Farewell, 2016

I'm sorry about the last minute burst of 2016 based posts, what with Christmas and being ill I didn't use my brain enough to plan ahead and sort out all of these posts in advance. If I'm honest I couldn't wait for this year to be over. I feel a little like I'm reaching a cliché, but I wanted a fresh start, some time to revive, renew and re-energise my life. In 2017 I'm starting a new job, a job that will hopefully lead to a lifelong career and one that I hope that my confidence will continue to grow throughout 2017. In all honesty, 2016 was a strange year, it was half bad and half amazing. I met the love of my life, one of the most caring and thoughtful people that I've ever had the pleasure to meet and love. I also learnt a lot about myself and discovered that I have a lot more inner strength than I ever would have believed before. I spent a lot of the time thinking, evaluating and learning how to reshape my future. I've learnt that I'm the architect of my own destruction and also the architect of my own mindset. I learnt that confidence for me is forcing myself to act confident and then suddenly I am confident. Slowly, very slowly my mental health is becoming much better and I plan to keep this up during 2017. 

 

 

My dog, however spoilt and evil... She always manages to cheer me up with her little diva ways and taking her for walks along the riverside, during those walks I realised how much I find some form of solace in looking around and watching the world. I also realised that I actually live in a nice place and I've been taking it for granted for a long time, I want to explore London more and get to know the culture, the sights and enjoy life more to keep up a positive frame of mind. I've also enjoyed been more creative again after finishing university and working far too much to enjoy using the creative side of my brain. I feel as though I didn't achieve as much as I'd like during 2016, so in 2017 I'd really love to achieve more with my life. I want to keep blogging and continue doing more creative things.

 

 

This year I realised how much I hate flying, although it was worth it to go to Poland and get to know more about my boyfriend and where he's from... I also realised that I'm literally hopeless at learning other languages. I think that I have more of an idea about myself and who I am, what I've become and how I've changed. Sometimes good things happen to bad people and vice versa; as hard as it is, you learn to accept that and not let it affect you anymore. I don't know how I'd manage without Piotr and my closest friends, but somehow I saw the years end and the beginning of a new one, a new start. A second chance to be happy.

 

Best Songs of 2016

 

1. Real Love - Florrie

2. Beautiful Lies - Birdy

3. Find Me - Sigma (feat. Birdy)

4. Cold Water - Major Lazer (feat. Justin Bieber and Mø)

5. Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

6. Treat You Better - Shawn Mendes 

7. Hello - Adele

8. The Greatest - Sia (feat. Kendrick Lamar)

9. Closer - The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)

10. Still Falling For You - Ellie Goulding

11. Woman Up - Meghan Trainor

12. Cheap Thrills - Sia (feat Sean Paul)

13. Hallejuah - Panic! At The Disco

14. Sorry - Justin Bieber 

15. Unstoppable - Sia

16. Golden Days - Panic! At The Disco

17. Wild - Troye Sivan (feat. Alessia Cara)

18. Just Like Fire - P!nk

19. Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time - Panic! At The Disco

20. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber

In all honesty, it was a little bit of a nightmare finding 20 songs that I loved that were released this year; you'd probably guessed from the way I detail a list of songs I'm obsessed with every month on this blog that I'm an avid listener to music. The main issue is that I listen to literally every genre of music, my iPod holds songs by Kanye West, Little Mix, Gallows, White Lies... You can pretty much name any genre and I'll have at least one song on the iPod from it. 20 songs wasn't really enough for me, but I needed to limit myself somewhere, haha. The songs listed above are the 'most listened' to on my iPod throughout this year and I think it definitely shows how my mood swings have been really up and down this year, but on the whole I've listened to this ones whilst on a journey on public transport so they're on the whole quite loud and upbeat as I don't like hearing the sounds of traffic much. Buses and especially the tube are so noisy! Hopefully 2017 will bring out some amazing songs too, just like some of these.

 

What I got for Christmas 2016

Hello again. Everyone in my family somehow managed to be ill during this Christmas time and as a result I ended up having rather a quiet time, also due to working more or less throughout the holiday. I literally had two days off, which was a bit rubbish but life always goes on, so. I got some really lovely gifts and most them were fairly unexpected. My mum got my the illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which I absolutely adore, seeing as I've loved the Harry Potter series since I was a child. I began reading the books aged 7 and have been obsessed ever since. I got Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for my birthday and the two of them are so beautifully illustrated, I love them. This wasn't a surprise as I had a feeling that I would be receiving this (I'd been hinting for ages). It didn't disappoint and I can't wait to slowly collect the whole illustrated series once they're released.

 

Alongside this book, I also received the Cath Kidston floral colouring book which was a fun present as I enjoy colouring and I've always loved Cath Kidston patterns. Some of the more general but equally as useful presents were several pairs of fluffy socks (fantastic for looking after my forever sore feet), some money, a set of body creams, a blanket, a candle and some pyjamas. At the moment I'm obsessed with the smell of Yankee Candles Red Raspberry and have been burning it literally every day, its such a beautiful smell. When I was younger I used to pick fruits in summer and it definitely reminds me of those long summer days. I'm feeling like I want more candles in a range of scents now so that I can mix up the smells a little, just like I do with perfumes. 

 

 

My boyfriend bought me a perfume I've been lusting after for literally years, Valentino Valentina Acqua Floreale. I had a tiny tester bottle of this that I got at a Marie Clare event in Selfridges back in 2013; I adored the smell as soon as I opened the tester bottle. The 50ml bottle that I received is really pretty, a clear, circular shape with a white rose with two leaves hanging underneath sitting at an angle by the neck of the bottle. The neck of the bottle is gold with Valentino engraved with a black circular spritzer. The scent is incredibly light and floral, smelling of bergamot, orange blossom, neroli, mimosa, tuberose, jasmine, amber and patchouli. It's described as oriental and floral, most likely to the sweet mixture of citrus fruits and floral woodland. The box that it came in was spectacularly gorgeous with a pale pink aesthetic with embossed silver lettering and roses.

