My Little Brooklyn Box

Hello everyone! 

So October is long gone and I didn't even notice. Honestly, I don't know where my head has been! Well actually I do, I've been up to my eyes in work and assignments. Buuuuttt that is no excuse for not blogging as much and I apologise guys. Today I wanted to tell you all about the delightful contents of the October My Little Box :-) 

My Little Box is a deeply fabulous french brand dedicated to concocting a monthly box of delights for us! October's box is the Brooklyn box, celebrating all things from that celebrated hipster hub of New York. For those of us wishing for a holiday, this box is a little peek into one! I think this might actually be one my favourite boxes yet, and yes I am aware I say that most times! This box is slightly edgier than the previous ones and bang on trend! 

The design on the front shows a woman wearing the just-this-minute fashionable mid length pleated, metallic skirt. I love this design, it is so current and stylish. I can hear you all shouting at me to just get on with talking about the contents, so let's dive into the box. There is the usual little magazine filled with fashion and beauty tips, this month interviewing Penélope Bagieu, a french writer who moved from Paris to Brooklyn, New York. A bit of a culture shock to say the least, but incredibly interesting to read about. 

Look how cute the pins are! 

The products this month were particularly good! This little mug is ideal for your morning tea or coffee, personally I'm a hot chocolate kind of girl. You can even use the special leaf stencil to dust your drink with cocoa powder to make it look like a Starbucks! Although, these mugs are enamel so you can't put them in the microwave...very important to know! 

I love the little cards that come with each box, I have a little arty wall of them above my desk for inspiration :-) 

The little canvas bags that come in each box have such a super cute design, I love using them for transporting my makeup on the go. However, I think the contents are infinitely more exciting, don't you agree? This month there is this lovely perfume from Courrèges, called La Fille de L'air. It has quite a strong citrus scent so I think I'll be applying this one lightly! It's a perfect summer to autumn transition fragrance, not too spicy, but also not too heavy on the florals. The nail serum is My Little Beauty's own brand product. This Save My Nails strengthening treatment will be such a god send this winter to help me keep my nails healthy and in good condition. I get such dry nails in the winter, it's what comes from working outside a lot *sigh*. 

I thought swatching the colour on here could look arty...

This khol eyeliner pencil in 15 Gold Ornament By Terry is so decadent! I love the way it is not simply a boring black liner, the fact that it is thick, bright gold is so perfect for the upcoming holiday season! It is also the ideal makeup staple to turn a simple, understated look into a style with much more wow factor. This colour would suit any eye colour and skin tone, and will really pull the emphasis to your gorgeous eyes :-) I have taken to wearing it every time I feel like spicing up my look a little. 

The final product is just as gorgeous as all of the above. These three pins are super cute and stylish. I love the matching green and gold collar pins! They work so well with a collared shirt in a light colour. I wear mine with my silky black and white dalmatian print shirt and a pinafore dress. They really complete the outfit, giving it that extra classy, put-together boost. The other pin is of a strawberry iced donut, my favourite kind of donut by the way. This one is super cute to put on a denim jacket or on a jean pocket :-) 

What do you think of this box? Have you got any tips for using these items? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Autumn OOTD and Beauty Essentials Collaboration With Simplly Me

Hi,

This is Simplly Me from Simplly Me Blog! 

Today I’m writing a guest post for GingerSnapHattie’s blog!

I absolutely love her blog and it was really really fun collaborating with her because she is a wonderful and amazing person. Also this is my first ever blog collaboration and I’m so excited and Hattie this whole experience really fun and exciting.

But, before I start I wanted to tell you a bit about me and my blog:

My name is Simplly Me and I’m currently in school, I spend most of my time writing and photographing for my little section on the internet, Simplly Me Blog. When I’m not busy blog writing I’m probably baking, reading, watching YouTube, hanging out with friends or doing homework. (Ugh!) On my blog it is based on Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle. If you like those genres then hopefully you’ll enjoy my blog!

