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AD | Step into Christmas with Boots

December 10, 2020

This post is in conjunction with Boots UK, but all thoughts are my own.

Christmas is getting ever closer with only a few more weeks to go and after this year I think it’s more important than ever to find meaningful gifts for your loved ones. Boots are here to help you find a gift that says you care and to help you spread a little love this Christmas with its range of thoughtful gifts.

I’m forever leaving it until the last minute and rushing around on the last few days before Christmas but this year I’m actually getting myself organised and have sorted out a few presents from the legendary Boots 3 for 2 gifts. I never fail to pick something up every year whether that be for my sister or grandad. Boots always seem to have Christmas sorted. They are always a safe option when I don’t know where to turn; I just know I will always be able to find something.

Although, getting into the Christmas spirit is going to be harder than ever this year, Boots have such a big range of gifts to add some sparkle this festive season.

If you’re struggling to find that perfect gift, I’m sharing my favourite cost effective gift choices including gift sets and stocking fillers that I’m sure will give you some inspiration for finding that one gift! Oh Boots also have a Christmas Gift Guide which is actually genius, it’s made my Christmas shopping a lot easier, takes the stress away of searching through hundreds of gift ideas to find that one perfect gift!

Gifts for her

Every year, I always seem to buy my mom the same things for Christmas. She tends to write a list of a few things and then me and my sister pick off that list but one thing that I always buy is a beautiful gift set and the Rituals, The Ritual of Jing Calming Collection Gift set is one present I know she will totally love. It comes in the most beautiful keepsake box with the quote “spread a little happiness everywhere you go” and it just screams luxury for only £39.90 you can really get the most perfect present.

Containing 4 calming bestsellers, body cream, shower foam, fragrance sticks and body scrub I just know my mom will be so happy with this. She is forever asking me if I have any spare body products as she is always running out so hopefully this will keep her stocked up for a good while.. or not, we’ll see.

Something a little different but something I would love gifted to myself is the Jack Wills ladies slipper socks gift set. Everyone’s favourite festive gift – slipper socks. You just can’t go wrong with gifting socks of any kind but especially when they’re fluffy and super soft and accompanied by a fruity body lotion.

To be honest I probably will keep this one for myself because you can’t have too many slipper socks can you? & I think we all deserve a treat after this year, although saying that this would be a perfect gift for your bestie/close friend.

Boots really do have the best gifts for her this year and I will definitely be taking advantage.

Gifts for him

I don’t know what it is but I always find it super hard finding gifts for him, thankfully Boots always seem to have my back. My grandad is one of those people who has everything and myself and my sister are always looking around different shops saying to ourselves ‘do you think he’d use/like that?’ While scrolling down the Boots website I noticed the Champneys Mens Relax and Refresh Essentials Wash Bag and as we’ve not long ago booked a holiday for next year to Cornwall with my grandparents, I thought this would be perfect for him.

Not only is the wash bag really good quality but the products are as well and for £20 you really can’t go wrong. Everyone loves getting body essentials because they will eventually get used so it’s a win win and I know my grandad will love and use the products, and especially the wash bag.

Stocking fillers

I don’t know about anyone else but I LOVE picking up stocking fillers. It’s one of my favourite things to do after buying all the main presents I just concentrate on getting the little things.

I don’t think you can really go wrong with a candle for a stocking filler though – it’s forever one of my go-to things to buy when I’m stuck – and the Sanctuary Spa Luxury Oud Candle is just exactly what is says on the tin, a luxury candle that I can confirm it smells beautiful! I would possibly gift this to my mom as I know she loves Sanctuary Spa and, even though she has a cupboard full of candles, she wouldn’t mind adding this one to her collection.

Ted Baker are always upping their Christmas gifts every year and I never fail to pick something up from their Christmas collection. Most of the time it’s for my sister, as I know she absolutely loves their products, but I have picked up stocking fillers for my friends too.

The one gift set that caught my eye was the Pretty Harmony gift set. It’s one delicate little stocking filler, stuffed with gorgeous products from Ted Baker. It’s one you could gift to your mom, sister, grandma or friend and know that they will all enjoy them, and for £12.50 you really can’t beat it.

I know gifting this year will be a lot different given the restrictions and not being able to exchange gifts like we normally would, so I want to help spread a little Christmas cheer another way. Boots have given me the opportunity to run a giveaway, to help show love from a distance, by nominating someone special to receive a Christmas gift set! The giveaway will be live over on my Instagram so go and show some love to the people that matter most to you!