 

I've been collecting Pandora charms since my 20th birthday, so it wasn't a massive surprise that I received two new charms this Christmas from my parents; I got the retired Pandora Christmas pudding and gingerbread man dangles. Very fitting charms for Christmas and I loved them both as soon as I saw them. I used to be avid collector but I'm not so desperate for charms now as I prefer having more meaningful ones that I get given as gifts. As you can see from the photograph, my bracelet is almost full... I think my next step in terms of Pandora is to invest in a safety chain to keep my charms and bracelet more safe and secure. I'm grateful for all of the presents that I got and I hope that I gave good presents too. Did you get a lot of smaller presents of a few larger presents? Let me know in the comments :)

 

Favourite Blogs! - December

So far this month I've been enjoying reading through festive and beauty posts, which has made me realise that Christmas has really appeared out of nowhere. The nice part about the festive season is that most people have a more positive outlook on life and the excitement that comes with winding down and getting ready to spend time with loved ones. I like seeing how other people prepare and/or enjoy the start and end of the season and what presents they gift and receive.

 

www.whatoliviadid.com

I've been loving Olivia's blog for a few years now and her Christmas posts this year have been amazing so far; each day has been a detailed set of present ideas for a specific loved one, such as a best friend, mum or boyfriend. As always, she has lovely taste and her ideas aren't super expensive or unreasonable; she's definitely one of the more 'real' bloggers and is so relatable. I like how her blog is very visual, with many photos alongside short, summarised captions that describe just what is necessary. It's festive without being too 'oh my gosh I love Christmas so much!' and so I love it.

 

www.paigejoanna.co.uk

Paige's blog is another of my all-time favourites that I come back to and read time, and time again. She's so incredibly creative and inspiring as she's very open about the struggles of working and blogging full time, running a creative business and juggling having a chronic illness. One of her most recent posts was a quirky, girly gift guide full of glittery hair clips, make up brushes and fluffy unicorn slippers. I adore her passion for making things and her etsy shop is full of handmade, one of a kind pieces; she clearly puts 100% into everything that she does.

 

www.chloesway.com

This blog is one of my more recent finds and I'm really enjoying going through her posts past and present. Chloe's Christmas gift guides are really relatable with items from places like Primark and Superdrug which are great for people like me, who are on a budget. Alongside this, she touches on more controversial topics such as plastic surgery, skinny shaming and getting married. Her posts are fairly varied and that's the main reason I like her blog so much; it's nice to see posts coming from the heart and not just for the money.

 

www.aimeroseblog.com

Another newer find, I liked her page instantly. The layout is so visually pleasing, as well as easy to follow. Mostly beauty related, she has a recent post on beauty Christmas gift ideas which are fairly pricey but no doubt excellent quality items. Her blog is very polished and the photographs are so nicely put together and framed so well. Although her blog is fairly high end, not all of her possessions are, with some pieces from Primark and other high street shops, which is nice to see as it makes me want to read her posts more as that's more suited to my budget.

 

www.styleandsplurging.com

I recently found Charlotte's blog and I've really enjoyed reading through her posts, particularly her wintery themed ones; not only does she recommend ways to get into the festive spirit, she also gives some very much needed advice on how to look after yourself during the colder months and the importance of resting up and pampering your inside and outside. As well as that, she also wrote a fantastic series of posts on how to start and work on a successful blog which are great if you need help with getting more into blogging.

December Playlist!

 

1. Wild - Troye Sivan (feat. Alessia Cara)

2. Learn To Love Again - Lawson

3. Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers

4. Heartbreak Down - p!nk

5. Here - Alessia Cara

6. Closer - The Chainsmokers (feat. Halsey)

7. Fast In My Car - Paramore

8. Scars To Your Beautiful - Alessia Cara

9. Payphone - Maroon 5

10. Don't Look Down - Martin Garrix (feat. Usher)

Christmas Present Ideas For Him

- Herschel - Canon - Superdry - Beats - Converse - Hollister - Ted Baker - Jean Paul Gaultier - iPad - 

 

Personally, I find guys quite a challenge to buy for. But, that said I do like the pieces that I find, even if it takes a while. I tend to steer toward classic pieces, like bags or shoes as you can't go wrong with those, especially if you know the person well. You can tell a lot about a person from their shoes or their clothes as it's like a reflection of their personality. Herschel backpacks are so durable and able to hold a lot of stuff so seem to be a favourite with men. A bonus is that the backpacks come in neutral colours too so they go with any outfits, they're visually stylish and they hold anything so all in all makes for a good present and everyday bag. Another safe gift option is a wallet, as any man needs a decent wallet to store change, ID, bank cards and more. Like the backpack, neutral colours are a good bet so this Superdry tan leather wallet is perfect as it's visually pleasing with a lot of compartments, smooth leather which feels nice on the hand and is well made so will last being shoved in a bag or pocket.

Perfume is a little more tricky to buy as a surprise gift as it's not always easy to know which scent a guy will like, although most masculine scents tend to me quite musky and citrus smelling. Ted Baker do some really lovely smelling scents for men that not only look pleasant visually; the bottles are so nicely designed and elegant. They also are easy to use as the shape means that it's unlikely to smash being carried around as the bottle is hard wearing. Jean Paul Gaultier is more of a sexy, quite daring scent to buy for a man as even the bottle itself is very masculine with the muscly torso being it's feature. It's eye-catching and very seductive scent, which is good to buy if you're feeling brave or know the person really well. Either way, perfumes and aftershaves are a good bet as all men use them.

Electrical items are always popular too, as everyone is on social media or likes to keep memories now. A camera is a nice option if you money to spend, especially if the guy is into travelling or wants to start a new hobby. Canon make good quality cameras and the prices are getting more reasonable, especially with the Christmas cash back offers. An iPad is another good choice as it's something that can be used more or less all the time and has some customisable options, such as storage space, colour or adding an engraving. Although if that is out of your budget, a case is just as thoughtful and still very useful, especially if you're a naturally clumsy person. Headphones are another decent alternative as everyone likes to listen to music or watch films and the in ear headphones are usually the most comfortable for everyone as they fit any head or ear shape.

