Unscripted Review & *Giveaway*

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Unscripted is a book written by Claire Hanscombe. 





Claire is an author who is from England, but due to her love of the West Wing, she came to America where she now resides. 

Her book, Unscripted, was released on April 4th and I had to share it with you! It's an extremely refreshing book that has a unique style of writing to surely captivate the reader. When I first read the beginning pages, I could not stop! I was intrigued and wanted to know more. 

Here is a little synopsis of what the book is about:

"Nobody is a bigger fan of actor Thomas Cassidy than Libby. Nobody. That's why she's totally going to marry him.She’s going to write a novel, name the main character after Thom, and find a way to get it to him. Intrigued and flattered, he will read it, fall in love with her prose, and ask to turn it into a movie. She will pretend to think about it, then say: sure, but can I work on it with you? Their eyes will meet over the script… and fade to black.

But with four interwoven lives at play, can anything be that simple?

Thoughtful, quirky, and moving, Unscripted is a story of friendship and second chances, and asks the question: how far can you take your dream?"

I was captivated by the first few chapters, it's such a nice and calm book to enjoy during the night when you're trying to relax.

It was easy to get swept into the world of the main characters and I enjoyed my escape into fiction. It's an easy to read book that keeps your attention and keeps you wanting to turn the page!

I would recommend this book to anybody looking for a good read! 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Unscripted by Clair Handscombe! Enter below and good luck! Giveaway ends April 14, 2019.

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Keeping My Hair Soft With SILK18

This post contains affiliate links and sponsored content. Please check out my disclosure policy for more info.




Recently I tried the SILK18 shampoo by Maple Holistics. You probably are aware, if you've been reading my blog for sometime, that I love anything all natural and/or holistic. So, when I was contacted by Maple Holistics I was eager to try out this product!

My hair is very dry. It comes from coloring and styling it without really giving it a breather, it's over processed and basically fed up with me :) When I learned that this shampoo was infused with 18 silk amino acids and contained argan and jojoba oils I knew this was something my hair needed!

So, I put it to the test! The first thing I noticed was the easy open lid. It's a flip lid, not a twist, so it was much easier to use in the shower. I can't tell you how many times I have dropped a bottle on my foot trying to open a twist lid in the shower! 

I was surprised with how a little goes a long way with this stuff! Making it even better to save money on much  needed quality products that actually help our hair! There's no overbearing smell, nothing unpleasant and it left my hair feeling super clean.

After using this a few times, I noticed my hair seemed to have more shine to it and less flyaways. My hair felt softer and was easier to manage. 

I would recommend this product to anybody looking to change the health of their hair! Also be sure to check out Maple Holistics for all of their great products!

What Diseases Can You Get If You Don't Tidy Your Home?

Most of us know that living in a messy house can create stress and worry. But few of us realize just how
dangerous living in an untidy state could potentially be for our health.

It turns out that when you don’t clean your home regularly, you can end up creating situations in which
you could fall ill from a variety of causes. Take a look at this list of diseases you can get if you neglect to
tidy up.

COPD

Pixabay

COPD or chronic pulmonary lung diseases is a condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the sensitive cells that line the lungs. Over time, people can lose the use of a large section of
their lungs, making it harder to breathe and do regular activities.

Yes, smoking is linked to higher rates of COPD but surprisingly, so too are old vacuums that don’t have
proper filters. Old vacuums often use a bag or no filter at all. And so when they suck up particles from
the floor, many of then end up flying back into the atmosphere. These particles can then irritate the lining
of the lungs and, over time, provoke an auto-immune reaction by confusing the immune system. The
solution is to use a HEPA filter: a special kind of medical-grade filter than removes almost all fine
particles thrown up by regular vacuuming.

Weil’s Disease

Pixabay

Weil’s disease is sickness caused by leptospirosis, a bacteria found on mice and rats. The symptoms of
Weil’s disease are severe: they include swollen limbs and chest pains which manifest as a reaction to
the pathogen. Diagnosis with Weil’s disease usually results in immediate hospitalization. It’s a serious
condition.

An untidy home may increase your risk of contracting Weil’s disease. Why? Because mice and rats are
attracted to the food debris left throughout your home. If you have a habit of eating pizza on the couch
and not clearing up the crumbs, or you have a pantry with lots of food particles on the floor, then rodents
may move in.

You can learn how to get rid of rats in this guide. But the best policy is to ensure that you don’t provoke
an infestation in the first place.

Cancer

Your home is full of many chemicals from all the manufactured products you use regularly. You’ve got a
cleaner for your kitchen, bleach for your toilets, polishes for your furniture, and paints for your shed.
You’re exposed to dozens of chemicals in your home, many of which have not been studied thoroughly
by science for their effects on health. Yes, some well-known danger chemicals, like lead, are banned,
but many yet-to-be-studied additives are not. Their impact on the human body is not yet apparent.

