April Playlist

Hello again guys; I feel like I’ve lost my way a bit in terms of blogging recently and I’m not even sure why if I’m honest. It’s not that I don’t enjoy blogging anymore, it’s actually because I just never seem to find the time to finish off posts how I would want to (I’m a bit of a perfectionist haha) or I’m just not taking photos in good enough light. Basically, I need to get more organised. However, I am happy with how my life is at the moment; I’m reading more and more, plus having a better social life overall is making me feel super positive. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been listening to music mostly as I walk to and from the bus stop on my way to anywhere. I find that when I’m listening to music I walk faster, at a more controlled pace and I simply enjoy the (smallest amount of) exercise within my day. As I’ve said before, my music taste is very broad; I listen to a variety of artists, genres, languages at any one time. I’m constantly making new playlists on my iPod, too. I love using an old school iPod rather than my phone because I feel like it’s so much more intuitive and user friendly; I don’t even have to look at the screen to change the song, it’s all in the click wheel. I don’t listen to music as often as I used to as I’m reading more often instead, but that’s ok. None of the songs listed below are in any particular order, they’re simply songs that I’ve been listening to constantly over the past month. What songs are you obsessed with this month? Let me know in the comments! :)

1. Speakerphone - Rixton

2. Devuélveme Mi Corazón - CNCO

3. Come and Get It - Selena Gomez

4. My Life Would Suck Without You - Kelly Clarkson

5. What About Us - P!nk

6. We Don’t Talk Anymore - Charlie Puth (feat. Selena Gomez)

7. Ain’t It Fun - Paramore 

8. Strangers - Sigrid 

9. Échame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

10. One Thing - One Direction

11. Para Enamorarte - CNCO

12. I’m Yours - Alessia Cara

13. Touch - Little Mix

14. Havana - Camila Cabello (feat. Young Thug)

15. We Can’t Stop - Miley Cyrus

Book Review: Milk and Honey

   

Generally, I’m not a poetry fan; however with this collection of poems I decided to give into the hype and give this book a try. In all honesty, this book is the tumblr and instagram hipster prop of dreams so I wasn’t really sure what to expect. As a woman, I am a feminist. One of things I loved about this collection of poems is it’s femininity, realism and honesty. Using not only words but visual illustrations to further elaborate across many pages, the collected words really drew me into the soul of Rupi Kaur. Within the poems there was a lot of negative imagery surrounding themes of abuse, violence, sexuality and loss. As much as I devoured all of the poems, I wouldn’t say they were anything out of this world but I loved how relatable each of the parts were for me. Divided into four parts, ‘The Hurting’, ‘The Loving’, ‘The Breaking’ and ‘The Healing’ which was a self explanatory cycle of poetry imitating the cycle of life and emotions. Each part explored a variation of the themes I’ve already mentioned, although having the collected poems split into smaller chapters worked really well - it made it much easier to understand what topics were being covered in what chapter. Kaur takes the reader on a journey of her life in this collection, which makes you feel so connected to each and every poem, knowing that someone else has loved this.

I do feel like this collection of poems lived up to the hype for me; I’d say that this is likely because I began to read the poems with minimal expectations as I’m not overly familiar with poetry (or more specifically, reading poetry for my own enjoyment). I admired the honesty that seeped through each of the poems in all of the chapters, although the poems under ‘The Hurting’ were unsurprisingly the most difficult to read due to their harrowing nature; abuse of any kind is always hard to swallow and some of the depictions of sexual abuse in particular although in beautiful prose were difficult to read. Whether it is a subject that you’re personally familiar with or not, what the poems do is encourage you to think, to wonder and understand the kinds of battlegrounds that bodies can be for some people. For as much as bodies shouldn’t be a battleground, but a instead a celebration, there are situations and circumstances why some have issues with their bodies. Poetry is a subjective form of art and literature, in all honesty I can understand why this collection of poems has been so widely loved and so widely criticised; it’s not for everyone. It is a literal and visual journey of some of the best and worst moments of a persons life, which can be hard to contemplate. It’s easy to read words without meaning, but difficult to read with feeling. However, it is incredible that Rupi Kaur is so fearless within her chosen art form; each word is so carefully chosen, yet somehow extremely personal whilst remaining impersonal. 

