It's been a good start to the week!

Hey lovely people! 

So it's Monday morning and instead of the usual Monday blues I normally suffer from, I made a conscientious effort to get into the proper frame of mind and get some exercise done. 

Before I done that though, I drank a little pro-biotic yoghurt drink. Now I know there's a lot of people who don't see the benefits in these drinks, but I suffer from Immune Deficiency and I often take antibiotics which strip my body of any good bacteria already there. Therefore these little drinks are great for keeping my good bacteria all topped up. 

So after that my cousin and I headed to our local leisure centre and went for a swim. It is my absolute favourite exercise, not only because it's low impact but also because I am (for some weird reason) a really strong swimmer. It's something I done a lot as a child and I think it's really been beneficial to me as an adult. Anyway, my cousin and I had lots to chat about and before I knew it we had swam up and down the pool for a solid hour without stopping. 

I'm telling you... The minute I stepped out that pool my legs felt like jelly! It's amazing how you don't really feel the effects of the exercise you're actually putting your body through when you're in the pool. That's why I love it. It is such a low impact sport, which is kinda perfect for people like me with sore joints that often prohibit me from doing regular workouts or even walking long distances. 

When I came home I logged my activity on my weight watchers tracker and couldn't believe that my exercise had amounted to 25 pro points! Now, I don't intend on using these extra points... but how amazing is that? For a 1 hour swim! AMAZING! 

Now is it just me, or does anybody else ever feel absolutely famished after swimming? My stomach is always growling when I come out the pool and this is where you have to be careful. Any other time I would quite happily go home and have a cheese and ham sandwich with mayo, a wee coffee and chocolate cake to congratulate myself on my swim... LOL! Not this time!!! I came home and had a banana and raspberry smoothie with a bowl of porridge. It was delish! :)

So it's now half past 1 in the afternoon and I'm feeling a little bit peckish so I am going to have some cous cous with spinach... and my mouth is literally watering at the thought of it. :)

I hope you all have a fabulous day lovelies. And remember... If you are undertaking a new diet or fitness plan in your own lives YOU CAN DO IT!!! :) Always think positive and PLAN PLAN PLAN your meals. It is the best advice I have ever been given!

Take care lovelies. 

xxx

May Instagram Photo Challenge

Hey lovely people,

So it is now June!!! Does that mean it's summer??? I don't know... I always associate the month of June with being the start of the summer... and it's my favourite month of the year because it's my birthday month! :) Yayyyyy!

So anyway, this past month of May I took part once again in an Instagram photo challenge brought to us once again by the fab Alice at www.supergorgeous.co.uk. She has a fabulous little beauty blog so get yourself over there and check her out... and follow her twitter and instagram too. :)

But anyway, I took part in my 2nd monthly photo challenge and I've got to say, not only has it been fun taking my pics, but it has been super great to discover all of these fab new instagrammers to follow. I'm a big fan of pretty images and my newsfeed is literally now absolutely jampacked with amazing photographs ranging from fashion to flowers, makeup to food, landscapes to animals. :D It is just my absolute favourite place to be now, and I have fallen away from most of my other social sites because of how much I am enjoying Instagram. If you think I would enjoy your page then by all means let me know! :D

So anyway, here are my submissions in their entirety for May:

So if you want to partake in this months challenge then please get yourself over to Instagram and follow the founder of this specific challenge, the lovely +Alice M (Alice from Supergorgeous)... and while you're over there give me a little follow on Instagram - my username is @onceuponapic_danni. :)

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wishlist - Feeling All Nautical!

Hey lovely people!

Happy Monday to you all. I have had a busy morning cleaning up what can only be described as a nuclear blast that specifically hit my kitchen over the weekend. Why is it that when I cook dinners, the kitchen is left at least relatively clean and organised, but when my husband so much as makes a slice of toast, it's left looking like a bulldozer has just crashed through the walls!!! It's honestly unbelievable... and baffles me no end. 

Anyway, went off on a tangent there. Today's post is another of my wishlists. I've been trying to figure out what to wear to an up and coming family event, and this particular mood-board is my latest inspiration. 

1.  Navy Maxi Dress - Your's Clothing - £38
2. Espadrille Wedge Shoes - Simply Be - £35
3. White Structured Tote Bag - Your's Clothing - £16
4. Michael Kors Sunglasses - Simply Be - £87
5. Marc Jacobs Daisy - Simply Be - £74
6. Droplet Earrings - Your's Clothing - £5
7. Charm Stretch Bracelet - Simply Be - £11
8. Long Red Bubble Necklace - Simply Be - £15
9. Ciate Nail Polish - ASOS - £7

I'm really loving this combination of colours at the moment, and the dress in particular because it is a navy blue as opposed to a lighter shade, will still cover all the lumps and bumps and flatter my fuller figure.

So what do you think? Are you enjoying this particular trend at the moment like me? Do you think I would be better trying something a bit different... i.e. pastels or more neutral tones? Let me know your opinions. 

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wish List - All Things Ebay

Hey lovely people!

So it's Monday and it's time to share with you, a small selection of some of the many... many things I currently want in my life.

