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Thursday, December 14, 2017

Luxury Christmas Gift Guide 2017

Whether you have a lot of people to buy for, or just a couple, it can be quite a hectic time to try and think of various presents to suit peoples needs, why do we put ourselves through so much stress? There are so many shops online and on the high street to find a range of gifts, from days out to luxury items for the home or to fit a person's hobby. I have put together a luxury gift guide for women, with some bits for men too, and an affordable gift guide (coming soon after this one) to fit everyone's budgets. People may prefer to buy a few smaller gifts than one big gift, so the affordable gift guide may come a little more useful to you. Obviously I have only selected a few bits and bobs from some categories but I thought there was a little something for all women in this, including a few personal favourites.


Tuesday, December 12, 2017

My Christmas Essentials & House Decorations

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE JOLLY FALALALALALALALALA! 
IT'S CHRISTMASSSSSS! 
Oh my favourite time of year is here and it's finally starting to look like Christmas in the house, as well as outside...it's snowed?! In fact, we have had hardly any snow but about 10 minutes away it was like snow had exploded everywhere - it was very weird and I swear we're one of the only towns who didn't have proper snow, you know where it actually stays for more than 10 minutes!!


Tuesday, December 05, 2017

Freedom & Flexibility || Solo Travel

I've asked a few people and friends if they'd ever go travelling solo and usually the responses are related to loneliness, anxiousness or preferring to join a tour and have a plan for the whole journey. I feel that solo travel is still quite a taboo subject and we don't know what to expect if we take that step but we're always afraid to because the same feelings are talked about and shared around which are usually negative.


Sunday, December 03, 2017

Apps I'm Loving Right Now and You Should Be Too!

There are new apps always being discovered, allowing us to use them to boost our blogging game, promote our content and improving our styles. I haven't had any new discoveries lately and some of the apps below are very old - let's be honest who hasn't heard of Instagram? However, I wanted to go into detail as to why I am loving these apps right now and how they're upping their game. Some of these apps I have heard of from other bloggers and don't regret downloading them at all. They are all so helpful and love playing around with the different features. So what apps am I talking about?


Saturday, December 02, 2017

December Goals

Hello all, it's been a while but I'm back and ready to get things going again on here. A break is always needed when you're having a bit of a hard time and no need to feel pressured to get back to it until you're 100% positive you're ready. It's taken me a few weeks to properly feel like I'm getting back on track and can sit down again and write away. Although saying that, I only have about 4 or 5 ideas for blog posts so it's going well.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Winter Clothing Faves

Winter is the time of year it gets colder, the sun sets earlier, we have frosty and foggy mornings, and hints of christmas start creeping up on us. I have a love hate relationship with winter; I love it because I can wrap up in hundreds of layers and stay all cosy and snug, and I hate it as I'm not the biggest fan of the cold. It's harder to get out of bed in the morning, getting into a freezing car and waiting for it to heat up seems like a lifetime goes by, and icy roads and paths scare the living crap out of me - it always seems to take me down at some point.


Sunday, November 05, 2017

Red is the New Black

It's winter time and finally getting cold! I'm not a massive fan of the coldness but I enjoy wrapping up in lots of layers and going on winter walks. You can never have too many winter clothes; oversized jumpers, thick socks, big soft scarfs, winter coats - it was time to do some shopping (wow, what a change for me - not!)

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Dealing with Panic Attacks

It's currently 2:27am and I am having a panic attack.


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

My Morning Beauty Essentials

I have a few morning beauty essentials, a.k.a products which help me look awake and ready for the day. Without these I would look like a ghost, smell a little on the gross side, and have skin as dry as a desert. I use all of these more or less everyday, unless I've run out *cry* or I'm trying out a similar product. I say everyday but it's only started since I've been back at university. You know how it is; you move somewhere new and buy everything new, discovering some new favourites and finding some steals from home.

Thursday, October 05, 2017

All Things Autumn

Autumn's here! Although it hasn't been a great start to the new season for me, I'm still feeling those autumn vibes. Green leaves turning to that striking orange/gold colour, the weather becoming cold enough to wrap yourself up in lots of layers, and cosy nights in with the heating on and a hot beverage kept by your side.


