tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3986895481208450002024-02-08T02:31:45.132+00:00Kizzy HeartsUK Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.comBlogger518125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-7373233274553578692018-01-03T09:00:00.000+00:002018-01-03T09:00:32.737+00:00Life Update - Bear With Me <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This photo was taken yesterday, my last day at home full time with my gorgeous little boy. As this post goes live, I will be stepping into my new office and starting my first day in a new job.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>If you read my last <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/the-best-christmas-yet.html" target="_blank">post</a>, you'll know that I mentioned taking some risks during 2017, the biggest one being in my work life. When I went on my maternity leave, I decided to take redundancy from my old job, which became an option due to office relocation during my pregnancy. It was a difficult decision, I went back and forth with the idea many times in my head. If I'm honest, I was going to look for a new job once my maternity leave was going to be coming to an end anyway, so why not do it whilst improving our financial situation too? But there was still that niggling doubt in my mind - what if I didn't get a new job before the money ran out? After a lot of deliberation & persuasion from my loved ones (only one person that I confided in was erring on the side of caution), I took the plunge and told them that I would be leaving.<br />
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So I was officially made redundant in November, once my maternity leave had come to an end. My initial plan was to just take December off, enjoy the run up to Christmas with my boy, then start looking for a job in the new year. But you know when curiosity just gets the better of you?! I decided to take a little look online, see what was about, and that's when I came across the ideal job for me. It's still doing something I enjoy, and know I'm good at, in a much better location, and came with hours that were perfect for my situation.<br />
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Whilst I am absolutely dreading leaving my little boy, removing myself from the little bubble we had created together, taking this job means that I'll only be working three days a week, so I still get to spend some time with him on my days off. To me it was the perfect solution - I still get to earn the money that we need, whilst still getting that precious time together whilst he is still young. We might not be able to afford as much as we could if I worked full time, but to me time with my son is much more valuable than a few unessential luxuries.<br />
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It didn't fit into my "wait until next year" plan, but I'd have been an idiot to pass up the chance of going for this job. I got in touch with the agency, who managed to get me an interview. It didn't go as smoothly as planned, having been in my last job for six years I was a little out of practice, and I honestly thought I'd messed up my chance, so to get the call the next day to say the job was mine was a complete shock - and the best early Christmas present I could've asked for!<br />
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It's going to be a hard transition. Not only am I getting used to being back at work after almost a year off, I'll also be getting used to completely new surroundings. But I am looking forward to the challenge and some proper adult conversation. Telling myself that it's just for a few days a week will make it so much easier to leave him in the mornings, plus he will have a lot of fun playing with his cousins, as I have a great family who have offered to look after him whilst I'm working.<br />
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So why the "bear with me"? I had planned to write a few blog posts in advance, so that I'd have some content to go up in case I wasn't feeling up to writing whilst I was adjusting to being back at work. Unfortunately, I was ill between Christmas & New Year, so that didn't happen! So it's basically going to be a case of waiting til I have the time/energy to commit to my next post, hopefully it won't be too long!<br />
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I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas & New Year, and that 2018 will be fantastic for you!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-15024576324935913562017-12-24T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-24T09:00:32.707+00:00The Best Christmas Yet?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am writing this on the evening of 23rd, sitting in front of the tree with its lights twinkling, and Oliver's Christmas Eve box placed beside it, waiting for us to open in the morning. Normally we'd put our presents under the tree as and when we receive them, but this year it remains completely bare, through fear that Oliver will go after them, just as he does with the decorations! They will all be laid out when he is in bed tomorrow night, so the first time he sees them will be Christmas morning. Sitting here in my festive setting, with a candle burning, and a Christmas tea nicely cooling, has got me feeling all reflective.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>This year has been a really strange, but wonderful one. So many said it would be the best year of my life, and they were right, but nine months ago I was starting to doubt that this would be the case. If you'd told me back then that I'd be looking forward to this Christmas, I wouldn't have believed you. Looking back at that time now, I'm astounded at just how far I've come in such a short space of time.<br />
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I felt sad, alone, and looked at my son as if he was a stranger. Fast forward to today where, I have to be honest, he's been a total pain in the arse, but to hear his gentle breaths through the baby monitor as he sleeps makes my heart leap. I adore him and I cannot get enough of him. Even on his worst of days, I treasure every moment of him, and I realise just how lucky I am to have him.<br />
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Today we visited the grave of my two cousins. I looked at my son, who was softly sleeping in his car seat at the time, and cried at the realisation that they will not be here to share his first Christmas with him. For one of them, it should've been their first Christmas too. Despite never having to chance to meet them, neither of them will ever be forgotten, but it makes us treasure their sister even more. She is so gentle with my little boy and I love to watch them play together. That is one memory I will probably treasure most from this Christmas Day.<br />
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As well as forming such a special bond with my son, my confidence has come on in leaps and bounds this year. I've taken some pretty big risks, which have now paid off, and I can now look forward to what 2018 has to offer. I started the year scared and confused, uncertain of what the future would bring, but I'm ending it feeling accomplished and excited.<br />
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Today we will take our usual trip to my sisters house to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol together, and lunch on M&S party food, before coming back home to have a nice chilled evening before the madness of tomorrow. We have to get up ridiculously early to fit in all of the family visits before Christmas lunch but, lets face it, I'll probably be wide awake well before the alarm goes off!<br />
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My heart is bursting with excitement for Oliver's first Christmas. He's not going to have a clue what is going on, why there are so many brightly coloured parcels under the tree, obstructing him from being able to pull his favourite bauble off, and he'll probably be more interested in playing with the wrapping paper than his presents, but seeing his face filled with joy, whatever the cause, is enough for me. I intend to create many memories and take lots of photos to look back on with him when he's older. Christmas is my favourite time of year, and each year I will try to make it as magical as possible for him so that, when he's old enough to understand it all, he will love it as much as I do.<br />
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I realise just how fortunate I am to be in my position. I'm not particularly well off, but I have everything in life that I could need, and for that I am grateful. I have a feeling that this year will be the best Christmas yet, but I also hope that there are even better ones to come...<br />
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I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and that you create some treasured memories with your loved ones. See you on the other side!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-37158417386252776952017-12-23T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-23T09:00:31.797+00:00My Christmas Favourites<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe Christmas Day is almost here. I've had the most amazing time being off work this year and enjoying the entire build up with my little boy! Today I thought I'd share with you some of my festive favourites, feel free to share yours in the comments too!<br />
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<b>Film - </b>Elf, it had to be, it's an absolute classic. It's always the first film I watch to get me in the mood for Christmas.<br />
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<b>Song </b>- Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin Stevens. It's such an upbeat song, you can't help but dance along when it comes on.<br />
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<b>Food </b>- Mince pies, not very Slimming World friendly, but if you can't indulge now, when can you? I you read my Christmas traditions <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/my-christmas-traditions.html" target="_blank">post</a>, you'll know that my favourites are the Sainsbury's bakery ones that my Gran buys every year.<br />
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<b>Drink </b>- White hot chocolate from Costa. They took this off the festive menu a couple of years ago, and my friend & I were gutted! We tried some of the other drinks available but nothing else compared. Turns out that when we asked, they actually still have the ingredients to make one for you if you want one, woohoo!<br />
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<b>Scent - </b>Christmas Memories by Yankee Candle. This to me is Christmas in a jar! It's got a lovely warm, spicy scent to it, and reminds me of a combination of mince pies & gingerbread!<br />
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<b>TV special </b>- Gavin & Stacey, this is one of my all time favourite series anyway, and the Christmas special was fab - I can't believe it's already 9 years old! I particularly live the reference to Coventry City, my football team, that did make us laugh!<br />
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<b>Christmas ad - </b>The Bear & The Hare by John Lewis. It makes me well up every time! The fact that the hare bought the bear an alarm clock as he didn't want him to miss out on Christmas, and the bears face when he sees the tree, it's lovely!<br />
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<b>Makeup product - </b>My Charlotte Tilbury Fallen Angel eyeshadow palette. It was a Christmas edition, and the shades are perfect for this time of year. If you read my December makeup menu <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/december-makeup-menu.html" target="_blank">post</a>, you'll know this what I've recently been using on my eyes.<br />
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<b>Christmas memory - </b>One year when I was a child, we had a power cut on Christmas Eve, right before Emmerdale was about to start if I remember correctly! We got out the candles and torches, and had a marathon of Frustration games all together as a family, it was great fun, much better than slobbing in front of the tv all evening. Luckily the power came back before bedtime though!<br />
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<b>Childhood gift </b>- I'm torn between two for this. The first being a robot I got when I was about 4, which came with a load of different question cards which you would slot in and try to answer - I can't remember what it was called! The second was from my early teens, my Nokia 3310! Everyone had this phone back in the day, and I was so excited to get mine. Unfortunately my parents lost me to hours of games of Snake after that!<br />
