Miss Rose McGuire

Wednesday, 7 September 2016

Vegan recipe-Smoothie cake

Vegan Smoothie Cake

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Twitter:AmyRoseMcGuire
Snapchat: missamymcguire
Email: missamymcguire@hotmail.com
If you want to keep up to date with that I do on a daily basis follow me on my social media above, and I'll be sure to follow you right back :).

Good morning Little ones! How are you today? I was baking to my hearts content yesterday! I was actually going to post this yesterday, but so much was going on I didn't have time! But here I am, writing away being happy, about to bake some rock-cakes for my Mum. Any how, what are you doing today? Please let me know in the comment section down below, or my social media :).
If you are interested in baking something new, or if you are vegan and want a new sweet recipe; have a little read down below :).

If you want to see another vegan recipe, click here!

Ingredients:

225g plain flour;
3 tsp baking powder;
100g brown sugar;
25g blueberries;
25g red currents;
50ml almond milk;
25ml sunflower oil;
50g icing sugar (optional);
handful of blueberries and red currents (optional).

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE THIS:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees;
line your loaf tin with grease-proof paper;
sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl;
put in a blender: almond milk,blueberries and red currents, blend for 2 minutes;
put the smoothie mixture into another large bowl, add the oil and sugar and stir until combined;
add the flour mixture into the smoothie concoction and stir until combined;
pour the entire cake mixture into the loaf tin, place into the oven for 40 minutes, turn the cake every 5 minutes so it cooks evenly;
optional step: put in a small bowl icing sugar, handful of blueberries and red currents, add 1 tsp on water and mix;
when the cake is out the oven and cooled, drizzle your desired amount icing over the cake;
cut the cake up and ENJOY! :D

Why these ingredients?

Blueberries:
The blueberry's fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin C coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. The fiber in blueberries helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood and decrease the risk of heart disease this is perfect if heart disease runs in the family.

Almond milk:

Almond milk is filled with potassium, this helps prepare and enhance: cells, tissue and organs in the human body. This is essential in everyday life, you always need to repair yourself.

This is the end of the blog post! Thank you so much for reading this, I really hope you make this, and if you do show me your recreations on social media! I hope you enjoy the rest of your day! I'm going to be writing another marketing essay, as well as planning other blog posts :).
I love you all so very much, see you tomorrow! Stay safe and stay tuned Little ones :) x x x

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Monday, 5 September 2016

Preparing for University-Student Finance

Student Finance

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Good evening my lovely people! I was meant to post a vegan recipe today but I had so much to do I didn't have the time; but I will make sure that it's up and ready for tomorrow afternoon :).
I thought that it would be necessary to give you some advice on how to apply for student fiance, and how to spend your money wisely; as well as telling you my personal experiences with it.
If you feel like this would help you or somebody else out there give this a little read, or share it; simply because everyone needs someone to calm them down and give them some great advice in the student finance world :).
Sit back, relax and take a deep breath, I'm here to help:).

If you want to read other advice blog posts, click here!

PLAN LIKE CRAZY:

Before you start University you need to plan what you need to buy, as well as what you already have. By doing this you can save money when needed, for example, if you already have spare cutlery at home use that, instead of diving into your University funds. Little things like this will go a long way.

Make a list of items that you need and don't need:
When making this list split into different categories, I did this by room, For example, if you start with bedroom, you can decide what you will need in the bedroom, write your list for this and then move onto a different room; do this until you have completed all the rooms. This way you can't get anything mixed up, plus you can't miss anything out if you do it that way.
Prioritize selected items:
If your list is exceptionally long, which is what mine locked like. Select certain items which you feel you need ASAP. This way it's easier to manage, and takes so much stress of your mind. All the mandatory items have been brought on my list! This has made me feel so much better about myself; it's really reduced my anxiety. Now all I need to do is complete the rest of the list; which will happen on pay day this month.
Dedicate a day for applying for student finance:
Profoundly, I feel like it's easier if you take a whole day out of your week just to apply for student finance. Simply because you are able to gather all the valid information that you need, and you can do it all in one go. Once it's done you can forget about it until you start University.

