Merry Christmas

Traditional Christmas Nails from Barry M

How gorgeous is this red and purple colour combination? I just realised it actually matches my Christmas tree...

In contrast to my Alternative Christmas Nails posts last week, I thought this week I'd go for something a bit more traditional in time for the big day.

I finally picked up these two new, sparkly shades from Barry M, which I discovered are actually Superdrug exclusives. I discovered that after spending day after day checking my locals Boots store, oops!

There are just two glitter polishes in the range, Sparkling Ruby and Sparkling Amethyst. It's actually the first time we've seen glitter in the brand's Gelly range, but I'm sure we will be seeing a lot more shades coming in the future though.

I thought these polishes might be similar to the ones you can get where you can actually feel the glitter after you've applied it, but as these are part of the Gelly Hi-Shine range, the glitter is actually smooth to the touch once it's on the nail, meaning you get a really gorgeous, sparkly finish and it won't take you until next Christmas to remove it.

You can probably already tell that I'm super impressed with these polishes. Barry M's gelly polishes are some of my favourite just because they have really wide brushes, which really helps application, they dry quickly, have great staying power and a super shiny finish, even in the case of these glitter versions, which shine and sparkle in the light.

They're super tough and strong too. After applying and letting the polish dry I went ahead and did all of my housework and there was not a chip in sight!

What are your go to traditional Christmas nails? Let me know in the comments.

Alternative Christmas Nails from Barry M

Most years I dedicate a blog post to Christmas/festive nails and this year is no different, but I also thought I'd include a post for 'alternative' Christmas nails for those who want dark and moody nails to match their soul at this time of year. I'm joking obviously, it's for those that don't fancy going down the traditional red/green/glitter route and want something a bit different.

Sitting among the usual festive shades were a couple of Gelly polishes from my good 'ol faves Barry M, that I thought would be perfect for this alternative look. I picked up Black Grape, which is a deep, dark blue, Black Pistachio, which is actually a green, but not your traditional Christmas tree green, it's much darker and Plum, which is pretty much what its namesake says.

These shades are perfect if you're not feeling particularly festive. They're very dark shades and it's pretty tricky to tell the green and blue apart from a distance but they all work really well together or even used individually.

Black Grape and Black Pistachio are newer shades to the range as they had much wider brushes than the Plum shade. I much prefer the wide brush versions as you can coat the whole nail in one go. They all apply really nicely though and dry super quick, leaving a really glossy, shiney finish.

Overall I'm loving the alternative option when it comes to festive nails, it's a nice change from glitters, but for those who do like something mroe traditional, I'm hoping to have something to suit you nail-wise coming soon!

What are your go-to alternative Christmas nails?

How to make your home feel festive

If you saw my post about decorating the Christmas tree earlier this week, you'll know how much I love it and now that I live in my own place I also get to make the house a little more festive as well.

To help spread the festive cheer a little further it's a nice idea to use ornaments. I was recently sent some Christmas decorations by the lovely people at Debenhams, including this woodland reindeer and Christmas tree and they're currently sitting pride of place on top of a couple of bookshelves. You can dress them up with candles and other winter-themed pieces and Christmas cards.

So, what could possibly be better than seeing Christmas in front of your very eyes in your own home? How about smelling it...Christmas candles are my absolute favourite and looking around my living room, I can see I might have a bit of a Yankee Candle problem, a Christmas-themed Yankee Candle problem to be more specific. Christmassy candles are perfect if you don't have a real Christmas tree that's giving off that lovely pine smell.

As well as ornaments and candles you can also go all out with wreaths, garlands and even Christmas-themed bedding - you know the Primark set I mean!

What do you do to make your home feel more festive?

*This post contains PR samples

Decorating the Christmas tree

One of my favourite things about Christmas is, of course, decorating the Christmas tree. Something about it takes me right back to being a kid, but now that I don't live at home I no longer have to submit to my mum's strict yearly theme and can go all out with anything I want. Cue the tinsel!

It's always fun getting the decorations out each year but sometimes it's nice to mix things up with something new so I was thrilled to have some Christmas decorations sent to me by the lovely people from Debenhams. I went for a mix of its traditional, wonderland and more glamorous collections for my tree this year and have put together a couple of tips for decorating the Christmas tree, from what i've learnt over the years.

