Blogmas 2016 - Day 2 - Where we are at this christmas - life update and end of the year reflections

Blogmas day 2 - life update

Welcome to

Blogmas Day 2

Now this post may not be for everyone, but I thought I would do a little life update.

So this year I started out working for a well known insurance firm, all was well until around

March, when I suffered a breakdown. I dont make a point of talking about anxiety and mental health issues on here, but today I will will touch on it briefly.

Everything was getting ontop of me, and work seemed to make it even worse.

When I was there it was hit or miss. I would come home in a foul mood, which infected everyone around me and even my very home.

Depression happens to so many of us, and I am no different. 

Panic attacks, nosebleeds, headaches, therapists, doctors and tears all became part of my normal weekly scheduele.
I found no joy in hobbies and developed a shopping addiction to which I would break myself every single month. It was a vicious cycle. My past losses and cancers were just something I could move past. I was stuck in a never ending loop.

I quit my job in novemeber (after signing off for 2 months) and I feel so much better. I think I needed some head space for myself.


I have worked to turn my home into a piece of paradise, instead of the dark, undecorated messy hell-hole it had become.

Now, room to room you will find hanging stars and twinkle lights, warm candle glows and comfy cushions, towels or blankets.
Anyone who comes over feels right at home and for the first time the appartment actually feels like mine. 

Ive found hobbies, reading is now back to being one of my passions and I am enjoying art once more.

I feel awake for the first time in a long time.

End of Novemeber we come into some money, which will really be nice in the years to come.

Holidays and spa breaks next year will be just what the doctor ordered.

At the moment I am making no huge plans in the way of work. Although I will be studying late next year. At the moment I am taking each day as it comes.

I will be both sad and happy to say goodbye to this year. It hasnt been wonderful but its had its moments. This last month has proven to be better than expected. So its nice to go out on a bang.

This year I had goals.

Beat back depression
Decorate my home

Become financially stable

I guess I passed all in a fashion.

I feel next year will be one to celebrate.

I have goals.

Driving lessons 

Holiday (Barcelona? Malta? Austrailia? USA?)

Romantic weekends away

Learning new skills

Ive ordered a treadmill for our home in an attempt to get fit - so I m excited for that to arrive in time for the new year. I also feel a change in style coming on - watch this space!

Come on 2017!

Blogmas 2016 - Day 1 - The Tree

Blogmas day 1

Our home decor theme this year:

Winter Wonderland

Colours used:

Blues, silvers and golds.

Warm tone lights, total bargain from wilko - 2 sets at £6 each.
Last year I made the mistake of using cold tone lights and it was just too
much with the white tree and cold colour decor.

Our living room is dark blue with all white furniture and gold and blue accents,
so as you can imagine the colours really compliment it.

Ive also added lots of glass and crystal elements to the living room, so it
all ties in beautifully. Think I will upload pictures of the completed look
during blogmas.

  This is the main decorative element from my living room coffee table.

Charger plate from poundland could you believe. Stag from wilko at just £1.50.

Candles are battery op and ive had them a good couple of years now.

The rest is is just pinecones I found on a walk round our area and some baubles I

had left over.

Ive had loads of compliments on it so that makes me pretty happy.

Im rather in love with the colour scheme. 

It feels very "adult" and just works with our home.

As a child I loved a good old green tree smothered in multicoloured 

decorations, chunky tinsel and little wooden drummers, but in our adult home

I am just not sure it has much of a place.

Merry Christmas!

Kate

Decorating The Bedroom - Homemaking - Decor 2016 / 2017

Some of you may or may not know, that my little family live in an appartment.

At home, its just me, my partner and our beloved cat, Frodo.
While we would love to live in a house one day, right now thats just not on the cards

for us. An appartment here sets you back about the same as a 3 bed house up north and

we are in a beautiful quite area in a small seaside town.

So for now here we are, and I love it here.

We have been living here for over 3 years now and never really been 

invested in the decorating of our home. Sure we had everything we needed

in here but it was pretty bare in the way of decor.

As of November Ive left my job, for a number of reasons but one big

perk is I get to be a full time homemaker. 

