Hello again guys; it’s Christmas Eve, which means that finally my household has put up the Christmas tree. It’s crazy to look about on the last month, how quickly the time has flown and how many blog posts have been written and shared by me; some are good, some weren’t as good as I feel that they should have been but overall I produced some content that I was really proud of. Since getting a new camera I do feel like my content has improved somewhat, but maybe that’s wishful thinking, haha. Seeing as next year I’ll be spending the Christmas period in Poland, I’m enjoying chilling out and having some family time this Christmas. It’s strange how you forget how many decorations and pretty things you own for the festive season over the course of a year; so many of these decorations I had forgotten about and I have no idea how I did. They’re so stunning, particularly against the green tones of the Christmas tree. Tonight I’m planning to vegetate in front of the tv with a hot chocolate and some Pringles, so excited haha. It’s taken me a while to get into the Christmas spirit so I’m going to revel in it over the next couple of days. Merry Christmas 🎄
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Sunday, 24 December 2017
Tuesday, 19 December 2017
Christmas Wish List
Hello again guys; I actually cannot believe that it’s day 18 of Blogmas already! I’m also amazed that this far I’m not doing abysmally in terms of managing to blog each day. Yes, I missed one day but 17 days out of 18 isn’t bad, particularly as I’ve never attempted to blog so much before. I like it, I’ve been feeling really inspired this month although I admit that it has been incredibly difficult at times to keep up with the demands and pressure that I’ve been putting upon myself to deliver posts that contain good content, rather than simply posting just any old shit every day (I admit, there have been many days where I’ve been so tempted to simply post one photograph and barely write anything). However, I’ve tried really hard to keep creating good content (at least I hope it’s good) particularly in terms of the written content. Today’s post is a bit of a random, yet personal one. I wanted to create a list of things that I would like for Christmas after writing some Christmas Gift Guides recently; I feel like I want (need) to add a bit of myself into these blogmas posts and so here is a reasonably short and affordable list of things I’d like for Christmas. As I get older, I’m starting to realise that I prefer memories and the little things, not massive gestures. Let me know in the comments if you’ve been enjoying my attempts at blogmas :)
Christmas Dinner
Ok, so I am fully aware that this is a bit of a basic Christmas requirement, but I love a good Christmas dinner. I’ve definitely piled on the pounds over the course of 2017 so I want to have a fully fattening Christmas and New Year before I attempt to start a health kick in 2018. I love a Christmas dinner with the full trimmings; I’m an absolute sucker for pigs in blankets and Yorkshire puddings more than anything else, but I also love cabbage, sprouts, roasted asparagus and carrots amongst so many other things. This year I’m really looking forward to a traditional Christmas dinner with my mum, nana and boyfriend with crackers and all of our family animals around us. There’s something about Christmas Day that really needs and a,aging spread for it to really feel festive.
Harry Potter Book Set
If you’re someone who regularly reads my blog posts, then you’ll know that I’m a collector of the Harry Potter series, I’m attempting to collect all of the covers but by bit from various places. The 2014 set of UK covers are absolutely lovely, particularly the Prisoner of Azkaban, with its illustration of the stag Patronus dominating the cover. They’re not particularly cheap, priced at £40 in paperback and around £80 in hardback but then it does include the full seven books so that’s not an unreasonable amount. I would love to own these in hardback at some point, but realistically due to price I’ll be more likely to eventually own the paperback set as they’re more affordable overall. Either way, I really want this set to add to my collection of four other sets.
Simple Skincare Set
Over the past year I’ve started actively taking more care of my skin as I have incredibly dry skin so moisturising, cleansing and toning is extremely important for my skin. Since making use of the Simple Gift Set that I received for Christmas last year, I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin; yes, I still have bad dark circles under my eyes but that’s obviously something to expected for my pale skin tone. However, I’ve noticed that overall my skin is much clearer and feels a lot softer with no dry patches, even in these harsh winter months. For £12, you get three full sized products so these kinds of sets are really good value for money.
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary Edition
As soon as I saw these official Hogwarts House editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone I was determined to eventually own all four of them; at the minute I actually own the Slytherin version, which I snapped up from eBay. Pottermore sorted me into Gryffindor, so I’m expecting that one of my relatives will have purchased that version for me for Christmas. Priced at £9, I really like the added information about the House founders at the start of the books, as well as the beautiful illustrations throughout. Over the next year I’m definitely going to be owning each version of these, I’m in love.
