What I Got For Christmas 2015 | Beauty, Fashion and Homey Bits!

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas spent with your loved ones, I sure did! For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you've had a lovely few days nevertheless. Today I'm going to be sharing with you what I got for Christmas. I know how boring it can get with the usual disclaimers at the beginning of these posts and videos but I'd just like to put it out there, I'm super grateful for everything I have received this year. I love reading these posts so I thought I'd do one myself! I'm just going to get straight into it.








 First, I'm going to start with my stocking. We've had stockings in my house for as long as I can remember and over the years Santa(wink wink) has gotten so generous and made them larger each year. I have to say, I love stockings and would be more than happy with just a few stocking presents on Christmas Day. In my stocking, I tend to get the same kind of things every year like beauty essentials including cleansers, cotton wool pads and face masks etc which I love as it means I won't have to go out and make the same repurchases over and over again. I've been trying to take care of my nails this year and I kept loosing the tools so I received this dinky little set which is so handy, hopefully I won't loose them now!



We also tend to get a huge amount of chocolate, like most people I assume? Usually it would be gone within a few days but I'm pacing myself this year, sort of. Haha! I'm sat here wondering where it's all gone, hmm..





I also received some lovely candles including this mini vanilla frosting jar and lots of tea lights which are essential for my tart burner. I'm the worst for burning myself whilst lighting candles so my mum picked up this long lighter to avoid that, what a life saver haha! This was well needed.




Now I'll move on to the presents under the tree. My parents told me as I was getting money, I wouldn't have many presents to open but they were wrong! I was still completely shocked with the amount in my pile. I received lots of homey bits this year. Now, when I say homey bits, I don't mean home ware, I mean lots of bits that I'll use whilst relaxing at home.






First up which is possibly my favourite gift out of the lot was a new dressing gown! I've had the same one for about five years now and it was really on it's lasts legs- it wasn't the most subtle either- it was a hot pink leopard print one. The one I received this year is more subtle, a taupe/dusty pink colour. It's so cosy and I'm sure I'll get a lot of wear out of it. I also received this white snuggle blanket, we had one of these in our living room and it was held hostage up in my room for a while so my parents decided to get one for myself. It's so cosy, looks cute on my bed and will be perfect for the rest of the season. Oops, I forgot to take a picture of it but it's used as a background in the rest of these pictures.



Pyjamas are mandatory at Christmas, am I right? We always end up with a pair or two and I'm not complaining. I live in my pyjamas when I'm at home! First I received these super cosy Bambi pyjamas. These are similar to a pair I had last year, again from my sister but this time they have cuffed bottoms which I love as it means I won't trip over trouser legs that are too long!

I also had these pretty cloud pyjama bottoms, again they're cuffed. These feel so comfortable and stretchy so will be perfect for lazy days- by the way, these are from Sainsbury's if you're wondering as my mum left the tag on. What is Christmas without socks? I had three pairs of cosy socks which will be ideal to pair with my new pyjamas!

Next from my sister I had a lovely mug which came with a whisk, hot chocolate and mini marshmallows. It was perfect for during the evening on Boxing Day!



I've really loved Yankee Candles since I first discovered them a few years ago. I'm always tempted by the jars however I find the votives and wax tarts are such great value for money that I won't splurge. From my sisters boyfriend, he very kindly got me a load of votives and this rustic star holder. These will last me a good while and I love all the scents he chose so I'm so grateful.






From my other sister I received an adult colouring book. It was a good while since I'd been eyeing these up whilst shopping so I was so surprised that she remembered! She also got me some new colouring pencils and this lovely Cath Kidston pencil case to store them in. It's from the Kids section as she said the prints were nicer in there compared to the adults, haha!





I'm a huge fan of Olly Murs and was gutted when the calendar had sold out last year, therefore I had to go a year without one but this year my sister picked up the unofficial one- it's got some lovely photos in it so I'm not complaining. I also received an Olly Murs poster, my siblings know me too well!



Now I shall move onto the fashion and beauty gifts I received. I was so happy to receive a new watch as my other one had been playing up, this ones from Avon and is black with a rose gold bezel. I love it!



I saw this bag featured in a haul on YouTube and fell in love with it, especially when I found out it was only £20 from Zara. I put it on my wish list and my sister bought it for me, it's such a great size, looks like real leather and has a longer strap to carry on your shoulder or wear across your body. I can't wait to use it!












Last but not least, onto the beauty bits. I hinted to my parents that I'd love the Soap and Glory Whole She-Bang set and bless my mum, she was up at 7am on her day off to head onto the Boots site to order it. So lovely and I'm so thankful as it has some of my favourite products in and new bits I'm yet to try.