Light's, camera, action!
Always put the lights on the tree first, starting from the bottom and working your way to the top. Plug them in and switch them on while you add the rest of the decorations, as it will help light the way for you and enable you to easily see where things look best.

Compromise
Compromise with your other half when they want to add decorations you aren't keen on...if they're allowed to add that ugly blue bauble, then you should be allowed to add one you like too!



Add personality
Personalise your decorations if you can. The easiest way to do this is through the use of baubles, there are so many in many different shapes so if you can find one in the shape of something you love then go for it, it's nice to have a little reflection of yourself on the tree. For example, if you're a ballet dancer, Debenham's do some fab ballerina baubles.

Alternatively, you could make decorations yourself but my tips for that would be a completely other blog post entirely!





Just hanging around!
Hang baubles or other hanging decs such as bows and ribbons in a zig-zag pattern, which helps your eye and anyone else's to be taken through the tree from left to right.

Survey your work
Throughout the decorating process, keep standing back from the tree so you can make sure everything's looking good.



Present temptation
You can place presents under the tree ready for the big day but a top tip of mine is to make sure you don't leave any chocolate or anything else edible under the tree or hanging from the tree if you have pets around!

What are your top tips for decorating the Christmas tree?

*This post contains PR samples.

Things I always look forward to at Christmas

December has got to be one of the best months of the year. It's roughly only a three week working month and most importantly it's Christmas, which means time for food, food, food and the odd pressie. Oh and family time too...all that important stuff!

Every year there are a few things I look forward to so i thought I'd jot them down and share them with you today. Let me know what things you look forward to every year!

Hearing that Christmas song for the first time
Everyone has that one song that definitely means 'it's Christmas'. Mine is Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' and once I hear it I can officially get into the festive spirit...I've yet to hear it played fully but I'm sure it won't be long.

The drive home from work on the last working day of the year
This has got to be one of the best feelings ever - nearly two weeks of no work stretching out before me, Christmas tunes on the radio and barely any traffic! I know that last day of work will go pretty slowly but once 5.30pm comes around it means I can properly relax and look forward to the festivities!

Early morning Christmas wake-up call
Christmas Day is probably the only day of the year Vince and I get up at around 6am. It's mainly because he has to leave for work just after 7am so if we didn't, we wouldn't get time to exchange presents. We both sit around the Christmas tree in our PJs and it used to be on our hard wooden floor but since we've moved this year, it will be on our nice soft carpet! It's only a simple little thing but it's one of my favourite parts of the day.

More food than I can possibly eat!
As Vince works on Christmas Day I spend most of it at my mum's so I have a Christmas dinner there, followed by pudding (yule log!) and literally ten minutes after we've all finished (maybe a slight exaggeration), mum puts out a buffet of all the cold meats, pickles, crackers etc so by mid-afternoon I'm completely stuffed.

Once Vince finishes work he goes to his parents for his Christmas dinner, then he comes to my mum's and has another! Then we both go back to his parents for EVEN MORE FOOD! Oh my God, so much food. I eat enough to fill me up until New Year but always seem to find room for a little chocolate or two.

New Year
I know technically this isn't Christmas but I do always look forward to it once the festivities are over. For the past however many years I have spent New Year's Eve at Vince's parent's house. My parents don't really do anything to celebrate and I never did before I met Vince either but now every year we go to his parent's for a big buffet and to watch the fireworks. There's always SO much food and we get such a good view of the fireworks as well, I love it!

What do you look forward to every Christmas? Let me know in the comments.

What's on my Christmas tree

So I thought this might make a bit of a different post to the usual. This is the first year Vince and I will be celebrating Christmas in our new house so it was really fun to decorate the tree ourselves.

I bought some pretty simple decorations from Sainsburys and Poundland. The red and white felt decorations are really cute and come in lots of different shapes such as a reindeer, angel, bell and a star. I think they're something a little different!

I don't care what my mum says (she hates tinsel) a Christmas tree always has to contain tinsel and my sister kindly gave me a big bag of the stuff to use. It included mostly purple and green so we bought some blue as well (so it was more boyish for Vince!). The more colours the better I say!