Perfume
I’m a massive lover of perfume; my all time favourite brand is Marc Jacobs, particularly the Daisy range. They’re fairly expensive, at £50+ but they’re worth the money that they smell insanely lovely and the bottles make fantastic displays in my room. At the minute I’d love to get the Daisy Dream Kiss, or the Daisy Dream Forever, but in all honesty I’d love any new perfume, I wear perfume all the time and I love much more confident I feel once I’ve sprayed some on. Anything fruity and/or floral is completely to my taste and I’ve worn perfumes for £12 and £60, price isn’t important, the smell is always what’s important.
Having received the first two illustrated books for the past two years at Christmas from my mama, I’m expecting that I’ll be receiving the third illustrated book for this Christmas. I have really high hopes for this illustrated book as it’s my favourite of the seven part series and it has been since I first read it as a child. The cover is stunning, it definitely doesn’t disappoint and I love the darker shading as it reflects the storylines getting slowly darker and more dangerous too. Priced at £20, it’s not too expensive to spend on a present but it’s definitely worth every penny for someone like me who absolutely loves Harry Potter and all of the merchandise that keeps coming out.
Harry Potter Cauldron Mug
Ever since I saw that Primark were expanding their Harry Potter range, I was desperate to hunt down this mug and so far I’ve been unsuccessful in my search, which is so disappointing. In fairness, being priced at £6 it was never going to hang around for long but I refuse to give up on ever finding it. I’ve found it online through eBay, but it goes for higher than the RRP which irritates me, so I’m hoping that someone who knows me will have been able to find it, if not then I’ll just have to get something similar at some point. It’s one of the cheapest items on the list, so fingers crossed I might be lucky!
Harry Potter - A History of Magic British Library Exhibition
There are so many new Harry Potter related books that have been released this year and this one is definitely high on my must have list; I love that it’s about all of the things that inspired J. K. Rowling’s magical literary world. It adds a bit more information about the background of the novels, her influences and interpretation of what she included within the novels, however big or s,all a part it played in the series. Priced at £25, it is still fairly affordable in terms of gifting, I’d love to add this to my already huge collection of Harry Potter related books, so fingers crossed I’ll have a nice surprise this Christmas.
Lindt Teddy
As a small child, I used love lugging my favourite toy around all day, every day. Her name was (is) Teddy, and she was a teddy bear. I was literally obsessed with teddies, I was never into cars or dolls. I think that’s why I adore the Lindt teddies so, so much; the shape of the teddy really reminds of my teddy, as she also wore clothes (way before Build-A-Bear was a thing, haha) so the Lindt Teddy with the little Christmas jumper is always my chocolate of choice over Christmas. Priced at £4, it’s super affordable and something that never fails to bring a smile onto my face; as I said earlier, the little things are often the most important. Plus, the chocolate is amazing.
Sunday, 17 December 2017
Christmas Gift Guide 2017 // For Him
Hello again guys! It’s now day 18 of Blogmas and I feel like I’m getting back onto some kind of level of organisation... It’s so cold and wet outside at at the minute that it’s hard to force yourself into some kind of routine as literally all I want to do is stay comfy and cosy in bed. Today’s post was actually a really difficult one to plan for, as I do kind that buying presents for men is much more difficult for me, even when I know someone really well. That being said, it was really satisfying to be able to come up with a few different ideas of things to buy for the male in someone’s life. Some of the items are affordable, some pretty expensive but I did want to try and cover different budget ranges as obviously we have different amounts that we’re able to spend. I do enjoy writing these kinds of posts, so please feel free to let me know in the comments if these kinds of posts are enjoyable for you, too.
iPhone 7 (Product) Red 128gb
This item is definitely the most expensive and ‘extravagant’ item on this list, but it’s arguably worth the money. The cheapest iPhone available on the market is around £400 and the most expensive is around £1000+ so this isn’t something you would buy for just anyone, but whoever you decide to gift an iPhone would be a very happy bunny for sure. I like that there’s a range of colours, sizes and styles to choose from, so whatever you choose for your loved one is something fairly personalised as it’d be chosen for them. If buying a phone is too much money, you could always buy a case or an accessory such as headphones as an alternative way of showing your love. There are so many nice phone cases from so many different brands available from various places such as Amazon and for all different prices and cater for all types of phones.