The four parts give an understanding to the idea of survival; that even after a variety of bad times, there are always good times ready to experience. The splitting of various life experiences into multiple poems and ultimately four distinct parts that represent feelings worked well but also added another layer of sincerity to her writing. Although there were elements of chaos within the text, it was organised chaos; loose ends were neatly tied up and each poem (long or short) provided a specific meaning that added to the overall feel to the collection as well as carefully fitting into the themes laid out throughout the text. The poetry varied in length from a few words, to multiple pages, making each poem work as a stand-alone piece or part of the overall collection. Part four, or the ‘The Healing’, was arguably the most interesting to read, as everyone heals differently so it was definitely her perspective, her own process. Each of the parts tells it’s own story, using a variety of poetic techniques to do so; one of the reasons why I liked this collection of poems was the range of feelings seeping through the pages. We see feelings of hope, hate, love, shame and more. Feelings are such an inexplicable part of life, as much as some of the content was uncomfortable to imagine, it was easy to empathise, to invest yourself in Kaur’s storytelling, the narrative of her life.

Overall, I loved this. Not because of the hype surrounding it, or the hipster/tumblr/instagram youths who so often use various lines or stanzas alongside imagery to represent their own feelings. I’m aware that is a total stereotype, but honestly that is where I’ve seen most of the interest surrounding this book within the online world. This collection of poems felt like more than just a book as it is more creative than that; fully written and illustrated by Rupi Kaur, I loved how some of the poems were so subtly phrased, with carefully hidden meanings within the words openly declaring their meaning via some fairly graphic illustrations of sexual abuse, of pleasure, of the body, the world and more. Each emotion, each poem and each illustration conveys just how brave Kaur is; unafraid of the truth, never hiding from the pain of life, or hiding from the experiences life grants each individual. As I’ve said previously, I’m generally not a poetry lover, although that’s likely due to being forced to study only certain poetry, not poetry of my own choosing in the past. I would recommend reading this book, not to see if it lives up to the hype, but to change up your reading habits; try something new and indulge in another’s journey of life through lines, stanzas and illustrations. This is a collection of poems that I will not forget, each poem hit me with a different emotion, thought and even unintentional relatability. There is something for everyone in this collection, but I admit that it’s definitely a book that not everyone will enjoy, although for me it was easily a 5 star read.

Book Review: The Last Anniversary

I’ve read so many novels by Liane Moriarty now that I’m not even surprised that I enjoyed this one; although I admit that I was drawn in pretty quickly by the interesting title and equally interesting blurb. Sophie has spent years wondering if she did the right thing by dumping the nicest guy that she’s ever dated, just as he was planning a romantic getaway to propose to her (ironically, he is now married to someone else and completely out of her life). Unsurprisingly, it comes as a shock when he suddenly gets back in touch to let her know that his Great-Grandmother Connie, has died and left Sophie her house. Thomas is genuinely happy for Sophie, but his sister, Veronika is not so enamoured with the results of Connie’s will. Sophie has no idea how complicated her life is going to become as she prepares to move onto Scribby Gum Island and fit herself into Thomas’ rather large family. No other families live on the Island, only the Doughty family since their ancestors won a bet to own it. The Island is home to one of Australia’s most famous unsolved mysteries; a mystery that Sophie herself loved as she grew up, visiting the Island countless times to see the mysterious elements of it.

The mystery surrounding the Island is the ‘Munro Baby’, also known as Grandma Enigma. Sisters Connie and Rose we’re heading to tea at the house of Alice and Jack Munro to find that they had disappeared from the cottage and left their baby in the cot - a baby that is now in her seventies. The sisters turned the mystery into an elaborate business venture, with guided tours of the Island the cottage, left in its original state and various items that can be bought from their gift shop. As the family has grown, more of them have coupled up and started families, but all of them contribute to the annual anniversary of the mystery; a massive party with face painting, food and drink and other entertainment for adults, children and anyone who is curious about the mystery. This years anniversary has more pressure than ever, due to wanting to live up to Connie’s memory; the sister who had the most vision for the business that came alongside of the mystery. The Munro Baby case was the thing that really threaded this whole story together and it added another side to the overall plot.