My sisters boyfriends mother was also kind enough to gift me with The Body Shop Coconut set. I love Coconut and The Body Shop so this is a win-win!

I received this really lovely eyes, nails and lips set, I swatched the products and was shocked by their pigmentation as these are from Primark! I'll definitely be looking to try more of the Primark Beauty.



My mum knows I love Real Techniques brushes so picked up the Expert Face Brush for me, however she accidentally ordered three somehow. I asked could I exchange one of them for a different brush and she said yes, we requested a return on Amazon and they accepted and told us not to bother returning the brush and refunded the money. I technically got a free brush, somehow!? And I've now ordered the Setting Brush. So lucky!



I've had my eye on the Stila palettes for a while and when my brother asked was there anything I wanted from the ASOS beauty sale for Christmas, I said I'd love this Stila Eyes are the Window Palette in Spirit. I definitely didn't think he'd get it for me and I was so shocked to open this on Christmas Day. Such a surprise and I'm so thankful!

Like I said earlier, my 'main' present from my parents was money. I also received money from my Nan, Grampy and Aunties etc so I shall be putting that money towards a new purse, probably more makeup and hopefully(if all goes to plan) driving lessons. I'm determined 2016 will be the year I start driving, we'll see eh?

There you have it, what I got for Christmas! I was spoilt this year, as I am every year and I couldn't be more thankful. Of course, Christmas isn't about receiving, it's for giving, loving and spending time with your loved ones. Gifts are just a bonus! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that Santa was kind to you!




I'd love to hear what you got for Christmas so feel free to leave a link in the comments to your post/video!




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The Perfect Christmas Movie Night!

Christmas is next week, next week!? I know, crazy right? I can't believe we're less than 5 days until Christmas and I'm yet to have a movie night. Today I thought I'd share with you my perfect idea of a movie night which I shall be having on Tuesday evening as that's when I finish work for Christmas. I've also teamed up with Casper, a company that sells amazing mattresses here, to share with you my essentials for a movie night.

Casper was actually lovely enough to create this checklist for me, once I had given my input. You may like to use this or adapt it so feel free!

First up is a comfy mattress as there's no better feeling than jumping into bed in your festive pyjamas after a long day at work. Next up you'll need a pile of comfy cushions which Casper also sells, here. Does anyone else strategically place them for ultimate comfort whilst watching films?!

And of course as I briefly mentioned earlier, your favourite festive pyjamas! I love these navy bottoms with a reindeer print all over from F&F a year or so ago. I've also picked up a new tartan flannel pair which I'm excited to snuggle up in on Christmas Eve!

How can you have a movie night without some treats!? I love snuggling up in bed with a hot chocolate, at the moment I'm loving the Galaxy one. It's super sweet but definitely isn't sickly. I love dipping cookies into hot chocolate and tea so I definitely won't forget them!

My movie night sounds almost perfect, just a couple of things missing. I love lighting candles as they just set the mood and makes everything feel more cosy. My favourite festive candle is Yankee Candle Simply Home Sunlight On Snow which you may have seen me mentioned a good few times. It's more of a fresh scent rather than a sweet/spicy typical Christmas scent which I love.

And finally, a movie night is not complete without a few films! I recently did a blog post on my top five festive film picks here so head on over to check that out. There I mentioned my favourite was The Polar Express, I love how magical it is. It's such a lovely film and gets so excited for Christmas.

So there's that, my perfect set up for a holiday movie night! It was lovely to work with Casper on this post so be sure to go and check out their products, linked here. Also, I'd love to know what would make it to your checklist so let me know in the comments below.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOVIE NIGHT ESSENTIALS?

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Christmas Wish List 2015 | Bags, Beauty and Fragrance

Seeing as it's the first week of December, I thought what better way to start the month than with my Christmas Wish List. I know a lot of you will be starting to look what to ask for this year or maybe even looking for gift ideas so perhaps this could help you either way. Please note this is a 'wish list' so of course I don't expect to receive everyone of these items, if any! This is just a select few items that I would love to receive. Let's get into it!

1. Zara Soft City Bag

I love this bag! I'm definitely in need of a new one as I've had my last Zara bag for nearly two years, it's looking a bit worse for wear so I think it's time I got myself a new one. I saw this bag in a haul on YouTube and I knew it had to be mine, especially as it's only £20. Unfortunately it's now unavailable on the website but I have a sneaking suspicion that Santa may have heard my pleads. Let's hope I find this under the tree!