Monday, October 02, 2017

Dear Anxiety: I WON'T Let You Win.

You can't beat me. I won't let you win. Can you just go away?


Sunday, October 01, 2017

September Round Up & October Goals

It seems that the first half of September went incredibly fast and then as soon as I returned to university it has slowed down immensely. I guess this is good so I have time to settle down and complete work and meet all my deadlines. I already have a few assignments *cry*; they don't mess around in your final year!


Tuesday, September 26, 2017

50 Questions I've Never Answered

You know you're out of blog post ideas when you have to google a trending post, AM I RIGHT? I'm actually not out of ideas, just out of motivation to write all the posts I have on my notes - I literally have 2 months worth of ideas but where are you motivation??



Saturday, September 23, 2017

Home Away From Home || Studio Flat Tour

I'm all moved in! Unpacked, reorganised (several times already), cleaned and very happy with everything. It's small but extra cosy and has everything I need - what's there to complain about? Okay maybe it's more money than I wanted to pay but it's not breaking the bank, just yet. I've been spending a lot of time here before university starts and the library becomes my second home; I'm making the most of lie-ins, binge watching Netflix and stuffing my face with good food. 

Sunday, September 17, 2017

10 Happy Things

There's a few things that can lift my mood in minutes and I'm so grateful for them. I need that boost every now and then to realise what I have around me and how lucky I am.

I'm happy to be back at university, I'm ready to get back into work mode, I've returned to my normal blogging schedule and happy with the posts I'm writing. Sticking to this positivity state, I thought I'd mention a few things that have made me happy recently or that always make me happy.


Saturday, September 16, 2017

UK Travel Bucket List

I think we often take for granted what a stunning country we are living in; the cities, towns, villages and countryside we have are all unique and we tend to take advantage of it all instead of embracing all its beauty. Let's get past the transportation issues (trains are a pain, it's less stressful to just drive) and focus on the natural beauty, the quiet spots people are yet to discover, the thrill of exploring; let's make the most of this wondrous place.


Thursday, September 14, 2017

Spending Quality Time with Yourself

Freeing up time to sort yourself out, focus on yourself, laze around, or perhaps doing some other work is very important as it allows you to have a 'time out' from your family and friends and also your 9-5 working life.



Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Things that keep me Inspired

Finding inspiration is a topic which has often popped up now and then on social media between bloggers, discussing how we stay inspired, where we find our inspiration and who inspires us. There were so many answers being thrown around that it gave me more ways to help myself out. I thought I'd share with you how I get inspired and where my inspiration comes from.


Sunday, September 10, 2017

Blueberry Muffins || Dairy Free Recipes


I'm introducing a new section into my blog - food, because who doesn't love food? And everything on here will be dairy free, due to my dietary requirements, so hopefully will be beneficial to some of you.

As soon as I returned to England in July I went out hunting for a dairy free recipe book, and my dad has just come back from work with one too so I now have two! I know everything is on the internet these days but I like having them all in a book, sectioned into categories, and also one of them was on offer so how could I not buy it?


Saturday, September 09, 2017

3 Quick and Easy Hairstyles I'm Loving Right Now

Instead of the usual straightened hair, which I always do, I started experimenting and doing little changes to my hair routine to see what works best for my hair and what I think looks good. There are only three styles which I am currently loving but I am eager to discover other ways which prevent more heat damage to my hair and keeps me away from my straighteners more often.


Thursday, September 07, 2017

August Round Up & September Goals

Can this year just take a break and slow down please? As soon as we know it it'll be Christmas. I am soon to be returning back to university for my final year *deep breathing* and it will be time to knuckle down and kick final year in the ass!


Tuesday, September 05, 2017

Birthday Gift Haul || What I got for my 21st


My birthday has passed, I'm a year older (it's still sinking in that I'm now 21) and so blessed by all the gifts and cards I received from family and friends. I mainly got money that I asked for so I could save for future and the rest were absolute surprises (apart from one or two things) which I am all obsessing over.