Anyway, for my part of the collaboration I'm doing an Autumn OOTD and an Autumn Beauty Essentials. I really hope you enjoy this post and remember to keep reading GingerSnapHattie's blog it's brilliant!

Autumn OOTD:

This burgundy checked flannel shirt is from New Look. I think this top is perfect for Autumn because Burgundy is my favorite Autumn color so I really like to wear this to feel really nice and Autumnal. I don't know the actual price of this top but I bought it for £1 at New Look on sale. Bargain! I know right?! This top is also perfect for Autumnal weather because it’s not too thick but not too thin so it keeps you warm but not boiling hot. I also like how it has this really cute collar which I think is a nice touch.

To pair with my top I wore a Black A-Line Skirt from New Look. I really like A-Line skirts because I think that they just really suit me and my figure. Also I think that these are a real wardrobe staple because you can easily dress this skirt up with a classy shirt or wear it more casual with a sweater so I think it’s a very versatile piece.

When I wore these two pieces I tucked my top into skirt. I think this is the best way to style this because this top is quite long so in my opinion to have it untucked may look a bit weird. If it’s a colder Autumn day then I'll just add a pair of black tights. And then finally for the shoes I’ll just wear a pair of black flats or some black boots.

Autumn Beauty Essentials:

So now onto the beauty part of this blog post. I’m a real beauty lover so of course I had to include a few of my Autumn faves.

Wild Argan Oil Hand Cream 

My hands are literally always dry but, when in its Autumn/Winter it doesn’t make the situation any better... Sooooo, to solve this I bought The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Hand Cream. I absolutely love this product! After I apply it it keeps my hands all nice and moisturized and removes all the dryness from my hands. Also, the product smells AMAZING! I absolutely love this scent, at first I just picked it up because it was quite a different scent but I’m different going to picking more products in the Wild Argan Oil Range.

Clean & Clear Dual-Action Moisturizer 

I use this product all year round because it’s part of my skincare routine but I wanted to include this because I think this product is vital for Autumn/Winter. The product I’m talking about is the Clean & Clear Dual-Action Moisturizer. I use this in my skincare routine because I have combination skin so my T-Zone is oily but the rest of my skin is quite dry. Sooooo, to solve that issue, I tried this moisturizer and absolutely loved it! Also this is oil-free so if you have oily skin then it’s a good moisturizer to have.

The Body Shop Born Lippy Strawberry LipBalm 

My lips are unbelievably dry so always have to have lip balm with me at all times of the year and especially at Autumn/Winter. I normally use the Born Lippy Strawberry Lip Balm from The Body Shop which I actually love because it keeps my lips very soft and keeps them to not be as dry as a bone. Also this is only £2 which makes it really affordable as well. (In the photo I included my Primark Lip Balm instead because I couldn’t find my Born Lippy.)

I really hope you’ve enjoyed this collaboration and I hope that you’ll carry on reading Simplly Me and GingerSnapHattie. 

What’s your favorite thing about Autumn?

xoxo

"She's A One-Piece Wonder!" **

Hello everyone, 

Whenever I think of summer the image of a glamorous woman laying by a sparkling pool, Tiffany sunglasses on and sumptuous drink in hand, springs immediately to mind. I have always wanted to be that woman! Adore Me inspired me recently to take part in their latest project and create a post all about one piece bathing suits and how to wear them in every day styles. Adore Me has a huge online presence trying to promote women's bodies and appreciation of this, they provide a ginormous range of different styles of lingerie and inspiration on how to wear them confidently. I love how their site is easy to navigate and truly has something for everyone :-) 

I feel like in recent years one pieces became a bit of a "boring" form of swimwear, which is really wrong! I have always loved them, they are key in the whole "Less is more" philosophy and can be infinitely sexier and more alluring than bikinis. Thinking along those lines I have some of my top tips on how to integrate one pieces into your wardrobe and ways to feel confident and stylish whilst wearing them. 

