Thursday 31 December 2015

Page 1, Planner Tips!

Hi friends,

On the last day of 2015 I'm preparing for January, page 1 of the next book begins tomorrow! I wanted to show you how I plan out my month to keep myself organized because I'm a bit of a nerd. I got my diary from Typo and I adore it. I'm not one of those girls that decorates their planners with thousands of stickers and tape and designs it all beautifully. Quite frankly, I can't be bothered with the time and money that takes! Mine is much simpler, I use one sticker sheet to just give me an idea of when I have important events like birthdays or meetings over the whole month, they're from Kikki K!

Tuesday 29 December 2015

What I got for Christmas!



Hi friends,

After successfully completing Blogmas (WHICH I LOVED) I wanted to give myself a few days off blogging. After 4/5 days I'm itching to get back into it! I'm so excited to start my new routine already! This week I'm going to post tuesday, thursday, saturday and then next week monday, wednesday, friday and sunday (aka... every other day!). I had SUCH a lovely break over the holidays, it was lovely to spend time at my parents house and catching up with my family.

Thursday 24 December 2015

Day 24 - Share the Love

Hi Friends,

It's Christmas Eve and I wanted to post something POSITIVE. Then I realised one of the nicest things to do is to SHARE THE LOVE! Here are my current favourite 10 bloggers...

Tuesday 22 December 2015

Day 23 - Stop wishing, Start doing!


Hi Friends,

Today I wanted to post about my 'wishes' for 2016!

Day 22 - Best of 2015 Beauty

Hi Friends :)

So this is the OTHER side of my favourites, not the make up but the 'other' beauty products. They're not so fun BUT things like skincare and perfume are all the little things that make us feel glamorous even when the make up isn't there! (Deep moment). I'm not going to pick something for each category (e.g. perfume, nail varnish, cleanser, toner, moisturizer) because I feel like those wouldn't be my FAVOURITE 15... For example, even though I love my toner it wouldn't count as one of my top 15 products!

So here are the top 15 of this year...

1. Simple make up wipes


Monday 21 December 2015

Day 21 - What's in my bag?


Hi Friends,

I feel like this is a classic post that everyone does?! As it was getting towards the end of blogmas I thought I'd try it! I think people like these posts because they like to be nosy... I know that's why I like them. So here we go...

Sunday 20 December 2015

Day 20 - Best of 2015 Make up

Hi Friends :)

It's that time of year! Nothing I possibly start using now could count as a 2015 favourite... it's a tad too late in the year! So even though I've found some of my favourite make up products this month (CHARLOTTE TILBURY FOUNDATION) I'm not going to include it (see what I did there?!). I've had to split up make up and 'other beauty items' (what an awkward category...) into two posts or it would just get too long so expect that one in a couple of days...

So the 15 products I have loved most this year (narrowed down from about 30 I originally selected before realizing that was ludicrous)... IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER!

1. Naked 2 palette

Saturday 19 December 2015

Day 19 - Food for thought...

Hi Friends :)

It's really hard to be healthy this time of year. Lets face it, this month I've posted recipes for 2 types of cookies and mince pies! It's also super boring to eat salad all the time so I wanted to post some healthyish meals that aren't a salad! I'm not saying that this is the healthiest food to eat, but it's not pizza followed by chips followed by sugarsugarsugar. I wanted to find 3 meals that are really quick, 'rushing out the door' meals. I'm not going to photograph my food by displaying it as a piece of art work on my plate as if I do that every day... let's get real, NO ONE has time for that! I won't be arranging my strawberries in concentric circles. It's what I ate Friday, so here we go!

Meal 1: Breakfast

Friday 18 December 2015

Day 18 - 2015 Reflections...

Hi Friends :) 

Today I wanted to make the post a little more personal and reflect on some of my favourite memories of 2015. I feel like everyone always says 'this was simultaneously the best and worst year of my life', but I can't say that for 2015. It was just the best. I've had much worse, this year brought me happiness and of course stress but the goods outweigh the bad. 