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<b>Part of the Christmas build up - </b>It was to be wrapping presents, I love it! When my sister was heavily pregnant in December, I even wrapped her presents for her as I enjoy it so much! I love giving gifts, so the process for putting them all together and getting them ready for the big day is always enjoyable.<br />
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<b>Part of Christmas Day - </b>Christmas dinner at my Gran's house. I usually go overboard on everything, but it's just so delicious! My favourite part has to be the pigs in blankets, and of course everything has to be swimming in gravy!<br />
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Whats are your Christmas favourites?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-13460567008751143362017-12-22T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-22T09:00:21.608+00:00The "Driving Hone For Christmas" Playlist<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you haven't already, I'd imagine quite a lot of you are going to be driving home for Christmas today. I have to say, that's one thing I've missed this year. That moment when you get in the car, pop on some festive tunes, and think "that's it, I'm done, the holidays can begin now!" I have, though, been listening to Christmas songs for about a month, to get myself in the mood when I started my Christmas shopping! I've put together a list of my favourite Christmas songs to hopefully get you in the festive mood, whether you're finishing work today or not!<br />
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Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea (obvs!)</div>
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Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens (my fave!)</div>
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Baby Please Come Home - Michael Buble</div>
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All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey</div>
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It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Michael Buble</div>
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Step Into Christmas - Elton John</div>
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Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney</div>
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Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade</div>
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I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard</div>
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Rockin Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee</div>
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Santa Baby - Kylie Minogue</div>
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One More Sleep - Leona Lewis</div>
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What's your favourite Christmas song?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-76378361194390365382017-12-21T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-21T09:00:00.397+00:00My Perfect Winter Night In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not one for big nights out at any time of your, but particularly in the winter. I'm much more content snuggling up for a cosy night in at home. It's warmer, it's cheaper, and nothing beats the comfort of your own home, especially in the run up to Christmas with the lights from the tree sparkling. Here's my recipe for my perfect winter night in.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It <i>has </i>to start off with a bath to help me unwind. As soon as Oliver's in bed, it's time to run myself a bath and crumble in a Lush Christmas bubble bar, or pour in my favourite Aromatherapy Associates oils. To make it the ultimate bath, I'll include a face mask, Origins masks being my all time favourites, though I am really loving a sheet mask at the moment.<br />
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Once out of the bath I'll pop on my gingerbread onesie to help me feel super cosy and festive, then go downstairs and light my favourite festive candle, Yankee Candle's Christmas Memories. Then I'll grab some popcorn, make myself an amazing hot chocolate, topped with marshmallows and cream, and settle down on the sofa to watch a festive film - my favourites being Elf and Love Actually.<br />
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Once the film is over, it's time to head to bed. I rarely go straight to sleep, as I like to do a little bit of reading to switch my mind off a bit and wind down. Check out my December reading list <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/december-reading-list.html" target="_blank">post</a> to find out what I'm currently reading.<br />
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What would be your perfect winter night in?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-51116965836145879892017-12-20T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-20T09:00:18.431+00:00Day Out At Hatton Country World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My husband has had a couple of days off in the run up to Christmas, so we wanted to have a nice day out as a family. With Oliver still being so young, we didn't want to be travelling very far, and with Hatton Country World being just a 20 minute drive from our home, it seemed like the perfect place to go.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Before deciding which day to go, we decided to have a look at the prices, and what was on. Last week Hatton had their "Winter Weekday" prices, which meant that it was a lot cheaper to go, at just £4.95 each for me & my husband, and Oliver being free as he is under 2. This week, however, saw them transform into the Enchanted Christmas Kingdom. Whilst the activities they had on (check them out <a href="https://hattonworld.com/adventure-world/hatton-world-enchanted-christmas-kingdom/" target="_blank">here</a>) looked really good, there wasn't a lot extra that a child of Oliver's age would've been able to get involved in. So, as magical as it would've been to see the Enchanted Kingdom in all it's glory, it wouldn't have been worth paying triple (£10.95 for adults, £9.45 for under 2's), and we decided to go on Friday instead. I think we'll definitely be visiting the Enchanted Kingdom in a few years!<br />
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First stop was the soft play area. I really like the soft play at Hatton, as they have a separate area for under 2's with a ball pit and a sensory area. Oliver had lots of fun in the ball pit with his Daddy, and even made a couple of little friends!<br />
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Once we'd finished in soft play and worked up a bit of an appetite, we sat down for lunch. Whilst they did have some baby food jars available in the shop, we decided to provide our own lunch for Oliver. My husband & I, however, did decide to eat in the cafe located in the same building as the soft play. We both opted for pizza and chips. At £6.45 each, I did worry it was a bit overpriced for essentially canteen style food, but the portions were absolutely <i>huge</i>, I struggled to finish mine!<br />
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Once we'd eaten, it was off to see the animals. Oliver seemed to really like the sheep and goats, but I really can't wait til he's old enough to join in with the feeding and handling small animals - the guinea pigs looked so cute! On the day we went, there was a sheep that was in labour, and we were told she had been for two days already - poor thing!<br />
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Everything was really nicely decorated for the festive season, it was difficult to appreciate in the daylight. I think if you have slightly older children who are able to take part in more of the activities available , and therefore able to make more of a day of it, the decorations and lights would've looked beautiful in the dark.</div>
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Before we left, we took a look around the shopping village. We went into a shop called Lily Anne, which had lots of gorgeous trinkets and gifts, as well as some beautiful Christmas decorations. They had a really nicely decorated tree on display in the middle of the shop which created a nice festive feel. We decided to pick up a new decoration for our tree. The picture above really doesn't so it justice, it's lovely and sparkly.</div>
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Next door to Lily Anne was a sweet shop. I'll be honest, as lot of the stuff in there was very expensive, so we didn't go mad, but the fudge looked gorgeous, and was fairly reasonable at £2.35 for 100g. I opted for the chocolate & caramel flavour, which was amazing, and was all gone by Saturday night!</div>
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It was really nice to have a day out as a family, we don't get to do it often. Whilst we still enjoyed our day, it's really opened my eyes to just how much we can enjoy it in a few years time, when Oliver is able to join in with all the activities, and appreciate the magic of Christmas. I'd definitely recommend popping along if you're looking for something to do this week, or at any time of year in fact!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-24042786672284029732017-12-19T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-19T09:00:11.093+00:00My Christmas Traditions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've mentioned a few times through blogmas that I've wanted to start our own little family traditions now that we have Oliver, but what about all of the traditions we already kept? Here are the things we have done in the run up to Christmas practically every year, some of them since I was a little kid myself.</div>
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<a name='more'></a><b>Sainsbury's mince pies with my Gran </b>I swear every year this starts earlier & earlier too! As soon as my Gran sees them she grabs a pack. They are the nicest mince pies I've ever had, with a really thick, sugary pastry.<br />
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<b>Wrapping presents with Christmas 24 in the background </b>If you've not heard of Christmas 24, it's basically a movie channel with the most cheesy Christmas films you could imagine. I first discovered it in 2013, when I'd taken the day off work to make our wedding invitations, and was searching for something to have on in the background. From then I was hooked and have wrapped my presents in front of this channel every year since. Being on maternity leave this year has meant this has been on my tv quite a lot!</div>
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<b>A new bauble every year </b>Since my husband & I moved in together, it's been tradition for my mother in law to buy us a new decoration for our tree every year. These are some of my favourite decorations as they're always really pretty, and I featured a few of them in my Our Home At Christmas <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/our-home-at-christmas.html" target="_blank">post</a>.</div>
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<b>Secret Santa with friends </b>My group of old school friends have been doing Secret Santa since we left sixth form. We do the draw online these days as it can be difficult to get us all together with us being dotted around the country now. We get together once everyone is home for Christmas, have a meal where we all bring a dish each, then exchange presents and try to guess who got who! </div>
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<b>Cards Against Humanity </b>I swear this game only ever comes out of the drawer during December! We play it at the Secret Santa get together, and round my Dad's house after Christmas. We also took it to the in laws for their Boxing Day do last year and we were all in hysterics, we may have to take it again this year! You need a bit of a dark sense of humour to play it, but it is brilliant.</div>
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<b>Watching The Muppet Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve </b>This is one of those traditions we've had since we were kids. The film came out the year my sister was born, so we've been watching it a long time! Since we've both moved out, we've got together at one of our houses, had a selection of party food for dinner and sat down to watch the film. This is one tradition we'll carry on for years to come, now with our children to join in too!</div>
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<b>A Christmas morning Bucks Fizz </b>This year is the first year in a long time that I can drink all day on Christmas Day (if I want to!), as I've usually had to drive at some point during the day. Even though I'd hold off the wine during dinner, I've always (with the exception of last year when I was pregnant) had a small glass of Bucks Fizz with my family in the morning.</div>