The other side of the plot contained so many family members, all with their stories, secrets and fears; it wasn't a surprise that it all began to unravel as the novel started to take shape. However, the characters who concerned me the most were Grace, Sophie and Thomas; all of them weren't as happy as they should be and it seemed a bit complicated. As much as Veronika had some slightly strange habits, her thirst for knowledge was pretty interesting; such as her attempts to uncover the mystery were commendable and to be honest, fairly entertaining. Sophie's incessant issue with constantly blushing made me cringe alongside her a little, too; that aside, she does seem like a good person, although the amount of bad decisions that she made and the range of situations that she found herself in drove me insane! Grace was a concern as it was clear she was suffering from some kind of undiagnosed health condition that is affecting her in all parts of her life. All of the topics covered throughout this novel are fairly modern issues, such as Post-Natal depression, marriage, children and family life, insecurity and many others. Despite there being some difficult subjects to discuss, Moriarty managed to weave these topics into her characters realistically and flawlessly.

Overall, I found this book to be fascinating. I found myself desperate to know the story behind the Munro Baby Mystery and actually it was nice that nothing was revealed until fairly late into the book as it made the book so much more interesting; although the answer was well written and delivered a lot of understanding, it was also slightly predictable, which was a little disappointing. I felt like myself and any other reader would benefit from a family tree alongside the map of the Island at the start of the book as there were so many family members once partners were included; for most books having so many characters would result in an absolute mess, but as I have read so many of Moriarty's novels now that I'm used to her way of working multiple narrators into her stories. In fact, this is what makes her books so enjoyable. I liked this novel, but I didn't love it; it had a lot of potential to be a 5 star read but honestly, there was something missing for me; the ending was a a disappointment after loving the majority of the tale, so it's a 4 star, but definitely worth a read. Families are never quite as they seem.

Exploring London // Regents Canal

Hello again guys; this post is a little more out of the ordinary for me and I’m hoping to start posting more photographs of the world around me as the weather improves (I literally cannot wait for Spring!) and I love the light of the sky as the seasons begin to change. I had to travel to the Regents Canal // King’s Cross area of London recently for a course after several years of just travelling through the area and never exploring. Even in the midst of the winter months, the view of the canal and beyond is lovely; I know not everyone likes an urban view, but personally I like the mix of the man made and the natural world. Since I was a child I’ve loved looking at buildings old and new alongside rivers and fields, although that’s probably because I’ve grown up as a city girl. The day that I visited this part of London it was pretty grey and dreary; typical of London actually. Using the app A Color Story, I then picked the filter May from the Seasons pack that was made by the blogger Rebecca from aclotheshorse which made a beautiful pink sheen across the skyline in each image and generally lifted each photograph with minimal effort from me. I would love to revisit this area in the middle of summer, all green areas and blue skies (hopefully). Sometimes it’s nice to simply walk around and enjoy the air rounding areas. What parts of London do you like to visit? Let me know in the comments :)

January Playlist

Hello again guys; I’m sorry if it seems like I’m blogging less at the moment, but I promise that I’m not! Honestly, I blog for pleasure and make no money from my blog so my blogging fits around my everyday life, which is fine but it does mean that I upload really erratically at times. This month I’ve been loving (as always) listening to music on the go, to and from work. I find it super relaxing and it’s a good to get into the mood for work, or to wind down after a long day. I listen to whatever I want to, I’m not fussed about if it’s cool or not, I do love a cheeky guilty pleasure to listen to. None of the songs below are in any particular order, they’re just the fifteen different songs that I’m obsessed with listening to at the minute; I keep absent mindedly hummed the tunes to myself without realising, ahah!