This weeks post is brought to you via the fantastic little world that is Ebay. Now I know a lot of people maybe don't like shopping on Ebay or don't trust using the site, but there are so many safeguards with PayPal, that it just hasn't ever been an issue for me. 

So this wish list is a mix of all of the little accessories etc, under £20 each, that are currently sitting in my shopping basket. 

1.Rectangle Clutch Bag - £15

2.Flower Iphone 4s Case - £0.99

3.Pair Of Bookends - £19.99

4.Beautiful Statement Collar Necklace - £8.59

5.French Glass Bottles with Cork Stopper - £7.50

6.Green Patent Flat Pumps - £11.99

7.Acrylic Makeup Organiser - £19.99

These are just some of my fabulous little finds on Ebay. I could honestly shop on there for hours... it literally has everything you could possibly want... most of the time at a cheaper price and in my case, always received without a hitch. So do yourself a favour, give Ebay a visit and grab yourself a bargain!

Take care lovelies. x

April Photo Challenge - Day 7 - "...Metallic..."

Hey my lovelies!

I just wanted to share my April Photo Challenge submission for today. The theme, as shown above, is Metallic. This was a hard one for me, as I generally don't own a lot of metal jewellery or metallic products in general, so I had to rake through all of my makeup & jewellery collection and came up with the following image...

Ok so from right to left you can see my eyelash curler, tweezers, a Sally Hansen HD Metallic nail polish, my little metal compact mirror, my MUA Lipstick & my Benefit Concealer, Blending & Angle brushes, as well as a little metallic & crystal bracelet draped over my LOVE bookend.

Hope you all like it! :D I'll be back tomorrow with another "Snap Happy" post, as well as tomorrows photo challenge post which concerns all things "Spots & Dots"!!!

Take care lovelies. x

Style Inspiration - Spring Parties & Events

Hey lovely people!

So instead of doing my usual Monday wishlist post I decided to talk a bit about how to get ready for events & nights out during Spring. This is something that I've recently been giving a lot of thought to as I have a relatively big family and with that comes family events. So, I've been doing my research and trying to figure out what I'm going to wear, how I'm going to style my hair, and what kind of look I want to go for with my makeup. On that note, I thought I would share a few of my style options with you.

So I loved the idea of having an earthy, nude base to the whole look, topping it off with a gorgeous pastel mint pop of colour. I love the slight hint of colour in the eyeshadow and the nude lips are perfect for this type of look. It just screams fresh spring style to me and is definitely the kind of look that would be perfect for a afternoon event.

I think this kind of look is perfect for transitioning from day to night. The bright pops of fuchsia & baby pink provide a great, fun daytime look along with the accompaniment of black in the rest of the dress and in the shoes & bag, it means it's a look that can easily transform from laid-back casual garden party to disco dancing the night away. Forgive me for including the Chanel bag... I couldn't resist it's beauty and it literally had a magnetic pull! :) Obviously I would have to settle for a dupe... or sweet talk my hubby... Lol! But you get my point. 

So that's my 2 easy breezy looks covering day to night of Spring parties and events! Super pretty... really easy... and totally Spring inspired! :)

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wish List - Flower Power

Hey there lovely people!

It's Monday and that means it's Wish List time! :) This weeks post has been inspired by Spring and all the beautiful flowers beginning to bloom.

I have collated all of my favourite Floral items from my fave Plus Size shop Yours Clothing, as well as Simply Be and a new find Pink Clove.

Yours Clothing

1. Black & Multi Coloured Floral Crochet Trim Maxi Dress - £35

2. Black & Red Floral Print Scooped Frill Chiffon Tunic - £28

3. Black & Pink Tropical Floral Skater Dress With Patent Belt - £35

4. White & Blue Longline Floral Blouse With 3/4 Sleeves - £23

5. Grey & Pink Floral Print Jumper With Dipped Hem - £19

6. Grey & Black Floral Lace Print Leggings - £15

7. Black & White Daisy Print Palazzo Trousers - £22

8. Red & Grey Printed Peep Toe Cork Wedge Sandals - £22

9. Blue & Brown Printed Peep Toe Cork Wedge Sandals - £22

10. Turquoise Bright Floral Print Shopper Bag - £8

Simply Be

1. Woven Front Printed Shell Top - £35

2. Grazia Print Front Jersey Top - £30

3. Print Peter Pan Collar Shell Top - £30

4. Floral Print Shirt With Dipped Hem - £25

5. AX Paris Black Floral Maxi Dress - £65

6. Koko Multi Floral Print Dress - £45

7. Claire Richards Print Prom Dress - £90

8. Joe Browns Stand Up Fleur Yourself Jeans - £40

9. Strawberry Floral Wedges With Bow - £20

10. Naturalize Linore Casual Sandals - £66

11. Nica Printed Hollie Large Satchel - £59

12. Nica Printed Christine Weekender - £65

Pink Clove

1. Floral Print Kimono - £28

2. Woven Front Floral Print Sweat - £18

3. Floral  & Check Print Vest - £14

4. Woven Front Rose Printed Top With Studded Neckline - £6

5. Neutral Floral Print Wrap Dress - £28

6. Bold Bloom Skater Dress - £26

7. Floral Spot Belted Skater Dress - £27

8. Pencil Skirt With Floral Print Panel - £14

9. Tropical Floral Peg Leg Trousers - £25

10. Floral Print Wide Leg Trousers - £7.20

Florals were also heavily featured in this months Cosmopolitan, with the fabulous fashion editors describing the trend as "A smattering of petals - from ditsy florals to bold prints..." as well as being one of the main themes at this seasons London Fashion Week, with designers such as John Rocha and Temperley London showcasing their pastel florals and Spring blossoms.