Lastly, another good option is some form of clothes or accessories like shoes, a scarf, a coat... There are so many different options, as long as you know the right size and taste. Trainers are a good bet as they're comfortable and fashionable, and coat or scarf keeps you warm which is an obvious bonus during the colder temperatures. If clothes aren't a good idea, then there are always easy options like chocolates, alcohol, a gift set or the traditional man gifts like socks (but again you need to know the correct sizing) and if they have a hobby you can always invest in something similar, for example if they want to start a new hobby, buy them something encouraging. If they want to learn a language, buy a phrase book. In all honesty, I'm not awful at buying presents for people of any age or gender but I do struggle more with my male relatives than female. If you have any other suggestions please let me know in the comments. See you soon! :)

Christmas Present Ideas For Her

- iPhone - Pandora - The Body Shop - Jack Wills - Cath Kidston - Instax - Orla Kiely - Clarks - Radley -

 

Every year, various members of my family complain that I'm 'so difficult to buy for', whereas I would say I'm quite easy to buy for. I don't have the most expensive taste, considering my favourite present from last year was a pair of fluffy socks that came with a foot cream; but I did get some lovely other things as well. For the present ideas pictured above, I tried to think of things that would last some time; for example Radley purses are so worth the money, they have multiple compartments and do look nice, with the pretty dog based patterns. Would be a perfect gift for a dog lover and they do seem hard wearing. Mine is two years old and still going strong.

An iPhone, or some kind of every electrical item is an obvious choice if you have the money to spend. I have an iPhone 6s and I love the iPhone system, although I know others don't. I've pictured the iPhone 7, but I'm sure about it not having a place for headphones. If a phone is outside of your budget, then a phone case is always a fantastic alternative and there are so many to choose from. I personally like the Jack Wills cases as they're incredibly durable, come in a variety of different patterns and are priced affordably. Cath Kidston cases are also lovely as they're always beautiful patterns and very strong but they are priced higher so only consider if your budget is a bit higher. Instant cameras have had a sudden resurge in popularity and so they're another good option to buy any age group; instax or instax mini are the easiest versions to find and are fairly reasonably priced. Although that said, the films aren't so reasonable as they work out £1 each, but they are fun and make nice memories too.

A watch suite a traditional Christmas present and there are so many different brands, shapes, patterns to choose from. The Orla Kiely range is definitely one most will be lusting after because they're so chic. The geometric, multicoloured prints really stand out on the wrist and the leather straps show the quality of the watches; they'll last for a good couple of years and not go out of fashion as they're all classic designs. Cath Kidston makes similarly beautiful prints and the bags have definitely increased in quality in the past few years. The 'busy bag' looks so versatile and has so many pockets and compartments it would be great for work, school or travelling. Plus, having a nice pattern on your bag on a dull day really brightens up your day sometimes. Clarks shoes are so comfortable and last well because they're so well made. Brogues are always in fashion and go with so many different outfits that you can't go wrong rally, especially in classic tan or black shades.

Another obvious choice is a gift set as so many people like beauty related items whether that's a body cream, shower gel, deodorant or make up. The Body Shop have some lovely scented creams and gels that are packaged so nicely. If you suffer from sensitive skin they're such a good option, and for the price are excellent value for money. Make up or travel bags are also great, as well as stationary, perfumes or pajamas. Anything that would make for a good girlie pamper on a rainy day when life feels like it's too much. I actually love choosing presents for other people at Christmas and always have all my shopping done before December even arrives... A little crazy, yes but it does mean I don't stress when it's too late! Hopefully this post will be helpful for someone. See you soon :)

Visiting Poland

In the last week of November my boyfriend and I went to his home country of Poland for a few days. Being terrified of heights the thought of flying was fairly horrible... Especially as I hadn't got on a plane since I was 11 years old and I'm 23 now, so you can imagine how much I didn't even want to think about the flight, plus I had an added pressure of meeting his family for the first time. The flight went as badly as expected, I didn't like it at all. The take off was particularly scary. On the way to Poland we ended up landing in a different airport to the one that we had booked, which added to my stress as it was due to bad weather conditions. Piotr found his friend in the airport and we ended up in a car for roughly 3 hours in the biggest fog I'd ever seen to get to his home city and family house. A 3 hour journey ended up taking around 7 hours... It was a stressful start, as my anxiety isn't always the best on a regular day in a regular situation.

 

However, once we arrived in the right city it was a really pleasant trip; it was so cold outside. It was mostly a family based trip, so we didn't see too many of the typical tourist sights. It actually was snowing a little, which I hated as it made everything so slippery... From the photos you can see the Market Square, with Piotr dancing around and being funny; the start of Christmas coming with the Christmas decorations and lights already in place. The Market Square reminded me a bit of Trafalgar Square with the podiums and decorations, but slightly cooler with cobblestones and interesting architecture. Everything seemed to be either a bank, pub or kebab shop, which was a interesting array of places. There was also a massive shop devoted to alcohol only; definitely conforming to the British stereotype of Europeans having alcohol available at all times. That said, I saw much less drunks around than I would in London, so they obviously know how to control themselves.

 

On another note, I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life... I literally ate roughly 4 or 5 times per day, whereas at home I eat maybe twice? I was actually struggling to finish plates of food, oops. Seriously though, all of the cakes in Poland looked so appetising, to the point where I just want to buy them all. I didn't, I took photos instead. I wasn't sure what to expect or what the country would be like, I went with an open mind as it was more of a family orientated trip, but the parts that I did see I did really like. Now I'm back in England I just feel as though I want a permanent holiday for the next month. Because Christmas has suddenly started to appear, there were Christmas decorations being put up in the town so I have started to feel a little festive, which is nice but also a bit exciting as it's the first Christmas I'll be spending with Piotr as well. But a bizarre ending to this post, sorry about that, haha. If visiting Europe is something you want to do, definitely check out Poland as it's fairly inexpensive and has a nice atmosphere. Plus the majority of people manage to speak English, which is useful :)

 

My Blog Redesign!

Hello again! :)
You may have noticed that my blog has changed a little in the past couple of days; ever since I've been getting more into blogging I was starting to get tired of my original blog design, although when I was starting out I really loved it and I have kept a copy just in case I ever want to use it again. I'm not amazing at HTML and coding so the best option was to purchase a blog layout. I bought this one from Etsy (buy here) and I really love it. The pastel pink headers look so nice and I like the Instagram integration feature at the bottom of the page.

I actually managed to create the overall blog header that is pictured above myself so I'm feeling fairly proud of myself for that. The floral wreath fits in really nicely with the overall theme of pink and white. Personally I'm loving the new layout and hopefully whoever is reading this does as well. It looks much more professional and I think it's easier to read, too. There are so many blog designs available to buy or for free online and so many tutorials to help you through the more difficult parts such as Instagram integration and making clickable picture links to other social media, which I've finally managed to work out how to use for Facebook and twitter. I'm so excited to see where this blog will end up and I'm enjoying getting more into blogging. See you soon x

A month in Instagram - November

Overall, November has been slightly unexpected; it feels as though it has literally disappeared, it's gone so quickly. On a positive note, this means Christmas is coming  and therefore so is all of the fun stuff that comes with holiday time. At the start of the month of November I watched the bonfire night celebrations with my boyfriend who hadn't been before. His comment was that fireworks are always nice but didn't understand why we celebrate omeine who tried to blow up our parliament buildings. Fair point, I suppose... Especially as I couldn't even give him an answer. Clearly didn't pay enough attention in history lessons in school.