The advice? Stick with products from organic or natural producers until there is more data on the long
term health effects of the chemicals in popular cleaning products. Many cleaning products could be
carcinogenic - or cancer-causing - and we may not know anything about it until the future when the
studies get done.

A Dog Is For Life, But A Tattoo Lasts Even Longer

When you invite pets into your life, everything changes. Even if you’ve never considered yourself an
animal person, you’ll soon become enslaved to those cute furries. In no time, even their
stinky litter boxes and seemingly endless fur won’t put you off. That’s because your pets will fast become
the apples of your eye. And, when they do, you’ll want to do what you can to express your love for them.

For some of us, that means giving them plenty of attention and buying overpriced toys. For others, it
means going all out with something like a tattoo tribute which can keep our pets with us forever more.

An astounding amount of devoted pet owners now choose to express their love this way. If you look out
for them, you may start to see pet portraits everywhere you go. If you’re a fan of tattoos, you may even
begin to consider going down this path yourself.

It’s worth noting, though, that the jury is still out on whether pet tattoos are stylish or not. Before you take
the plunge, then, ask yourself these pressing questions.

Flickr Image

Would you regret it?

Considering regret is essential for any tattoo. A tattoo, even more than a dog, is for life and not just for Christmas. If you don’t think this through, you could find yourself seeking removal treatments. The good news is that there are options available at facilities like Bella Luce. But, you could save yourself the hassle by considering whether you’re likely to regret this move. Of course, you’ll never want to forget your beloved pets. But, does that really mean you want their portrait on your arm forever?

When would it end?

If you have a lot of pets in your life or intend to get more, it’s also worth asking when this ends. If you get a portrait of one, you may feel the need to do the same for all your others. That could leave you with no additional skin for pet portraits. A whole farmyard of creatures on your body may not be exactly what you wanted, either. If you intend to have many pets, then, you may be better off finding other ways to show your love. Something as simple as displaying pictures in your home may be better. Your walls, after all, can take a lot more pet portraits than your limited skin could.

Could you make it stylish?

It’s also worth considering whether you could make your pet tattoo stylish. Tattoos are, after all, largely done to look good. A chunky portrait of Rex on your thigh might not do the trick. But, there are alternative options. Some owners are choosing to get their pet’s paw prints tattooed on them. Others opt for artistic scenes which incorporate their pets.

The main thing to remember is that this is a serious commitment. If you answered in the negative to any of these questions, you might be best off steering clear, at least for the time being.

Easy Weekend Projects That Could Transform Your Household

Picture Source

Are you starting to feel a little uninspired by the appearance of your home? These are some easy
weekend projects that could transform your household in no time.

Clean and tidy the place up.

The first project to consider this weekend would be a simple clean up. And we’re talking about more than
simply scrubbing down countertops; we’re talking about giving your home a deep clean so that it looks
as good as it did when you first moved in. You might even want to consider getting professional help to
give your floors and surfaces a thorough clean. Perhaps you could hire a chimney sweep if you’ve never
properly cleaned your fireplace or chimney. This could really transform the overall appearance of your
living room. Every last detail counts when it comes to the feel of your home. Giving old furnishings a
thorough clean can have a powerful effect on the aesthetic of each room too.

In terms of tidying the place up, you need to do more than put away items that are left lying around. To
really make your house feel tidier, you have to ensure you’re putting its available space to good use.
Start off by getting rid of the things you no longer need, rather than constantly shifting your clutter
around the house. You could even hold a yard sale to make some money from any possessions you no
longer need but which still have value. Once you’ve decluttered, you’ll have a much more spacious
home. But you can make the place tidier in the future by storing your belongings smartly. You could put
up more shelves on the walls and keep things under beds or your staircase. Think of clever ways to free
up floor space and make rooms feel bigger. That’s the key to tidying up a home properly.

Repaint.

You can’t beat a fresh coat of paint when you’re trying to spruce up a home. This is such a
straightforward weekend project, and it could make your household look brand new. Start off by
repainting the walls in each room. Try to keep the theme consistent. The right colors can entirely
transform the aesthetic of a house. You might want to use white paint because it’ll reflect light well to
keep your household interior looking bright, but any sort of neutral shade will work efficiently. You might
also want to repaint your front door and fences to make the exterior of your property really shine. The
outside of your home is just as important as the inside. We’ll talk about that more in the final point.

Do more gardening.