So I wanted to talk through a few highlights, and this took a LONG time to narrow down. 

In March I visited my sister who was living in New York. That city always feels like home, I have NO idea why because I'm a country girl, not a big city girl, but there's something about that place that I find magical. Don't get me wrong, I know it has its flaws but it suits me. All we did was eat amazing food and spend time together and I loved that. Four whole days with just her, talking about art and boys and food. 

Thursday 17 December 2015

Day 17 - A girl can never have too many...




Hi lovely friends :)

Today I wanted to do a post about make up because I feel like it's been all about Christmas and baking lately so I wanted to talk about something else! (I bet tomorrow will be a Christmas or baking post...)

Wednesday 16 December 2015

Day 16 - Yum yummy, get in my tummy!


Hi Friends :)

Today I wanted to try to make a really super traditionally Christmas recipe so I went for Minced Pies! Won't lie, I'm not a fan of them, I just nibble off the pastry and leave the inside but I actually LIKED these ones - amazing! 

Tuesday 15 December 2015

Day 15 - Stocking fillers!

Hi lovely friends :) 

I was looking at my Christmas presents and realized how many stocking stuffers I'd bought! I fill a stocking for mum and dad each year but some of these items are also presents for other people which apply to the stocking filler rule - IT MUST BE UNDER £15! There are a few things I REALLY wanted to put into this post but couldn't because I didn't want to include gifts to friends who may see this post... some were just too obvious! But here we go...

Monday 14 December 2015

Day 14 - Whistle while you work...

Hi Friends :)

So it has begun! The cleaning project has started. On Friday my working term ended which means the three week holiday has begun! Of course it's going to be an amazing time to see family and friends but I also have a massive amount of degree work to do and holidays are my time for cleaning! Today I wanted to share my cleaning schedule for the Christmas break because I'm sure many of you out there will be wanting to do a massive clean up before the Christmas festivities begin!

SO here goes nothing...

Sunday 13 December 2015

Day 13 - Top 5 Winter Essentials!

Hi Friends :)

As it's getting colder and colder all of my winter essentials are coming out so I thought I'd share them!

1. Festive mugs



Saturday 12 December 2015

Day 12 - Tis the season to fill my belly!


Hi Friends! 

Time for some more festive baking - I appear to have become obsessed! This time we are making shortbread cookies. 

Friday 11 December 2015

Day 11 - The Life Changing Magic of Tidying


Hi Friends,

So today I wanted to talk to you about a book, which may sound a bit odd but this book is amazing. It's called 'The Life Changing Magic of Tidying' by Marie Kondo. I saw it going around the internet a before the summer and I decided to put it in my amazon basket!

Thursday 10 December 2015

Day 10 - Instagram Diary...


Hi Friends :)

I LOVE Instagram, it's my favourite social media platform. It's so visual (obviously) and it's a fantastic place to store all of my most cherished photos. You've already seen my christmas tree, advent post and the breakfast SO I thought I'd go through 3 other of my favourite recent posts :) 


Wednesday 9 December 2015

Day 9 - Christmas Tag!


Hi Friends :)

I gave out my Christmas presents at work today and I now feel FESTIVE, so today is time for a tag. There are so many Christmas tags so I combined three different ones! Here we go... 

Tuesday 8 December 2015

Day 8 - DIY Pamper Jar...

Hi Friends :)

I know normally jar gifts are cookies or hot chocolate recipes... or something, but this one isn't! This one is for one of my colleagues and it's a pamper jar.

I knew she loved a nail polish from Mac, so I decided to get it as her main christmas gift and then little extras like socks and beauty samples.

You will need...



Monday 7 December 2015

Day 7 - Brown paper packages tied up with string!

Hi Friends :)

In the midst of all the Christmas shopping I had to pop in a cheeky order for me didn't I? YES I DID. I was on Charlotte Tilbury's website and it's just all so beautiful and luxurious and I just had to do it. So here is a mini haul! I wasn't planning on posting this when I made the order, but when it arrived it all looked so impressive so I HAD to post it.