 

During this month I've definitely eaten far too much and naturally with that comes far too much weight gain, oops. But to fair, living with someone who has a good appetite is the perfect excuse to eat nice things, like pancakes with golden syrup, cream and fruit. Plus, I've learnt that the only way to love your life is to appreciate every part of it, and that definitely includes good food. I went on the night tube a couple of times, which was a fun experience I suppose. Most people are either drunk, begging or on the way to or from work. It's a bit like getting on a shit night bus, but faster. I bought some uggs which have literally saved my life in this cold weather... My feet suffer the most of my whole body during the winter months and after using my brain for once I finally decided to look after the, with comfy and warm shoes. 

 

The end of the month brought another unexpected journey, Piotr and I went to Poland for a few days. The country is nice, but the flight really wasn't. The positive side to flying is that it wasn't too long a journey but the downside is that it made my anxiety absolutely awful... Like really, really bad. I spent much of the time really confused due to the language barrier, but thankfully I did have a translator with me all the time. It was so cold, to the point that even wearing uggs all the time I struggled to keep warm but it was nice, the view of the city lights from the hills was amazing. I tried to take pictures but wasn't successful, sadly. I've never seen such pretty cakes and sweet things in my life!

 

A Mini Haul #2 // POSITIVITY

So, after having a rough year and generally feeling like both my mental health and confidence had hit rock bottom, I surprised myself by somehow getting a push to apply for another job. After saying for months that I want to overhaul my life, I suppose you could say that I was finally taking the steps to do so. In all honesty, it was a shock to even get an interview date as I'd applied for similar posts at the same place on and off for the past seven years. I don't know why I expected this time to be any different. I don't think I've been so nervous in my life, the amount that I wanted to get this job was so fierce that I found confidence from somewhere and I did my absolute best.

I'm completely ecstatic to say that the push that I received from those around me, my family, my boyfriend and friends paid off; I GOT THE JOB. Over the course of the past few months I have finally started to realise that you need to make your own path in life and you can be the master of your own luck. I would never have gotten it a few months ago, finding a more positive vibe has made such a difference to every aspect of my life. No I'm not recovered and I doubt I ever fully will be, but I'm in recovery and I've learnt to accept that there is nothing wrong with that. I just need to adapt to my own needs.

 

As a result of having a good start to the end of this year, I decided that no matter how poor I am, it was high time for a little treat. You'll know from one of my previous posts how much I love perfumes, so I only went and purchased Mademoiselle Ricci L'eau by Nina Ricci; yes, it was the 30ml bottle but for the price it was worth every penny and I love it. Costing £14.50, it was the perfect treat for finally starting to get properly better and get a new job. Smelling of rose, jasmine, peony, litchi, cedar and musk it's a light but very pretty scent and for the price I paid, so worth it. It doesn't last massively long, but the bottle is very pretty with a pale pink base bottle closed off by a pink ribbon around the spritzer.

 

I've also had my eyes on the limited edition Marc Jacobs Daisy Blush and I don't know what better time could be the excuse to have a splurge! I'd been lusting after this perfume ever since I saw the advertisements in the newspapers, magazines and on billboards. It was fairly expensive at £45 for the 50ml bottle but I really do like how the bottle looks with the pink glass topped by three differing shades of pink rubber flowers that lies on top of the spritzer. The gold accents are very cute as well. Smelling of water lily, pear, lily of the valley, mimosa, honeysuckle, musk and wood it's a very floral scent, and quite light on the skin. I love the smell, but I wish the smell would hold for longer. I have to reapply its prettiness if I want it to last more than an hour or so, which I think is a bit disappointing for the price. Regardless of that, it was exciting to treat myself and now I'm looking forward to hai. A good few months. At moment, life is on the up. I'm hoping that it stays there :)

My Perfume Collection #4

The last few bottles in my Perfume Collection (so far, I'm sure that it will keep growing) are by three completely different people, but I've grouped them together because they're scents that I usually wear in the summer months as they feel lighter and more summery, somehow. Ricci Ricci by Nina Ricci is genuinely one of my favourite ever perfumes, in terms of scent and bottle design. Purple is one of my favourite colours and has been since I was a young child, which coupled with the beautifully designed bow closure is more or less the perfect perfume bottle design for me. I love how it looks on my chest of drawers. I haven't worn this scent much recently, but I used it so much during the months of May to September, so it reminds me a lot of summer and nice weather. I have the 50ml version, as this perfume is actually pretty pricey, but I do think that it's worth it. It was around £40, so one of the most expensive perfumes that I own. However, the smell is so lovely with notes of rhubarb, bergamot, rose, sandalwood and patchouli.

 

I had lusted after ME by Lanvin for what felt like years; ever I smelled the scent one day when I was in Selfridges with a friend during university, actually. I had purchased one of those small taster style mini bottles of the scent at the time as that was all I could afford but I never forgot how much I wanted it. You can only imagine my excitement when it was finally mine! The bottle design is super classy, with a black top covering the spritzer and featuring an embossed Lanvin logo. The bottle is is a gold shade in a rectangular shape with ME written in sparkly gold which matches the neck of the bottle. It also features a diamonté with hanging gold chain. I paid roughly £20 and I don't regret it at all, I absolutely love this scent. It's both fruity and floral with tones of blueberry, tangerine, rose, licorice and sandalwood. It's a scent that I wear on days that I need an added confidence boost.

 

The final scent is Amor Amor L'eau by Cacharel, which I'm really glad to have bought when I did as it was a limited edition scent for summer 2014 and as a result is almost impossible to find now. I do like how Cacharel have a set bottle design, the circular, streamlined shape with the signature Amor Amor font on the bottle itself, with a cute spring tucked around the top of the bottle and the spritzer. As this was a summer edition, the shades of blue and green coupled with the pink spritzer have a very girly feel and the smell only adds to this. I have the 100ml bottle and paid around £25, so it was excellent value for money. For me, this scent epitomises the feels of a summers day. The scent is of cola, citrus, vanilla, floral, musk and amber. It sounds like such a random mix of ingredients but the smell is really lovely and I wore it so much during those long summer days.

