Day 9 of #Blogmas | DIY Decs

So I put my tree up at the end of November but I've been so tied up sorting everything else out for Christmas, I'm slacking in putting up actual decorations!

I always love the thought and that personal touch of doing DIY decs (how many times did you make paper snowflakes at school?!) that I picked up these cutesy packs from Wilko for £1. Bargain!

Here we have paperchains, make your own star and "glass effect" (but actually just tissue paper) decorations. Each pack comes included with everything you need and instructions. It's such a good idea to sit down and create if you have younger children or not! I'm the youngest in my family and I still enjoy it just as much (with the odd stress and swearing) however they aren't straightforward to do. They are so fiddle and time consuming but they add that perfect touch of DIY to your Christmas, it's worth it!

I also picked up this gingerbread bunting it's absolutely adorable and the easiest thing out of them all, very therapeutic. I couldn't resist them!

I'm nowhere near the most creative person in the world so making these make me feel like I'm not completely useless!!

Oh and you can never have enough tinsel everywhere can you?!

Do you have any DIY decs this year?

Day 8 of #Blogmas | 3 Christmas pet-hates

As much as 90% of the time I LOVE Christmas there are a few things that get right on my tinsel tits!

Sell by dates on Festive Food;
As you know I work in a Simply Food store and the excitement of Christmas Puddings and Mince Pies in October is short lived by the SHORT BEST BEFORE DATE. Let's be real here, not many people buy Mince Pies as soon as they are on sale but so far we have been through 3 different best before dates one which was 31st of OCTOBER and then 26th NOVEMBER. Surely we have the technology to actually create a pie that is as long lasting as a Christmas Pudding by now? I'm sick of reducing them down before the main event!! All Festive food should be long lasting past Christmas and into the New Year!

Delivery Times;
This time of year you think Christmas shopping online is GENIUS if you don't have time to actually run around the city which, don't me wrong it is, but make sure you do it early enough so it actually arrives this side of Christmas! Once you get to December dont count on paying Next Day Delivery when it actually takes as long as Standard. Surely it's 2015 there should be improvements and preparation at Royal Mail, Yodel, DPD etc for Christmas orders that we actually get our stuff on time! You can rely on them at all can you? I ordered jewellery 2 weeks ago and it still hasn't arrived yet a card I sent on Friday Night was delivered on Saturday morning??? And they don't even tell you when they will come to your house, gone are the days the postman arrives 7:30am, more like MIDDAY!!

Boxing Day buses;
To put it bluntly, THERE IS NO SUCH THING. What is the point in having Boxing Day sales when there are no buses running and you have to pay 3x the price on a taxi that day?! I mean sure you can get all the best things online but then you'll have the issue that I've just spoken about: DELIVERY. Fair enough bus drivers are human and have families but even if they do a 1 bus an hour just so we can fully embrace the sales experience! On the other hand there's nothing worse than working on Boxing Day with no public transport aswell, totally depressing!!


But yeah, other than that I can't WAIT for Christmas!! Festive Cheer always, woop!

Katie x

Day 7 of #Blogmas | A Day In The Life; Xmas Shopping!

So by being amateur in this blogging world I don't quite know how to "blog" a Get Ready With Me post so I just took a few pictures of my ugly mug this morning and hoped for the best?

So here goes;

woke up like dis // ootd // shower tiiime

all clean! // face routine // cuppa break!

time to dry ma hair // i can seee // foundation time

concentration face // mum brought me toast! // concealer time

looking fit // powder style // pouty

face is done! // pink lips+craay hair // tamed+ready

fur+sunnies aka diva. // forgot to brush my teeth // xmas shopping!

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYBODY

Katie x

Day 6 of #Blogmas | December Birthday

This time of year it's inevitable that December babies can be overlooked. My sister unfortunately falls into that category. However, we never let her have a naff birthday. For her 30th 2 years go we had a boozy weekend in Butlins dressed in Burlesque! 

Today she turns 32 and eventhough we aren't doing anything special I've actually been organised and got her a present and a card before even thinking about starting Christmas shopping which is a first for me, I tend to be guilty of leaving it to the day before with the price still on the back of the card and it wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper!