1. Accessorise 

The body is from Topshop and the hat is from a vintage store

The key to styling up any outfit is picking the right accessories! I have always been more of a minimalist when it comes to this aspect of my outfit. Now, when I'm on holiday chilling out poolside all I need is a ridiculously oversized hat and some sunnies. For this outfit, I have a grey one piece which isn't actually for swimming, sorry guys I had to throw in a body somewhere, I just love them so much! But they count as a one piece right? However, I do love the plain swimsuit style anyway, I actually have two black ones. One fringed across the neck with lace and another with many interlocking straps across the lower back. These look super pretty with a big red hat and my purple sunglasses. To match the redness of the hat I love to put brick red nail varnish on my toes just to spice them up a bit. Of course a good book to read is one of my go to accessories, but you guys could have guessed that already :-) 

2. Mix it up 

 Jeans are from Abercrombie and Fitch, hat from Topshop, shirt from Whip and Bang and shoes from Miss Selfridge 

Having a signature scent for summer is so important, I love how fresh this Fierce Icon scent is from A&F! :-) Yes I know it's a man's scent, but I love it

Who ever said a one piece has to be a beach outfit? I love wearing this outfit for a night out in the summer or for going out to dinner. One pieces are slimming, so great for covering that food baby after a big meal! Wearing a one piece under jeans makes you look taller with longer legs, which is fab if you are a shortie like me. For this outfit, I like to pair my strappy black heels with blue skinny jeans and this Malibu one piece. The cutout on the sides give it a very sexy edge without showing off too much. If it is looking a little chilly out I throw on one of Whip and Bang's oversized block pattern shirts. These are wonderfully floaty and the sheer chiffon gives you a lovely shapely look. It's classy, but still very sexy. 

You can still wear this kind of outfit in the winter, I often wear my black one piece with the crossed straps with high waisted black skinny jeans, high heeled suede books and another Whip and Bang shirt. For looks like this I would recommend throwing your hair up in a messy bun and letting little tendrils curl out around your face. It instantly makes the look appear effortless, which is what we all want to achieve. 

3. Layering 

 Shoes are Converse, shorts are from Pull and Bear and the shirt is Abercrombie and Fitch 

Being the fair skinned creature that I am, I need to cover up. I love using a square neck one piece like this one to help me feel stylish and summery, but still cool in the summer months. Pairing a block colour like this with shorts and a sleeveless plaid shirt is such an under-rated style. I love how easy it is to just throw this on with a fringed shoulder bag and dinky converses. It really is the "ready to go in 5" outfit. I love to layer over one pieces as it keeps away the harshness of the sun, but gives you the option to take layers off if you get too hot. Another advantage is that you can whip of your shorts and shirt for an impromptu dip in the ocean! Layering makes you feel floaty and dainty in a way that tight clothes can never do. 

4. Be confident

Some people feel the need to hide from bikinis by wearing a one piece and I think this is so unnecessary. No matter what size you are, wear what you feel good in. Feeling good in a one piece is so easy, there are thousands of styles to suit any shape out there. Love your curves and edges, and enhance them with cuts to suit you individually. Learning what suits me has been a life lesson and I'm sure I will carry on learning as I get older and change. If you are confident and feel as gorgeous as I'm sure you are, then any outfit will look beautiful. 

5. Make a statement 

If you want to really rock the one piece then you have to pick something that makes a statement. It has to be the main feature of your outfit, not just a side accessory. I particularly love styles with a cut out for these. I always see women wearing these and looking fantastic. Bikinis make a statement by showing all you have, whereas, a one piece should hint at hidden delights and make you feel classic and Audrey Hepburn-like. A bold print or an original cut or style is all you need as a foundation to build a cracking outfit. Smarten it up with some tassled sandals, big sunglasses and a red lip, then you're ready to go! 

What are you one piece style tips and go to's? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Summer Holiday Essentials

Hello everyone! 

It is finally the summer holidays :-) I could not be more excited about that fact. I am a massive sun bunny and intense heat is my comfort zone. Keeping this in mind Mr.Gingersnap and I are off to my childhood home in the south of France for a 2 week holiday. 

Now I love watching videos of people's summer essentials and what they pack to go away! If that's not your thing then you should probably stop reading now... I took some snaps while I was packing and thought I'd share my holiday staples with you. 