The baubles are really simple silver glitter, mirror and matte ones, which I personally think look really nice. The tree is complete with some red beads, multicoloured lights and some white lights as well. We even sprayed a few bits of the tree with some fake snow! Vince also accidentally sprayed my leggings in the process.

We tried to decorate the tree on a bit of a budget as we didn't want to go too mad. The decorations were pretty cheap and the tinsel was from the Poundland, but I think it's lovely and festive. It would be nice to collect some baubles or decorations to keep and use year after year. I guess in time we'll gather these bits and pieces, but the chocolates and candy canes will definitely be coming off and eaten, to be replaced next year with more!

What's on your Christmas tree this year? Merry Christmas every one!

The Christmas tag

I thought this would be an interesting and different post to what I usually do. I found the tag on Charlotte Ann Owst so thought I'd give it a go...

1. What is your favourite thing about Christmas?
I think the best thing about Christmas is the excitement at waking up on Christmas day and coming downstairs to lots of presents. Nothing beats it!

2. What is your favourite make up look for the festive season?
If I'm honest, I don't have one. I don't see Christmas day as a day to dress up and wear a ton of make-up. It's a day to be comfortable and not worry about things like how your make-up is looking.

3.Real tree or fake tree?
I don't really mind to be honest. It's so much easier with a fake tree though as you can store it away when you're finished with it and can get it back out again at Christmas time. It's a one time only purchase with a fake tree as it lasts years and years.

4. Giving presents or receiving presents?
Ooh interesting question. I love opening presents and having lots of new things but it's great to see someone open a present and see something they really wanted.

5. Do you open presents Christmas morning or eve/evening?
Always on Christmas morning!

6. Handmade Christmas cards or bought?
Always handmade. I don't have the patience to be crafty!

7. What is your favourite Christmas film?
Easy...it's got to be Elf. I adore it!

8. What's your favourite Christmas food?
It's got to be yule log and cream, but I also love having a cold meat buffet in the evening with pickled onions and beetroot. Delicious! I love all food to be honest, the turkey is pretty good too!

9. What's your favourite Christmas song?
I don't really have a favourite, but when I hear Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' then that's when I know it is officially Christmas.

10. What's your favourite Christmas memory?
I'm not sure there is one particular memory. I always remember going to bed on Christmas Eve and hearing mum and dad rummaging in the cupboards and under the bed, getting all our presents out and wrapping them downstairs.


Feel free to do the tag yourselves!

My Christmas days...

This year is the first Christmas where I won't be waking up at mum and dad's on Christmas morning.

I have my own house now so for the first time I'll be waking up somewhere else. Vince is working on Christmas day so I am going to be visiting mum and dad's for my lunch, but it will still be quite weird not coming down the stairs to lots of presents!

I think my favourite part of Christmas is going to bed on Christmas Eve and having my mum and dad failing to hide the fact they are wrapping presents downstairs. I can always hear them rummaging around under the bed and in the cupboards where all the presents are hidden.

I know they're hidden there because I always look and I always find them! Bad hiding skills mum!

Over the years it's become sort of tradition to receive a few of the same presents every year and I've even started asking for them now. Every year I receive a diary, a calendar, slippers and of course, some pyjamas. I have so many pairs of pyjamas it's ridiculous but I love getting them every year! This year I've even asked for a dressing gown as well.

For the past eight years I've asked for the latest Harry Potter DVD, but this year there won't be a DVD shaped present in my pile, which I'm really sad about!

While we have spent Christmas day at other places over the years it's always best when it's at home isn't it? My favourite things about Christmas day are of course opening the presents, but being too lazy to take them all upstairs afterwards. I like sitting in front of the TV filling myself with chocolates while mum swears at the Turkey because something's gone wrong with it or it won't fit in the oven.

There's always a dog under the table waiting for some scraps, despite the fact mum makes an entire plate for him, and the kitchen is full of steam and smoke from the vegetables and burning turkey. Once everyone's sat down the laughter ensues as myself and my sister get a fit of the giggles.

Once dinner is over, it's time to sit in front of the TV and watch absolutely anything because you're too stuffed to get up and find the remote control. It's pretty much the same in houses all across the country. This year Vince and I will be trying to spend Christmas Day evening in our own house, watching bad TV and chomping on Christmassy food.

For weeks and weeks after we'll be enjoying turkey sandwiches, turkey soup and turkey curry, as will many other people.