So here's a message to everyone who knows someone with a December birthday; 

DO NOT NEGLECT THEM. THEY ARE HUMAN, THEY HAVE FEELINGS TOO! THEY ONLY HAVE ONE BIRTHDAY A YEAR JUST LIKE THE REST OF US THEY JUST TRY TO BE LIKE JESUS. (greedy buggers!)

So anyway, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!

Hope you have a fabulous day!

Katie x

Day 5 of #Blogmas | Secret Santa

Yes, it's that time of year where your work colleagues and friends come together and use the best excuse not to buy everyone a Christmas present ... SECRET SANTA! See this can be the easiest or hardest task of the month depending on who you get so here are a few guidelines to help you find inspiration.

Giftsets

You can't go wrong with giftsets, the work is done for you. This is good for someone you may not know as well but just because it's generic doesn't mean it can't be fabulous.

Tesco do a range of sets from wine and chocolate to smellies, super safe options all under £10 and no one can ever have too much of either!

 

 

Novelty

Secret Santa is only a bit of fun, 9 times out of 10 people can embrace it and take a joke but always know your limits with someone. I mean never give your boss a sex toy (unless you're really comfortable with them!) she may not see the funny side! 

If you aren't as close to someone but don't want to be too generic think of their personality or something they'd appreciate. Debenhams is the perfect place for novelty cutesy gifts that stay in budget. Are they always happy? A little bit grumpy with a sense of humour? Do they have a thing about Owls or are they a fan of football? One of a kind things like this can be treasured without knowing everything about them. Generic but that bit more personal!

Thoughtful

You don't have to be funny and you don't have to be generic, maybe have a bit more thought into their hobbies or interests and get something you know they would love. Maybe get their favourite artists CD? Do they have a favourite album? HMV have all music genres from all years from Bob Marley to Robbie Williams, Girls Aloud to Metallica.

Maybe they play for a darts team in their spare time? Get them some personalised Dart flights?

Do they like Cats or is Star Wars their thing?

This goes back to the personality thing, maybe they would appreciate a more thoughtful gift to a funny jokey one.

Creative

Budget doesn't have to be a problem if you don't let it. If you're saving up for something special why not make something rather than buy it? That way it will be unique and personal.

Try Hobbycraft as a great place to let your creative mind wander.

I hope this helps a little. Remember Secret Santa shouldn't be taken too seriously so don't panic, no one expects you to give them Chanel on a £10 budget! 

Have fun with it.

Don't stress about it.

And be happy with whatever you receive, after all it's a holiday of giving, IT'S CHRISTMAS!!

Katie x

Day 4 of #Blogmas | Winter Must-Haves.

Winter is here and we're all freezing our tits off right? It's been so long now since Summer I don't even remember what it feels like to be warm. What is warmth???

But luckily I came prepared in order to survive Winter with these investment pieces you will never regret owning in the colder months!

1) Duffle Coat.

Or any coat really. I got this Red one from Primark a few years ago for £13 and it's lasted amazingly. I rely on this coat to keep me cosy and shield me from the wind and it doesn't disappoint. I also may have got one so I could pretend I was Red Coat ... (any Pretty Little Liars fans will understand!)

2) Boots.

Now, if you don't own a pair of knee high boots, I am judging you. How else do you manage to keep the bottom of your legs warm?! They go with anything; jeans, leggings, dresses. They're the ultimate staple shoe. I got the Black Boots from Very for £25 (you may have seen me mention in my previous OOTD post) and the tan brown pair were a Christmas present a few years back from Deichmann and I think they were around £30-£40. I live and die in boots all year around really because if you have warm, dry feet, you can do anything!

3) Fur.

It doesn't matter how much or where, you just need to own some. Again, you may have seen my OOTD mentioning this Leather Jacket but I absolutely love it. The fur keeps my neck warm without it being too overboard and as much as I want to look like one of the Mob Wives with a full-on fur coat, I can't risk buying one if all it does is rain, it'll completely ruin it! This jacket was £49.99 from New Look and another note, the fur is detachable!

4) A scarf.

Because sometimes your chin gets cold too! This pastel pink/grey/blue tartan one was £5 from Primark and it's literally like a blanket for my face! I love wearing scarves I have a ton of fashion ones but this is actually the first woolen, thick scarf I've owned, I don't know what took me so long!