Firstly I like to pack as many pretty, floaty dresses as I possibly can! Being a tiny person I can get away with a lot more clothes in a small suitcase (it has to have some perks tbh!). I like to vary between the floral prints, bright colours and pastels, that way I am prepared for any kind of day or dress code. I always pack at least one full length dress just in case I have a more fancy evening out. 

I always take my Kindle on holiday just because it's more portable and I can get more books if I run out! 

When it comes to swimming it's important to have a comfy bikini or swimming costume. I love Jack Wills' bikinis, they fit beautifully and have very classic understated patterns. I would also recommend Hollister for quality swimwear, yes it's a bit pricey, but worth it when your clothes last several summers instead of dropping to bits straight away! If, like me, you're pale or fair skinned it could be a good idea to pack a top or pool kimono to keep the worst of the sun off you and cover up a little more. For this I have a cut out cotton, floaty black mesh kimono. It's lovely and quite timeless as a piece. 

 I must admit I love a wide brimmed hat!

Every girl needs a good pair of denim shorts on holiday. I got these ones at Pull & Bear and I adore them. I can throw them on with a bikini top, with a body, a bandeau (another essential for me) or just a normal floaty top. Continuing with easy to throw on looks, a flowery kimono instantly makes a look seem polished and stylish. I've had this one for years, but they seem to be cropping up everywhere so get on out there and buy one! Trust me :-) 

I love high heels and wedges on holiday, they really give me that dressed up and put together feeling. These ones are my essentials this holiday. I do of course have the standard flip flops and converses for everyday wear, but they were boring to photograph!

When it comes to makeup and skin care, it's important to have products that protect your skin. Look for SPF on products and make sure you moisturise and stay hydrated! You want to come home with that holiday glow, not looking like a leather bag left out in the sun... I am feeling the pinks this summer as you can probably tell from the picture! All these pinks are so pretty and feminine, I just love them and I'm sure y'all do too! If you were wondering that is the Naked 3 palette from Urban Decay, the YSL lipstick is a Rouge Volupte shine in 41 , the Too Faced Sweetheart Blush is in Candy Glow and the Rimmel London nail varnish is the 405 Rose Libertine :-) 

What are your summer essentials? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

P.S. Follow my Facebook here! 

Original Nakedness

Hello everyone, 

A couple of weeks ago I went shopping with my housemate to restock her makeup bag, naturally I talked her into investigating the Urban Decay counter. She fell in love with the gorgeousness that is the Naked collection, it was inevitable. Being a brunette with a lovely rosy complexion, she suits quite different colours to me. We spent a lot of time umming and ahhing over which palette to get, it’s a tough choice Naked 1 or 2??

After lengthy deliberation, she went for the original Naked 1 palette. The packaging is quite different, it’s a deep brown velvet with gold, embossed lettering. Unlike the Naked 2 and 3 palettes which are tin palettes that snap shut. I’m not such a huge fan as it makes this palette less portable. The lid easily flips up and this could damage the shadows if they are in your handbag. However, it does look very smart and slightly more luxurious than the later palettes! 

As with all the Naked palettes there is a cute double ended brush, so useful! The 12 colours are quite neutral, cool tones ranging from very light to very dark. There is a nice mix of matte and shimmer colours in a fab range of creams, golds, browns and greys, as well as a couple of more pinky tones for good measure. This palette really would suit anyone, I feel like it would be incredibly versatile in terms of looks for different occasions. 

Left to right: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal 

So far she is loving it and really enjoying experimenting with different combos. The colours she is loving most are Darkhorse, Hustle and Gunmetal for a very smoky look and Sin, Half Baked and Toasted for a more neutral day to day look, but still keeping a lovely pop of shimmer. Sidecar is also a gorgeous sparkly, milky hot chocolate colour to sweep under your lower lashes to brighten your eyes.