APPLYING FOR FINANCE:

Fundamentally, when applying for Finance you need to be calm and prepared for the amount of time that it will take. From experience it was a terrible time, I let my anxiety get the better of me, I would cry with anger, or worry for no reason. I couldn't find the paperwork for my parents finances, it was all falling apart for me. Evidently I managed to get all the paper work sorted, and it started to flow from there. If you enjoy paper work and filling out forms, then you will love the student finance application. I would say that the entire process takes around 4-5 hours, depending on how much information you need.

A few tips and tricks I would advice for you would be:

Write down all your passwords and reference number.It will make the process longer, but it will save you time in the long run. Imagine if you forget your password or reference number, it will be a long and frustrating time for you, simply because you need your student finance ASAP. This will make it so much easier for you. This being said, make sure that you keep them in a safe place, and also a place where you would remember. There is no point writing all this information down, for you not being able to find it.
Have someone there with experience:
Luckily enough I had my boyfriend keeping me calm and making sure that everything was correct. He had already been though the process the year before, which made it a walk in the park for me; especially with my nerves.
I can't explain how helpful this was, if you can grab somebody who will hold your hand throughout this stressful experience then please do; it will make it so much easier.
Take your time:
I know how cliche and condescending this may sound, but it's probably one of the best points. Please take your time, don't rush, you need to make sure that every single detail is correct; if not then you will not receive your student finance. Do you really want that happening to you? I don't think so my lovely; as annoying as it sounds please listen. It's not a race, you can do this at your own pace.

THE PROCESS:

Go to the Gov website https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-register-login;
use the reference number provided, they would have given you this when you applied for university on UCAS;
set up passwords and security questions, write these down as you go along;
fill in your personal details;
give them the debit card information, this is where your student finance will appear;
create your parents accounts, as they have to support your student finance account, (in order for you to get more money);
finish your application and fill in your declaration form and send it off in the post;
wait a few days until student finance give you your final money amount, keep hold of this documentation as you will need it when you register at your chosen university.

This is the end of the blog post! I really hope that you found this helpful! When I was going through student finance it was rare that I came across a blog post in this much detail. I wanted to write this so that I could help people, as I know that some individuals still haven't applied, or some people that are heading to university next year; this will be a great stepping stone.

You don't have to follow everything I have written, but even if it's a point or two, it will really help you in the long run.

I love you all so very much, I am going to be writing another blog post on how to prepare for uni, it's going to be a tiny series. If that's what you want of course! If you have any other ideas then please suggest them :).

I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, I will be posting my vegan recipe tomorrow :). I'll be heading off to bed shortly, I'm rather exhausted.

Sweet dreams Little ones, stay safe and stay tuned :) x x x

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Thursday, 1 September 2016

STORY TIME: WHY I LEFT FATFACE

Why I quit FatFace

DISCLAIMER: I am not bashing the company, overall the company is amazing! But a particular store that I worked in was awful! Hence why I wrote this story time.

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Hello and good morning! I've been hanging out with my sister today, she wanted advise on picking a new lipstick, which of course I was happy to help! Lipstick is my weakness, might or might not of brought a couple myself :'). Any who, I took to Twitter and asked what blog post you wanted, a story time was most requested! I have so many stories, some funnier than others, this one being a mixture. If this is something that you like please let me know as I will write more of them :).
Sit back, relax and enjoy your popcorn.

.

Backstory:

Fundamentally, the reason for why I applied for this job was because I really hated my other one, they didn't treat me right, and I wasn't well enough to work there. For example, I had a really bad kidney infection and they kept worrying me that if I didn't work or come in that I would get fired, my health was on the line, I needed time to heal and get better, I saw that FatFace were coming to Welwyn, but the waiting period was a month; which was perfect for me because I would have time to rest up. I took the opportunity and applied for the job and left my previous one.