5) A Chunky Cardigan

Every year I look forward to wearing this cardigan, the first touch of bitter cold weather against my skin and this attaches to my body for at least 6 months. I bought this literally about 5 years ago, and it's been my trusty cardigan ever since. It's from F&F at Tesco and I'm sure it was £12? But it is by far the best money I've spent ever, sometimes I just chuck this on and I'm ready to go that's how comfortable and insulating it is!

6) Christmas Jumpers

I will be doing a post completely dedicated to Christmas Jumpers soon but every single person in this world must own at least ONE Christmas Jumper. It's the Law. I have about 4 along with a dozen normal jumpers so I'm completely covered for the season. This one is from the Men's section in Primark for £9 and I love it because it's a stereotypical statement jumper but without silly slogans or animals. Did I mention IT PLAYS MUSIC?! I actually didn't even realise this until my mum decided to press me. An added bonus for Little Miss Claus here!

7) Ear Muffs.

 

These were actually a birthday present because I hated that my ears got cold but I've only started wearing them this year. They're super cute because they have a bow too making them extra girly. These were from Claire's Accessories probably for about £5 and they have adjustable band to suit your head size. I do sometimes have trouble hearing whilst wearing them though but a warm Katie is a happy Katie.

8) Sequins.

Like the fur, it doesn't matter how much or how little they just need to make an appearance to get into the party spirit! This Midnight blue top was from New Look last year I think for £14.99? It was a present for me anyway and it's great if you want some sparkle to a casual look or even if you want to dress down for a Christmas party! 

9) Umbrella.

Not really an explanation needed other than the fact that British Winter time consists of rain, rain and MORE rain. Here's a cute little panda umbrella that's battled through the wind aswell. (Let's not talk about his missing ear) This was £4 from Primark.

10) Microwavable Panda.

No this isn't animal abuse don't call the WWF! This panda actually has a lavender bag in it's bottom that you can microwave so you have a warm teddy to cuddle on chilly evenings. How genius is that?! Basically a glorified hot water bottle but you don't get scolded. I have no idea of the pricing of this but I have seen all different versions and animals of this in most shops I've been in. The newest craze I reckon!

Have I missed any out?
What are your Winter Essentials?

Make sure you keep warm and cosy!

Katie x

Day 3 of #Blogmas | Christmas Chocolate Explosion.

Hello, Hello, Hello.

Have you ever scrolled through Facebook and past the depressing statuses, spam pages that you don't remember following and the odd friendship tag you find absolute Food Porn??

Well this is what happened here and usually I think how on earth am I supposed to make that (??) but this is super easy and straight forward without the need of cooking or baking and I'm going to show you exactly how to make it.

Here's what you need:

1 x Terry's Chocolate Orange

2 x Malteasers Treat Bag 

1 x Milk Chocolate

1 x White Chocolate

Red and Green icing

Step 1: 

Unwrap your Terry's Chocolate Orange and rest it in a glass. This will keep it steady so it won't be rolling around all over the place.

Step 2:

Break off half of your milk chocolate into single squares and melt it either in the microwave or on the stove. This will be used as the glue to stick on your Malteasers to the Chocolate Orange.

Step 3:

Take one Malteaser at a time and dip it into the melted chocolate and carefully stick to the Chocolate Orange. Repeat this step until you cover the top half.

Step 4: 

If your Malteasers are being a nuisance and not staying in place, stick it in the fridge for 30 seconds. Once you have finished the top half pop it back in the fridge for a couple of minutes to allow the chocolate to harden slightly.

Step 5:

Take the chocolate back out and turn it upside down, rest it in the glass again and repeat Step 3 until your Orange is completely covered and it's looking something like this. (this is where I failed originally and had to run up the shop for more Malteasers!)

Step 6:

Pop it back in the fridge for it to set and start on your topping. This is where you can decide how much white chocolate you want on top. I personally melted half a bar but I think the whole bar might have been more effective in appearance but either way, melt your white chocolate exactly the same as you did the milk.

Step 7:

Once completely melted, take your chocolate orange malteaser ball out of the fridge and pour the white chocolate all over the top. Then leave it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.

Step 8:

This is where you can get creative which is an area that I very much lack in, so this was my failed attempt at a holly. But you can do whatever you like but the red and green icing are a must, festive colours rule yaaay!

And that's it!! Easy as pie and choc-tastic! An amazing alternative if Christmas Pudding isn't your thing!

Happy making!

Katie x