Who else loves the Naked palette and what are your go to looks? Let me know in the comments :-) 

xoxo

Limited Edition Goodies

Hello everyone, 

Recently I have been mildly obsessed (massive understatement) with all the new releases this month! I always think January is very exciting for beauty products as so many companies bring out their spring collections and new products for the new year…just in time for the next student loan instalment…not so good for my bank account honestly. 

The product I was most excited by is the YSL Gypsy Opale face palette. Wow oh wow is this palette gorgeous, pretty much as soon as it came out online I had to order one, luckily I had some money from babysitting so could justify the rather expensive £42.50! It came super fast in the post and the packaging is gorgeous. There is a standard gold YSL cardboard box with instructions/warnings etc. Inside is a small, black velvet pouch embossed with the YSL logo, very decadent looking I must say. 

How beautiful is this!?!

The slim gold palette has a marbled pink - fruschia cover and inside the marbled effect is continued. The different colours are laid out in wavy strips with more space being taken up by the blush and highlight, which is fab because they will be used the most! 

There are 4 “colours” - green, purple, pink and cream aimed to cover all the different requirements for “doing your face”. The green is best swept over areas of redness on your face, maybe where you have a bit of blemish or under the cheekbones in areas of rosacia. The purple is used as an anti-dullness colour and you can put it anywhere that you think your skin isn’t looking at it’s best. I like to sweep some under my cheekbones, down the creases beside my nose and across my forehead towards my hairline. The blush is a beautiful glossy colour, similar to the dandelion blush by Benefit. It is a sort of baby pink with a hint of sparkle, perfect for the rapidly approaching spring season. Finally, onto the highlighter, it is a rich toned cream that will suit all skin tones. It has quite a lot of dazzle to it so can be used sparingly to great effect. I find that it really lights up my complexion when swept under my eyes, down the very top of my cheekbones and over my brow bones. 

I have definitely fallen in love with this palette. I have taken to using it after I have put on my foundation and powder. However, the beauty of this palette is that it can be all you need, if you are in a hurry, or are going for a very light makeup look you can swirl all the colours together and dust them over your face for a natural, sunny style! My only niggle is that with the way I apply it, I require several different brushes, the initial application isn’t an on the move operation, but I do love having it in my makeup bag to quickly touch up my complexion over a long day. 

Another product I am excited about this month is less of a new release, but is also limited edition. It is the Clarins instant light lip comfort oil in 02 raspberry. As far as I know the original 01 honey flavour isn’t limited edition, thankfully, this product is a god send for my poor chapped lips. If you are like me and suffer from damaged and sore lips over the winter months then this is definitely for you! At £18 it is very affordable and a small amount goes a long way. I originally went into John Lewis in search of the honey oil, having heard nothing but rave reviews I thought it was a must try, but the raspberry had such a lovely scent I couldn’t resist. It has quite a strong scent, however, once on the lips the flavour is very subtle and I can instantly feel its nourishing powers. I have found myself reaching for it 3 or 4 times each day, the wide doe sponge applicator makes it so easy to apply on the go and isn't harsh on my lips. 

I have always been a lover of Clarins so it came as no surprise that I adore it, but I had never tried YSL before and was blown away by this palette. Sadly their other limited edition products include a luminous green mascara and an eyeshadow palette with more beautiful packaging than product…bit of a let down after the excitement of the gypsy opale! 

Have you guys tried any of these or do you have something better in your makeup arsenal? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Battle of the Brows

Hello everyone,

For such a long time I left my eyebrows alone, thinking to myself "hey they're alright, they don't do much anyway". I was so wrong! About 2 years ago I started plucking them to give them some shape, nothing too drastic as I didn't want to look like a startled owl (I have quite big anime style eyes). Then I started filling them in with a wingtip eyeshadow brush and a warm brown shadow, but that was such a faff to do everyday when I was in a hurry to get to uni.

I looked at quite a few different eyebrow pencils, but none really matched my colour until I was on holiday in Germany with my partner and popped into Sephora. They had the perfect colour! My life was transformed, well the life of my eyebrows, but still.