So I decided to step up to the challenge!

 

Decorating The Bedroom

 Our bedroom was cream and blue and boring. No pretty bits to be found and cheap looking bedding thrown on at the last moment. I couldnt bare it. I honestly bloody hated every bit of it.
No bedside tables, no rugs, no lamps - nothing to look at apart from our bed, witch crappy covers on. Great.

I decided enough was enough and started playing with colour palettes.

I later decided to add grey into the mix too and wooden pieces to go with the browns.
I wanted the colours warm but cool and quite dull. I hate anything bright in bedrooms.
Sometimes I struggle sleeping (to the point where I have to have sleeping pills) and that
meant it was very important that I chose a relaxing palette to work with.

Next I started finding inspiration, and I fell in love with a Classic hunting lodge... but of course this is the UK, so no guns hanging from the walls and taxidermy seemed a little too Norman Bates for us.
So I started looking at texture. Furs, woods and rich cottons.

Faux furs were important to add a animal warmth to the room. So I picked up a brown fluffy rug, furry throw and chair drape all in shades of browns and creams.

Next I needed to choose an animal to focus on, and typically I chose a stag. How could I not? There are so many stag themed items around at the moment. They are majestic and beautiful creatures.

After mush searching I ordered some Catherine Lansfield stag print bedding sets - And yes, they look amazing on!

I found an artist who works with wood and he made me a stags head. Now I dont like the look for traditional solid stags heads made to look real. The last thing I want hanging over me is a dead animal. I wanted something modern but traditional and he came up with this.

Next thing you know Ive got stags in frames up on the walls, a faux stags antler holding a candle on the window seal and they are everywhere.

I am just adding in a few finishing touches, I bought an expensive pillow set and a memory foam mattress topper to go in there yet. As well as some throw pillows to add to the bed.

December it will be in my blogmas home tour I expect, as I plan on having a few christmas decorations in there this year.

Poundland Christmas Range 2016 - What an unexpected surprise!

When it comes to Christmas, poundland never enters my mind for decorating.

We have had one in our local town for a while and to be honest I dont really use it. Every now and again I might pop in for some cooking foil or deodorant if im outside there anyway.

October I heard a rumour that the ornaments Ive had my eye on from debenhams were in there and almost identical. I imagined this rumour was a exagerated but as I was in town anyway a few days later, I thought I might check it out. I was in town very early so the hoards of parents and types hadnt managed to take over the store, it was empty apart from myself and some elderly couples.

There they were sitting on a high shelf. Now, they were not identical but very close. I had to pick them up.

Sweet arent they? So after my success, I decided to do a bit of digging to find out if they would be doing any nice bits in a festive theme. I was shocked to find that they have actually pulled together a catalog with -get this- ranges. They have christmas ranges... and they are... bloody cute!

What do we think?

My Christmas Wish List 2016 - My Early Blogmas -

Anyone who read and remembers my blog from last year will have known that I was well and truly spoilt rotton last Christmas.

I have loved and enjoyed all of my wonderful gifts throughtout the year and want to take the chance to thank everybody so much.

Last year was a blast, the party that lasted days, the friends, the drinking games. Gift exchanges that took all day and evening. It was intoxicating and I will always treasure it.

This year, however, If anybody would like to buy me anything, please consider token and inexpensive gifts. Purely based on the fact that I will love them just as much. I know I am difficult to buy for, so I am happy to put a list bellow of potential ideas that I would adore this year!

Most of them are under ten pounds and some are only a couple of pounds.

This year I would love little "Yay!" moments. Its cheaper for you, its lots of little bursts of pleasure for me. Its a win-win!

Lush Bath Set - Festive Friends 

 

This cute sets contains one of those cute penguin bubble bars

I am always going on about. Also a butterbear, which I never got to try 

last year, and a scrummy santa head.

It costs £12.95 and will most likely be one of the most expensive things

on my list this year. 

Saves wrapping too ;)

So White - Fairest of them all bath bomb - Lush

I bought this last year in the sales and fell in love

with the scent, colour and magic of this.

Its costs £3.75 and I would adore it.

 

 

 

Snow fairy shower gel from Lush - Small £3.95

Even the little one goes a long long way on a sponge!

It smells like candy and to be honest, that's the dream.

 

 

 

Cutie PJ Bottoms (Ryan always buys me Jarmies :D! )

 

These are so bloody cute. Every year we a have a little tradition

that he buys me jarmie bottoms. I look forward to it all year.

£7.00

 

 

 

 

 

Asda Sockies

If magic were real, I would think we would find 

it in a new fair of fluffy socks...

Or better yet 3.

 3 pairs.

 £6 (size 4-8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newlook Instagram shake frame  

 

I would love this on my bedside table.

Anything that has sparkles in is mine.

£3.99

 

 

 

 

Newlook shake it up glitter cup

If someone buys me this I promise 

I will always shake it.

Always.

£6.99

 

 Hair ties !! These styles <3

 Supercute hair ties

 99p a pack!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Cute Tiffany Blue notesbook set!

£3.99 from Amazon.

A girl can never ever ever ever have

enough notebooks.

 

 I REALLY want these!

More of them! £3.49

Amazon

 

 

 

And if you just happen to be passing a Tesco...

For me?

Who doesnt want these? Koorr I havent had

them since last christmas *self gift*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Chambord

Black Raspberry Liqueur

I used to drink one similar to this at my

grandparents house everytime they went 

to France and bought loads back.

I LOVE IT!

£6.50

Christmas 2016 Menu - Christmas Day -

Positive living - PLUS GIVEAWAY How I live well for less part one: Having nice things for yourself because you are mindful of what you have.

In living well, there is one very important first step.

1) Be awear of what you already have and thankful.

Its so often in life we find ourselves wanting more. They say its part of human nature, to want what we do not have. I choose to live my life being thankful for what I do have, and once I embraced that, the more blessings seemed to be bestowed upon me.

This first step is so important because if you cannot appriciate what you already have, the having more things will not change that. Its just more things for you to ignore while dreaming about more.

Once you understand and make use of what you have, you will become more appriciative of new things that come your way.

Lets keep this simple-

For example:

 I could look into my beauty supply and think to myself that I dont have every piece of make up id like, perhaps ive got my eye on a high end blusher set, I would then look at whats in my make up bag, pull one of my blushers out and feel pretty pants about the contents, as I could have better and these are not as good as what I want. Other women have this and I only have this. That casts a very negative view on what I already have.

Or I could look into my beauty supply and see what shades I do have. Is there anything I could mix to make a similar colour to the one I love? No? Well could my old blusher collection perhaps be cute summer pastel eye shadows or highlighters? 
Worst case senario perhaps I could use up and ejoy what I have now until I can buy the set I would like or a similar alternative.

How on earth can you every be happy if you are looking for the next big thing constantly? There is nothing wrong with wants, but dont ever let them make you feel unhappy with what you already have.


Got it? That positive mind set is everything. I promise you, think positive and good things will happen.

Want an example?

Ok, so this time last month I decided it would be really nice to thank the companies of beauty products I enjoy. I pulled a bundle off of my shelf and made a list of the companies. I sent each an email explaining that I love the products and why.
I got so many lovely emails back, full of beauty tips, links to offers and clubs which were great.
I also got sent a HUGE amount of free items from them as they were so grateful for my positivity.

Mac, Benefit, Burts Bees, Elemis Spa, John Freda, Tresemme, Simple are just a few of them. I got loads of mascaras, lip balms, a huge spa set with enough in there to last me the rest of the year, shampoos, hair treatments, face wipes and so much more.




I put out positive vibes and they came right back!





Sometimes you have to make your own luck, all I know is this has proved itself in my life time and time again. So go ahead and pay it forward.


I will start:


I will give one of my readers a brand new set of soft and beautiful make up brushes, a Mac eyeliner pencil and some spa goodies this month.

Just leave me a comment and I will choose at random september 1st. Open worldwide.

Anyone had anything happen from putting good vibes out there? Id love to hear from you!