Whether you’re a gardening expert or not, this could be a fun weekend project. It has a practical benefit in terms of your household’s outer appearance. First impressions are important, after all. You should be able to return home to a vibrant and exciting outdoor space. You could plant a new tree in the front yard and perhaps hang some flower baskets on either side of your front door to add some color. Nature can have a huge influence on the visuals of your property.

Three Reasons Why Millions Visit New York Every Year

Photo by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Whether you’re from the United States or from elsewhere, there is a high probability that you want to
visit New York City. It is one of those places that captures the imagination like few others ever have. So
let’s take a look at some of the reasons people visit NYC in their droves - an average of 60 million
tourists per year in recent times.

Architecture

The first things that will likely come to mind when you think of New York City will be the impressive
structures and buildings that don its skyline. It might be the Empire State Building that stands of 400
meters high or one of the incredible suspension bridges such as Manhattan Bridge or Brooklyn Bridge.
The skyscrapers that have become synonymous with the city of New York are all around you and are
impossible to avoid. It is only natural then that we would seek to climb to the top of at least one of them.
We would recommend taking a trip to the top of Rockefeller Center where you will get stunning views of
the Empire State and its spire to capture the perfect landscape photograph of New York City.

Theatre

Not too far behind any thoughts of New York City will be its incredible theatre scene down on Broadway.
The musical and plays that have enchanted theatregoers over the years in this part of the world feature
every hall of fame worthy number you can think of. Current shows like Book of Mormon and Mean Girls
are looking to continue that great heritage and there will be more newcomers and returns of great shows
in years to come. Get yourself into one of these theatres that have stood since the 1900s by looking for
discount Broadway tickets before you set off from home or while wandering the city itself.

Photo by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Attractions

New York is one of those places that just has so much stuff going on that you could spend weeks in the
city and not tick all of it off your bucket list. If you need a break from the chaos of city life then there is
Central Park, a beautiful green space that gives you a tranquil walk through the best flora and fauna that
NYC has to offer.

Back in the city, there are iconic areas like Wall Street and Times Square that you will want to just soak up. Off of the main island there is, of course, the infamous Statue of Liberty. You can take the ferry out to the statue and get a small dose of what it must have felt like for the many immigrants who have arrived on these shores via boat in the past few centuries. This beacon for hope has stood welcoming people into the US for a long time, and you are the latest in that long line.

Determining Sofa And Cushion Quality

If you are going to spend your hard earned cash on designer cushions and designer sofas then you want to make
sure you are getting quality in return. A lot of people see the ‘designer’ tag and assume that all furniture and
accessories are automatically of the highest quality because of this. Nevertheless, that is certainly not the case.
There are no guarantees and so just because you have gone down the designer route does not mean you are
going to get optimum quality in return. Instead, you need to have the basic knowledge in order to be able to
deduce yourself as to whether a product is of a high quality or not. Here’s what you should be looking out for…

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With regards to designer sofas for your home, you need to pay particular attention to the frame, the seating
support and the filling. A high-quality frame is pivotal in ensuring a long lasting product. Make sure it is strong,
sturdy and durable. You shouldn’t only be looking for a good quality of material, but you should also pay particular
attention to the joints.

The joints need to be glued, screwed and dowelled to perfection to ensure nothing is loose or will become loose
over time. Any loose joints could cause your sofa to break while being transported to your home! No matter how
good the company is providing moving services, they can’t protect a piece of furniture that is barely holding
together!

A good sofa will have the corners strengthened with reinforcing blocks for added support. Aside from this, the
seating support is important. The three best methods are as follows; the eight-way hand tied springs system,
sinuous spring construction, and web suspension. So look out for one of the three.

And finally, the last test with regards to the quality of a designer sofa relates to the filling utilized. Down cushioned
sofas are excellent for those seeking a sofa that is really soft. You can also use down with a combination of other
materials too. Nevertheless, these two options are usually highly expensive, and thus if you are restrained to a
budget you will likely be buying sofas filled with polyurethane. There is nothing wrong with this – merely make
sure you go for a high density to ensure a better quality and higher comfort level.

Now, let’s deal with designer cushions. You should look at the stitching. There should be no signs of any loose
threads. Aside from this, quality fabric is imperative. Cushions get moved around a lot and are used frequently,
thus a high standard of fabric is essential for ensuring longevity.

Not only this, but fabric affects the overall image of the cushion too. Anything from luxurious velvet to glamorous
silk is recommended. And of course, you also need to consider the filling of the cushion too. You need to make
sure there is a substantial amount of filling inside the sofa so that it is comfortable. There is nothing worse than a
cushion which feels like you are lying on a feather.

If you consider all of the points that have been mentioned in this article then you should have no issue making
sure your money is well spent on designer cushions and designer sofas that are of a high quality.