My Perfume Collection #3

My last two Perfume Collection posts have detailed perfumes by specific creators, which were Britney Spears and Vera Wang. In this posts there is actually a slight mix of designers, but the reason for coupling them into a group was so that these posts literally don't go on forever! I've come to the conclusion that perfumes are almost a means of self expression; the scents you like differ from person to person, I'm definitely someone who prefers floral scents, although sometimes I do surprise myself and go for something a little more unexpected with more musk and exotic fruits. I also have a penchant for pretty bottles; the bottle designs definitely influence my purchases.

 

I currently own two perfumes by Anna Sui and in all honestly, the designs of the bottles are the biggest pull for me. They're so attractive to the eye; the first that I purchased was Dolly Girl after seeing the bottle and thinking how lovely it would look displayed next to my other perfumes, shallow as that may sound. I have the 50ml version as I'm realising that with so many perfumes it's not only more affordable to purchase smaller sizes but also more sensible as otherwise I have a lot of perfume to wear and it feels a little excessive. I paid around £15 for this perfume which is amazingly affordable; it's very fresh and feminine using mostly florals to encompass the overall scent. Smelling of lily, cinnamon, melon and bergamot mixed in with notes of apple, magnolia, strawberry, jasmine and raspberry. Plus the bottle itself is very pretty, featuring a pale pink head shape with darker pink facial details and a plain silver cap.

The second and only other perfume I own from Anna Sui is La Nuit de Boheme. It is, in my opinion one of the most aesthetically pleasing bottle designs that I have in my Perfume Collection. I chose the 50ml version again, mostly because the sensible part of my brain told me that I was only really buying it for the pretty gold bottle; made up of four large shaped roses and topped with a butterfly on the cap, it definitely is one that stands out from the mix. Costing only £25, it wasn't ridiculously expensive and is a lovely scent for the price. Comprised of mandarin, blackberry and apple, it has lower notes of sandalwood, plum, blossom and jasmine. Although I don't use either of the Anna Sui scents that often, they look and smell gorgeous so I tend to use them for more formal occasions.

 

The final Perfume to detail in this post is by Jean Paul Gaultier, who is famed for his classic torso shaped perfume bottles. My Perfume is one of the limited edition versions of Classique. It's actually from the 2014 Collector's Edition collection, the 100ml bottle, costing around £70 if I remember correctly. My mother has always loved the bottle designs of Jean Paul Gaultier (awkward because she hates the smell of perfumes) and I know that they're not to everyone's tastes, but I fully understand her love for them. They're so creative and simply stunning to look at due to the level of detail that surely must've gone into both designing and making the bottles. As it was a limited edition, it came with a necklace that has a 'JPG' and a mirror which I prefer to keep wrapped around the body of the bottle, I like how it looks as an accessory, of sorts. This is definitely the most expensive perfume that I own but probably my favourite. A romantic scent, with notes of orange blossom, tangerine and ginger alongside ylang-ylang, vanilla, amber and orchid. Possibly due to the design of the bottle, it's a very sexy feeling scent.

My Perfume Collection #2

Hi again; once more it's a small snippet of my Perfume Collection. If I'm honest I have a such wide array of them the only way that I could talk about any of them was to split them into groups. The last post covered all of the perfumes that I own from Britney Spears and so following on from that this post is going to detail all of the perfumes that I own from Vera Wang. I have five perfumes from her princess range all different sizes, colours and editions. I love perfume, I feel that it can make you feel more confident about yourself with just a little spritz. It makes me feel ready to face the day ahead whenever I need a quick pick me up.

 

I have two 100ml bottles from Vera Wang, the first I'm going to detail is the second perfume that I ever bought from the range, Flower Princess. I paid roughly £30 for the 100ml bottle, which seems like a reasonable price for the size of the perfume. From what I know it was a limited edition fragrance for the summer of 2008 and this one is my favourite scent of the bunch; I love the floral, feminine smell and how it makes any outfit feel suddenly more fancy. The bottle itself is very pretty, with the pale pink heart shape combined with a little silver bejewelled tiara cap. I really adore how the whole range has such a distinctive bottle design, they look so nice as a set. Flower Princess smells of tangerine, lotus and rose mixed in with peach, amber, woods and musk. It's a surprisingly light fragrance considering the range of smells comprising the scent.

The third perfume that I bought from the range is definitely one that even my teenage, slightly rebellious self would've loved when I was going through the emo kid phase. I bought the 100ml bottle for £20, which seemed very inexpensive for the size. Rock Princess is a fragrance that most alternative people would adore. For me, it brings back memories of things that I did when I was younger, even if I didn't wear any perfumes of any kind at that time. If I had of done, this certainly would've been the one I would have worn. The black bottle with slightly unconventional graffiti style white patterning definitely catches the eye and it stands out against the rest of the set. It smells of peach, raspberry and musk with undertones of jasmine, rose, lily and spicy accents of woods and coconut. It's quite an unusual mix of smells, but together is actually rather lovely.

 

I also own a 50ml bottle as well, which is the Glam Princess version. This was the first Vera Wang perfume that I purchased, it was a bit of an impulse decision as I had heard of the brand but didn't really associate it with perfumes. If I remember correctly I paid around £30 which isn't much but quite expensive for the size. However I really like the design of the bottle, especially how the spritzer is capped by a cute little tiara; it makes for such a lovely added detail. The pink and gold tones of the bottle definitely confine to the ideal of 'glam' and this scent has the nicest bottle design overall, in my opinion. I bought it online and so I didn't even smell the scent before buying it, which was a bit risky in hindsight. I did read a description and some reviews of the scent, so for the price decided to just take the plunge and purchase. Once it arrived I really loved the smell which was not only a relief but a pleasant surprise. The scent itself is kind of cutesy, with notes of pear, honey and orchid combined with cedar, marshmallow and orange tree blossom.

 

Finally, I also own two 30ml bottles of her perfumes from the same Princess collection. I bought Preppy Princess at the same time as Rock Princess and it's a complete contrast to that scent; not only in looks but also in the smell. I paid around £20 for the scent, which I felt wasn't too expensive but you can now get the 100ml for the same price, which is good but annoying for me, haha. Preppy Princess is very cute and girly with a pink bottle and messy tartan stripes; although perhaps the smaller bottle size contributes to the feeling of sweetness, alongside the very musky and sweet scent. This bottle looks really nice when placed with others in the set. The smell is rather feminine and fruity with notes of red apple, red berries and jasmine. There's also hints of honeysuckle, wood and coconut. It's probably the lightest to wear out of all of the Vera Wang scents I have.