2. Purse

Seeing as this is a 'Wish List' then i'd really love the Ted Baker Colour Block Matinee Purse in Nude. I could've sworn they did this in the summer but they must have stopped making it as I can't find it anywhere. So I wish that said purse still existed an I wish that I had £75 to spend on a purse but this one from ASOS is lovely too. I like large purses so something simple like this is perfect for everyday and will sit nicely in the bag I mentioned previously.

3. Origins Night-A-Mins Moisturiser

In last years Boxing Day sales I picked up an Origins Sample Set. This was included within the set and I loved it, however I don't love the price. It's £35 which has put me off repurchasing it but i'm thinking I could pop it on my Christmas Wish List and maybe a kind someone will put it under the tree for me. If not, I think i'll definitely have to purchase it myself. It's 50ml so should last me ages, right!?

4. Soap and Glory Body Gift Set

I can't believe how long I've loved Soap and Glory, it's been 6 years since I received my first ever Soap and Glory products. Can anyone remember The Big Thrill Hat Box set that went from £50 down to £20? My Dad rushed out to get it for me! So it's become a tradition that every year I receive a Soap and Glory gift set and i'm definitely not complaining! As much as i'd love the Whole She-Bang set, it's a little pricey so i'd be more than happy with Soaper Star set as it contains a few of my all time favourite Soap and Glory products. 

5. Soap and Glory Well I'll Be Glammed Makeup Gift Set

Another Soap and Glory set, but this time it's makeup! I've not actually tried much of their makeup range. Only a primer, the Brow Archery and a Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss. This set is such a great deal, I'd really love to find this under my tree and would be a great way to test out more of their makeup range!

6. Benefit Pump Up The Party! Gift Set

You may have seen me mention before but I've not actually tried many high-end makeup brands. However, everything I've tried from Benefit I've loved! Again, I think this set is a great deal and would be perfect to try out more of their products! The Rockateur Blush looks right up my street and is included in this set. Also, I think this would be a great gift for someone wanting to experiment more with makeup and dip into the high-end side.

7. Perfume 

I'm not entirely sure what perfume i'd like, which isn't good as i'm so fussy when it comes to perfume. However, I think i'd like a more affordable perfume for daily wear. As much as I love my Giorgio Armani Si, it's quite expensive for everyday wear and is more of an evening scent. I did notice they now do an Eau De Toilette version so maybe that's lighter and more appropriate for daily wear? I don't know but the bottles really pretty, haha!

8. Yankee Candle Pink Sands Jar

And last but certainly not least, I'd love this candle. I've tried a load of the wax melts and samplers and this has been my favourite by far so i'd love to have the large jar to burn. Also it's pale pink so will look super cute in my room, what more could I want!?

I hope this has helped you if you're stuck on what to ask for or what to buy for your loved ones. I've actually finished my Christmas shopping which is good but also not as I keep seeing other things and spend even more money. I should be saving to learn to drive so I suppose that's another thing i'd like- driving lessons, something practical! I'd love to know how much shopping you've done. Let me know in the comments!

WHAT'S ON YOUR CHRISTMAS WISH LIST?

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Warm Me Up For Winter TAG | COLLAB!

Please note this is not my photo, I found it here.

Today i'm doing another collab with my lovely friend Jess from Hey It Is Jess! She's somebody I met through Instagram and blogging and we love doing collabs every now and again. Make sure you go check out her post and follow her on bloglovin, here. Today we'll both be completing the Warm Me Up For Winter TAG which I've seen floating around on YouTube quite recently. I love winter so thought why not do this tag!?

What's your favourite hot chocolate?

I'm not a huge lover of hot chocolate anymore, however I recently tried the Galaxy hot chocolate and I love it! Would definitely have to be a favourite this month!

What's your favourite pyjamas, fluffy socks and slippers?

Does this count if I haven't worn them yet? My favourite pyjamas are this Tartan set from Primark- I bought these to wear on Christmas Eve, they're so soft and cosy! You know, because i'm an adult now and have to buy my own Christmas Eve pyjamas- haha! I don't really wear fluffy socks but my favourite slippers are again from Primark and they're memory foam!

Favourite thing about winter?

It's definitely got to be the lead up to Christmas, so exciting!

Favourite winter lip product?

My favourite lip colour would have to be the well loved Rimmel 107, a lovely pinky berry shade thats matte so will last a good while on the lips. In terms of lip care, it'd have to be the bog standard but brilliant Rosy Lips Vaseline.

Favourite winter candle?