Interview process:

I applied for this job in February, but the shop wasn't due to open until the end of March, this gave me a window to look after myself and recover from my illness, (which I did). I remember getting a phone call on my birthday to say that they liked what they saw on my CV, and that they wanted to interview me. I was so thrilled,not only was it my birthday, but I felt like this was my present! I was so excited, my boyfriend Chris was so happy for me, as he knew that I hated my previous work place! 2 weeks passed and it was interview time! They asked me to bring photos of my personal life, so that they can get a better understanding of what you are like as a an individual! I already gathered great expectations of FatFace, I had never been asked to do this in an interview, they were so kind and warm towards me. It was then time to go off into groups and try and sell an outfit to the FatFace crew; they said that they liked what I created! This was filling me with great confidence and happiness, I was really enjoying myself, and this was just the interview! After that was over and done with, it was time for the one on one interview. I had such an awesome guy, he was so lovely and down to earth; he took my last remain of nerves away and replaced it with happiness. He was so pleased with my CV that he wanted me to be a supervisor! But I had to turn that offer down because I couldn't do the hours at that moment in time; I could after I finished my A Levels. After I said that I started to feel ever so anxious, I thought I had blew my only chances of getting this job! I had already left my previous job; I needed this to save for University in September! But low and behold, 3 days later and they had offered me the job! I was so happy, it was like a dream come true! I had managed to get the hours that I wanted, as well as working for a great company.

Training process:

A few weeks after the interview I got a phone call from one of the store managers that interviewed me, they asked me how I thought it went and I said, " I think it went ok, I really enjoyed myself". They responded with, "we really liked you, do you still want the job?"

I was so thrilled, I remember I was on break at School and I was jumping up and down, while everyone watched me; probably thinking I was the strangest person on earth. March rolled around and it was time to train me! They sent me to the St Albans store to meet the rest of my team, my deputy manager was late, I was so excited to meet her! While we were waiting for her arrival we sat in a circle and got to know one other. You know the usual, why did you apply, what do you like doing outside of work, tell me an interesting fact about yourself etc. After around an hour of this we heard the door creek, it was my deputy manager ... My heart sank. I knew this woman, she used to work in another store in the Howard Centre, I went into the store she worked in a few days before my training in FatFace, I won't name the company she worked for, but it was a bag place. I had purchased one of their bags and it was faulty, I was mis-sold a particular product, and she was the one that pitched it; after a few days of it breaking down I went to refund it. Obviously she was not having a great day as she was so rude to me; I didn't want to exchange it as I didn't feel comfortable putting faith into another bag; I just wanted my money back. As soon as this lady saw me in the FatFace training ... She gave me such a dirty stare. I knew that she was going to make my life hell, and the worse thing is, she had the power to do so. We will call this lady, Sophie, (not her real name, but I can't mention real names). Sophie made it clear that she already knew a member of staff in the training session, we will call this girl Rosie. Sophie and Rosie worked in the same shop previous to this one, I gathered that Rosie was going to be the favourite, since Sophie and Rosie had worked for years together in the same company. I already started to hate the situation I was in, and I hadn't even started to work for the store. I held my head up high and hoped for the best.

My first day:

I loved it! I was full of energy, the shop was crowded, I manged to talk to an array of people! I just loved every moment of it! We had a great team, despite the few issues that had occurred in training I put it behind me; for the simple matter, I was here to help people and do the best shop that I possibly could. We made over £8000! We had a live show inside the shop to draw people in, it was a massive hit! It felt like I was at a summer festival, despite it being March; it was such a beautiful atmosphere; I loved every moment, this was the place for me:).

1 month later:

It was evident that their were favourites in the shop. But I didn't let this get me down, I was known for being positive! I obtained the hours that I wanted, was earning a decent basic, and I was working for a great company. I had made friends with the majority of the team, and the working environment was lively; if I was able to work with the people that made me feel special. With time passing by in the company it was time for our reviews, I had been banging on about becoming a supervisor after I had finished Sixth Form, and they were happy with that arrangement; but my deputy manager hated that idea ... I could tell by the way she looked at me as well as spoke to me. Whenever I spoke to my manager about becoming supervisor, Sophie would rain down her negative persona on me and say, "that's not going to happen", "other people in here deserve this more than you" ... Although I valued her opinion it was rather hurtful, I had past supervisor experience and she knew this, no one else did. Sophie made my life in FatFace awful, and as time went on I felt worse about myself.