Here we go...


When you open the box it's just stunning. It looks like an ordinary cardboard box but then the inside of the box has a beautiful illustration and the first thing you see is a gold embossed envelope...which tells you how much money you've spent, so definitely pass that one. 


Under the gorgeous tissue paper there's so much more than I even ordered! I wanted the lipstick in Birkin Brown, the magic foundation in shade 1 (obviously, I'm super pale) and the feline liquid eyeliner pen! But there was an additional 6 samples - I think that's pretty impressive.


I've never tried a lipstick sample before so I have to say I'm super exited about those. The rest are 3 shade samples for the foundation, so I'm giving each of them to friends. Then there's a night cream and an eye cream which I'm giving to one of my friends. 


This is the foundation! I have to say I think the packaging is gorgeous as a first impression. I love the glass bottle and rose gold cap and of course, got to love the pump. I've seen so many people using this foundation and so many makeup artists on instagram so I realised it was one I just had to try out.


I have to say liquid eyeliner is my nemesis. I just can't handle it but felt tip pens make it all the more easier and this one is so precise at the end and actually DARK. I have a few eyeliners that just look grey after a while so this one is great *keep your fingers crossed*. 


Okay, I have a problem with this one. These lipsticks are incredible and I can't get enough. It's the matte revolution formulation and I've been converted. I used to think the matte finish wasn't that nice looking but I've become a MASSIVE fan, these lipsticks are my favourite. This year I've suddenly been obsessed with darker shades of berry and brown so I thought this one was a bit of a necessity. 


I hope you enjoyed this little first look! I'll definitely do a review once they have been trialled and tested :) 


Love & hugs always,



Sunday 6 December 2015

Day 6 - Knock Knock!

Hi friends :)

Today I'm going to give you a little sneak peek into my home. This sounds odd, but it's my first 'Soothing Sunday' post and you know what, my flat makes me feel so relaxed so why the hell not! It's my sanctuary and safe place, I love spending time here. So today I thought I'd share a few images of it before embarking on my 'Living with Less' project! These will be Christmas focussed because... IT'S BLOGMAS!


Saturday 5 December 2015

Day 5 - Baking up a storm!



Hi Friends :)

I've decided that for the first recipe for December it HAD to be Tanya Burr's cookies. This is my go-to recipe when it comes to cookies and my boyfriend and sister LOVE them. It's his birthday today so I thought this would be a nice treat for him :) This recipe can be found on Tanya's blog and all over the internet but in case you haven't made them yet, GIVE IT A GO BY FOLLOWING THESE STEPS!

Friday 4 December 2015

Day 4 - DIY Advent Calendar!

Hi Friends :)

Lots of my friends have recently been saying that they've missed out on getting an advent calendar and many have mentioned wanting to make their own. Now I know this is a few days late, but hey - better late than never!

Each year I make my parents a DIY advent calendar. I decided that this year I wanted to make them something they could keep always, not something temporary for December. So I have created this calendar!

Thursday 3 December 2015

Day 3 - How to stay motivated when working from home...

Hi Friends!

I've just finished yet ANOTHER assignment towards my degree which I study online through the Open University. Once each assignment is done I'm always struck by a wave of relief, what an amazing feeling to have that complete and gone, now for a bubble bath and evening of relaxation!

Wednesday 2 December 2015

Day 2 - Dude, it's December.

Hi Friends!

For my favorites this month I’ve decided to change it up and try categories :) I thought it might be a bit of fun so here we go!

Tuesday 1 December 2015

Day 1 - Christmas Gift Guide!

Hi Friends :)

I know I’ve been out of the loop for a while but to make up for it I’ve PLANNED on blogging each day in December until Christmas! This is a bit of a tall order for me because I’m slightly slow on the writing front… but we can keep our fingers crossed! A lot of them will be Christmas related because, lets face it, it’s the best time of the year…

So, to start of - A CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE!