smells gorgeous too. Massage a small amount into your palms and apply it where required on dry hair.  You can find out more about it here. 

4. Simpsons Pictures That I Gone and Done mug - For those of you who have heard of Chris (Simpsons Artist), you will know just how much joy he brings to the lives of many. If you haven't heard of Chris then you are seriously missing out and can read his amazing stories and look at his incredible artwork here. I bought a t-shirt from Chris three years ago and have also pre-ordered his book. I have far too many mugs as it is but just had to get this because of the brilliant quote on it which I couldn't agree more with.

5. My fifth favourite links to my previous and that is Carte Noire instant coffee. Now, I used to drink a lot of coffee (what student doesn't?) and then for the past year, I stopped but I do occasionally have it. We have a cafetière but sometimes you just want instant coffee in the morning when you don't have the time to wash all the components of a cafetière. I used to love Asda Extra Special Brazillian Instant Coffee but they stopped doing it over a year ago so I bought Kenco Millicano instead but since buying a new pack, I've found that the coffee granules will not dissolve. I picked up Carte Noire because I don't like Nescafe or the other Kenco instant varieties and it is lovely. It has a strong, rich flavour and the granules dissolve, hoorah!

6. Imperial Leather Rock Pool Hand Wash - We've been using the Imperial Leather Spring Meadown Hand Wash in the kitchen and bathroom for the past year and I was absolutely sick of the scent so decided to order this in our weekly grocery shop and it smells incredible. It smells so fresh and reminds me of an aftershave although I'm not sure which one. I like the blue colour too as it goes with the blue and white colour scheme in our bathroom.

7. Danny and the Human Zoo - This was screened initially on Bank Holiday Monday in August but as I had work the next morning, I watched it on iPlayer a few days later. It is roughly based on comedian Sir Lenny Henry's childhood and teenage years. There were a few familiar faces from the Harry Potter films including Evanna Lynch who was Danny's girlfriend and also James and Oliver Phelps which was of course an added bonus for a Potterhead like myself. Sir Lenny himself played Danny's father. The programme showed the racism and bullying encountered by Lenny in 1970s Dudley. Unfortunately, the lack of BME comedians and performers in the UK even today is a real concern. Although it was 90 minutes long, I'm gutted that it isn't a series. The programme is available on iPlayer until Wednesday here.

8. First Dates - I'm so happy that there are finally a few good shows to watch on television with Gogglebox, GBBO, First Dates and also, The Apprentice which is starting soon. For those of you have never heard of/watched First Dates, it is a Channel 4 show which takes place in a restaurant and we follow 4-5 real first dates per episode as the title suggests. The people are paired up based on similar interests when they apply to be on the show but have never seen one another before entering the restaurant. There have been some real characters on the show including a couple who both loved Cheese Balls which was hilarious. Occasionally, a person may come back to the restaurant for a second date with a new person if the first one was a total disaster such as a really sweet guy who was so nervous that he kept stammering during his first date which was full of awkward silences. There have been 3 episodes screened so far this series and you can catch up on All 4 (no idea why they changed the name from 4OD because everyone still calls it that) here.

9. Andreya Triana - Gold - I first heard this song in Asda back in June and since then, I've been trying to find out who sings it and what it was called. This week, BBC One released a new autumn trailer and it was used as the background music and after a quick Google of the lyrics, I found it! It is so catchy and I'm looking forward to hearing more from Andreya who has a beautiful voice. For the record, it is about as far from Spandau Ballet's Gold as you could possibly get.

Enjoy the last few days of September and for everyone who went back to school/college/university this month, best of luck for the new academic year! To Class of 2015 graduates like myself, good luck to those of you starting new jobs. I will try my very best to post before my October favourites, see you all soon!

Until next time, take care.
Love,
Mancunian Sheep x

108. July Favourites

Hello everyone, it's monthly favourites time and I have everything from a shop to a candle that I've been loving this month.

1) Dettol mould spray - If you have read The Life of a Mancunian Sheep for a long time then you may remember my favourite cleaning products post from 2013. This is the best bathroom cleaner I've come across. It has left our tiles and shower unit sparkling white and the best thing about it is that you don't even have to scrub. Simply spray on and rinse off. I leave it overnight but if the strong smell of bleach gets too much for you then rinse off after 5-10 minutes. I actually bought 3 bottles of this in a pack off Amazon, it's that good!

2) Primark ankle high socks - Even in summer, I just have to wear socks (unless I am wearing sandals or flip flops) and these are perfect because they are a nude colour so they don't look weird with flats. You get 5 pairs for £1.50 and although they only last one or two washes before they get holes in the toes, you can't really complain at that price. I wouldn't mind buying some that are of a better quality but I haven't found any in M&S which is where I buy socks from usually. Other shops do have the ones that are like shoe liners but I'm worried that they won't stay on and that you'll be able to see the top of them on your ankle.

3) Vanilla Frosting Yankee Candle - Up until a couple of years ago, I hated candles (I know, how could I?) because I just found them boring and pointless (unless they were birthday cake candles, I've always loved cake) but now, I love them. I haven't actually had the time to bake since my bake sale for Parkinson's Awareness Week back in April but this candle fills the house with the scent of freshly baked cake.

4) Paperchase - Paperchase is one of my favourite shops because they have the most gorgeous stationery with really cute and pretty floral patterns. I've taken countless trips to my local store this month because I've needed to buy lots of cards for birthdays, graduation and also my stationery for work. I've been using an academic diary but now that I've finished education, I've bought an 18 month Moleskine planner so that it sees me through until the end of 2016. It comes with really handy stickers for work and play commitments. I also bought a couple of notebooks for myself, I'm using the floral one as a diary that I've been keeping since I turned 21.

Paperchase have recently brought out their Treat Me card which is fabulous because you get 15% off with your first purchase after registering your card and you also get a £5 voucher as a birthday treat. My local store has a cafe too and you can get a free hot drink from there but as it was Ramadan, I didn't bother. You can find out more here: https://www.paperchase.co.uk/treat-me-info

5) Gardening - Gardening has been one of my favourite hobbies for as long as I can remember. I used to have my own vegetable patch even when I was a toddler and used to help my parents by planting carrots, peas, beans and tomatoes. Unfortunately, I've had to place my green fingers on the back burner for the past 5 years due to A-levels and university but this month, I took a trip to B&Q and HomeSense and have had lots of fun gardening again. I've planted petunias, fuschias, pumpkins and courgettes amongst other things. I last planted marrows in 2010 after finishing my GCSEs and they were massive so watch this space for the pumpkins and courgettes!

6) Films - I've watched a few films since Ramadhan finished last week so have included two in my favourites. One is a recent release and the other is a film that I wanted to watch but didn't have time to because of university.

a) Ant Man - So my Marvel obsession continues into July. Don't worry I'm not going to watch this 3 times like I did with Age of Ultron (she says now). Quite a few people are skeptical of an ant sized superhero but I knew Marvel would deliver. Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly are all brilliant but my favourite character was Luis who is played by Michael Peña, his storytelling is hilarious. Evangeline Lilly looks so much like Cobie Smulders in Ant Man that I had to ask my friend Alex what Maria Hill was doing in this film. The story is a heart warming one as Ant Man is very much Marvel's answer to Robin Hood. I love the relationship Ant Man has with one of the ants, Antony and also with his daughter, Cassie. I strongly recommend that you go and watch this unless you suffer from myrmecophobia. There was a scene with a gigantic (relative to Ant Man) rat and I almost died. 

Rating 5/5: 

b) Love, Rosie - I love Lily Collins and Sam Claflin after watching her in Stuck in Love last month and him in The Hunger Games films so decided to give this a watch earlier this week. Rosie (Lily) and Alex (Sam) have been best friends since they were children and are practically joined at the hip until they're 18 when Alex decides to apply to Harvard to study medicine and encourages Rosie to apply to Boston to study hotel management. They are both accepted but unfortunately, something big happens to Rosie which prevents her from joining Alex in America. She's left behind and their lives become very different to one another so they drift apart and each time they try and become close to one another again, someone else is involved romantically with one of them. 

Although it is quite a predictable will they, won't they? chick flick, Lily and Sam's acting and on screen chemistry is undeniably brilliant. They are best friends and I guess that's what your spouse should be because best friends love each other no matter what. 

Aside from Alex and Rosie, my other favourite character was Ruby (Jaime Winstone) who is Rosie's best friend after they meet in a very unlikely place (I can't say anymore about Ruby without giving a massive spoiler away). Ruby is very straight talking and a great friend to Rosie. Suki Waterhouse is also in the film and she really isn't a very convincing actress, later on in the film, her character becomes a model so I guess she didn't have to act. I really liked the two lead characters and the storyline is quite cute but the number of predictable twists was getting a bit ridiculous:

Rating 3/5: 

7) Jess Glynne - Hold My Hand. I love Jess' voice and have done so since hearing her on Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" and Route 94's "My Love" last year. I'm obsessed with this song and have had it on repeat this past week. My favourite lyric is: "Break my bones but you won't see me fall". 

What's been your favourite film, song and shop this month?

Until next time, take care.
Love,
Mancunian Sheep x