Ted Baker Leather Wallet Gift Set
This is a fairly average present idea, but everyone and anyone needs a place to keep their money and cards safe and this set is really good value for money I think as it’s good quality and comes with two options. Priced at £69, it is one of the pricier items on the list, but I’m sure there must be some more affordable alternatives available online or on the high street. The reason that this gift set looks like it could well for any man is that there is a traditional style of wallet alongside a card holder, so if you’re going for a night out, the card holder is great and for everyday, the wallet is perfect. Also, for a gift the set arrives in beautiful packaging in the form of a gift box so will look good if there’s somebody that you want to impress, or simply spoil over the festive season.
Fossil Grant Chronograph Men’s Watch
Again, I feel like a watch is a pretty standard gift idea, but as there are so many styles and designs to choose from, it is fairly easy to customise your decision based on the person who you have in mind to buy for. Fossil are a good, well known and reviewed brand and often have watches on sale at this time of year. The one pictured is currently on sale online for £90 which isn’t too unreasonable, but obviously if that is out of your budget (which it is for me) there are other styles and brands to choose from for as little as £15, a watch is something that the majority of people wear every day and it’s hard to choose that that someone won’t like. For men, I’d say that a darker colour, black or navy is a safe bet as most men wear a lot of darker colours and if they wear brights then a darker shade of watch will work better with their chosen outfit anyway.
iPad
Another slightly more expensive choice, for any gadget fan a tablet is a bit of a must. There are so many sizes, colours, and even brands to choose from. iPads start from about £300 at the cheapest model and roughly £900 for the most expensive, although that’s for the latest models, so the older models would probably be less than that. One thing I would say is that if a tablet is out of your price range for a gift, again you can always buy a case or accessory for your loved ones tablet instead. There are websites that personalise tablet cases with photographs or text, or you can buy a standard leather or Apple branded case for various prices, just make sure you’ve purchased one that fits the model that they have.
FiloFax Organiser
If any male in your life is in need of a little organisation, a Filofax is a slightly more traditional option to having an electronic organiser but more classic alternative to a diary. Priced at £30, it’s reasonably within a mid range budget but there are cheaper versions available from places like Amazon or Paperchase (amongst many others). What I personally love about the Filofax range is that you can also purchase optional inserts for the organiser, for events, etc. They’re super useful to have and it’s also nice to be able to keep everything all in one place. I love the look of the leather ones for men or women as they look really elegant and sophisticated.
Converse One Star Leather Mens
I feel like shoes are a really obvious option, but a good one as everyone needs a good pair of shoes. The Converse One Star range are a great alternative to regularly converse as they’re not as commonly seen and they’re also available in leather and suede, not only canvas. You can also choose from a variety of different colours so you can find a pair to suit anyone’s tastes, too. For £65 they are a fairly expensive gift, but that’s also likely to be because men’s shoes are usually more expensive than women’s as they’re usually larger. The only thing you need to find out before buying shoes is what size they need, which I did by looking at his other pairs of shoes, haha.
Camper Van Mug
This is the cheapest item on this list of present ideas, but that doesn’t mean it’s of lesser quality in any way. Everyone loves a good mug and for £8.50 via Amazon, this is a really affordable, novelty but useful gift. There are so many mugs that are great to give as a gift, such as personalised ones with text or photographs, different colours and sizes or even a travel mug if the person you’re buying for is often travelling to work or elsewhere. You can never have too many mugs, they’re practical and a nice gift to give and receive.
Ted Baker Skinwear Limited Edition
Not gonna lie, I’m one of those people who definitely judges how people smell; I love a good smell. Aftershave or perfume is always a good gift, although it’s probably good to find out what kind of smells your giftee likes before purchasing, just in case. I love the Ted Baker Skinwear aftershaves, I think that the bottle is super classy and stunning, the smell is always gorgeous, every year and every edition. It’s also incredibly reasonably priced at £20, it fits well into smaller budgets but looks very expensive. You can pick a more expensive version if you have the money, but honestly the smell is lovely and good value as it’s 100ml so will last a good few months, too.
Harry Potter Bathrobe
My boyfriend loves to be comfy and cosy, which I’m sure that we all do, to be honest. Therefore, something like a bathrobe/dressing gown is a great gift as it fits into both of those categories, particularly during the cold winter months. This Harry Potter themed version is an absolute steal from Primark at £16 as it’s so affordable and a lovely design, burgundy with gold stitched detailing and black piping, it’s definitely one for the Gryffindors, but it would work well for any Potterhead to be honest. As an alternative, Primark do have regular bathrobes for men, as well as other fandoms such as the Simpsons or Star Wars to choose from, so it’s easy to find something for everyone.