Saturday, September 02, 2017

Great British Food Festival Weekend


Everyone loves a bit of food and what's better than lots of food stall, chef demos, food competitions all happening in one place at one time!
Over the bank holiday weekend we had the Great British Food Festival come to Wiltshire, in the gardens of Bowood. They were so lucky with the weather as the sun was shining throughout each day and the temperatures were very high, at least compared to what we've been used to the rest of this summer. We were supposed to go on Sunday but I became quite ill (stupid anxiety) and didn't feel comfortable with leaving the house, so we went the Monday instead. Being the hottest day out of all three we were sweating all over (it didn't feel great).

Sunday, August 27, 2017

Walking Through the Village of Lacock || Photo Diary

It's days like this which is why I adore living in the country. The weather was so nice so I took a drive down to Lacock in the late afternoon for a long stroll and to grab the chance at capturing the charming village of Lacock, one which I should do more often. It was the ideal time to go as all the tourists had disappeared by the evening and I was able to take photographs without the tourists and locals appearing in the backgrounds.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Unmotivated and Frustrated

It's been roughly two weeks since I blogged. I'm not saying that is a good thing or a bad thing; a break is always needed from time to time. However, I say to myself that it is a bad thing because I don't really have any excuses to why I haven't been drawn to the blogging scene.

Sunday, August 06, 2017

Recovering After a Long Weekend || Advice and Tips

It's been a busy weekend, either action-packed with days out to the seaside or working your weekend job, or maybe you've been away for the weekend for a party...It's time to get back to your routine and there are certain things to help you do this.


Friday, August 04, 2017

7 'Out of the Ordinary' Things I Want to Experience

Ok they may not be very 'out of the ordinary', but it's not your typical "climb a mountain"...they are quite specific and different. Some of these I've wanted to do for a while and some are only recently new to the list.
I would love to say I've ticked all these experiences off by the time I'm 30, a little optimistic but let's see how well I get on!


Wednesday, August 02, 2017

July Round Up & August Goals

Can someone explain to me how it's August already? You know what that means though...my birthday's coming up! July has been a hectic month to say the least, but it definitely went past like a rocket. Over July I returned back to the UK, went back to work, then quit work, started to properly focus on my health, caught up with all my friends and family and had zero time to relax...no change there then.
I'm so looking forward to August just because I have lots of exciting things to look forward to as well as taking some time to properly relax and enjoy some quality home time before the hustle and bustle starts again from my return to university life.


Thursday, July 27, 2017

How I Look After my Skin


It's not often where I dedicate a time in the day just to relax and pamper myself but I realise how important this is and why you should always look after yourself, your skin, your body and keep it healthy. Everyone is different and you will find your body changing all the time so you should experiment with different products to see which feel best suited for you.

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

How to Make the Most out of Exploring New Places

Exploring can go beyond just finding a place, it's the whole conception of going to a new destination and finding out about it. You want to learn more about a place and to do that you need to explore around, dig deep and discover the hidden beauties. It's a new place, different sites, wonderful culture...you want to explore further into each of those to find out more.
So how do you go beyond just reviewing the same old same old?


Monday, July 24, 2017

Blogger Struggles


No blogger is perfect, and a lot of bloggers will find a few struggles in this industry as it is so competitive. I find myself worrying about how my blog looks, whether my content is appealing enough, or if I even like my blog way too many times. Right now I can say I am happy, although I am waiting to gather enough confidence to buy a template I've found (which I am in love with) but sadly it's sooooo expensive, which I why I keep contemplating it. 

Sunday, July 23, 2017

An Artist's Life - M50 Art District, Shanghai || Photo Diary

M50 - the art district of China, where artists hideaway in this little corner of Shanghai and produce some of the best and unusual work amongst the city. From film cameras to finger painting, the area shows off each talents work perfectly. Neither of us had been before but very eager to, we took a whole day to venture to this hidden spot and wander round some of the galleries and the very famous graffiti road (to get those all important candid photos right?) Some of the work I saw I would have bought there and then, that's if I was a millionaire as the prices were a little over budget.