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<b>Christmas Dinner at my Gran's </b>This has been another tradition that we've kept every year, bar one, since I was born. The one year that we did change the plans, we soon realised it just wasn't the same and went back to our traditional ways again the following year. We don't have any of the fancy trimmings that some people do with their Christmas dinner, just a good old traditional roast with plenty of pigs in blankets! And that's just the way I like it! We tend to spend most of the day at her house, and now that we live just two doors down from her, it will be easy to get Oliver home once he's worn out.</div>
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What are your Christmas traditions?</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-67656855307561242702017-12-18T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-18T09:00:01.549+00:00A Slimming World Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've been a long time reader of my blog, you'll know that I've previously followed the Slimming World plan to lose weight, and I'm now a member again as I lose my baby weight. And let's face it, Christmas is the most challenging time for anyone trying to lose weight. Today I'm going to share a little bit of advise for anyone else who is trying to follow a Slimming World Christmas.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>There's all sorts of tricky occasions in the run up to Christmas, from the busy Christmas shopping trip to the office parties. A few years ago a wrote a <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/slimming-world-sunday-surviving-festive.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> about how to survive these situations without doing too much damage to your syn count.<br />
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But what about the day itself? With a few lower fat tweaks, it can actually be possible to have a full Christmas dinner well within your syns. The turkey and vegetables are syn free, so fill your plate up on those. If you make your roast potatoes using <a href="http://www.theslimmingfoodie.com/oxo-roast-potatoes-2/" target="_blank">this</a> Oxo based recipe, then these too will be syn free - plus they taste amazing! The additional extras I tend to have with my dinner are a yorkshire pudding (a small one is 2.5 syns) and, my favourite part of the dinner, pigs in blankets, which range from 1 syn to 3, depending on the brand. A couple of Sainsbury's pigs in blankets would set you back 3 syns in total. Or, you could be <i>really</i> good and make your own using Slimming World sausages from Iceland and bacon with the fat removed. If you fancy adding gravy to your meal, 100ml will cost you 1.5 syns. So there you have it, a really satisfying Christmas dinner for just 7 syns!<br />
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One of my biggest downfalls during the festive period is mince pies - I love them! But with shop bought ones averaging at 12.5 syns, it's a lot to spend on one little snack. Luckily, Slimming World have their own <a href="https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/recipes/mince-tarts.aspx" target="_blank">mince tart</a> recipe, which will set you back just 3.5 syns each instead. Another alternative, which I shared on the <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/slimming-world-sunday-scan-bran.html" target="_blank">blog</a> a couple of years ago, is scan bran Christmas cake, which tastes a <i>lot </i>like mince pies. I will set you back 11 syns, or 5.5 if you use the scan bran as your healthy extra. It's so much more satisfying than the mince tarts, you're unlikely to finish it all in one sitting.<br />
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Like quite a lot of households, our evening meal on Christmas Day is a buffet. These can be quite tricky to navigate, and laden with syns, with all of the convenient frozen party food available. Filling up on free food options means that you can enjoy a couple of cheeky mini pizzas without feeling guilty. Some syn free buffet options include:<br />
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Cold cuts of meat</div>
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Chicken drumsticks with skin removed</div>
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Cherry tomatoes</div>
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Crudities</div>
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Pickled onions</div>
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Boiled eggs</div>
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Cheddar cheese cubes if using as healthy extra</div>
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Pasta salad with syn free ingredients</div>
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<a href="http://www.slimmingeats.com/blog/spicy-potato-wedges" target="_blank">Potato wedges</a></div>
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Syn free chilli jackets </div>
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<a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/slimming-world-sunday-veggie-quiche.html" target="_blank">Syn free quiche slices</a></div>
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Fruit salad</div>
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I don't know about you, but with all of those options available, I'd be well and truly stuffed!</div>
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The most important thing though, is to remember that no matter how bad your eating habits become over the festive period, it can all be fixed by getting straight back on plan as soon as the holidays are over, so even if you return to group with a gain it's important not to beat yourself up about it. Enjoy!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-90765916576534115882017-12-17T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-17T09:00:50.763+00:00What's In Oliver's Christmas Eve Box<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can't believe it's only a week until Christmas Eve! This month seems to just be flying by! Even though Oliver, at just 9 months old, is far too young to understand Christmas yet, I wanted to start the Christmas Eve box tradition now, so that we can say to him it's something we've done since he was a baby - plus it's a little bit of fun for me! Today I'm going to share with you what we've put inside he first ever Christmas Eve box.<br />
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First off the box itself - we ordered this about a month ago from <a href="https://www.personalisedxmas.co.uk/products/personalised-large-wooden-christmas-eve-box" target="_blank">Personalised Xmas</a> for £19.99. Whilst it's going to be a bit late to order a personalised box for this year, there are some great boxes available from Asda and Mothercare, amongst others, which you could personalise yourself, or even completely decorate your own blank box.<br />
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There are lots of great Christmas activity packs available which would be great for Christmas Eve boxes, and I'll definitely be buying them in a couple of years time, but there wasn't much entertainment wise that we could get him, so we opted for his favourite Peppa Pig on DVD.<br />
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My mum found this great personalised elf story book, which we will read to him before bed. I think this book will end up coming out every Christmas.<br />
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It wouldn't be a Christmas Eve box without a pair of festive pyjamas. This Elf In Training set was an absolute steal at £3.99 from B&M. I didn't want to spend too much, as he's only going to wear them the once, so these were perfect.<br />
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As I previously said, I wanted to start all of our family Christmas traditions now, so these items will feature every year. I'd seen lots of Santa keys around, and thought it was a great way to explain how Santa gets into your house if you don't have a chimney. This key was from Card Factory and was just 99p. It comes in a cardboard wallet for easy storage too.<br />
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If you saw my <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/mini-festive-haul.html" target="_blank">festive haul</a>, you'll have seen the plate and bottle set already. This was also from Card Factory and just £3.99. The design is just super cute, I can't wait to leave our treats out on it next week.<br />
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Another tradition that I've noticed has become big over the last few years is sprinkling some magic reindeer food outside. You can buy little bags of this online, but as it's literally just porridge oats and glitter mixed together, I decided to just make my own! Maybe when Oliver is old enough to understand, I'll make a little label to go with it, but for now it's just in a plain jar from Hobbycraft.<br />
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As well as these items, we'll buy a bag of choccies for Mummy & Daddy to enjoy!<br />
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What's in your little ones Christmas Eve Box?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-45483609125164818102017-12-16T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-16T09:00:18.667+00:00Christmas Baking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every Friday evening my family get together at my Gran's house for dinner and a catch up, which I'll quite often go to. This week I decided to pop along, and bake some festive treats for us to enjoy as dessert.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It had to be something quick and simple to make, as the only time I had was during Oliver's afternoon nap, so I found the really easy chocolate dipped shortbread recipe from <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/tanyas-christmas-review.html" target="_blank">Tanya's Christmas</a> book. As well as being the simple recipe I needed, they were also really affordable, as you only need four ingredients.<br />
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First off, you mix <b>175g unsalted butter </b>and <b>75g caster sugar </b>until they form a paste. Then add <b>250g plain flour </b>and mix until you have a crumbly dough.<br />
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Dust your work surface with flour, then press the mixture together, and roll out to be approximately 1cm thick. Cut out your biscuit shapes, using whatever festive cutters you have, and arrange them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. The recipe in the book said the mixture makes about 18 biscuits, I think I managed to get about half a dozen more, but it all depends on the size of your cutters.<br />
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Place the tray in the fridge for 20 minutes to allow the biscuits to chill. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees/gas mark 5.<br />
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Once the biscuits have chilled, pop them in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until they are pale golden on top, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.<br />
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While the biscuits are cooling, melt <b>200g milk chocolate </b>in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted & biscuits cool, dip them biscuits into the chocolate and place them back on the wire rack for the chocolate to set. I actually put my biscuits back in the fridge at this point to speed up the setting process.<br />
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And that's it, your biscuits are ready to enjoy, and they seemed to go down well with my family!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-46863617175484118442017-12-15T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-15T09:00:15.466+00:00Cutest Festive Outfits For Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a <i>lot</i> of fun researching for this blog post - kids Christmas outfits are so adorable! A couple of years ago I dressed my niece as a reindeer, and I'll be doing exactly the same to Oliver at some point next week! As well as the reindeer costume, he also has the obligatory Christmas jumper for today's Christmas Jumper Day, and a couple more festive pieces. After searching through the web, here are my top picks of the festive kids outfits out there.<br />