1. Beautiful Trauma - P!nk

2. Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

3. One Last Time - Ariana Grande

4. Reggaetón Lento (Remix) - CNCO & Little Mix

5. Échame La Culpa - Luis Fonsi & Demi Lovato

6. Where We Go - P!nk

7. Where Do Broken Hearts Go - One Direction

8. Dusk Till Dawn - Zayn feat. Sia

9. Reggaetón Lento (Bailemos) - CNCO

10. Crying in the Club - Camila Cabello

11. Payphone - Maroon 5 (feat. Wiz Khalifa)

12. Still Into You - Paramore

13. Heart Skips a Beat - Olly Murs (feat. Rizzle Kicks)

14. Elastic Heart - Sia

15. Havana - Camila Cabello (feat. Young Thug)

2017 Favourites // Books

Hello guys! This time last year I started a new job and as a result, I suddenly found that that I had lot more spare time so I finally rediscovered my childhood love of reading. I didn’t quite meet my Goodreads challenge of 40 books, I only managed to hit 37 but overall I’m actually really proud of that as I read some really amazing novels and started a new hobby, which was something that I really wanted to achieve in 2017. In this post I’m going to talk about my favourite books of 2017 (which was very hard to narrow down). Throughout my childhood and now my adulthood, no books ever manage to compare to my ultimate favourite series, Harry Potter as I have so many amazing memories of reading the books and watching the films over the years. Overall, 2017 was a good year for me; I read so many incredible books and some of them I doubt I’ll ever forget. It was difficult to choose the best of a good bunch, but I think (hope) that I’ve managed it.

The Keeper of Lost Things

One of my favourite books of last year, Sunshine was a character who completely stole my heart. She’s definitely one that I doubt that I’ll ever be able to forget, she made the entire novel so memorable with her chatty ways and love of a simple cup of tea. Actually, the majority of the characters were lovely, often supporting each other through some hard times. The concept of looking after lost items and returning them to their owners was so lovely too; it was an unusual book and full of pleasant surprises.

Tin Man

A modern take on love and loss, there were elements of a love story for it to be untangled at the last minute. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I starting reading this novel, but Sarah Winman always writes in such a beautiful way that it doesn’t matter; the content is always amazing. I loved how it started with a husband and wife and then the reader got to know their child and his wife and best friend too; everyone had their own story, everything was explained and developed.

This Is Now

This was a novel full of characters and surprises; Ciara Geraghty isn’t an author who I was familiar with, but having read this book I’m sure I’ll read more of her works. Her writing style is lovely; I liked that this book began with an event which was then broken down, showing the reader individual stories of those who were involved with the major incident. It has a bit of social commentary too, as many of the characters are immigrants from Ireland or Poland which was delicately handled.

The Couple Next Door

Over the past year I started reading more and more thrillers; this one was an incredible read. It all started with a double dinner date, then ended up with a missing child, such is the case for those who often seem to have it all. In an evening, the perfect relationship, the perfect life is slowly unravelled. It was such a gripping read; the plot never failing to be an absolute shocker.

After You

I loved this because it went against the grain of the average sequel; filled with grief and mixed in with endless love, an ordinary girl attempting to live an ordinary life after experiencing the worst kind of detachment from her best friend. Her life is a bit of a mess, which only seems to increase over the year after his death. The story wasn't similar to the prequel and that was a good thing; it was a continuation through new life.

The Muse

This book is arguably the best of them all; so unique and so beautifully written.I loved the concept that art, and an art gallery in two different countries and two different timelines can correspond through a painting. The elements of racism and war foreshadowed by the artworks are described so perfectly it was easy to let the imagination run wild.

I See You

An incredible thriller, made all the more terrifying by its twenty first century setting; using social media, the internet and commuter newspapers, there's someone watching your every move, documenting your way to work every single day. This book contains one of the best twists I think I've ever read in a thriller, it is completely addictive. You have to read until you know whodunnit.

The Shock of The Fall

This is likely to be the most realistic novel that I've ever read regarding mental health. A boy whose life is deeply affected by loss and survivor's guilt; a boy who finds comfort in his best friend, his only friend.This is a novel that makes you laugh, scream and cry because throughout the novel we see a boy turn into a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. It is told sensitively and honestly, the ugly side of life is visible throughout.

A Year of Marvellous Ways

One of my favourite authors, her novels never fail to amaze me. The story of a woman in the later stages of life sounds boring on the outset, but through the pages she seems to grow and grow, finding people to help along her journey to the end. I love the way that all of the main characters explored the idea that being human is a complex thing. It begins slowly but the beautifully written prose draws you in.