Saturday, July 22, 2017

Top 8 Freebies in Shanghai

Let's be honest, who doesn't love a freebie in a new place? It saves money, could result in a fun day out, or may be a disappointment, but you'll never know if you don't take the risk. 



Saturday, July 15, 2017

Life Lately || Returned Home, Family Reunion, Sister's Graduation

It's been a week since I flew home...a week?! It feels like forever; did I even leave? It is really surprising how little changed in a year. I've had a pretty full on week and it's been non-stop. Lots has already happened this week which is probably why it's flown by and I am a day behind everyone else. I keep thinking it's the day before (so today would be Friday for me when it's actually Saturday, annoying right?)
Another thing that has really hit me is how little time I have to connect with everyone on social media. It was actually a lot easier when I was 8 hours ahead, I'll hopefully have more time when I finish work this July; even scheduling tweets is hard to remember.
I am just beginning to get over jet lag and adjusting back into my sleeping pattern, although I still struggle to make it past 10pm.


Friday, July 07, 2017

Mini Beauty Haul || Innis Free, Sephora, Tony Moly

I am so excited to show and tell you about these products. They are pretty incredible and can do wonders to your skin, not only leaving it almost flawless but also sooooo smooth. I don't know about you but I love having smooth skin, especially my face. You're probably going to be wanting some of these products after you hear about how AMAZING they are. Sadly (and you have no idea how sad I am to say this) they are not in the UK. As you probably know, we don't have Sephora in England, and Tony Moly and Innis Free are both Korean brands so aren't around in the UK (though I'm not 100% sure about Innis Free). So if you ever find yourself in a country with any of these brands, I suggest you grab a few bits whilst you're there as 1. they are so cheap for the quality, 2. they're SO worth it, and 3. why not just test them out? You'll regret it otherwise. New brand, new findings!


Tuesday, July 04, 2017

Shanghai Wilderness || Photo Diary

You never really hear much about the greenery or parks across Shanghai and they're all very underrated. As you probably know by now I am a country girl as I've grown up in the country and lived in the country for most of my childhood. Therefore, city life isn't all my cup of tea. I have been living in a city since I've been at university and I can't say I've enjoyed every minute of it but it's really convenient to have everything nearby rather than having to drive everywhere to get to the closest supermarket etc. 

Monday, July 03, 2017

July Goals


Looking back at my post on why it is important to set yourself goals to reach, I thought I would start sharing my goals that I occasionally set myself. I'm going to try (it may not last) to set myself goals each month to either improve on, not necessarily achieve, or hit the target, maybe even past it. I have set myself goals in the past but not the proper way. I would say to myself "I'm going to save money for this specific thing" and then I end up spending that money on something utterly irrelevant to what I intended on buying. So this is it. I'm going to motivate myself to achieve these positive things and hopefully get a good response from them.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

My Guide to Creating a Fabulous Instagram Feed

I bet you're thinking; it's easy, just choose a photo, whack a filter on and share it. Ha. Unfortunately it's no longer that simple (and if that works for you then you're a natural). If I'm wanting to build my followers and keep them attracted to my feed, there's much more to consider. And this is where I'm going to help you, by giving a mini guide on the stages to creating a beautiful Instagram feed.
Now, I know I'm no expert by faaaar and I'm not insta famous or have a large following, and I'm not aiming for either of those (obviously it's a nice feeling to think people are enjoying your feed and want to see more). I do all this faffing around just to share beautiful photos, my travelling photography and also (often) use it as a way to drive traffic to my blog.


Thursday, June 22, 2017

Favourite Summery UK Things

There are many things about summer which make me 100x happier than when it's winter...the sun is one of them. My mood escalates, early mornings are easier, everything just seems to be an easier task. I think the summer in the UK is underrated and thought of negatively. It isn't so hot that we burn ourselves everyday, dread going out and doing activities for the day, it's never so cold that we don't enjoy going outside and have to layer up if we do...it's just right.