Christmas happens every year and we can always predict how it will turn out, but we all look forward to it year after year and enjoy many memories from past years.

This year will be a tad different, but I guess it's time to create some more traditions and favourite memories about Christmas day. For anyone else looking to create some more, why not check our Sainsbury's new Christmas Days Campaign?

What are your favourite Christmas Day memories?

*This is a sponsored post

Merry Christmas!!

Admittedly this is a scheduled post, mainly because it's Christmas day, but also because I'm working this morning and haven't time to write anything. So I've scheduled this post as I still want to wish all my blog readers a very Merry Christmas!


Thank you all so much for reading all of my posts over the past year and helping the blog to grow as much as it has! Hope you all have a brilliant day and I'll look forward to reading all of your Christmas present posts!

Don't forget to enter my Christmas MUA Giveaway!

Party Style with DesireClothing.co.uk

After winning Desire Clothing's Britain's Best Blogger competition and browsing their website for my prize, I've found a new favourite fashion retailer, so obviously, I wanted to share a few of their items with you!

The items above are brand new for Desire Clothing and they're perfect for all of those New Year's Eve parties that everyone goes to! Unfortunately I'm not one of those people that goes to a club or a wild party to celebrate New Year, instead I usually go to Vince's house for a huge buffet, but the items are actually perfect for any time of year, which is why I wanted to feature them specifically.

I'm seeing so many sequins at the moment and love the small hints of sparkle within the Sequin Chiffon Tee. The Metallic Shift Dress in particular is definitely something I'd wear and I love the shape and slightly flared skirt! So pretty! It would have been perfect for the Xmas blogger meet that took place last week, if only I'd seen it sooner!

The Leopard Print Wrap Over Dress also looks extremely pretty and it's not too full on animal print. I love the addition of the belt. The Embellished Flapper Dress is another absolutely gorgeous product; simple and sophisticated.

What's even better is that most of these items have already had money knocked off them, making them slightly cheaper. If you can order something in time, they're perfect for all the upcoming parties, but if not, you can order them ready for any special occasions that are taking place in 2012!

What do you think of this small selection? Will you be ordering anything?

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas tomorrow!

Last Minute Stocking Fillers

There's just three more shopping days to go before Christmas (including today) so I thought I'd get a quick post written up with some stocking filler ideas. I originally wanted to write some gift guides, but lots of blogs are doing that, so I thought stocking fillers would be a nice idea.

If you can't afford one big expensive gift then stocking fillers are perfect because you can buy lots of little, cheaper bits and really stuff the stocking with them! I tried to keep the gift ideas pretty low priced and hopefully they'll give you a few ideas!

Topshop: Nail Art Pen, Smokey Eye Quad
ASOS: Bed Head Sugar Dust, Skinny Belt, Pyramid Rings, NARS Mini Nail Polishes
 Temporary Secretary: Stripey Button Earrings  

Stocking fillers for the girls are so easy! Beauty products, hair products, make-up etc, etc. Jewellery always makes great stocking fillers and I'd love to see all of the products above in my own stocking, if only I still got one!

As for the guys, they are a touch more difficult to buy for but I've chosen things that you can't really go wrong with, i.e Socks, Wallet, Jewellery...

Topman: Beanie Hat, Double Finger Cross Ring
River Island: Perforated Wallet
Urban Outfitters: Dresden Socks, Touch Screen Gloves
ASOS: Sandqvist iPad Case, Flat Anchor Ring 

So, there you go! A few last minute ideas for you, happy Christmas shopping!

Very Christmas 2011

Just wanted to dedicate a quick post to Very's Christmas Lookbook, which I was quite impressed with when I was having a sneaky peek. Like the ASOS Christmas Collection this isn't full of party dresses and sequins. It's full of practical items that are more than likely best for wearing on the big day itself.

Most of these looks come from the Holly Willoughby, Fearne Cotton and Love Label divisions, all of which I love. I particularly love the Lace Playsuit and Fitted Skater Dress, they're both perfectly comfortable, yet quite stylish for Christmas day!

Of course there are a few party dresses and some heels as well as a great polka dot blouse and dress, both great alternatives.

I'm really surprised at the Christmas Lookbook's I'm seeing at the moment. So far, all of the stuff is right up my street!

What do you think?