The Little Pieces of You and Me

A story of two friends, who have managed to keep their friendship as close as it was back in their university days, despite one living the dream working and residing in another country and the other married and settled beyond her years. Until a diagnosis changes the course of their lives forever; this is a well written novel that is an enjoyable read. The idea of a perfect life is unravelled as the book goes on, it’s a realistic view of the world.

Baby Doll

This book starts where others end; all about escape. Escape from captivity, escape from the mind; finally being free, except that freedom also comes at a price. I loved how this book explored so many taboo subjects and the main character was so strong throughout that it was an incredible read. Usually a kidnapping is how a book ends, so this one immediately stood out as it was focused instead on recovering from capture and moving on.

The Miniaturist 

This was a recommended read for me and I instantly fell in love. Based on a dolls house on display in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, it tells the story of Petronella Oortman. As I studied art, I love Jessie Burton’s novels as they always describe various pieces of art whilst adding her interpretation of the world within an artwork. This book explored 17th century life for women in what was a man’s world as well as commenting on the place of merchant families within society. This was an incredible read, I can’t fault it.

New Year Goals // Bonjour 2018

Hello guys and Happy New Year! After Blogmas I got really ill (thank you christmas stomach bug, ew) so I decided after posting so often in December it was time for a break as I needed to rest, in all honesty. I celebrated the New Year in with my friends and boyfriend and it was actually lovely; however now it’s January I feel like it’s time to get back into blogging. Over the past few years I’ve actually done a couple of posts similar to this and ivone definitely learnt over the past couple of years that I’m stronger than I think I am; I don’t make New Years resolutions per se, but I like to have some goals, some ideas for what I’d like to achieve over the course of a year and that seems to work fairly well for me.

Relationships - for 2017 I wanted to really focus on keeping up old friendships, making the effort to see friends whenever possible and work through the fact we’re all busy people with different lives to rekindle some friendships. I achieved that in 2017 so for 2018 I want to continue that, I’ve been messaging my school friends and I’m due to see my uni friend in a couple of weeks, which is an excellent start. What I want to focus on in 2018 is keeping up with my old work mates, some of them I’ve known for six years and I’m excited to see where that goes. In terms of my boyfriend, I’m looking forward to spending another year together, exploring life and the world around us.

Hobbies - I’m proud that I now have a few hobbies, namely reading, photography and blogging which I’ve been able to utilise so much over the past year and I can’t wait to continue those over the coming year. This year I want to expand my hobbies a little more, through scrapbooking (I really want to collate my memories into albums) and maybe starting a YouTube channel, something which I’ve been debating about for the past few months. I’d also like to keep enjoying having hobbies, hopefully this year I’ll be lucky enough to meet some like minded people, for example I’d love to meet some other bloggers in person one day.

Adventure - I want to focus on exploring the amazing city that I live in; London is a city like no other and yet I feel like I’ve barely seen any of it. My boyfriend is Polish and so I have an excellent excuse to start making more of an effort and discovering new places. This is actually something that I had planned for 2017, but that never happened so it’s always good to reattempt a goal. During 2018 I want to discover at least 5 places in London that I’ve never been to before.

Holidays/Time Off - So far, I have three trips planned for 2018; to Rzeszów in Poland for Easter and Christmas with Piotr, to Amsterdam in the Netherlands for my birthday and to Valencia in Spain with my Nana in the Spring so I’m looking like a very busy bee for next year, which I’m really excited for as that means that I’ll definitely be living my life to full during the next year. I’m also hoping for a chilled out, stress free year.

Health - In terms of mental health, over the past year I’ve had one of the best years in a long time. I’ve finally started to feel free, to not panic so often and somehow manage to work my way through life with minimal stress. I’m hoping that 2018 will be just as good in that sense, as yes not every day is amazing but if there are more good days than bad then that is a win. Last year I was always meaning to join the gym and get physically more healthy, however this year I’m determined to get more active as I’ve started being more sensible with my diet.

Work - I’m in a job that I love, I honestly can’t believe I’ve worked there for a year already; here’s to another good year!

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.