Friday, 15 December 2017
Festive Playlist!
Hello again guys; it’s the fifteenth day of Blogmas and I’m definitely struggling a little with the whole blogging every day idea. I’m one of those bloggers that’s genuinely so bloody disorganised, I never schedule posts and I rarely plan posts in advance so I’m literally writing a post a day and posting it on the same day, oops. This month I posted a stereotypical version of my monthly playlists, but I decided to wait until I had started to feel the Christmas spirit before posting a more festive version. Today, is the day for the festive version of a monthly playlist at last, as over the past week I’ve started listening to Christmas songs. I like a mixture of the older Christmas songs and the newer ones, for example the covers of traditional songs from Christmas adverts over the past few years and Disney’s Frozen alongside the legendary Band Aid and The Pogues. I’m one of those people that enjoys Christmas but I have to feel it getting slowly closer before joining in with any festivities, haha. Are there any songs on this list that you love? Or have I missed off your favourite? Let me know in the comments! :)
2. Last Christmas - Wham!
3. Stay Another Day - East 17
4. All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
5. Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) - The Darkness
6. Your Song - Ellie Goulding
7. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant - Annie Lennox
8. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
9. Let It Go - Idina Menzel
10. Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen
11. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
12. Stop The Calvary - Jona Lewie
13. The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin
14. Let It Go - Demi Lovato
15. Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin’ Stevens
Tuesday, 12 December 2017
A Family Christmas Present // 3 Years Old
Hello again guys; I’m really, really, really wishing that I was more organised in terms of blogging. This month I’ve been feeling super inspired to blog regularly (erm... everyday!) and this far, I’ve been really proud of the content and also the amount of engagement that my blog is getting. Today, I’m looking back to Christmas 2014, when I was at university and working part time. As a family, we decided to get a dog; although that isn’t so unusual, at the end of the day, many people get a pet every day, it was a massive step for us. At this point, we had 4 cats, a fish and a rabbit and were dealing with the loss of another dog. However, it had been 5 months and Scarlett looked perfect for us. A small dog, with fluffy hair and a big heart; we adopted her from a Spain through an animal charity. 3 years ago, we were suddenly told that she would arrive just in time for Christmas, which she did. As was a rescue dog, she did have some issues. As a young puppy, she had her tail chopped off and she can be very nervous, particularly around new people. However, three years later and she’s a happy and healthy little dog with a bad habit of barking whenever anyone knocks on the door. The main reason for this post is that, in 2017 we’ve now taken the steps to adopt another rescue dog, due to arrive in January 2018. As a family we now have 3 cats, a rabbit, a hamster and soon to be two dogs! It’s crazy in so many ways, but I love having so many pets, they’re family. I’m so excited to see how Scarlett likes having a sister, and how the puppy will fit into our household. Scarlett has been the best Christmas present to us over the past three years and she genuinely has all of us wrapped around her paws at all time! Do any of you have any furbabies? Let me know in the comments :)
Friday, 8 December 2017
The Christmas Tag // 2017 Edition!
No, England (more specifically London) isn’t really a country (city) that really gets much snow, although at the minute it definitely feels cold enough for some snow... But next year I’m likely to be spending Christmas in Poland so I’m sure that I’ll be seeing a white Christmas, which is exciting as seeing a white Christmas is a bit of a dream for most people!
Where do you usually spend your holiday?
Always at home with my family and for the past couple of years, my boyfriend. I like a quiet, chilled Christmas with good food and hours spent watching the Christmas themed tv shows and films just because it’s always nice to get in the spirit of things and basically relax. A lie in is always key to having a good Christmas too, alongside all of the good foodie stuff like Yorkshire puddings and pigs in blankets!
What is your favourite Christmas song?
This is actually really difficult! I like so many Christmas songs although I do love the ‘Power of Love’; both versions, but I do prefer the Gabrielle Aplin version that was used in the John Lewis advert a few years back. I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘The Fairytale of New York’ by the Pogues and Kirsty McColl too as it’s my Nana’s lifelong favourite so it’s a Christmas staple in my household - I’ve lost count of how many she’s played it in the house already this month, haha.
Do you open any presents on Christmas Eve?
No, I never have, although that is likely to change if I do celebrate Christmas in Poland next year as they celebrate present giving on Christmas Eve. But in the UK (e.g. Christmas with my family) we always celebrate on Christmas Day and spend Christmas Eve preparing for the next day. I think generally it depends on what traditions you and your family uphold.
Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer?
Erm, no... I get stuck after Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer. Oops.
What holiday traditions are you looking forward to this year?
I’m so ready to open a box of Celebrations after Christmas Dinner and pudding... We always sit and watch crappy tv whilst eating chocolate and other naughty but nice food bits whilst relaxing and just enjoying having a day spent being happy and together as everyone in my house works different jobs and shifts so it’s a rare occasion to all be together.
Always fake, personally I find it easier to just whip it up and decorate every year, although real trees are beautiful and the smell of a real tree is gorgeous, let’s be honest I’m a lazy Christmas decorator and so fake is easier and cleaner haha.
What is your all time favourite holiday treat/food/sweet?
I’m a sucker for a pig in a blanket, although Lindt reindeer’s are definitely another item high up on my list of must haves for a good old Christmas Day dinner and treat. This tag is really getting me ready for Christmas dinner...
Be honest, do you like giving or receiving gifts better?
If I’m honest, I’m a bit of both person. I like seeing what my family and friends buy me as it’s nice to see how well that they know me, but I also like the process of picking out presents for those that I love. This year I’m being a bit more creative in terms of giving and I’ve had a wardrobe clear out with the intention of donating to my local charity shop, as well as donating some food to the local food bank. At the end of the day, I don’t care how many presents I get, I love spending the time relaxing with those I love.
What is the best Christmas present you ever received?
I’m a walking cliché but every year I get something Harry Potter related, for example the illustrated versions of the original series and I always love whatever book I receive each year. It sounds strange, but getting Harry Potter books as a gift was a massive part of my childhood and so I like that those gifts have carried on into adulthood.
What would be your dream place to visit for the holiday season?
Realistically, I’m really looking forward to going to Poland for Christmas next year; my boyfriend is Polish and I’ve fallen in love with the country more each time that I visited (even if learning the language is a nightmare for me) but in all honesty, I’d love to go to Iceland and see a proper wintery, snowy Christmas with the Northern Lights in the background. That is the dream.
Are you a pro present wrapper or do you fail miserably?
Hah, definitely a failure of a present wrapper... I absolute hate wrapping anything as it is, but Christmas is the worst as there’s so many gifts to wrap as in my household we wrap everyone’s presents for everyone altogether, it’s literally the most stressful part of the season for me. Luckily my mum is a pro!
Most memorable Christmas moment?
Last year was the first Christmas as a couple for my boyfriend and I, as well as the first time he had spent Christmas with me and family and I loved seeing his confused face at receiving so many presents from various members of my family. Neither of us expected it, but it was nice to realise that he was being properly included even if my Nana made millions of jokes about him being spoilt because he’s was a guest and not family... Generally Christmas Day for my family is really quiet so we don’t have any wacky moments as such.
What makes the holidays special for you?
I love being able to chill out, eat as much as I want with the excuse that I’ll start a diet in January (which never works haha) and just spending time with family and not stressing about work or anything. It’s great to just enjoy life and relax knowing that you’ve got a bit of time to yourself at home, all comfy and cozy in a crazy Christmas jumper and pajamas. I feel like it’s the only time of year that people noticeably care for one another, friends, family or strangers; a lot more love is shown at Christmas in terms of giving and I like that.
Sunday, 3 December 2017
December Moodboard
Hello again guys; for someone who said that they wouldn’t be religiously taking part in blogmas I’m feeling really inspired at the moment to the point that it’s so easy to find content to post, which is crazy (in a good way) as I wasn’t expecting to be posting so often. Christmas this year is really exciting for me, as I have a bit of time off which means that I’m seriously getting into the festive spirit (which rarely happens to me, haha!) one of the reasons that I’m looking forward to it is that I get to spend some time with family and friends, as well as having a good rest and some excellent food. All of the collages have been put together by me, but all of the images have originally come from Pinterest using the keywords December, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Festive, Christmas Food and Harry Potter Christmas Decorations. I don’t own any of the images but I love getting inspiration for any season from Pinterest, but the festive season looks absolutely amazing, the amount of beautifully laid out dishes and homeward literally had me drooling. One day, I hope to have a house that looks as beautiful as these interiors! I love putting together a moodboard of what I’m loving each month, it’s such a lovely way to start the month off. Let me know in the comments if you like these kinds of posts! :)

Friday, 1 December 2017
Life Update // Hello December
Hello again guys; is it me or has this year suddenly disappeared?! Honestly as I age, I feel like the years are going by faster and faster, which is so frustrating. As December comes around, I always seem to find myself wondering if I’ve done enough with my life, if I’ve taken enough risks or been happy enough throughout the year and as much as it is a good thing to measure yourself by achievements and happiness, I often end up finding myself stressing and obsessing about it, which isn’t great for my mental health. However, on a much more positive note: HELLO DECEMBER. I love the build up to Christmas and starting to open the advent calendar is always really exciting, amongst the various Christmas traditions that come throughout the month, such as putting up the tree, preparing gifts and dinner, etc. I’m looking forward to a quiet Christmas with family, relaxing, watching tv and stuffing my face, haha. I mean, everyone loves a good old Yorkshire pudding right?