3 months later:

I finally had it. Months of being isolated in the women's department for hours on end with nobody to talk to, whenever I tried to get in on the shop banter they would send me back to the women department; or pretend that I didn't even exist. My positive glow had faded away, and had been replaced with dark sorrow. I no longer wanted to be apart of the "team", they made me feel so unwanted and invisible ... I hated going to work, it was disgusting. Sophie evidently didn't want me working there, and it looked like she had convinced my manger David (not his real name) too. He cut down my 16 hours to 4 hours a week. I would beg for hours on the phone, but they literally ignored my texts, and the worse thing was; I knew they had read them. I would never beg, but I was heading to university and I needed the money ... I explained my situation, and Sophie said, "if you aren't happy with what we offer you then leave". I found out that they were giving my hours away to Rosie, this employee would come up to me and rub in my face that she was making so much more money because she had my hours. I had suffered 3 months of this torture. And to make matters worse, Rosie was telling me what to do, not in a polite manor, but so abrupt and rude.

In the end I left, I didn't want to but I had to, it was enhancing my depression and anxiety, and my managers knew this.

What did I do?

I didn't have a master plan, but what I did have was a kick in the teeth for my manger. On the first day of the 2nd Summer Sale launch I handed in my notice.

This is what it said:

Saturday 25^th June 2016

Dear (their real names);

I regret to inform you that this is my letter of resignation. I want to thank you for being my managers and giving me the experience of working at Fatface. It’s a beautiful company to work for and I’m unhappy to be leaving it today, (25-06-16).

I wish to make today my last shift (25-06-16), due to the fact that I’m starting a new job immediately.

The reasons for my resignation is stated below:

·       It wasn’t a nice working environment: you left me on the same department for hours on end with no change, while 3-4 members of staff would talk behind the till. During this time, I had several customers approaching me and complaining that this was “unprofessional behavior”.

·       Reduced hours: I was used to at least 16 hours a week. This was manageable income for my University savings. But you reduced them to 4 hours a week. Despite me telling you that I was free to work any day of the week after the 8-6-16. I have messaged (my manager) twice, begging for more hours and he’s ignored me. This is impolite, makes me uncomfortable, and unwanted from the store.

·       Favoritism: After a month of working at Fatface, it was evident that you had favourites. This is where my reduction of hours came into play as you would give my hours away to other members of staff. As well as this, you would segregate me from the rest of the group and keep: (naming specific members of staff) etc. on the other side. This was not only hurtful, but made me feel unwanted from the team.

Due to these points, I have decided to leave the company, I didn’t want to have to do this, but seeing no improvement with my hours, or the way I have been treated I have decided to go elsewhere.

I want to thank Fatface for giving me the opportunity to work in one of their stores. Despite my experience I’ve enjoyed engaging with various customers and gaining the; “I am famous for service 2016” mug.

Yours sincerely;

Amy McGuire

And with that I left with my head held high, and with a new job in the bag as well. I currently work virtually opposite them and earn more money than them; I couldn't ask for a better punishment for them :').

Although I gave them what they wanted, I still get old customers I used to serve there asking why I left, and I told them why .. And they were so disgusted but they knew I was right. I still walk past that shop and I see nobody on the women's department, because I was the only one that went there and did the job; as everyone else was too busy talking around the till on men's.

This is the end of my first story time blog post! I'm sorry that this took a while, I didn't know if I was allowed to write this, but I thought why not right? I said no real names in this blog post! If this was something that you enjoyed reading, or you have gone though this let me know! We can share more stories with each other!

I love you all so very much and I will see you tomorrow with whatever you fancy! Stay safe and stay tuned Little ones! x x x

Friday, 26 August 2016

Vegan Mug-Cake recipe

Vegan chocolate mug-cake

Instagram:amymrmcguire

Good evening! Yes I'm back again on the same day! It's been a few weeks that I've posted various blog posts on the same day; but I am so happy to finally be able to do this! The past few weeks have been really tough, I've been so miserable, I've been missing you guys most of all; your my little family; not talking to you as much has been heartbreaking :(.
This has been long overdue, but I have a VEGAN RECIPE UP AND RUNNING! AHHH! Sorry that you have had to wait this long, I just haven't had the time to get creative in the kitchen. I hope you enjoy this blog post! Lover you lots! :D

If you want to see another vegan recipe, click here!