I've got two, first would have to be a typical 'winter' scent which is the Yankee Candle Simply Home Sunlight on Snow which is a warming and clean scent. The second would have to be one I picked up from Home Sense which is Pecksniff's Tobacco & White Wood- I know, you might be thinking Tobacco? Ew! It doesn't smell like cigarettes, I promise. It smells like men's aftershave, you know when they've just got ready to go out? Like that, odd that I like it but it smells amazing!

Favourite cosy jumper?

It'd probably have to be this mustard coloured one from H&M, it was only £7.99 and I can't stop wearing it. I don't know if mustard suits me but I like it so i'll wear it! I actually don't own a Christmas jumper shockingly, so I couldn't choose one of those!

Favourite scarf?

I really like this checkered/tartan camel and navy scarf from boohoo.com. I've worn it so much though, it's looking a bit worse for wear! It's huge and so soft, so it's like wearing a blanket all winter!

Top left- Butter Bear
Top right- Father Christmas
Bottom- Dashing Santa

Favourite bath bomb?

Again, i'm not a huge lover of baths- I get so bored and hot in them, i'm out within about 10 minutes! However, I always have one on Christmas Eve with a Lush bath bomb- this year I've chosen the Father Christmas bath bomb as the lady in lush said it fizzes away with amazing colours but also creates a lather/bubbles!

Favourite winter scent?

It's hands down got to be Giorgio Armani Si! I'm down to my last bit and I never want it to end so i'm savoring it. I probably should pop it on my Christmas wish list and hope for it! It's quite a heavy scent, musky and sexy which would be perfect for evenings. However, I love it so much i'll happily wear it during the day time!

What do you like about winter?

Haven't I already answered one similar to this? As I said before, the lead up to Christmas, spending time with family, giving, cosy nights in and snow!

Favourite movie?

My favourite Christmas film would have to be Polar Express, so cute and magical! Sometimes i'm even convinced to believe by the end of it- haha!

Do you like the snow?

Yes! Especially when I was at school, who else listened to the radio/constantly refreshed the news website to find out whether your school was closed? Nothing more exciting than seeing your school on the list, running upstairs to get into warm clothes and head out into the snow! I don't tend to play out in the snow as quite frankly it's too cold but I do love a day off, cosying up in front of the fire!

So there you have it, the Warm Me Up For Winter TAG. Make sure you go and check out the lovely Jess' post here and maybe even go give her a follow on bloglovin! 
I'm not going to tag anybody in particular but if you do this tag then let me know in the comments and i'll be sure to go and check it out.
I hope you've had a lovely week, I may be back on Wednesday- if not, next Sunday!



WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT WINTER?

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April Favourites | Makeup, Skincare, Fashion and more!

It's favourites time! I feel like I haven't done one of these posts in a while and considering there's a few new and old things I've been loving I thought I'd share them with you. I'm going to split these into categories and first up is makeup.

Fairly recently I picked up the MUA pressed powder in what I believe is the darkest colour, shade 4. And yes you're probably thinking if you're a regular reader of my blog- but you're pale!? I actually bought this as I heard it was a good shade for contouring and as I wanted to get into contouring and sculpting my face I thought this was a good call for only £1! I've been using this with a light hand using the Real Techniques Duo-Fibre contour brush and it's been great for adding warmth and life to my face, though I've not quite grasped contouring, I'll keep going at it!

Next is skincare and I've actually gone back to an old favourite the Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser for combination and oily skin. I nearly always pick this up when I see it on offer as you can usually get it for half the price. As my Origins Gin Zing moisturiser is running out I started to use this one again as my skins been very combination recently with a few dry and oily patches so this has been perfect for hydration and combating oils, although I would say this doesn't make my skin look matte like the writing on the packaging suggests.

There have been a couple of things in terms of fashion which are both in fact from Primark that I've been loving.

First is these gorgeous grey suede pointed flats that have cross over straps. I've been wanting a neutral pair of pointed flats for a while and after scouring many websites, I thought i'd pop into Primark to have a look. They did not disappoint, as soon as I saw these I got down on the floor to search for a size 5, lone and behold just that, right at the back! These were only £6 I believe and I'm completely smitten.

I've wanted a black pair of Topshop Joni jeans for a while and after nearly caving and spending £40 on jeans that should last, I heard Primark had a rival for only £10- what!? I'm so glad I picked them up, they fit almost perfect all over and are so comfortable. I must go back and pick up another pair and see if they have any other colours. Fingers crossed they do a white pair!? Apologies as I don't have a picture as I stupidly put them in the wash just before taking pictures!