As you can probably tell from the photographs below, I finally decided that I could afford to invest in a DSLR camera; after studying photography at a-level and at university, I really regretted selling my camera and so I’ve spent the last few months reading reviews and comparing cameras and prices before deciding on this camera, the Canon 750D. I actually purchased it on Black Friday and I have no regrets at all... It came with two lenses, a 50mm prime and a 18-55mm standard zoom as well as the camera body which was excellent value for money. This model isn’t the latest in the market, however that was better for me in terms of price and honestly, it does everything that I would want it to do. I’m really excited to see how having this camera will improve my content over the coming months and I’m even thinking about starting a YouTube channel, although we’ll see if I can be that brave haha! The strap isn’t the generic canon strap, but one that I purchased from eBay for a reasonable £3; absolute bargain. I’m so excited to improve my photography and generally experiment with the camera over the next month - perfect for Christmas related posts! Are you excited for the festive season too? Let me know in the comments :)
Sunday, 1 January 2017
Best Songs of 2016
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.
A month in instagram - December
Overall, I had a fairly lovely month of December and a lot of it was very positive; during this month I went to two job interviews and was offered both, which is why I posted the motivational quote 'she believed she could so she did' as I found it was something that encompassed what I felt at that time. I've tried hard to find some inner positivity as keep on going. I'm not usually one for looking at motivational quotes all the time but I felt like I needed to this month. 'Stars can't shine without darkness' was a mic one to keep me on a happier plane; sometimes you need to work through the darkness to find the light, which is something that I'm really trying to live by right now. Both of these quotes made sense to join with two of my favourite perfumes as they're something that make me happy.
This man has literally been my light in the darkness during a really hard year. He has a way of making me laugh and giving me comfort when I need it. In all honesty, I am actually hard to live with and be in a relationship with due to my mental health. One of the things that I love the most is how even just a walk along river becomes fun or interesting, it doesn't have to be all about spending copious amounts of money, its about having company that you really appreciate and enjoy. He's brought so much of my confidence back and everyday the love I have for him grows even stronger. Photographs are a fantastic way of keeping track of the memories that you make together.
I also have this thing about night time shots; I studied photography at A Level and University and my favourite shots were always those taken at night, or with heaps of shadows and darkness in. I always liked seeing how I could create a sense of mood and the contrasts between light and dark tones within an image and this interest have definitely pulled into adulthood. Oxford Circus at around 3am was lovely to walk along as it was empty at that time with all of the beautiful Christmas lights everywhere, it was a dream for me.
I've posted many different shots that I've taken for various blog posts this month all over my instagram and this month they seem to have become very pink and girly all of a sudden; I'm not that I'm very happy with my photography for my blog right now. Ideally in a few months I'd like to invest in a better camera as I feel like my iPhone is slightly limited. Although I'm not sure if it's the iPhone or the framing of the photographs. I feel like they're a little too busy. Seeing the images altogether in a feed does help you to determine what works and what doesn't and I'll definitely be using the less is more approach from now on, but it's also enjoyable to see how my blog is developing as I learn what I like and don't like.
I always try to make my instagram feed personal and not all about blogging, so I include images of what I've genuinely enjoyed in my day to day life; my boyfriend bought me some lovely flowers on Christmas Eve and although I'm not usually a fan of yellow, these gerberas were such a good way to brighten up a room from the dark and cold weather outside. They're actually still going strong two weeks later, which is amazing. I've been loving the smell of Yankee Candles recently, I've fallen in love with Red Raspberry, it's so fruity and strong; it literally powers through most of the house and I finally managed to find a Jean Paul Gaultier bustier perfume. It reminds me of a younger Madonna, but I also love how it celebrates the shape of the female form. Lastly, a picture of a bearded Piotr not looking like he loves the winter sunshine. Here's to having a good January!