Christmas Gift Guide 2017 // For Her

Hello again guys; so it’s already 14 days into Blogmas and the big day is getting ever nearer. In all honestly, I’m not an amazing present buyer, but I’m not too bad (I hope). Last year, I did a Christmas gift guide and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I’d give it another go for 2017. Maybe I’m a little biased, but I feel like it is easier to buy presents for girls/women than it is for men or children. There’s so many different things of different prices, sizes and ages. That being said, I feel like my tastes have changed a fair bit over the last few years, but even so, here are a few different ideas for what you could buy a female in your life (some of these things are applicable for children and men, too, but that is entirely dependant on the person). Some of the items listed are reasonably priced, others are more high end pricing. If you like these kinds of posts, please let me know in the comments :)

1. Balmain x L’Oréal Colour Riche Lipsticks.

Ok, so I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m actually obsessed with how beautiful these lipsticks are. Priced at £12.99, they’re affordable but still a bit of a splurge for the majority of people. The packaging is gorgeous, they smell amazing and they’re available in 12 different shades so there’s a shade for everyone. One of these lipsticks would make a great gift as they’re slightly more expensive so not necessarily something that someone would consider buying for themselves on an everyday basis. They’re not so expensive that you would embarrass your friend or partner, but they’re definitely a product that would make them extremely happy as the formula and packaging of the lipsticks is excellent quality and therefore good value for money.

2. Marc Jacobs Daisy Perfume

An obvious choice for anyone, male or female is perfume. One of the most popular brands of perfume is Marc Jacobs and the Daisy range is definitely the best selling. They’re fairly expensive, priced at £35-70 dependant on the style, price and size of the product. However, they look absolutely beautiful and all of them smell incredible, they definitely feel like a more high end product but the price isn’t too expensive if you shop around online (always pay via PayPal for protection if you decide to do that) and I know so many people that own at least one Daisy perfume that it’s more or less a failsafe gift; it’s a flirty, floral perfume that most people love.

3. The Body Shop Christmas Gift Set

Any products by the Body Shop are of excellent quality and are hypoallergenic so suit any skin type, although I love that you can buy products specifically for certain skin types. One of the gift sets that looks like great value is the Frosted Berries Festive Tin, priced at £20 it includes a shower gel, hand cream, body scrub and a body butter all in the Limited Edition berry fragrance. They’re full sized products, so altogether they would come to more than the price of the gift set, plus the product last for ages, so it’s a good gift for anyone into skincare. Any Christmas skincare related gift set is pretty good value for money, so any gift set would be appreciated by anyone as they’re a good staple during the winter months when skin has a tendency to dry out.

4. Harry Potter Book Set

Growing up with the Harry Potter series, waiting for the films and books to be released I’m definitely a massive Harry Potter fan, but many of the people of my age (in fairness, all ages) like the series so buying someone a new Harry Potter book set, will likely go down very well as most people will have ruined their original copies years ago from constant reading... I know I did. A full set of the new paperback editions will set you back around £40, the hardbacks are more, but considering you do get 7 books for the price, that’s a good deal. This gift idea can be applied to any books, for example another series like the Hunger Games or the Divergent Series. Books are always a great gift idea, regardless of age.

5. Cath Kidston Cat Bag

Bags from Cath Kidston are always dreamy, but the cross body bags that are available in funky shapes at the minute have taken kitsch to a whole new level. Any cat lover will instantly fall in love with this bag, for £48 it’s a pretty good deal as it’ll be great quality for that price. Ted Baker have a similar design for a far higher price tag, so the Cath Kidston version is a great way of getting a fashionable item for someone on more of a budget. A quirky but cute bag can update any outfit and works for any time of the year, so this is a great purchase for any loved one any time of the year. It’s hard oilcloth, so it’s waterproof too, which is a bonus.

6. Anastasia Beverley Hills Modern Renaissance Palette

So many people have been raving about this palette online, it’s one of the most sought after eyeshadow palettes for any beauty lover, particularly those who love warm toned eyeshadows. Priced at £43, available in the UK from Cult Beauty, it is a more high end beauty product but the reviews say it all. The range of shades available in the palette are great, there are many shimmers and mattes, bright and neutrals. If this items is a bit out of your budget, there are some drugstore dupes available, for example I can think of a fantastic alternative from MakeUp Revolution; but if you want to go all out for a loved one at Christmas, the high end version is absolutely stunning. 