Last up is miscellaneous as I had no idea what to call this category but basically I've been loving Spring. The past couple of weeks the weather has been gorgeous in Wales, I think Summer came early? I've loved brighter mornings and lighter evenings, they give me the boost to just get up and go- as cringey as that sounds.

I've also been enjoying lighting more Spring/Summer appropriate candles and both these have been my long standing favourites for a while, Yankee Candle Simply Home Sunlight on Snow and Pink Sands. Granted the first doesn't have a very spring appropriate name but the scent is light and fresh which is ideal and Pink Sands is the most gorgeous sweet-smelling scent I've come across. Definitely thinking of getting both these in jars soon!

There you have it, a run down of my favourites this month. I look forward to what May has to offer as we move more into Summer, let's hope for less stress and lovely weather!

What have you been loving this month?

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What I Got For Christmas | Christmas 2014

Hello!

It's currently Christmas night, I'm currently reminiscing the day while in bed thinking of how thankful and fortunate I am. I must admit I was not expecting to do this post as I simply thought my mum was just giving money like we agreed, once again my family outdone themselves as they do every year. As I explained I am so grateful for everything and I thought I'd show what I received deemed as this is popular in the blogger world.

I'll split this into 3 categories, home ware, fashion/beauty and stocking fillers. If and when I purchase anything worth showing in the sales there will be a post up shortly after this but lets get started.

 The first present I opened was the largest, I mostly always go for the biggest as i'm so intrigued what could be in a big box. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened this beautiful bird cage as i've been looking for one for a while but I simply didn't want to purchase one myself so it made the perfect gift. Inside holds four slots to burn tea lights, it looks so pretty and makes beautiful patterns on my walls.

Next up is the gift I received last when I thought I had finished unwrapping, I was again surprised with this- an Olly Murs photo frame wall clock. If you don't already know I am a tad in love with Olly Murs so this was great and I also received tickets to see him on his 2015 tour(tries to breathe)!

I also received some more sentimental gifts that can be put around my room, to the left is a photo cube from my sister(not yet with my own photos I must add), so i'll have to trawl through the albums to find photos that I truly love to display in here. To the right may be my favourite gift, small but so thoughtful! A little keep-sake with a photo of my grandparents on which reads 'To our Grandaughter Amy, Lots of Love Nan and Grampy xx' I welled up a little with how cute this is, I love it!

Next up is a load of candles, I love candles so I could't be happier- a mix of Yankee Candle, Votives, Wax Melts and the cutest tiny jar! Some may find this odd, but I also received a tiny frying pan as i've been loving egg muffins recently, how perfect haha!

Now i'll move onto the fashion, accessories and beauty bits I received. Firstly are these gorgeous black heeled boots from hiddenfashion.com, I picked these out myself and they're super comfortable as they're fur lined!

I didn't receive any clothes this year but I did have this dream. A fluffy Bambi pyjama set! I never want to take these off, they're the most comfortable piece of clothing ever and the look super cute. Thank you sister!

I've wanted something from Pandora for the longest time now and my sister said she'd get me something. I wouldn't really wear a bracelet so I opted for a Birthstone Ring. I am so content with how beautiful it looks and fits, i'm also wanting another dainty ring so I think that's what I'll spend some of my Christmas money on!

Speaking of rings, this was actually a stocking filler but I also go this lovely silver diamante key ring as I was complaining that the ones I currently have kept braking and although cute where also impractical so this will do the job!

In terms of beauty beneath the piles of wrapping paper held two Soap and Glory sets, one from my parents and the other from my sisters boyfriend- so kind! I love Soap and Glory so it wouldn't be Christmas without it, here I got The Soapremes and Soap for the Best. The Soapremes contain a range of full-sizes and minis where as the Soap for the Best contains all minis, perfect if you travel!

I also had a lot of beauty essentials in my stocking which is always useful, such as shampoo, smellies, cotton pads, makeup remover and lip balms etc. Stockings are my favourite types of gifts!

I had A LOT of chocolate and sweets this year(some of which I've already eaten), enough to last me a long while so i'm not complaining! When else can you acceptably receive ridiculous amounts of these sweet treats though?!

As I've said at the start of this post I am forever grateful for everything I received and didn't expect any of this as my mother said she'd give me money to spend in the sales, so I am over the moon with how generous my family were this year. I'm going to be doing a spot of shopping with my Christmas money so i'm sure a haul will be up shortly! 

I hope you had a lovely Christmas spending time with your loved ones and as we're near i'd like to wish you a very Happy New Year, let's hope 2015 is the best yet!

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