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<a href="https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-baby-christmas-polar-bear-jumper-grey/p3343147" target="_blank">Polar Bear Jumper - £16.00 - John Lewis</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/baby/all-in-ones/buddy-the-elf-christmas-all-in-one-with-hat/GEM585686,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Buddy The Elf Outfit - £8.00 - Asda</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.mothercare.com/all-in-ones/santa-all-in-one-with-hat/LMC349.html#q=santa+outfit&start=1" target="_blank">Santa Outfit - £11.00 - Mothercare</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk/reindeer-onesie-d2626.html" target="_blank">Reindeer Onesie - £26.00 - JoJo Maman Bebe</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/2-piece-santa-dress-with-tights-outfit/p/p60120432?OmnitureRedirect=santa+dress&pdpredirect" target="_blank">Santa Dress with Tights - £14.00 - Marks & Spencer</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.mothercare.com/onesies/novelty-penguin-onesie/LJJ525.html" target="_blank">Penguin Onesie - £11.00 - Mothercare</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.tesco.com/direct/ff-reindeer-slogan-christmas-jumper/287-1362.prd" target="_blank">Reindeer Jumper - £8.00 - Tesco</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/baby/sleepsuits-pyjamas/disney-mickey-mouse-my-first-christmas-fleece-sleepsuit/GEM584914,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Mickey Mouse My 1st Christmas Sleepsuit - £7.00 - Asda</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-57632100849451445062017-12-14T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-14T09:00:22.493+00:00Festive Date Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The build up to Christmas can be full of parties and big meals out, but what about spending quality time just with your loved one? I've put together a list of festive themed date ideas, to suit all budgets and all weather eventualities.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Christmas market </b>There's so many of them around these days, even my little home town had one this year! It's a great opportunity to get a bit of Christmas shopping done, and don't forget to sample the mulled wine!<br />
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<b>Coffee shop </b>Take a trip out to sample one of the festive hot drinks menus - I really like the Billionaires hot chocolate at Costa this year. This can be a relatively affordable date option, and gives you chance to have a proper catch up.<br />
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<b>Christmas movie night </b>If you fancy a cosy night in, grabbing your favourite festive DVD and snuggling up under a blanket with some popcorn is a great idea. If you don't have any DVDs, there's always plenty of films on TV that you could record for your night in.<br />
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<b>Ice skating </b>If you're fancying something a little more active, then this is a great winter date idea. Not one I'd choose I have to admit, I'd be too scared of falling over!<br />
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<b>Sample a restaurants festive menu </b>A festive twist on the classic restaurant date. You can often get good deals on festive menus too, so you can save a bit of money, and perhaps even get your drinks included.<br />
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<b>Go to a festive performance </b>I've always wanted to go and see The Nutcracker, but it's just never happened. Even going to see your local panto can be some great, lighthearted fun.<br />
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<b>Take a walk to see the lights </b>Whether this be a walk down your local high street or if, like me, you know a local street that goes all out with their decorations, taking a walk out at night to admire them is a nice, free way to spend an evening.<br />
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<b>Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park </b>This one's a bit more of a pricey option, especially if you're not local to London, but it would make a really lovely date if you were looking to make a whole day of it, with lots to do and plenty of food & drink choices. This is definitely a place I'd like to visit one year.<br />
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<b>Get crafty </b>If you're into crafty projects, why not rope your partner in and make something together, or do a little bit of baking and treat yourself with the end product. Check out my blog post <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/creative-christmas-ideas.html" target="_blank">here</a> for some more craft ideas.<br />
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<b>Late night shopping </b>If you've still got a few Christmas gifts to buy, late night shopping can be a great time to do it, as towns can get pretty manic during the weekends. Plus walking around town with all of the lights on just adds to the festive mood.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-56624302259094802952017-12-13T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-13T09:00:34.519+00:00Mini Festive Haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I always like to treat myself a little bit when I do my Christmas shopping. After all, it's a lot of hard work, so you need rewarding for your efforts, right? Whilst past years have seen me buying the likes of luxury beauty sets and fitness trackers, this year I've been on a much tighter budget - plus I have way too many products to get myself through now - so I just picked up a few bits & pieces that I liked the look of, plus a few cute little decorative things, all of which were under £5.<br />
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First up, on one of my many trips to Primark, I spotted this really cute gingerbread mug. It's a really good size, nice and tall, and I've been using it for my gingerbread green tea. I <i>think</i> it was £2.50, but can't be sure - it was definitely less than £3, so a total bargain.<br />
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I'd seen a lot of B&M hauls popping up on YouTube recently, and they appeared to have quite a few good buys. As well as picking up a few everyday essentials and pressies, I also picked up a couple of treats for myself. I love hot chocolate, especially at this time of year. I'd had my eye on a similar set from Wilkos, which was £7, but when I saw this set, which is very similar but almost half the price at £3.99, I of course snapped it up. It comes with 7 different hot chocolate flavours, plus some mini marshmallows & gingerbread men. I'm looking forward to some cosy nights in with a hot chocolate in my new mug!<br />
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Also from B&M, I picked up a Christmas colouring book for just £2.49. Colouring is one of my top ways to relax on an evening, and this one has some really lovely festive designs in. They had lots of great colouring books in store, so I may go back for some Non-Christmassy ones soon.<br />
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I know Oliver is only 9 months old, so totally doesn't understand Christmas at all, but I wanted to start all of our Christmas traditions right from his first Christmas. One of the things most families do is leave treats out for Santa and his reindeer. I found this really cute set in Card Factory for just £3.99, which comes with a plate and a little bottle & straw for Santa's drink. It will be going in Oliver's Christmas Eve box this year, but we have kept the packaging to store it away to use every year.<br />
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If you saw my <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/our-home-at-christmas.html" target="_blank">home at Christmas post</a> you'll know that Oliver has his own tree in his room. Whilst having a browse through Poundland, I came across a display with personalised tree decorations. There were different designs for each name; rudolph, snowman, gingerbread man, and the Santa which I opted for. Can you believe this was just a pound?! It's really cute and good quality. If you can't find the name you're looking for, they also had blank ones to personalise yourself.<br />
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The final item is not one that I actually bought myself but I thought I'd include it anyway. I came across it whist browsing the internet for baby's first Christmas decorations, and thought the slogan was funny. My mother in law ended up buying it for me and, as it fits in with his colour theme, I am hanging it in Oliver's room - let's hope Santa takes note haha! It was from Matalan, and really reasonably priced at just £2.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-35819011940646252242017-12-12T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-12T09:00:47.803+00:00The Best Christmas Jumpers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas Jumper Day is only a few days away now. Although I'm not currently in my usual work environment, I'll still be taking part, and I've dusted off my Primark Santa jumper ready to go! If you're still looking for ideas, I've put together some of my favourites from this years picks, whether you're a fan of full-on-cheese, or prefer something a little more subtle.<br />
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<a href="https://www.truffleshuffle.co.uk/product/20750/exclusive-womens-little-miss-christmas-knitted-jumper" target="_blank">Little Miss Christmas Jumper - £29.99 - Truffle Shuffle</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.truffleshuffle.co.uk/product/23965/exclusive-miffy-fairisle-knitted-jumper" target="_blank">Miffy Jumper - £34.99 - Truffle Shuffle</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/clothing/knitwear/mela-black-reindeer-fairisle-knit-christmas-jumper/p/561618609?comp=Search" target="_blank">Reindeer Jumper - £30.00 - New Look</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/women/jumpers-cardigans/christmas-slogan-longline-sweatshirt/GEM612226,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Baby It's Cold Outside Jumper - £12.50 - Asda</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.next.co.uk/g882008s4#168592" target="_blank">Santa Define Good Jumper - £24.00 - Next</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/product/christmas-4875942/christmas-jumpers-6014878/ivory-embellished-fair-isle-jumper-7108231?bi=0&ps=20&cm_mmc=AWIN-_-104504-_-Deeplink-_-Generic&cmpid=aff_cont_awuk_104504&_$ja=tsid:19886|prd:104504" target="_blank">Fair Isle Jumper - £29.00 - Dorothy Perkins</a><br />
<a href="https://www.truffleshuffle.co.uk/product/22067/womens-coca-cola-truck-holidays-are-coming-jumper" target="_blank">Coca Cola Truck Jumper - £29.99 - Truffle Shuffle</a><br />
<a href="http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?beginIndex=1&langId=-1&productId=30394006&Ntt=naughty+but+nice&pageSize=20&defaultGridLayout=3&Nty=1&CE3_ENDECA_PRODUCT_ROLLUP_ENABLED=N&productOnlyCount=1&catalogId=33057&Dy=1&pageNum=1&productIdentifierproduct=product&storeId=12556&qubitRefinements=siteId%3DTopShopUK" target="_blank">Naughty But Nice Jumper - £28.00 - Topshop</a><br />
<a href="https://www.primark.com/en/product/blue-snowman-christmas-jumper,N35397175471274" target="_blank">Snowman Jumper - £12.00 - Primark</a><br />
<a href="https://www.peacocks.co.uk/150647.html" target="_blank">Gingerbread Pattern Jumper - £16.00 - Peacocks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dorothyperkins.com/en/dpuk/product/cream-sequin-reindeer-christmas-jumper-7111002?bi=0&ps=20&Ntt=reindeer%20jumper" target="_blank">Reindeer Sequin Jumper - £28.00 - Dorothy Perkins</a><br />
<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/clothing/knitwear/mela-grey-christmas-penguin-jumper/p/553133704" target="_blank">Penguin Jumper - £25.00 - New Look</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-27219041232066901902017-12-11T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-11T09:00:09.414+00:00Creative Christmas Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas is always a time that inspires my creative side. It's always nice to do some little DIY projects, especially if you've got young ones that can get involved. Making things yourself can also save you money on things you would normally just go out and buy, perfect if you're doing Christmas on a budget this year. Here are a few ideas to get you started.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Make your own Christmas cards </b>I wrote a <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/easy-handmade-christmas-cards.html" target="_blank">blog post</a> sharing the cards I've made this year, plus a few other designs I'd found on the web. This is a great one to get your kids involved in, then they can take the cards to their friends at school.<br />
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<b>DIY gift wrap & tags</b> It can actually be quite expensive to find a pretty, good quality gift wrap, when all you need to make your own is some brown craft paper, a few stamps and some ink. You can even go to town on all the fancy ribbons and embellishments to make your gifts look extra special.<br />
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<b>Put together a Christmas hamper </b>Hampers make great presents, and you can tailor them to suit whatever budget you have. If you wanted to go extra creative, you could fill it with handmade gifts, such as a sugar body scrub, or cookies.<br />