I was quite content with my pencil and plucking, until one day rather recently. I went to London with my Mam for a girly day and she needed to get her eyebrows re-threaded and tinted. She goes to a small salon on Berwick Street around the corner from her office. I thought to myself "why the hell not, let's see what all the fuss about threading is"...

Oh my good lord did it hurt! That little piece of doom string zipping across my face, aaah it made me understand how Harry felt in The Prisoner of Azkaban when the dementor was pulling his soul out of his face. The ordeal wasn't over when the beautician put the thread down, oh no there was the tinting next! I have very sensitive eyes so the warm brown tint did sting a little bit, but it was bearable.

Looking in the mirror afterwards I saw that beauty is pain and in this case it was worth it, my eyebrows looked fabulous. Apparently it gets less painful everytime which is a consolation because I am now thoroughly addicted!

4 weeks later I am only just starting to need my pencil again, which is amazing really. The only issue now is that I have the pain of resisting the urge to pluck them while I wait for all the little hairs to grow back enough to be yanked out again. If you haven't tried this, the pain is worth it and only lasts a minute, while you may regret it during the process, by the end all those regrets will be washed away by your glorious brows!

Has anyone else tried it? Love it or hate it, let me know in the comments below :-)

xoxo

Fake nails - Yes or No?

Hello everyone,

I could have written this post a while ago, but I wanted to give you all an accurate review so I waited for the nails to come off, then I could tell you how long they lasted! I have always loved nail varnish and manicures, but I struggle to sit still for long enough to let my nail varnish dry and I am forever smudging or chipping it. Hence my purchase of stick on fake nails. I was a bit wary at first, as I have heard fake nails can damage your natural ones with the adhesive used. However, I was assured that these ones don't do any damage and I can now confirm that it is true! My nails still feel nice and soft and smooth, my only complaint is that I don't have any more to stick on...

See how pretty they looked! I stuck them on, with a little help from my Dad, what are Dad's for eh! I left them alone for an hour, it was agonising to wait that long in case you were wondering, then I trimmed them down to a little longer than the length of my own nails. I bought them for £8.99 in my local Boots and I definitely think they were worth it, even though they only lasted for about 5 days they looked so smart and pretty, I could not stop looking at them. Everyone who saw them commented and said they looked fab. I probably could have got them to last longer, but I kept playing with them, I think I'll get some more and be restrained to see how long they last! The ones I used were the Elegant Touch Express nails and they came in a very handy little plastic box so I could keep the spares and shapes that weren't quite right. If you want to check out their other patterns, click here, their range is huge and deeply fabulous!

I will definitely be getting lots more in different patterns! I bought some red and white spotty ones for my Mam so I may well write a second post with a follow up of her thoughts and some other patterns and colours which I will inevitably purchase.

What do you think of fake nails? Love or hate them? Let me know in the comments below :-)

xoxo

Advent Calendar Surprises!

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to do a super quick update on my gorgeous L'Occitane advent calendar. I am such a lucky girl being spoiled by all these lovely products.

So far all the products have been amazing and I am now even more of a fan of this brand, the products feel like a luxury, but are still quite affordable if you fancy treating yourself :-) The two bottles have oil based products. One is a shampoo with five essential oils to help repair dry or damaged hair. It smells very fresh and slightly spicy, so for those of you who aren't so keen on floral scents this could well be the product for you! The second bottle is an almond based cleansing and softening shower oil. Now, I have had similar products before and they definitely work wonders on dry skin and protect them from harsher water and irritation from soaps! The smell is divine, imagine walking into a bakery around christmas and smelling that aroma of marzipan and amaretti, oh my lord it is wonderful!

I just love those cute little gift tags and I have to admit that I have already used one and have earmarked the others for presents for specific people! I am a bit of a gift tag weirdo and quite like making my own ones, but these are definitely pretty enough to make the cut. They are simple, yet festive, I basically just love them, enough said. The little pink tube has a rose scented hand cream, the rose scent is quite strong so if you aren't a fan this might not be for you, but I find that it is a nice hint of spring in the boring winter and it has become a handbag staple. And last, but by no means least, is the soap. L'Occitane soaps are always very hydrating and creamy, and it seems this one will be no different, with a lovely rich shea butter scent it makes for a very nice moisturising hand wash! My hands always feel super soft after using it.