The last perfume that I bought from the collection is Hippie Princess, one that I had been considering for a while. As you can probably tell, Vera Wang has become one of my favourite producers of perfume, not just because of the bottle shape and design, but because of the scents being so wearable for so many occasions. I would say that one of the negative aspects of the range is that so many of them are limited editions and so become difficult to find after a short amount of time. The smaller bottle are much more affordable and actually the heart shape is much nicer to hold than the larger ones. I paid £29 for the bottle and a free gift of a watch, so a good price I think. Hippie Princess is a nice tone of pink and aqua, with a central heart surrounded by a paisley print, alongside the signature tiara closure. The scent itself is rather fruity and floral with some exotic undertones of mango, apricot and lotus flower alongside musk, vanilla and nectar. 

Life as a Bucket List

 

The other day I had a discussion with my friend and I came to the conclusion that the reason so many people are unhappy with life right now is due to the fact that so many of us, intentionally or not, view life in a 'bucket list' format. A lot of my friends definitely view life as a success only by 'ticking off' goals or fulfilling expectations of either themselves or others. I, myself am also very guilty of this. The struggle is, I suppose, managing somehow to find happiness and not measure it in any way. However, that seems like an unrealistic expectation for anyone, as happiness is always measured somehow; either by yourself or by those surrounding you.

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Albert Schweitzer

BE REALISTIC

This is definitely key to feeling better about life; having a positive attitude will enable you to to focus. If you stop measuring life by what you've achieved or not and instead concentrate on what is going well in your life, you will automatically be happier. By not having any excessive expectations of yourself you can find a find of contentment without feeling the need to be in constant control. I've become a bit of a perfectionist with age, so this is something that I do have to work at. However it's important to learn how to channel your inner control freak. Sometimes you have to think to yourself that if you're obsessed with having better, it will be impossible to be happy with what you do have.

"Life is like a camera... Focus on what's important. Capture the good times, develop the negatives and if things don't work out, take another shot." - Ziad K. Abdelnour

FOCUS ON YOU

Most recently, I've learnt that putting yourself first doesn't make you selfish. Sometimes you have to think about yourself in order to be happy, or at least feel happier. I'm sure everyone has that friend who never seems to be around when you need them, or when you have a problem. I've learnt that sometimes you need let these people drift out of your life. There's no point in begging people to be around you, especially if you're not feeling positive as it will just drag you down again. If you continuously focus on what makes you happy, and what you want then you're much more likely to get it. Confidence is genuinely the key to providing happiness, as difficult as it is to find. I doubt that anyone in the world is 100% happy with themselves but the sooner that you accept yourself for who you are, the more likely you are to find like-minded people and therefore grow a new, more supportive friendship group.

"Being honest may not get you a lot of friends, but it will always get you the right ones." - John Lennon

FIND AN OUTLET

Blogging has become a really useful way of letting out my emotions; I spent a long time thinking that life wasn't worth living and that I had nothing, when actually sometimes you need to make you life the way you want. I've always been creative and so that was an obvious thing to re-ignite within my life. As I enjoyed photography so much during my studies, I knew that was something I wanted to go back to, blogging has become a great way to mix photography with reality and it has become a visual diary for me. In the next few months I'm looking forward to starting to scrapbook alongside this as a way of keeping positive. I'm planning that whenever I'm down, I can look through the good times and remember that it can always get better. I've had a really rough year, most of it ruined thanks to negativity and depression but I feel as though I'm finally back on the right track; at last I'm looking forward to the future and actually feel in control of it.

"An entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside. Similarly, the negativity of the world can't put you down unless you allow it to." - Anonymous

A Mini Haul

Hello again! Being the nosy person that I am, I genuinely love reading what other people have recently purchased, or what they're loving at the minute. After reading many, many blogs over the last few years I definitely have a preferred type of post to read; lifestyle and beauty tend to be my Favourites as if I see holiday or travel posts I get so much wanderlust it's ridiculous... After having a completely shitty year and barely spending any money on myself I decided it was finally the right time to have a little spend and make myself feel a bit more positive about life.

A couple of months ago I smashed my phone screen and a Cath Kidston iPhone case, which literally broke my heart as it wasn't exactly cheap. Since that time I've been somehow surviving using a bargainous 99p find from eBay, but I wanted something more substantial as I am a bit of a clumsy mess (already smashed the screen twice in a year) and I'd been literally looking through the internet for absolutely ages to find an iPhone case that would last. I did buy a Ted Baker one for a pretty high price but it actually wasn't that strong and cracked fairly quickly. For normal people it would probably be fine, but for someone like me... Not good! I've been debating between getting a Cath Kidston case or a Jack Wills one as the physical case quality is very similar. However, I settled for the Jack Wills one, mostly due to the much lower price of £14.50 (buy here) and I liked the subtle tartan pattern which looks so classic and seems to go well alongside the current winter weather and fashions.

 

Following on from my last post, I purchased a Vera Wang 50ml perfume, Hippie Princess. (Buy here) I absolutely love the heart shaped design of the bottle and the little princess tiara cap. I'm definitely a bit of a perfume addict and the Vera Wang princess line never fails to please me, visually as well as the scents themselves. I like how they have a specific theme. This scent is both fruity and floral, with a delightful mix of mango, freesia, apricot, lotus flower and vanilla. A new favourite in my collection. I also bought a range of make up items. I've actually started to wear much less make up than I used to around 9 months ago, partly due to having a confidence boost from my boyfriend, who insists that less is better. 

Now that my make up style has 'matured' (?) a little, I don't tend to wear much foundation so I instead opted for a CC cream as I do have quite an uneven tone across my skin as I have very dry patches. I want a light coverage that will hide blemishes but not look as though I have a mask on my face. I got it for the bargain price of £11.99 (buy here) which for a brand like Bourjois isn't much for the quality. I chose the shade ivory and I'm excited to try it out as it says it's a hydrating cream which should be great for my dry, eczema prone skin. To top off the skin products, I also bought the Maybelline Matte Maker powder. (Buy here) I actually swear by this product, you can either use it lightly or build it up for a full coverage. I tend to use it around my t-zone as it gets very patchy and red otherwise. For £4.49 it's definitely worth the money as it lasts for ages and lets your skin breathe. I bought it in ivory which is a perfect match for my incredibly pale skin.

 

I also purchased two eye based products, both of which are products which I've bought and used to death before. The L'Oreal superliner in perfect slim is the best felt tip pen style eyeliner that I've ever used. (Buy here) £7.99 is definitely a bargain as it lasts for a long time and doesn't dry out. It has a very thin tip which is great for everyday liner as well as cat eye flicks for special occasions, plus the intense black shade looks good, glides on well and dries quickly on the lid. I use this eyeliner everyday to awaken my eyes and brighten up my facial features. I always use the Sleek brow palette, but before I do so, I like to brush through and gently line my eyebrows using a lighter shade to get a perfect rounded arch shape. I always find that Maybelline match my pale skin and hair tones well. I love the Master Shape Brow Pencil (buy here) to achieve the perfect Brow shape. For £3.99 you can't go wrong. I actually have light brown eyebrows but I use the shade dark blond as it matches really well. This is one of those products that I buy again and again because I love how it works on my face. 

Lastly, I've been so tempted to try a NYX lip cream for absolutely ages; this is definitely a YouTube and blogger made me buy it purchase. I've watched so many videos and read so many posts that rave about these lip creams so I've finally bitten the bullet and bought one. (Buy here) Which at £7.99 seemed a little pricey but I can't wait to try it; if I like it then I'll definitely be buying more in different shades. I chose the shade London because I wanted a peachy brown nude shade to wear for everyday but I think it'll look good for more dressed up occasions too. I've wanted a nude lip shade for a while, and having seen bloggers with similar skin tones to me swatch this shade I'm sure it'll look really nice. I feel a little more positive now, let me know what new things you've bought recently or if I've persuaded you to buy anything! :)

My Perfume Collection #1

I've always been fascinated by perfumes, ever since I was young. Which is surprising considering none of my family members actually wear any perfume. Since I got my first job at 18, I've been slowly collecting perfumes. I've found that I'm not particularly partial to any specific scent, but I am rather fussy. I do love a beautifully designed bottle (most likely due to the artist in me) and I do buy perfumes with the intention of displaying them in my bedroom. At the moment my collection sits comfortably on a chest of drawers and each perfume bottle has a distinctive design, smell or memory attached to it.

One of the first perfumes that I purchased was Fantasy by Britney Spears; in all honesty the original reason for purchasing this perfume was its price. The fantasy range is so affordable for anyone and I do really like the simple, but effective design of the bottles. The original Fantasy costs roughly £20 for the 100ml, which I have. For the price, you really do get value for your money as 100ml goes a long way. The fragrance smells of lychee and kiwi fruits, which I adore. It's a very cute scent, one that works for everyday and also for more important occasions. I would say it's a very feminine scent, once that I do enjoy wearing. I often wear it to work as a bit of a pick me up when I'm having a downbeat day.

 

Since then, I also purchased Midnight Fantasy; I love the darker tones of the deep blue bottle. Again at £20 for 100ml, the value for money is amazing as the bottle is actually pretty large. Physically Midnight Fantasy looks lovely next to the original Fantasy as it has the same size and shape but a different colour tone of blues and purples so looks great as a part of a set. I actually prefer the scent, it's far more potent with a strong smell of a floral bouquet. I can smell freesias, musk, orchid and vanilla amongst some other more tones such as raspberry and plum. I always feel quite confident when I wear this perfume, although I actually wear it less than Fantasy as I prefer to wear it to more special events then for everyday.

Through having two perfumes by Britney I definitely discovered more about the kind of scents that I like; I'm a big fan of floral, feminine scents that feel quite light on the skin. After having a good experience with the first two scents, I then went on to purchase Circus Fantasy, too. Once again with the same bottle design, the main difference is the pale blue bottle with red accents. I bought another 100ml bottle, which can be bought for about £18 so is a fantastic price for anyone on a budget, which I definitely am. The bottle itself I don't like as much aesthetically as I do Midnight Fantasy, but the scent is a similarly fruity and floral burst. This is the scent that I usually wear the most as it reminds me of long summer days with the notes of raspberries, apricots, peonies and magnolia. I like to wear it the most in summer and the start of autumn as it is really long lasting.

 

The final scent that I own (for now) from Britney is also my absolute favourite; Island Fantasy literally smells divine to me. It's one of my favourite ever perfumes and definitely the perfume that I wear the most. I feel like it suits any season and any occasion. Ultimately the idea was to represent being on a tropical island, but for me there's something incredibly sensual and powerful from wearing a scent of tangerines, lime, watermelon, jasmine, violets, musk and red berries. In words it doesn't sound amazing but in person it's absolutely incredible. Bizarrely, green is also my favourite colour and the matching bottle design was tweaked through colour once more, this time to green and lime/grass green and aqua accents. I like how the four perfumes look visually together displayed on my chest of drawers. Even though they're different colours they compliment each other well and I will definitely be buying more Britney perfumes from the Fantasy range. I actually own many other perfumes as well, which I'm planning some other posts on at the moment, so if you're a perfume fan keep your eyes out! :)

Favourite Instagrammers - November

Hello again :) As I do every month, I have been using Instagram a ridiculous amount... I'm not posting so many photos as I used to, but I've been spending a lot of time searching through and find new accounts to follow. At the moment I'm loving seasonal and architectural posts. Definitely need to keep this addiction in check a bit; I spend literally so many hours using the app, it's almost a joke haha.

 

sallysaysbeauty 

I followed Sally because her feed is so aesthetically pleasing; her photos are always shot from a nice angle and using good lighting which makes me want to look at either her linked blog posts or scroll through her older posts as well. I would say she's a seasonal poster, as the 'theme' seems to change slightly dependant on the weather. She's one to follow if you like lifestyle and beauty posts as many of the photos focus on make up, food, accessories and outfits, alongside the occasssional selfie.

 

helena.moore

An American based artist, I absolutely adore her photographic style. Very autumnal favoured colours sweep across her feed, with some fantastic use of light and dark tones to highlight key focal points in the photographs. The photos focus on lifestyle and fashion, many of them featuring cats, coffee and windows. I'm so in love with her Instagram feed, it's literally the stuff of dreams for someone like me who loves arty photography (thank you art degree...) although simplistic, each photo is so interesting that you could scroll though her feed for hours.