Wednesday, 28 December 2016
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 :)
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Monday, 26 December 2016
Festive Playlist!
One of the things that I genuinely like about Christmas is listening to Christmas songs; I'm not one of those massively into Christmas time and don't have many traditions as such, but Christmas songs are something that me and my family always listen to in the run up to Christmas Day. We're one of those families who sits in front of the tv on Christmas Day and watch all of the music trivial programmes and realise that we know, love and hate most of them. The songs below are in no particular order, they're just a mix of songs that I've loved this year.
2. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
3. Somewhere Only We Know - Lily Allen
4. Let It Go - Demi Lovato
5. Stop The Calvary - Jona Lewie
6. Your Song - Ellie Goulding
7. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues (feat. Kirsty McColl)
8. Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin' Stevens
9. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
10. The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin
11. Let It Go - Idina Menzel
12. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
13. Angels from the Realms of Glory - Annie Lennox
14. Stay Another Day - East 17
15. Last Christmas - Wham!
16. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant - Annie Lennox
17. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
18. As Joseph Was a Walking - Annie Lennox
19. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
20. Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
7. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues (feat. Kirsty McColl)
8. Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin' Stevens
9. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
10. The Power of Love - Gabrielle Aplin
11. Let It Go - Idina Menzel
12. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
13. Angels from the Realms of Glory - Annie Lennox
14. Stay Another Day - East 17
15. Last Christmas - Wham!
16. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant - Annie Lennox
17. Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
18. As Joseph Was a Walking - Annie Lennox
19. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
20. Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
Wednesday, 21 December 2016
The Christmas Tag
1. What is your favourite Christmas Film?
My favourite Christmas film is definitely Love Actually; I watched it when it first came out with my family over Christmas and I've loved it ever since... I've actually lost track of how many times I've seen the film. I love everything about it, the plot is so sophisticated.
2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
I've never opened presents on Christmas Eve... Well actually I've never opened presents earlier than Christmas afternoon as in my family we have a tradition of either being lazy and having a good sleep in on Christmas morning after midnight mass or going to church on Christmas Day and celebrating as a family later.
3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
As I've got older I've definitely started to dislike Christmas time a lot... It either meant exam season approaching or I just felt the need to relax and catch up on sleep. My family is very small so my favourite Christmas times were probably when I was younger. There was one Christmas that I remember vividly as a child in primary school as I had the lead part in the school play and I was so excited for the whole of December. I don't think Christmas has the same magic once you're an adult.
4. Favourite festive food?
In terms of Christmas dinner food, I love pigs in blankets and Yorkshire puddings... They're the two things that I look froward to seeing on my plate at the dinner table whilst watching crap tv, but I also love the excessive chocolate and sweet side of Christmas like raspberry pavlova, Ben and Jerrys, celebrations and pringles.
5. Favourite Christmas gift?
At 23 I've obviously had years of different gifts... Going back to last year, my favourite gifts were some Pandora charms, some woolly socks and an illustrated book of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. I've got a nice collection of sketchbooks too, from various years.
6. Favourite Christmas scent?
I don't have any perfumes that really remind me of Christmas, although I think ME by Lanvin is probably the closest to a festive scent for me a the first time that I smelt it I was at a Christmas event in selfridges with my friend and so I often think of that when I wear it. Plus the gold and black bottle is rather 'festive party season' as it's glittery and fancy.
7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
As I child my family would always attend the parish carol service, christingle service, crib service and midnight mass and as I've grown older it became just midnight mass. Although that said, I'm working for the first time ever on Christmas Eve which feels so strange and I'm not looking forward to it. I feel like delving into my faith always helps me look to Christmas and I've missed it this year.
8. What tops your tree?
As a family we've been using the same fairy/angel wit a massive red velvet puffed out dress for the past few years. I'm not actually that keen as I was obsessed with the Nutcraacker as I child so I've always dreamed of having a massive star on the top of the tree, preferably a real tree to as ours is fake. There's something much more lovely about the real trees.
9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
I always had a fairly long wishlist but never massively asked for anything. I remember lusting after an iPod for about 4 years bout I eventually got it as a birthday present. At Christmas the best presents are the smaller, unexpected surprises.
10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
I like being able to wind down and relax and watch tv for once, whilst bonding with my family. Since I've started working, I've definitely seen less of family as I work really unsociable hours so it's a nice catch up time. I'm looking forward to this year as we have a family of four, not three so that's going to be different but in a good way.