I am so excited to open the rest of my advent calendar so keep your eyes peeled for more product updates! If you are wanting to learn a bit more about the calendar and the first day product click here. Have you guys got any exciting advent calendars? Let me know in the comments below :-)

xoxo

Christmas Carols

Hello everyone! 

No photos for this post sorry! I have been doing some super exciting stuff recently and I thought I would share it with you guys :-) Since mid-september I have been taking part in a local choir group preparing to sing christmas carols. Now I absolutely love christmas and any excuse to get into the festive spirit early is a definite yes from me. However, I didn't expect to enjoy doing this as much as I did. I quickly found that going to choir was one of the highlights of my week, the warm atmosphere and real community spirit has been so wonderful. 

We had our carol concert on Wednesday and it was so beautiful. The girls all wore black dresses and the boys wore suits with red bow-ties, it was honestly so classy and festive I wanted to squeal! Much as I loved the concert, the readings and the cookies, mince pies and mulled wine they were topped by an even better experience today. 

Our choir had organised a few weeks ago to head along to a local children's hospice to sing some carols and christmas songs for the residents. I was very much looking forward to this, it was a chance to make someone smile and bring some happiness to others. Having lost a friend, who spent her last few weeks in a hospice, I was extra keen to give something back, not just for the children, but also for the people who care for them daily. It was a wonderfully rewarding experience and the joy we brought to the children was the single best thing I've done all year, although I did have to stop myself from tearing up! I have so much awe and respect for the carers, families and the children themselves. I am so glad that my day was spent singing and making people happy and I can't wait to do it again next year! 

In case y'all were curious, here is a list of the songs we did, hopefully this will make you listen to them and get into the christmas spirit! 

Carol of the Bells 

Little Drummer Boy 

Jingle Bells 

O Come All Ye Faithful

Hark the Herald Angels 

Once in Royal David's City 

Good King Wenceslas 

Holy Night 

Lo How a Rose Er Blooming 

Silent Night 

Away in a Manger

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

We Three Kings 

I saw Three Ships 

Let it Go

We're Walking in the Air

Merry Christmas 

xoxo

Christmas is coming!

Hello Everyone! 

As you all know Christmas and the festive season are on their way! Even if you don't celebrate Christmas you can still enjoy the music, the pretty lights, decorations and, of course, the food...

One of my favourite ways to get into the Christmas spirit is to put up my decorations and play loud christmas songs, however, I haven't gone home for the holidays yet so the decorations will have to wait :-( Instead I have been trying to make my room as festive as possible with candles, lights and, naturally, an advent calendar. 

Until a couple of years ago advent calendars were all about the chocolate! Well most of them, my childhood advent calendar was a cloth tree to hang up which had small, numbered pockets to be filled with goodies by my parents (Santa - come on guys, we all know he's really behind it all), some of which would be sweets, toys and, as I got older, beauty products. Recently the market for beauty related advent calendars has exploded and there are now so many to choose from! To check out Zoella's guide to a few of her favourites click here. 

My Mam, as a very kind early gift, gave me the L'Occitane advent calendar and I am so glad she did! It sold out super fast, which I guess is testament to how good it looks. The packaging is simply fabulous. Tied with a festive, scarlet ribbon and designed by none other than Kanako Kuno, a wonderful Japanese illustrator, the scene opens out as a typically Parisian street. It is so gorgeous, it's almost tempting not to open the little windows...almost...

I was so excited to open up door number one this morning that I would have squealed, if it hadn't been 6 a.m and likely to wake up my neighbours. Behind door number one is a tube of L'Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream. The product is made with shea butter, giving it a wonderful scent and aims to protect and hydrate your skin for 24 hours, just what you need in the harsh winter winds. Let me just say, it both smells and feels amazing! 

What kind of advent calendars have you guys gone for? Whether you are sticking with chocolate or branching out to other things please let me know in the comments :-) 

xoxo