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<b>Make a photo album/scrapbook to gift </b>Another great gift, which has a great personal touch is a scrapbook. You can pick up albums from the pound shop, so they can be really affordable to make, but hold such high value because of the time and effort that goes into making it.<br />
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<b>Decorate a Christmas Eve box </b>There are so many options of boxes to buy online, and high street stores are even getting in on the act now, but it can be great fun to personalise your own. You can buy a crate, box or basket from various different stores (Hobbycraft do some good ones, but there are cheaper options out there!) and decorate however you wish.<br />
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<b>Make your own stocking </b>I made a stocking for my husband a few years ago, and wrote a post about it <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/hand-decorated-christmas-stocking.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Well I say I made it - I bought a plain felt stocking from Hobbycraft for £2 and decorated it, but you could go one better and make the entire thing yourself it you're skilled enough! You could make them as a surprise for someone, or get the kids to decorate their own before they leave them out for Santa on Christmas Eve.<br />
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<b>Bake treats</b> I plan on doing some baking this Friday, and taking the treats round to my Gran's for everyone to enjoy in the evening. I know a lot of people have a tradition of baking festive goods in the run up to the big day, and it's another good one to get the kids involved in. Again, you could enjoy them yourself there and then, or wrap them to give as gifts.<br />
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<b>Make your own decorations </b>Hobbycraft have lots of great ideas on their blog for different decorations you could make, whether it be baubles for the tree, or big feature pieces. If you don't fancy starting from scratch, they also have plenty of kits in store with step by step guides, and even pre-made decorations for you to add your own personal touch to with a lick of paint.<br />
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<b>Make Christmas crackers </b>Let's face it, most of the crackers out there are full of pointless tat. Creating your own means that you get to choose what goes inside too, so again they can be tailored to your own budget. Don't forget the jokes too!<br />
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<b>DIY place settings </b>The table for our Christmas dinner is a bit of a free for all, and we decide where we are going to sit at the time, but if you have a bit more order to yours, you could create place settings for everyone. Another project that's really affordable to do, but you could make it a little extra special by placing a small gift for everyone with their place card.<br />
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Will you be doing any Christmas craft projects this year?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-8308582853208076062017-12-10T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-10T09:00:01.223+00:00Party Outfit Ideas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't know about you, but my wardrobe is seriously lacking in party wear at the moment. Not good as we're now heading towards that time of year when the festive parties are in full swing. If like me you're struggling with what to wear, I've trawled the web to come up with a few outfit ideas. I've put together outfits where all pieces are from the same shop, so you don't have to go here, there & everywhere to complete the look. Most are available on the high street, with one online only store, and there's also a budget friendly supermarket option in there too.<br />
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/womens/dresses/frill-sleeve-dress-with-necklace/GEM606542,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Blue Dress with Necklace £16</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/womens/accessories/star-print-cross-body-bag/GEM584548,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Star Cross Body Bag £12</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/women/shoes/wide-fit-knee-length-boots/GEM584883,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Black Knee Length Boots £25</a></div>
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<b>New Look</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxXzhIso-suOO7L5MQjbB2wiidWeh3dfNVlCoBjyNhjzF0vpTAQIh3OZOqYyXXAhKt6o6mIHdw3fsNMg_J1N8nOxybxjpQZk_E0tvTfV70iLeRYHGSiXSjwJiWcQj95QE2fY_A4v6qA/s1600/new+look+party+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxXzhIso-suOO7L5MQjbB2wiidWeh3dfNVlCoBjyNhjzF0vpTAQIh3OZOqYyXXAhKt6o6mIHdw3fsNMg_J1N8nOxybxjpQZk_E0tvTfV70iLeRYHGSiXSjwJiWcQj95QE2fY_A4v6qA/s640/new+look+party+outfit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/clothing/playsuits-jumpsuits/mela-black-two-tone-wrap-front-jumpsuit/p/547860901?comp=Search" target="_blank">Two Tone Wrap Jumpsuit £35</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/footwear/shoes/silver-glitter-pointed-court-shoes/p/542185292?comp=Search" target="_blank">Silver Glitter Court Shoes £13.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/accessories/bags/silver-glitter-micro-cross-body-bag/p/556021192?comp=Search" target="_blank">Glitter Micro Bag £12.99</a></div>
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<b>Boohoo</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vaFdKb5DrKke6Th7UIHoXEcTtzwItInvmDPGn322ngyLrL59fEp26gSIkyKl6y4ftei6SsylB6Gr3xeigZ4X-Un5yzeCH0SSniEaA92o7GJ3QL32gR3fZ2CH3B-W5MXp0xlcNdeJdw/s1600/boohoo+party+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vaFdKb5DrKke6Th7UIHoXEcTtzwItInvmDPGn322ngyLrL59fEp26gSIkyKl6y4ftei6SsylB6Gr3xeigZ4X-Un5yzeCH0SSniEaA92o7GJ3QL32gR3fZ2CH3B-W5MXp0xlcNdeJdw/s640/boohoo+party+outfit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boohoo.com/elsie-velvet-twist-detail-bodycon-dress/DZZ36558.html?color=104" target="_blank">Elsie Velvet Twist Bodycon Dress £20</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boohoo.com/heidi-embroidered-velvet-envelope-clutch-bag/DZZ36992.html?color=105" target="_blank">Heidi Embroidered Clutch £18</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boohoo.com/lois-two-part-block-heels/DZZ84375.html?color=105" target="_blank">Lois Block Heels £25.00</a></div>
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<b>Marks & Spencer</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kt5vvYoKePExTkhV2bzfyOdejLAnxCSWt-Ndfzk4-Mnstr1EMBUKJ0eUYxgviDhmrWmjwELPDKvQe1VPGWO6NlxLTd4IRNwO3d33c-VQRs9SDmxVRVyiLueODDqIUeru40C3Uo-cTQ/s1600/m%2526s+party+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9kt5vvYoKePExTkhV2bzfyOdejLAnxCSWt-Ndfzk4-Mnstr1EMBUKJ0eUYxgviDhmrWmjwELPDKvQe1VPGWO6NlxLTd4IRNwO3d33c-VQRs9SDmxVRVyiLueODDqIUeru40C3Uo-cTQ/s640/m%2526s+party+outfit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/round-neck-flute-sleeve-blouse/p/p60117469?image=SD_01_T43_6421_K0_X_EC_90&color=CREAM&prevPage=srp" target="_blank">Cream Flute Sleeve Blouse £27.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/panel-detailed-pencil-skirt/p/p22481561?image=SD_01_T59_1515S_Y0_X_EC_90&color=BLACK&prevPage=srp" target="_blank">Black Split Back Pencil Skirt £19.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/metal-bar-clutch-bag/p/p60093071?prevPage=srp" target="_blank">Gold Mix Metal Bar Clutch £15</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/platform-court-with-insolia/p/p22479096?prevPage=srp" target="_blank">Metallic Stiletto Platform Court Shoes £25</a></div>
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<b>River Island</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.riverisland.com/p/pink-stripe-print-ruched-sleeve-blazer-701753" target="_blank">Pink Stripe Ruched Sleeve Blazer £30</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.riverisland.com/p/pink-stripe-wide-leg-culottes-701755" target="_blank">Pink Stripe Wide Leg Culottes £17</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.riverisland.com/p/black-t-bar-cami-top-691340" target="_blank">Black T Bar Cami Top £7</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.riverisland.com/p/black-cross-body-chain-bag-704633" target="_blank">Black Cross Body Bag £22</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.riverisland.com/p/black-slingback-kitten-heel-court-shoes-705763" target="_blank">Black Slingback Kitten Heels £36</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8J8l5cYedoDLWGDov2NrFedszdM1Zn8Fbg5zenUZsZgzWcUs2515ZwdWXXXwC5opnxFQ60CHVlfSy-ca6k-8Q5DFcH3ICXt_wU8Pu_uPtiEDohvhK_TouBUcUhp6FNK7SeVd-Q7tVA/s1600/topshop+party+outfit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8J8l5cYedoDLWGDov2NrFedszdM1Zn8Fbg5zenUZsZgzWcUs2515ZwdWXXXwC5opnxFQ60CHVlfSy-ca6k-8Q5DFcH3ICXt_wU8Pu_uPtiEDohvhK_TouBUcUhp6FNK7SeVd-Q7tVA/s640/topshop+party+outfit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/star-plunge-neck-asymmetric-hem-dress-7122748?bi=0&ps=20" target="_blank">Star Asymmetric Hem Dress £65</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/mia-leather-chain-clutch-bag-7200140?bi=0&ps=20&Ntt=black%20clutch" target="_blank">MIA Leather Chain Clutch £39</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.topshop.com/en/tsuk/product/luxe-cross-strap-platforms-6949318?bi=100&ps=20" target="_blank">LUXE Black Cross Strap Platform Heels £39</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiianfDlp5FMfNYu7Hx-mlSsiby9xxpanp7_vKSTjM_VF0dS5PgNQOIKG4my9393yLC3REnHYRpOi-TyYIc1NDGtpAyRDzZzOqm2_cSoXWqqYPQ3YkjlBx2fC51tCIeetQCJbgZwyliOg/s1600/signaturemay2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="46" data-original-width="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiianfDlp5FMfNYu7Hx-mlSsiby9xxpanp7_vKSTjM_VF0dS5PgNQOIKG4my9393yLC3REnHYRpOi-TyYIc1NDGtpAyRDzZzOqm2_cSoXWqqYPQ3YkjlBx2fC51tCIeetQCJbgZwyliOg/s1600/signaturemay2016.png" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-15614323328398301602017-12-09T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-09T09:00:23.426+00:00Our Home At Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnouUZsVxATLIxZK4sSfdVbvMsC4HVffydYUe9LsNrAlgw3qQoRFdRer6358u7pTS_5uJuZ3QHKvdx3O2NviSE8i1HV5pTD0bN9WQODXW3Pay2hdJtdwEjGFNYE6dJSKLZujmsd1Yfw/s1600/home+at+christmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnouUZsVxATLIxZK4sSfdVbvMsC4HVffydYUe9LsNrAlgw3qQoRFdRer6358u7pTS_5uJuZ3QHKvdx3O2NviSE8i1HV5pTD0bN9WQODXW3Pay2hdJtdwEjGFNYE6dJSKLZujmsd1Yfw/s640/home+at+christmas.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kizzyhearts/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> you'll know that as soon as December hit, I started decorating my house for Christmas. I would've done it sooner if I could, but I don't think my husband would've been impressed! The trees went up on December 1st, and I've been adding other little finishing touches in the week since. So, this is what my house looks like this Christmas.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-bxEhArfxHxVj5oELU3i4xUsPFcrxpHug1Tm8txwfNPG6-mFMhBA_nOMkwgvyt_cnguMr2mpHyf2mDpbAtGn9wmCWIgCDgfpoRJsgbFRME-v5fFrNrDfUc2RDzQoI0hYVDfgNeHZ6Q/s1600/home+at+christmas+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="441" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-bxEhArfxHxVj5oELU3i4xUsPFcrxpHug1Tm8txwfNPG6-mFMhBA_nOMkwgvyt_cnguMr2mpHyf2mDpbAtGn9wmCWIgCDgfpoRJsgbFRME-v5fFrNrDfUc2RDzQoI0hYVDfgNeHZ6Q/s640/home+at+christmas+trees.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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First off we have the main tree in the living room. Last year, the first tree we bought as a couple broke when we got it out of the box, so we replaced it with a pre-lit one, which I have to say is <i>so </i>much better. Putting the lights on was the one part I hated about decorating the tree, so I'm glad we got rid of that task. My colour scheme for the tree has never changed, it's mostly silver with hints of gold - plus an alpaca that my mother in law bought for my husband! Speaking of my mother in law, she buys us a new bauble every year, and I've pictured some of my favourites below. Unfortunately I have no idea where they are from with them being gifts.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3yTevp19MWo0Svyv-qkHAEluB3RpNyrsw65r9Zz5puPBC3TSIJDVDsIOx6fWnQoa9bBamdyiuPJu6ZLpKxilkXGy6hxE_eNfb3I92JmNEz94CpzHXikuUa6sop32YqwN6MhxvvrG1A/s1600/home+at+christmas+baubles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="1600" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv3yTevp19MWo0Svyv-qkHAEluB3RpNyrsw65r9Zz5puPBC3TSIJDVDsIOx6fWnQoa9bBamdyiuPJu6ZLpKxilkXGy6hxE_eNfb3I92JmNEz94CpzHXikuUa6sop32YqwN6MhxvvrG1A/s640/home+at+christmas+baubles.