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A staycation in Devon

November 9, 2020

Long time, no speak? Well I say long time but it’s only been just over a month since my last post but it does seem a lot longer in my mind. I lost all motivation and hadn’t logged into my blog for a while that was until a few days ago when I suddenly got a little burst of motivation to actually get my MacBook out and write.

You may have seen on my instagram stories I recently took a little staycation in Devon more specifically Bovey Tracey which is just outside Dartmoor National Park at the end of October. It was the perfect little getaway. We had planned Paris but obviously because of the covid restrictions that couldn’t go ahead although Devon was just beautiful and was truly needed after this year.

We stayed in a lodge overlooking a beautiful lake, the views were something else. I knew Devon was pretty from holidays as a child but I just couldn’t get over just how beautiful it was. Just waking up everyday and seeing all the wildlife while drinking a cup of tea was just so perfect. It felt like a dream place to stay to get away from it all.

We actually didn’t do too much as the whole point of the staycation was to relax as much as possible so we did a little shop for essentials and when I say essentials I mean cake and because we couldn’t get in to the lodge at Bovey Tracey until 3 we stopped at the little harbour town of Brixham which was the cutest, we stopped for fish and chips and had them around the harbour with the seagulls looking down at us and then took a walk around the sweetest little shops. We stopped at the beach so I could take a few photo’s and then headed back to the car for a shortish drive to the lodge.

The drive up to our lodge was actually really pretty and although we couldn’t park right next to our lodge it was only a short walk. We did have quite a bit of luggage for just a few days though so it wasn’t easy with just a wheelbarrow to tow everything. It took a couple of trips to be honest. We then just unpacked and relaxed for the rest of the night.

The next day we traveled to a place called Trago Mills which is basically like a massive shopping district. To be honest we were a little disappointed as we’d been to one before but in Cornwall which we loved but this one seem a bit old and run down even though it was much, much bigger. I did manage to pick up a cosy throw though which I’ve used everyday since, I’m all for those comfort items and some food. We spotted they had a go-kart track and couldn’t pass up the opportunity, I loved being a big kid. We then grabbed some lunch and took it back to the lodge as we were only a 15 minute drive away.

We had a pretty relaxing afternoon enjoying the hot tub with a glass of champagne that was left by the owners of the lodge as a welcome gift and a nice little walk around the grounds of the lodge, we then just slowly started to get ready before heading out to dinner at The Imperial in Torquay. The food itself was lovely but it lacked atmosphere, there was no music and it was really quiet, it was just a bit awkward but overall it was a really lovely day.

On the Sunday we headed to the seaside town of Paignton. It was a little windy but the weather overall for out trip was actually amazing, we had no rain which we were expecting so it being dry was a bonus. We spent a little time by the sea, I find it so calming just watching the waves, then we spent time exploring the pier and amusements. I mean can you ever go to a seaside town and not go in the amusements? I think not.

Walking back down the beach we spotted mini golf so obviously that was the next stop. I didn’t win which I’m still not happy about fyi. We had some lunch and looked around the few shops Paignton has and picked up some hot doughnuts on the way back to the car. I think once we’d got back to the lodge we were all pretty tired so spent the night watching The Greatest Showman with a few snacks.

On out last day we had to be out of the lodge by 10 so it was a pretty early start with packing up etc. As we had some time on the way back home we stopped at Glastonbury to see the Abbey but we soon realised it was closed on Monday’s, yeah we probably should have checked before we got there but we didn’t so we had a quick walk around the town and decided to get back in the car and go to a designer outlet we had passed on our way into Glastonbury.

We spent a good couple of hours looking round having lunch and I picked up a new Calvin Klein set so it was a pretty good afternoon. I’m pretty sure we got home around 6/7ish so it was a longish day.

It was a lovely staycation in Devon and I would definitely recommend where we stayed, it was in such a quiet location and I couldn’t fault the views from the lodge. The lodge itself was beautiful and I wouldn’t hesitate in going back but maybe staying in another lodge for a different perspective of the lake.

Have you ever been to Devon for a staycation?

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35 blog post ideas for this autumn

August 26, 2020

I know we are very much still in summer mode but the weather is starting to turn and we are nearing September which means Autumn is well and truly on the way.

I may be sharing this post a little earlier than planned but it’s good to be organised, right?