Sunday, June 18, 2017

Tips on Choosing Hostels for your Accommodation

Here are my personal tips and advice when you are looking into choosing hostels to stay in. Most of them I have learnt during my experiences and I have shared them to help prevent you from making the same mistakes. 
Hostels are such a good choice for travels, not only because they are so much cheaper but they can offer more than you would think, they're a popular choice amongst travellers, and just very sociable and friendly environments.


Saturday, June 17, 2017

10 Things I Love About Blogging


A few weeks ago I made a post on things I was happy about with my blog at the time. It's always nice to take time to appreciate the things you love about the blogging life.

Friday, June 16, 2017

The Love of Travelling || Aspects of Travelling

About a month ago, I introduced a new series on my blog, my first series actually, which is all about travelling and different aspects of it. Because I have a huge passion to travelling, I was very eager to make a start on this series. It's been a long time coming, but the second post is here and it's all about...


7 Ways that Help me Escape a Bad Mood Phase

Whenever I find myself in a bad mood, there are certain things that will instantly boost the mood. Some may give you some ideas for what you could do if you ever find yourself in a bad mood.


Thursday, June 08, 2017

Reviewing Sephora Skin Care


I have been hovering around two brands of skincare for a while now and I thought I could use a change to see if there is any improvement on my skin condition. I took a trip to Sephora and asked one of the ladies for their best skin product. Of course, this was the most expensive in the shop so I asked for a more affordable product with a similar result and I was guided to the Sephora brand skincare. After a few testers, I decided to go for the Sephora Soothing Cleansing Milk and Instant Refreshing Toner, which go together. Both products are usable on any skin types, even sensitive. I only opted for the smaller sized products just incase they didn't work out, and they were a lot cheaper anyway. 

Sunday, June 04, 2017

The Importance of Setting Self-Goals

Having time in life to focus on yourself and you're achievements should take priority over most things. These goals will motivate you to keep going and produce great outcomes in life. Doing this will boost your confidence and allow you to continue believing in yourself that you can still do it.


Saturday, June 03, 2017

Creating my Dream Office || Pinspiration

My series Pinspiration started with bedroom ideas as I am hoping to redecorate in the foreseeable future. I have kept to this theme of room inspiration for this next post and thought about what I want my ideal office to look like, because I would love to have a little office or space in my future flat/house which is completely my own.
An office space should be an area which you want to be in and you're happy to work in. When I have my own flat or house in the future, I want to make room for an office space and make it all my own; my own style, favourite colour scheme, and make sure it suits my personality. 


Thursday, June 01, 2017

My All-Time Favourite Blogs

Obviously this list could go on forever because there are so many amazing blogs out there doing SO well, but these are the blogs that I have been a fan of since day one. So I have easy access to these blogs and lots of other fabulous blogs, I have made a bookmark folder dedicated to my favourites, the list currently is at 62. Maybe I will make a post dedicated to all the blogs that are in this folder, split into specific categories.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

How I Edit my Blog Photos

A few weeks ago I did a 'How I edit my Instagram photos', so I thought I would share how I edit my blog photos as the processes are both completely different. The Instagram method is a lot easier and less time consuming, whereas this process has a little more difficulty to it and involves using more complex tools.


Saturday, May 27, 2017

The Ultimate Guide to Bali

Why Bali?
Bali is full of life, adventure and sandy beaches. It is your perfect holiday destination as it provides a little something for everyone. As you leave the plane, you're entering a place where you can embrace endless views of rice terraces, enjoy a relaxing yoga retreat, retire to the beach and get surf lessons for very affordable prices, or wonder through some the most beautiful temples in South East Asia.


Thursday, May 25, 2017

4 Important Aspects to a Blog Post

The four important aspects which I consider to be the most important of them all. Obviously we want you to produce good content, and read your opinions on products/thoughts but what is it which draws us towards us to a blog post in the first place and why we continue to read through it all? This is only what I think are the important factors and what makes me click on posts, obviously this may not be the same opinion for everyone.

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