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You may have seen on Instagram that Oliver has his own tree. It was a tradition in my husbands family that the children have their own tree in their bedrooms to decorate, and we wanted to carry that on, even though he's too young to decorate it himself at the moment! He has lots of personalised baubles, including some baby's first Christmas ones, some of which have been added after the photo was taken. We've gone with the traditional red, green & gold theme this time, and the tree was an absolute steal at £5 from Wilko.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNwtK-C3X75ludQdJr59-AU5dojePu9Ra42bqwlybow8wjkLl_LvqxlWXUX7K64M7IhgXGqv3k32-ssdx_FvodcJxlJxkifU8IZDPzZEMPeXklD85Hn_HB1gGdEJTBTNJyzKYDmFIsg/s1600/home+at+christmas+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvNwtK-C3X75ludQdJr59-AU5dojePu9Ra42bqwlybow8wjkLl_LvqxlWXUX7K64M7IhgXGqv3k32-ssdx_FvodcJxlJxkifU8IZDPzZEMPeXklD85Hn_HB1gGdEJTBTNJyzKYDmFIsg/s640/home+at+christmas+1.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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One December tradition we've had since we moved in together is to have festive bedding in our bedroom. Some years we've reused the same as the previous year, but this time we went for something new. We usually have grey & white bed covers throughout the year, so I wanted to stick to the same colour scheme, and found <a href="https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/nordic-brushed-cotton-duvet-set-double-326962" target="_blank">this set</a> in B&M for £19.99. It's brushed cotton, which I've never had before, and <i>wow </i>it's so soft. We also bought grey brushed cotton sheets and extra pillowcases to go with it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_gtrN5sH80FyTbbzByhN0Kz-SnADOwujaEYuTMxWauAy4fRObeY5eK_nTLGmEefsngaqCWyq7bDR3p0uiPXCx9g7DurtKfeT_51JnLTPXzJVK_nNO1n5dHenPqV9PFqbfboDUUp1Fg/s1600/home+at+christmas+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_gtrN5sH80FyTbbzByhN0Kz-SnADOwujaEYuTMxWauAy4fRObeY5eK_nTLGmEefsngaqCWyq7bDR3p0uiPXCx9g7DurtKfeT_51JnLTPXzJVK_nNO1n5dHenPqV9PFqbfboDUUp1Fg/s640/home+at+christmas+5.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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If you read my <a href="http://kizzyhearts.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/my-christmas-bucket-list.html" target="_blank">Christmas bucket list</a> post, you'll know that I wanted to buy something this year to decorate the hallway. We opted for a <a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/4027986" target="_blank">garland</a> to run up the staircase, which we bought from Argos, along with some <a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5288566" target="_blank">snowflake lights</a> for the living room window. They look pretty, but don't cover the entire window, so I <i>may</i> go back for another set.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaY9FI1p6U5NeSa3bigdgtjTHMLnzbO-KEBL7TrgiA7FKOCAnWMejNeIefCtF6zefhuQT6ee9-EU3AsfhQJK-RQ8kzNDJ9Sx-lUGAxIYJZPG-S_vH72ORbpORLurxxna4jRv5i7849uA/s1600/home+at+christmas+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaY9FI1p6U5NeSa3bigdgtjTHMLnzbO-KEBL7TrgiA7FKOCAnWMejNeIefCtF6zefhuQT6ee9-EU3AsfhQJK-RQ8kzNDJ9Sx-lUGAxIYJZPG-S_vH72ORbpORLurxxna4jRv5i7849uA/s640/home+at+christmas+8.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-24262644289085679852017-12-08T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-08T09:00:09.030+00:00The Under £10 Gift Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IlUS3RQ-lHWQV-2iZ3vjZAVULjwpvjXJ0NGu0s_lG3ycPzXWErvz1z7OPtjN2t-cscN1DJZ5Z39BFpgz4qny97gnN5hvawxqnQXl22A_5a7GN0gmtm6jetZb4arwV-zD_cZohFKO-w/s1600/under+%25C2%25A310+gift+guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IlUS3RQ-lHWQV-2iZ3vjZAVULjwpvjXJ0NGu0s_lG3ycPzXWErvz1z7OPtjN2t-cscN1DJZ5Z39BFpgz4qny97gnN5hvawxqnQXl22A_5a7GN0gmtm6jetZb4arwV-zD_cZohFKO-w/s640/under+%25C2%25A310+gift+guide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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We've been on quite a tight budget this Christmas, so I've been on the look out for those more affordable gift options. I've managed to find my top gifts, all £10 or less, for him, her and the kids too. Whether your on a strict budget like me, or on the hunt for stocking fillers or that perfect secret santa gift, I hope you'll find some inspiration here.<br />
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<b>Gifts For Her</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.boots.com/soap-and-glory-special-edition-soaper-heroes-10232600" target="_blank">Soap & Glory Soaper Heroes £10</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.aromatherapyassociates.com/precious-de-stress-time.html" target="_blank">Aromatherapy Associates Precious De-Stress Time £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.feelunique.com/p/Tanya-Burr-Sweet-Lip-Cream-Gift-Set" target="_blank">Tanya Burr Sweet Lip Cream Set £8</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Mummy-Drinks-Gill-Sims/dp/0008237492/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512664672&sr=8-1&keywords=why+mummy+drinks+book" target="_blank">Why Mummy Drinks by Gill Sims £3.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7029455" target="_blank">Snowman Hot Chocolate Mug Gift £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/accessories/scarves/mink-check-scarf/p/537721623?comp=Search" target="_blank">New Look Mink Check Scarf £6.99</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.calendarclub.co.uk/lifestyle/home-and-garden/busy-b-hello-a6-diary-2018-r202895?gclid=CjwKCAiA6qPRBRAkEiwAGw4SdlW93riRJd1H3iptBRqncYFTXOhw14yu4DIlMxf75ASDBc2NFRAWZBoCSy4QAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Busy B Hello 2018 Diary £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boohoo.com/rosie-strip-pocket-vest-and-short-set/DZZ92612.html" target="_blank">Boohoo Stripe PJ Set £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thewhitecompany.com/Winter-Votive-Candle/p/WNDVO" target="_blank">The White Company Winter Votive £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_2.4/4819278200" target="_blank">Accessorize Rose Gold Star Earrings £6</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/182948751674?chn=ps&adgroupid=43920634520&rlsatarget=pla-359427365517&abcId=1063846&adtype=pla&merchantid=6995734&poi=&googleloc=1006835&device=c&campaignid=797602469&crdt=0" target="_blank">Thorntons Christmas Selection £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_5,acc_5.11/3962501500" target="_blank">Accessorize Robin Socks £3.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/womens/accessories/purses/grey-fold-over-purse/p/541492304?comp=Search" target="_blank">New Look Grey Purse £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george-home-love-pegs-photo-frame/001763071,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Asda Love Pegs Photo Frame £7</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/new-radiance-collection/wilko-radiance-gold-champagne-glass-4pk/invt/0460258" target="_blank">Wilko Champagne Glasses £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_311100145199_-1" target="_blank">Debenhams Travel Mug With Coffee £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.dunelm.com/product/make-your-own-chocolate-chip-cookies-1000102576" target="_blank">Dunelm Chocolate Cookie Mix £6</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/gift-sets/botanica-cosmetic-mirror/invt/0456910" target="_blank">Wilko Copper Cosmetic Mirror £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_2.3/2856338200" target="_blank">Accessorize Rose Gold Flower Necklace £6</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_172010800599_-1" target="_blank">Baylis & Harding Pink Prosecco Trio Of Treats £8</a></div>
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<b>Gifts For Him</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHVc2xURhrORg4BlqEXKvOWBmc8UilgA4-Rt2opCL85-BMlthcWybJNts8TjUlIr1kvBgg_jajJjV6Y4eGVG2KmSZTxAqmg_ZMMrJPwqCBsZ2G3O6slAbbgo6gz60oj05mQZQF5YSdg/s1600/mens+gift+guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHVc2xURhrORg4BlqEXKvOWBmc8UilgA4-Rt2opCL85-BMlthcWybJNts8TjUlIr1kvBgg_jajJjV6Y4eGVG2KmSZTxAqmg_ZMMrJPwqCBsZ2G3O6slAbbgo6gz60oj05mQZQF5YSdg/s640/mens+gift+guide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/gift-sets/lynx-black-washbag-gift-set/invt/0460647" target="_blank">Lynx Black Washbag Gift Set £8</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/mens/accessories/knitted-touch-screen-gloves/GEM587859,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Asda Touch Screen Gloves £3</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/52-Things-While-You-Poo/dp/1849534977" target="_blank">52 Things To Do While You Poo by Hugh Jassburn £4</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/mens/accessories/scarves/black-stripe-scarf/p/541950501?comp=Browse" target="_blank">New Look Black Stripe Scarf £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/gadget-gifts/gizmo-credit-card-tool/invt/0456799" target="_blank">Gizmo Credit Card Tool £3</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.studio.co.uk/shop/en/studio/smiley-days-of-the-week-socks" target="_blank">Studio Smiley Days Of The Week Socks £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10701_10001_311100119499_-1" target="_blank">Debenhams Chilli Oil Challenge £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.very.co.uk/star-wars-star-wars-storm-trooper-soap-on-a-rope-180g/1600206991.prd?sku=sku20237543&cm_mmc=google-_-PLA+-+Generic-_-Everything-_-na_157632683903&utm_medium=cpc&k_clickid=fa046e89-c061-46d6-9bf7-f524797b8c4f&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Shopping_All%20Products%20-%20TOP%20LEVEL&utm_term=na&utm_content=157632683903&profileid=402&keywordid=na&productgroupid=pg447223&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAiA6qPRBRAkEiwAGw4Sdv05bqJgtfiMRaChOpJMLbNtqgni9DAUrO5c-SjZiWl8Ql3EkaDtwBoCOuYQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Star Wars Soap On A Rope £7.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boots.com/gillette-mach3-mens-razor-gift-set-10234000?cm_mmc=bmm-_-Google+Boots+PLAs-_-BAU-_-C=Christmas+2017_Mens+Gifts&gclid=CjwKCAiA6qPRBRAkEiwAGw4SdjtPm4S2PZAEqIESG_OIN9kzaDh6trFZl-RXicGlhLq_IDnF3uEKQhoCCQAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" target="_blank">Gillette Mach 3 Gift Set £6.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.boots.com/coaster-games-10181805" target="_blank">Coaster Games £8</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/lagers-of-the-world-gift-set-%28contains-4-bottles%29" target="_blank">Lagers Of The World Set £5</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.newlook.com/uk/mens/accessories/wallets/black-stripe-elastic-textured-wallet/p/531560501?comp=Browse" target="_blank">New Look Black Stripe Wallet £7.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.marksandspencer.com/plain-tie-with-stain-resistant/p/p22208951?image=SD_03_T12_8116_E4_X_EC_90&color=BLUEMIX&prevPage=plp&pdpredirect" target="_blank">M&S Blue Tie £8</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.very.co.uk/mr-men-mr-grumpy-mug-and-hot-chocolate/1437334170.prd" target="_blank">Mr Grumpy Hot Chocolate Mug Set £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/tools-fittings-curtain-rails/tools-fittings/fixa-17-piece-tool-set-art-00169254/" target="_blank">Ikea Fixa Tool Set £7.95</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/headphones+speakers/kitsound-ribbons-earphones-mic-blue/invt/0459636" target="_blank">KitSound Blue Earphones £10</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/mens/accessories/cable-knit-bobble-hat/GEM593257,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Asda Cable Knit Bobble Hat £6</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/9063608" target="_blank">ProPoker Starter Set £4.49</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.dunelm.com/product/jack-daniels-tennessee-whiskey-fudge-1000080656" target="_blank">Jack Daniels Fudge £5</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/gift-sets/david-beckham-instinct-duo-gift-set/invt/0460765" target="_blank">David Beckham Instinct Gift Set £4</a></div>
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<b>Gifts For Kids</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1TSTOMN6q2I8UZJIXFDYJ7RBQewozMBb53m1mBGuESYgPc1XI9PNC8_6ey0zyEIJaWQrhkxYYTm5REW-4Q2cAxeNa0DSt9JRB6rxCsnRltj97facpXGRmgM3BS144ImXuL3kH8d8sQ/s1600/kids+gift+guide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1TSTOMN6q2I8UZJIXFDYJ7RBQewozMBb53m1mBGuESYgPc1XI9PNC8_6ey0zyEIJaWQrhkxYYTm5REW-4Q2cAxeNa0DSt9JRB6rxCsnRltj97facpXGRmgM3BS144ImXuL3kH8d8sQ/s640/kids+gift+guide.jpg" width="640" /></a><b><br /></b></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5747973" target="_blank">VTech Toot Toot Animals £7.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/sweets-and-chocolate-gifts/cadbury-freddo-selection-box-138g/invt/0424375" target="_blank">Cadbury Freddo Selection Box £2</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.tesco.com/direct/my-first-library-paw-patrol/VG9-U5SW.prd?source=others" target="_blank">Paw Patrol My First Library £7</a></div>