7. Olivia Burton Watch

A watch is one of those present ideas that will always be useful; the Olivia Burton brand of watches are so beautiful and have a massive range of designs and sizes to choose from. The bees and floral designs are the ones that appeal to me the most, but one of the things that I like about this brand is that you can choose a design to suit whoever you want to buy for. The watches retail from £70+ depending on size, design and shape but I feel like a watch is a good investment and if you want to buy a present that someone is guaranteed to appreciate, a watch is a good bet. If this brand is out of your price range, there are similar options available from Accessorize for roughly £20, which is a bargain. A cute watch is always a good accessory all year round, too.

8. Punky Pins ‘Festive As Fuck’

This is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas in a classy way! Priced at £7, it’s a super affordable and funny gift that would be great in a secret Santa or for family and friends who would appreciate a cheeky pun on a pin. As soon as I spotted this, I had someone in mind and for the price, it’s such a good choice of gift. It’s a bit more Christmas related than some of the other items on this list, but it’s also a lot cheaper, which is nice. It’s always good to have a funny and cheap option. That said, the pins bu this brand are always really well made and have good lasting power.

9. Harry Potter Baubles & Bunting

Similarly to the idea of buying the Harry Potter series as a gift set, in Primark they have an amazing range of Harry Potter branded merchandise at the moment; the two baubles are £5 each and pretty large too. The bunting is £3 and is a great way to jazz up the house for a slightly more alternative Christmas. All of these items are a super affordable way to celebrate Christmas and gift someone when you’re on a budget. I’m in love with the range available at Primark a they’re good quality for the price but not so expensive that you would worry about buying three or four different items. Definitely some must have gifts for any Potterhead.

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 :)

The Christmas Tag // 2017 Edition!

Have you ever had a white Christmas?

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. 

Is your Christmas tree real or fake?

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.

December Beauty Haul

Hello again guys; I literally can’t believe how much of a struggle it is to somehow prepare for blogmas; I feel like an absolute mess in that I’ve never been the kind of blogger to organise my life enough to schedule or plan posts in advance so this is definitely a challenge for me. Although that said, I’m still not scheduling posts, definitely feeling like I need to though. This month I’ve been quite naughty and treated myself to some make up bits and pieces that I’ve been eyeing up for a while. I’ve been on the hunt for a decent concealer that’s pale enough for my ghostly skin and I’ve invested in the L’Oréal Paris True Match Concealer in the shade Ivory Rose which is the lightest shade with a blue toned match. Perfect for me and relatively purse friendly at £7.99. Another product that I’ve had my eyes on for a while is the Balmain x L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lipstick in the shade Domination which is a gorgeous ruby red shade and honestly, the packaging alone makes the slightly pricey £12.99 worth it. Plus, it smells divine! I also decided to bite the bullet and purchase the L’Oréal Paris Brow Artist Pomade in the shade Dark Blonde and the rose gold packaging is lovely, as is the included brow applicator, but for £9.99 it was definitely one of the more expensive purchases included in this little beauty haul.

I’m a bit of a mascara addict, not even exaggerating ahaha. It’s definitely the one beauty product that I would take on a desert island... For an everyday make up look I always need to have mascara on, it’s a must for me. I’ve repurchased the L’Oréal Paris Miss Baby Roll as it’s an absolutely amazing mascara, particularly for curling and volumising with a reasonable price of £7.99. I’ve always been a fan of Maybelline mascaras, so I decided to experiment with the Colossal Big Shot and Lash Sensational Limited Edition Rose Gold. They’re £7.99 and £8.99, both of them are well priced for good drugstore mascaras and come in lovely packaging, particularly the limited version, I’m excited to try them out, the brushes are very different to one another, so it’s likely to be interesting even so. The final item in this haul is the L’Oréal Paris Paradise Extatic mascara, which is more of an investment piece due to the slightly more expensive price point of £11.99, but that said the packaging is stunning and the brush looks extremely easy to use on any lash type, so I have very high expectations for this mascara after reading some rave reviews. Let me know in the comments if you have or want any of these products, I’d love to know your opinions! :)

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 :)