1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
Ah, there's SO many, I love National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Elf, The Santa Clause etc. but one that I watch every year, without fail is The Snowman on Christmas eve. I absolutely adored the Snowman and The Snow dog. My dad bought me the little plushie last year, so cute.
2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Always on Christmas morning (usually whilst scoffing Christmas chocolate) We usually get new Christmas Pyjamas on Christmas Eve, but we save the present opening for Christmas day morning.
3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
My parents always used to go all out at Christmas. We'd come downstairs to presents, balloons, reindeer prints made out of glitter, red and white tape for the north pole, it was so magical as kids!
4. favourite festive food?
Aside from chocolate...Roast potatoes during Christmas dinner, so many roast potatoes.
5. Favourite Christmas gift ?
I can't remember how old I was, but it was the year of the Furby. I'm sure there were small riots amongst the shelves in Toys R us. My parents pretended they couldn't get me one but then it was hidden behind the sofa! (anyone else hide theirs in the wardrobe at night, they were so creepy!)
6. Favourite Christmas scent?
Christmas dinner cooking, mmm or the smell of the Christmas tree!
7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
Just that it's family time, we'll usually all have wine, the fire on, lots of yummy food and sit down in our new pyjamas to watch Christmas films.
8. What tops your tree?
For years and years it was a little gold vintage angel, my dad always lifted me up to put it on the tree, when I was a kid... at the very end of decorating everything. She was always kind of wonky and worn looking, but it was tradition. These days it's a big gold glittery star.
9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
Not in an ungrateful way. I mean, I used to circle half of the Argos catalogue!But every year I would ask for a dog, without fail. One year my parents brought it a huge box, with holes in and something was moving. I was certain it was a puppy...it was a rabbit ha ha Still one of the best pets I've ever had though. Then last year, I finally bought myself my own Christmas puppy :) Oscar on the 21sr of December. He was certainly worth the wait.
10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Spending time with my loves ones, friends and family, after eating Christmas dinner, watching Only fools and Horses episodes that we've seen ten times already. Watching the snow fall and generally having a lovely time.
- See more at: http://milkbubbletea.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.eOak9PKB.dpuf
1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie/s?
Ah, there's SO many, I love National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Elf, The Santa Clause etc. but one that I watch every year, without fail is The Snowman on Christmas eve. I absolutely adored the Snowman and The Snow dog. My dad bought me the little plushie last year, so cute.
2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
Always on Christmas morning (usually whilst scoffing Christmas chocolate) We usually get new Christmas Pyjamas on Christmas Eve, but we save the present opening for Christmas day morning.
3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?
My parents always used to go all out at Christmas. We'd come downstairs to presents, balloons, reindeer prints made out of glitter, red and white tape for the north pole, it was so magical as kids!
4. favourite festive food?
Aside from chocolate...Roast potatoes during Christmas dinner, so many roast potatoes.
5. Favourite Christmas gift ?
I can't remember how old I was, but it was the year of the Furby. I'm sure there were small riots amongst the shelves in Toys R us. My parents pretended they couldn't get me one but then it was hidden behind the sofa! (anyone else hide theirs in the wardrobe at night, they were so creepy!)
6. Favourite Christmas scent?
Christmas dinner cooking, mmm or the smell of the Christmas tree!
7. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
Just that it's family time, we'll usually all have wine, the fire on, lots of yummy food and sit down in our new pyjamas to watch Christmas films.
8. What tops your tree?
For years and years it was a little gold vintage angel, my dad always lifted me up to put it on the tree, when I was a kid... at the very end of decorating everything. She was always kind of wonky and worn looking, but it was tradition. These days it's a big gold glittery star.
9. As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagant) gift you always asked for but never received?
Not in an ungrateful way. I mean, I used to circle half of the Argos catalogue!But every year I would ask for a dog, without fail. One year my parents brought it a huge box, with holes in and something was moving. I was certain it was a puppy...it was a rabbit ha ha Still one of the best pets I've ever had though. Then last year, I finally bought myself my own Christmas puppy :) Oscar on the 21sr of December. He was certainly worth the wait.
10. What's the best part about Christmas for you?
Spending time with my loves ones, friends and family, after eating Christmas dinner, watching Only fools and Horses episodes that we've seen ten times already. Watching the snow fall and generally having a lovely time.
- See more at: http://milkbubbletea.blogspot.co.uk/#sthash.eOak9PKB.dpu