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<a href="https://direct.asda.com/george/toys-character/baby-toddler-toys/little-tikes-stack-and-spin-bath-set/050203253,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Little Tikes Stack & Spin Bath Set £6.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/baby+pre-school-toys/wilko-wooden-clock-puzzle/invt/0350450" target="_blank">Wilko Wooden Clock Puzzle £4.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5696299" target="_blank">Play Doh Ice Cream Castle £9.49</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.johnlewis.com/nosy-crow-moz-the-monster-christmas-book/p3346048" target="_blank">Moz The Monster Book £8.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/5058514" target="_blank">Peppa Pig Magnadoodle £7.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6186148" target="_blank">Charades For Kids £8.49</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/soft-toys+plush/wilko-mini-bertie-the-bear-plush-17cm/invt/0460854" target="_blank">Wilko Bertie The Bear Plush £3</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6217770" target="_blank">Tsum Tsum 3D Puzzle £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.very.co.uk/lego-star-wars-75161-tie-strikernbspmicrofighternbsp/1600184869.prd" target="_blank">Lego Star Wars Microfighter £8.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.wilko.com/vehicles+playsets/wilko-steam-train-and-track-playset/invt/0456507" target="_blank">Wilko Steam Train & Track Playset £10</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6739760?storeID=124&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59156|cid:598623310|agid:28645204525|tid:aud-264064232575:pla-277778527827|crid:96091141165|nw:g|rnd:1047536926841359430|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt:|loc:1006835&gclid=CjwKCAiA6qPRBRAkEiwAGw4SdvVbOUWnG7oGjRp0VFRRT136Di31vwVN0CpDaGjjnn7ZtHzGns7FShoCarYQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">Aquabeads Beginners Studio £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7248937" target="_blank">Chad Valley Electronic Drum Set £9.49</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/construction-and-cars/mega-bloks/mega-bloks-first-builders-big-building-bag-classic/p/124586" target="_blank">Mega Bloks Big Building Bag £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/7028803" target="_blank">Crayola Doodle Dog £9.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.very.co.uk/casdon-casdon-morphy-richards-kettle-amp-toaster/1600082870.prd" target="_blank">Morphy Richards Toy Kettle & Toaster Set £5.99</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.toysrus.co.uk/toys/just-like-home-mega-food-playset/0110315" target="_blank">Just Like Home Mega Food Playset £9.98</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.argos.co.uk/product/6732073" target="_blank">LOL Surprise! Tots Ball £9.99</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-10356565650032564802017-12-07T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-07T09:00:29.488+00:00Lush Christmas Haul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There's nothing like a trip to Lush to get you in the festive spirit. I'm not a regular Lush goer, but once their Christmas products have come out each year, you can guarantee I'll be in there sometime soon after. It's not the biggest haul ever, but here's what I picked up this year.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><a href="https://uk.lush.com/products/christmas/christmas-sweater" target="_blank">Christmas Sweater Bath Bomb £4.50</a> </b>The only bath bomb I picked up this year. I find bath bombs a little expensive for what they are. Unlike the other bath products, they are gone in one use, making it quite an expensive bath, so I haven't splashed out on loads this year, but still wanted to treat myself to one. I may be wrong, but I think this bath bomb is new to the collection this year. I love the reindeer design on it, and it has a nice, warm, spicy scent to it. It smells a lot like my favourite Christmas candles, so I'm sure to love it.<br />
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<b><a href="https://uk.lush.com/products/christmas/plum-snow" target="_blank">Plum Snow Bubble Bar £5.95</a> </b>Bubble bars are definitely my favourite Lush products these days. I love a lush bubble bath. This has a very subtle scent to it, I don't know if it will smell a bit stronger in the bath, but it's lovely and fruity. The size of this is great. I didn't realise, when I was browsing the collection online, just how big it was, so it was a pleasant surprise to see it in store. I'm going to get a decent amount of uses from this, that's for sure!<br />
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<b><a href="https://uk.lush.com/products/bubble-bars/snowman" target="_blank">The Snowman Bubbleroon £4.25</a> </b>How cute is this little guy?! This is very different to the traditional Christmas scented products I usually go for. It's very lemony! It reminds me of a shower gel I used to use (I want to say Happy Hippy?!). I'm definitely going to save this for days when I need a bit of a pick me up, as it's got a vibrant, uplifting scent to it.<br />
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<b><a href="https://uk.lush.com/products/bubble-bars/magic-christmas" target="_blank">The Magic Of Christmas Reuseable Bubble Bar £5.95</a> </b>This is the only one of the products in my haul that I've used before. It's my all time favourite Lush Christmas product, hence why I've bought it again this year, and I hope they never leave it out of their festive collection! The design is absolutely gorgeous for starters, it just <i>looks</i> very festive and aesthetically pleasing. The lovely, spicy cinnamon and orange scents are just what I go for. To me, this is Christmas on a stick, I love it!<br />
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Have you bought anything from the Lush Christmas range?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-83440224980358872012017-12-06T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-06T09:00:26.302+00:00How To Survive Christmas Shopping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I personally love Christmas shopping, but I'm one of the few people in my family that does! For many it can be a source of stress, and they just want to get it over and done with as quickly as possible - I know a few people that would happily pass on their Christmas shopping to me if they could! Today, I thought I'd share with you my tips for making the process as stress free as possible.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>Have a plan before you go </b>If you have a rough idea of what it is you want to buy each person on your "to buy" list, it makes things so much easier. Way before I start my shopping, I make a list of everyone I need to buy for, and make notes for each of them on shops they like, their interests, and any hints any of them may have dropped through the year. I then turn those notes into specific present ideas where I can. I also make a list of shops that I want to visit, so I can plan my trip rather than just wandering around town with no idea where to go next.<br />
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<b>Create a budget and stick to it </b>There's nothing worse than getting all of your Christmas shopping done, then realising you've not left enough money for those everyday essentials. We have a budget for each person we buy for, and look for gifts around that amount to ensure we don't blow the bank. Tick people off your "to buy" list once they've been sorted, to make sure you're not spending unnecessary money on duplicate gifts, and keep a track of what you're spending in each shop to ensure you don't go overboard. If it's going to be too difficult to keep track as you go, it may be a good idea to get cash out at the start of your trip to match your budget, then once the cash is gone, that's it, rather than paying by card.<br />
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<b>Do what you can online </b>Quite a lot of my shopping this year was done online, specifically Amazon. Getting as much as you can bought online will reduce the amount of time spent in those busy town centres, and can quite often mean you can get things slightly cheaper too. If you end up ordering a lot off one site, you can often get free delivery too, so those online savings aren't spent on postage. Shopping online can also be a great place to order personalised gifts, which are always a great idea and show a lot of thought has gone into the gift - just keep an eye on the expected delivery dates!<br />
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<b>Get there early </b>Getting into town before the crowds arrive mean less time driving around looking for a parking space, and a much quieter, pleasant shopping experience. Even though I do love shopping, if a shop is too crowded then I have to get out of there asap, I just cannot concentrate on what I'm doing if I'm constantly having to negotiate my way around people.<br />
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<b>Plan a pit stop </b>If you're going to be out for a long time, it's important to recharge your batteries at some point, before everything becomes too overwhelming. Plan to stop somewhere, either for lunch or just a quick drink, so you can rest your legs, and take stock of what you've already bought so that you can plan the rest of the trip.<br />
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<b>Go child-less </b>If you've got kids you'll know how stressful having them with you can make a shopping trip, especially when you're trying to push a buggie around a busy shop. If you've got a willing volunteer, leave the kids with a friend or relative for a few hours - it'll make the trip much quicker too! Just make sure you get their presents whilst they're not there, in case you don't have the opportunity of child free time again!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-53528788193180548152017-12-05T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-05T09:00:32.112+00:00Easy Handmade Christmas Cards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I really wanted to make a few handmade Christmas cards this year. A few years ago, I made cards for every single member of my family, spending a tonne on card stock and embellishments, and sitting down for hours on end to put them together. This year, however, I didn't have a great deal of time, having to squeeze it in to Oliver's nap time, and I had a much smaller budget, so I decided to simplify things and make just a few, with a much simpler but still creative design. After scouring the internet for inspiration, I liked the idea of fingerprint designs, and settled on reindeers. This is how I made them...<br />
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So I said I wanted something affordable - it cost me just over a fiver to buy the pieces I didn't already have, all from Hobbycraft:<br />
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<a href="http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/white-a6-cards-and-envelopes-10-pack/566624-1005" target="_blank">10 pack A6 cards & envelopes £1.80</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/brown-ink-pad-10-x-7-x-15-cm/567264-1003" target="_blank">Brown ink pad £1.25</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/easy-glue-eyes-7-mm-100-pack/564756-1000" target="_blank">100 pack mini googly eyes £1.50</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/bright-red-pom-poms-7-mm-50-pack/605292-1003" target="_blank">50 pack mini red pom poms £1.00</a></div>
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You'll also need some craft glue and a black fine marker pen, if you don't already have either of those.<br />
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These cards also took me minimal time to make, so I was able to get all of them done during one of Oliver's nap times. This was crucial, as I don't have a lot of free time whilst I have someone else around to watch him - and of course he's too young at the moment to get involved!<br />
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First off, I used the brown ink pad to create three thumb prints in the middle of each of the cards, to be the faces of the reindeers.<br />
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Then, I used the black pen to draw on the antlers & to write the words "Merry Christmas" underneath the reindeers.<br />
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Finally, I glued a pair of googly eyes, and a red pom pom for the nose, onto each of the reindeers. And that was it - super simple, but something a little bit fun.<br />
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If you fancy making your own Christmas cards this year, I've also linked below a few other great but easy ideas that I came across, to give you a little more inspiration.<br />