 

katy_who

Katy has a really lovely feed, full of beautiful landscape shots. She's also clearly a book lover by how many photos feature books and bookshelves literally full to the brim, with books of all different colours, ages and sizes. Many of the photographs focus on lifestyle and outfits, for example her graduation from university, what she's readings, what she's loving and some truly beautiful photographs of the English countryside. Her whole outlook is very faerie-like and she looks almost ethereal in her self portraits.

 

quietblessings 

Ana only uses an iPhone for her Instagram photos, which shows how fantastic the quality really is of cameras on phones these days. Her posts are often of home interiors, nature and landscapes. She has the most beautiful cat; a big, fluffy handsome boy who features in many of her photos taken around the house. Recently she has definitely embraced the changing seasons of autumn and winter with many photos of landscaped parks, leaves and pumpkins scattered across her feed. 

 

seethestarsblog

Sarah definitely fits into the more atypical blogger and beauty guru aspect of instragram, posting many many photographs of different kind of make up, from brushes, to lipsticks or eye shadows. She often posts motivational quotes that help people like me feel a little more positive about life in general and it's a nice break inbetween many photos of beauty products. She's been getting into seasons recently, with Halloween make up ideas and now currently with seasonal Christmas coffee cups. Plus the little snippets of her life, like her piercings and what cameras she uses to film with are interesting to see.

A/W16 Must Haves!

 

Autumn and Winter is definitely a time for blanket scarves, parkas and boots for me. At the moment it's incredibly cold and almost constantly raining in the UK, to the point that it feels so difficult to make an effort to go out and look like you feel nice. During the winter months, I personally prefer to stay comfortable and as warm as possible, as opposed to looking amazingly stylish. That said, I'm never the most stylish person you'll ever see or meet out and about. I also tend to to stick to more neutral toned clothing when it's cold and overcast, wearing creams, greys, blacks and khaki greens.

This winter I've definitely found a range of places that fit into the comfortable and warm ideal of clothing. H&M have got lovely and toasty fleece leggings in a variety of colours; I bought black and grey, obviously haha. They're such a staple item, they go with literally everything and were so cheap at £7.99! (Buy here) However, I also love jeans from H&M; I'm very short, at just about 5ft tall so it's great that I can buy wider and shorter jeans as I'm a good size 12-14 by find that their jeans in size 12 are really comfy for me. I like the distressed black of these, and they're a bargain at £14.99, too. (Buy here). Alongside jeans and leggings, I also love a good chunky knits to layer underneath a coat to really keep me warm. I love cream or white jumpers to constrast with black or grey that have cable knits. (Buy here)

Moving on to outerwear, when it starts to get really cold I always forget about looking after my feet. I have naturally really dry skin that needs so much TLC it's a joke... the majority of my creams are for my feet. However, until recently I never really connected the cold weather with why the skin in my feet is so much more painful in the winter months (I'm so clever, obviously). As a result of this realisation, I decided to invest in some ugg boots. (Buy here) no exaggeration, they are so incredibly comfortable and I honestly have noticed such a difference not only in my skin, but also in the fact that I feel so much more warm in general now. I would recommend buying these to anyone, I love them!

 

That said, if I want more of a shoe that fits all outfits then I'll always go for a classic Chelsea boot. ASOS have some amazing options at the moment in different styles, shapes and colours. (Buy here) I have so many pairs in different colours, to the extent that even my boyfriend was saying I basically wear the same shoe all the time! But they're so comfortable and perfect for the autumn and winter months when you need a bit more protection on your feet. I like to wear them with chunky socks to make sure my feet keep warm as well as dry; at the moment I'm loving the Zoella lifestyle gift set (buy here) because I like the softness of the socks as well as the fact they're grey so with everything. Plus you get a nice candle which smells so nice and freshens up any room, too. I also have a bad habit of always buying a new scarf every year, to the point that I have literally such a collection now. My favourite one is actually from Hollister (buy here) and it's so soft and so warm and thick, it's perfect for the cold weather. I love blanket scarves because you can use the, in multiple ways; as a scarf or as a blanket and you just feel so wrapped up and ready for the cold.

Finally, I like to pair all of the above with a nice warm coat, and my preferred coat of choice is a parka (buy here) because a Sherpa lining and a thick hood are the perfect combinations to protect yourself against the cold weather. I also love how many pockets parkas have, because I'm the kind of person to put so many things in pockets, like an iPod, headphones or Oyster card. I do feel the cold a lot, so I find that a parka keeps the warmth in my body, especially paired with a blanket scarf. Everyone needs a good handbag, and I have literally had the same bag for four years, a Longchamp bag. (Buy here) although it was fairly pricey at £70, it's definitely worth every penny. I use it all the time and it's never failed me, it holds so much stuff and is completely waterproof. Plus I feel like it looks minimal and nice; I always use the navy one as the colour goes with any outfit and is appropriate for any occasion. What are your must haves for this time of year?

Bonfire Night // Life Update

 

 

Hello again! November has been a fairly positive month for me, thus far; I had a weekend off for the first time in absolutely ages and took the opportunity to see the bonfire night (or 05/11?) fireworks next to the local funfair with my boyfriend. It's been so so bitterly cold recently, it's as though November arrived and so winter has suddenly appeared from nowhere... Not sure how I feel about this, I always feel really rough and under the weather when it's super cold. I suffer with stiff joints and the cold weather really doesn't help my bones.

The fireworks themselves were super pretty and worth the effort of walking through a million hills due to road closures. Plus, it was nice to do something other than work at the weekend, haha. For the first time in a long time I felt like making an effort and putting some make up on and looking more like the confident person I used to be; hopefully this is a sign I'm slowly getting a little better, taking each day as it comes. I'm starting to feel lucky to be alive again, as opposed to being constantly down and having daily panic attacks. Although they're still present, they're slowly getting less frequent and I feel more in control of them, which can only be a positive thing.

I've found that I actually enjoy cooking, even if I'm not even good at it. It's enjoyable watching other people enjoy something you've made just for them, and those fruity, syrup-y, creamy pancakes were definitely a good idea... So so delicious and filling on a lazy Sunday morning. I've enjoyed spending time with my boyfriend and generally being in his company. November is looking like it's going to be a good month, as we're going to Poland this month... Ever so slightly terrified, for various reasons, especially the cold. Eek. Let's hope the rest of this year will be as good as this month is going :)