So why not bag yourself a new piece and jump on the "Flower Power" bandwagon. It's a sure-fire way to get on trend and into the Spring fling state of mind. 

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wish List - True Blue Inspiration - Part 2

Hey lovely people!

Well I just couldn't resist adding another few items to my Wish List and I thought that because there were still blue pieces included, that I would just share them with you and include them as part of today's post.

So this is another Yours Clothing selection, again for Spring... but with a little edginess. 

Black Biker Boot With Double Buckle And Zip - £38

Black Biker Jacket With Zip Details - £50

Black Ponte PU Panel Stretch Full Length Legging - £18

Blue Dobby Military Style Blouse With Dipped Hem - £23

Black Leather Look Studded Shopper Bag - £16

Black Sunglasses With Silver Rhinestone Detail - £4

I absolutely love this edgy look this season - with that bright pop of colour from the blue shirt.It's just such a fashionable look, especially with all the buckles and studs - it just adds a little extra something to the look. I also think that £50 for a Biker Jacket is super reasonable considering some other stores are often asking for double that amount, despite not offering even half of the sizes available at Yours Clothing. 

The following selection can be found at SimplyBe.

Elizabeth Arden Rectangular Sunglasses - £94

Black Jet Set Earrings - £12

Juno Duffle Bag - £65

Biker Jacket - £60

Daniel Sofy Boot - £104

Denim Babydoll Dress - £30

Ok, so I know that a lot of these items are super expensive (i.e. the sunglasses and the boots) but I just couldn't keep them to myself! I love them. The sunglasses reminded me of the original Ray ban Wayfarers, but are slightly more rectangular and have that funky detail on the side. And those boots... I mean really!!! Distressed leather is something I'm super into and I just adored the strap and buckle detail! Again though, I've found a biker jacket that's a great price and looks fab and adding this to the adorable denim dress is just a match made in heaven! 

So I'm done for the day with my Wish List clothing pieces... I think! I hope you liked them and will give these 2 great sites a visit. They really do offer fantastic clothing at really affordable prices and you can really bag yourself a fantastic outfit for a bargain price... that is if you stay away from the designer boots and sunglasses! :-)

Anyway, have a lovely day whatever it is that you might be doing.

Take care lovelies. x

Monday Wish List - True Blue Inspiration

Hey there lovely people!

Well it's time for my Monday wish list and this week I'm showcasing choices from both Yours Clothing and Simply Be - 2 of my favourite places to visit for plus-sized clothing.

The colour I'm feeling this week is blue... and all the different shades of blue for that matter. This has been inspired by the amazing sight of the bright blue skies we've had this week, what with it being the start of Spring and all. However, I've not went overboard with the skimpy clothing - it is after all still freezing most days, so I've included a few Spring jacket options, perfect for those days where the sun is shining but there's still a nip in the air. So anyway, let's just get on with it.

The first selection comes straight from Yours Clothing.

1. Blue marl sleeveless jersey top - £9
2. Mid Blue Basic Crop Jeans - £18
3. Navy Blue Lightweight Cotton Parka Jacket With Hood - £39
4. Navy Blue Canvas Trainers With Laces - £16
5. Black Sunglasses With Silver Snake Trim - £6

I love these items because they are very appropriate for a Scottish Springtime. The cropped jeans give enough coverage and are thick enough that if it's cold they provide enough heat, but if it's warm you have the turn-ups that give your legs a bit of a breather. The blue tones in each of the items are quite muted and therefore would be appropriate for all kinds of weather, whereas my selection below, from Simply Be, is much more bright and vibrant and just kinda screams SUNSHINE!!!

This selection comes straight to you from SimplyBe.

1. Boyfriend T-Shirts (2 pack) - £24
2. Cara Boyfriend Jeans - £40
3. Parka Jacket - £40
4. Sole Diva Lace Up Pump - £22
5. Fiorelli Classic Cat's Eye Sunglasses - £61

Similarly, Simply Be offer a great spring line, all be it at a slightly higher cost than Yours Clothing. I particularly love the pop of colour from this blue parka, which can I just add would be a perfect addition to any festival goers suitcase this year!

Anyway lovely people, be sure to give these great sites a visit. There's an abundance of choice at amazing prices and I promise you will get lost in amongst the offerings.

I'll be back with another Wish List post next Monday and I hope you enjoyed this one.

Take care lovelies. x