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<a href="https://knitstitchsew.wordpress.com/2012/11/22/handmade-christmas-card/" target="_blank">Button baubles</a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.hobbycraft.co.uk/christmas-cards/" target="_blank">Santa outfit</a></div>
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<a href="http://blog.hobbycraft.co.uk/3-ways-to-make-a-traditional-christmas-card/" target="_blank">Hanging stockings</a></div>
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<a href="http://beadsbuttonsandbirds.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/christmas-tree-card.html" target="_blank">Sequin Christmas tree</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-6663355576171054092017-12-04T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-04T09:00:34.882+00:00Tanya's Christmas Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not one to jump at the latest YouTuber book release, but when I heard about Tanya's Christmas, I was very excited. I've been subscribed to Tanya Burr's YouTube channel for quite a few years now, and her Vlogmas videos are probably my favourites to watch, mainly because her love of all things festive is so infectious. Every year, when I watch her video from her annual Christmas party, I think I'd love to be able to host a gathering like that one day, so I was really interested to read her take on Christmas, and what tips she had to offer.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>I think this is probably one of the few YouTuber books that someone is going to love even if they're not a fan of the YouTuber themselves. Any Christmas lover is going to find this book useful, whether they've heard of Tanya or not, though I did like the personal touch of Tanya sharing some of her own Christmas traditions and stories. It's packed full of every festive topic you could think of, from gift guides to, what made Tanya famous, party hair and makeup tutorials. There's even festive playlist featuring Tanya's favourite Christmas songs, which would be useful if you're hosting a party during December.<br />
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There's a great little DIY section, which has got all sorts of step by step guides to making various different decorations, as well as handmade gifts and personalised wrapping. This has inspired me to create a few festive pieces myself this year, rather than just buying everything.<br />
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The biggest section, which will come as no surprise if you are a fan of Tanya, is the baking section. There are so many yummy treats to choose from, ranging from the super simple to the slightly more complex, so there's something for everyone to choose from. The white chocolate cake looks absolutely divine, and I'm going to give it a go when I've got a bit of spare time.<br />
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I was expecting good things from this book and it didn't disappoint. I read it from cover to cover within a couple of days, but it's something I've continuously referred back to since I bought it. If you know a Christmas lover, I'd definitely recommend this as a gift for them, though personally I'd say buy it now so that you can make the most of it this year!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-71693238486156419892017-12-03T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-03T09:00:28.185+00:00My Christmas Bucket List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know lots of people who have written bucket lists, but I never have. I was browsing the internet a few weeks ago and came across a few festive themed lists, which seemed to be more generic, so I decided to create one personal to me and the things I'd like to do this December. As it's our first Christmas as a little family, there were lots of new things I wanted to experience and traditions I wanted to start for when Oliver is old enough to understand what's going on. Hopefully you'll find some inspiration for things to add to your own bucket list too.<br />
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1. Visit Hatton Country World</div>
2. Watch three new Christmas films<br />
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3. Bake cookies for the family</div>
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4. Take Oliver to visit Santa</div>
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5. Go to a Christmas market</div>
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6. Decorate a gingerbread house</div>
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7. Try mince pie ice cream</div>
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8. Make my own tree decoration</div>
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9. Start the Christmas Eve box tradition</div>
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10. Buy decorations for the hallway</div>
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11. Make cards for friends</div>
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12. Go for a long winter family walk</div>
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What's on your Christmas bucket list?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-37856183991366537462017-12-02T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-02T09:00:01.087+00:00December Makeup Menu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I like to switch my makeup collection up a bit on a regular basis, just so that I don't have products that sit in my drawers forever, going unloved. Now we are into December, my makeup bag has had a bit of a festive makeover. Here are the products I'll be reaching for most over the next few weeks.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>For base I've included the <b>Charlottle Tilbury Magic Foundation</b> and my trusted <b>Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. </b>I've been loving my It Cosmetics CC Cream a lot recently, but with lots of parties and days out in my diary during December, I felt like I needed something with a bit more coverage and staying power.<br />
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The <b>Benefit Rockateur blush</b> has been a favourite of mine for a few years now, but it's one I've not used for a while. I thought it was time to give to some love again, and I think the rose gold shade will be really pretty for this time of year. For those nights out, I'll be using the <b>Becca Shimmering Skin Perfecter in Champagne Pop. </b>This is the most insane highlighter that I own, and will really add a gorgeous shimmering glow to my cheeks, perfect for party season.<br />
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I couldn't not include my favourite mascara in my festive makeup bag. The <b>YSL Babydoll Mascara </b>is great for adding length, and really defining & separating each lash. Having tried cheaper alternatives, I always go back to this. I also had to include the <b>Charlotte Tilbury Fallen Angel eyeshadow quad</b>, it was a Christmas release after all! The shades are gorgeous for this time of year, and I can create everything from a basic daytime look to a smokey eye with these shades. For those days where I just want a sweep & go product, but still look like I've made an effort, I've pick the <b>Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Marie Antoinette. </b>This cream shadow is beautifully shimmery, and looks so pretty on it's own just blended out a little. If I fancy wearing liner, I have opted for the <b>Charlotte Tilbury Rock n Kohl in Barbarella Brown</b>, which is another trusted favourite (I've realised there's a <i>lot </i>of Charlotte Tilbury in this makeup bag, can you tell I love her?!).<br />
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Finally, for my lips, I've decided to opt for an everyday nude, and then more of a typical festive option. This wasn't intentional, but I've actually picked two lipsticks that I have the matching liners for, so I've decided to include those too. My everyday nude shade is <b>Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk. </b>I haven't met any beauty addict that doesn't love this shade. It's a deep pink nude, which I think suits my skintone perfectly. My second choice, of course, had to be a festive red, and my all time favourite red lipstick is <b>MAC Ruby Woo. </b>Both lipsticks are a matte formula, so they'll great staying power for nights out, but I'll have to make sure I've stocked up on the lip balm!<br />
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What's currently in your makeup bag?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398689548120845000.post-36642950098003256632017-12-01T09:00:00.000+00:002017-12-01T09:00:16.779+00:00December Reading List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's December, time to dust off those Christmas novels! I've built up a small collection of Christmas books over the years, but when it comes down to it, I've never actually sat down and read many of them! I'm making it my mission this year to have a bit of me time before bed every evening and try to get through three books in the run up to Christmas. So here's what I'll be reading this month.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><b>The Christmas Promise by Sue Moorcroft</b><br />
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<i>"For Ava Blissham, it's going to be a Christmas to remember...On a snowy December evening, Sam Jermyn steps into the life of bespoke hat maker Ava. Sparks fly, and not necessarily the good ones. Times are tough for Ava - she's struggling to make ends meet, her ex-boyfriend is a bully, and worst of all, it's nearly Christmas. So when Sam commissions Ava to make a hat for someone special, she makes a promise that will change her life. She just doesn't know it yet..."</i><br />
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This book was given to me by my mother in law after she read it all the way back in October! I've not been given any clues as to what happens, and there's not much of a giveaway from the blurb on the back, though I'm guessing romance between Ava & Sam will be involved within the plot.<br />
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<b>With Love at Christmas by Carole Matthews</b><br />
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<i>"Can the imperfect family really have the perfect Christmas? Juliet Joyce adores Christmas. She loves the presents, the tree, the turkey, the tinsel...just everything! Already the festive spirit is upon her, which is just as well as this Christmas things are starting to get a little out of hand. Her son Tom is out of work and bringing home a slew of unsuitable partners; pregnant daughter Chloe and her little boy have moved back in; Juliet's father, Frank, is getting over a heartbreak of his own and Rita, her eccentric mother, is behaving more erratically each day. And has the chaos got too much for Juliet's husband, Rick? Whit the big day fast approaching, Juliet hopes that she can stop everything spiralling out of control, because the only thing she wants is her family all around her and her home to be filled..."</i><br />
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This is one of those books I bought a few years ago and just never got around to reading. Juliet sounds like me when it comes to her love of all things festive. Just from reading the back of the book, I think this is going to be quite a funny read, with all of the chaos that appears to be involved.<br />
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<b>Dream a Little Christmas Dream by Giovanna Fletcher</b><br />
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<i>"Sarah's life is great. Okay, her dreams might still be totally bananas, but her real life is definitely back on track. She's got a fantastic job, amazing friends and she's planning on spending all Christmas wrapped up with Brett, her handsome boyfriend. But after another night of increasingly bizarre dreams, Sarah wakes to find her lovely housemate suddenly announcing she's moving out. Then later the same day, Brett begins to act strangely. It's clear he's hiding something - but what? Soon Sarah can't help but wonder if she's living out her own festive nightmare. Will any of her dreams come true in time for Christmas?"</i><br />
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I love Giovanna Fletcher, so I can't believe how long I've had this book without reading it, especially as it's a much shorter read than most books. I'm wondering if Sarah's boyfriend and housemate end up having an affair, or if this is just what she is led to believe and there is actually something much more innocent to it. Either way, it's a Christmas novel, so I'm sure there's a happy ending to come.<br />
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Are you reading any Christmas books this month?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15615142907299413822noreply@blogger.com0