I don’t know why but I always seem to gain more inspiration for my blog in the colder months and especially autumn. Although I will be sad to say bye to summer but I can’t wait for the mini fresh start that September brings. I have planned a few content ideas for the next couple of months with all the cozy vibes attached.

I always seem to want put a blanket over me, a candle on and cuddle up and just write in the autumnal months, anyone else? although sometimes I do get writers block and just can’t figure out what to write about no matter how much time I sit there staring at my laptop screen that’s why I’ve come up with a few blog ideas for the autumnal months if you get stuck just like I do.

Lifestyle.

Go pumpkin picking and do a photo diary

6 books to read this autumn

Five favourite autumnal bakes

What your looking forward to this autumn

Goals to achieve before the end of 2020

An autumnal day in the life

Tips for coping with the dark evenings and shorter hours of daylight

Photo props to use for autumnal photo’s

5 films to watch on a cozy day

Favourite autumnal scents

A round up of your summer

Autumnal photo diary (I did this last year)

Fashion and Beauty.

Ten autumn staples

Your favourite cosy knitwear pieces for autumn

Your autumn/winter wishlist

How to transition your wardrobe from summer to autumn

DIY face mask

An autumnal skincare routine

Your favourite autumnal lipsticks

Autumn skin tips

Best ways to pamper yourself in the colder months

Favourite autumnal fashion pieces from your wardrobe

Everyday makeup routine

Halloween.

Your top five Halloween films

Share photo’s of how your home is decorated for Halloween

Talk about how you will spend your halloween night

A Lush Halloween haul

Round up of your favourite halloween fashion items

A Halloween makeup look

How to do Halloween on a budget

Photography.

Rainy day photography tips

How to care for your camera when the temperature drops

How to get the perfect autumnal flatlay

How to take brighter photo’s in the darker months

Top photography tips for autumn

Are you looking forward to Autumn or are you sad to be saying bye to summer?

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4 things I’ve added to my august to do list

August 5, 2020

Ah August. How the hell are we here already? Where’s the last 7 months gone, although out of all the months I think August through to the end of the year are the best.

The days are longer in August and you just can’t beat the sunset and sunrise every morning and night. One thing that keeps me motivated every month is writing a to-do list, even if I don’t do everything on my list I’ll just add it on to next month so eventually it will get ticked off. I just thought I’d share 4 things I’ve added to mine this month!

Visit a lavender or sunflower field | After seeing all the beautiful photo’s all over instagram lately all I want to do is go to a beautiful field full of flowers. I’m not sure just how close we live to one but even if we have to travel a little while I’m sure we could make it a nice day out.

Since lockdown was eased I’ve not felt comfortable going out too much but most places seem really organised and controlled for social distancing so hopefully I’ll be able to head out more in the next month or so.

Workout at least 3 times a week | I’ve been slacking with my workouts and running in general. I’ve probably made up every excuse in the book to not do a workout but I’m so determined to get back into it. I’ve not long started the Chloe Ting 2 week shred challenge which isn’t easy if you were wondering.. I thought I was relatively fit but after doing Day 1 I am not.

To be honest it has been a pretty full on last couple of weeks and every time I have wanted to get out for a run or workout I’ve just been too exhausted. I did buy a new workout mat the other day though so I’m going the right way to get back into it.

Get on top of my blog schedule | Oh. I have some news. I have been toying with having an upload schedule for a good few weeks now, I just feel like I need some consistency in my life with my blog as I’ve really never had that. It’s just been oh i’ll write a post then publish it and it just doesn’t work for me anymore. You will now be able to see a post every Wednesday at 6pm!

I’m so happy with this little change and you may even see a bonus post every week depending on what content I want to share.

Start looking at Autumn fashion Inspiration | I know were not out of summer just yet but I’m just too excited for Autumn. I’m forever cold so wrapping up in jumpers and fluffy cardigans are something I love. I’m already looking through Pinterest and Instagram to gain some inspiration for the coming months and this won’t stop anytime soon.

What have you got lined up for August?

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4 things I've added to my august to do list

6 things to do at home on cold, rainy days

February 2, 2020

It’s winter so there’s a lot of cold, rainy days am I right? & you’ll most likely end up staying in all day.

It’s rainy and miserable and we all need summer to hurry up, well I’d take spring to be honest. If you’re anything like me then when the weather is rubbish I feel all mopey and bored and I’ll end up doing nothing. Maybe I’ll hide under a big blanket with a big cup of coffee but chances are I’ll be refreshing Instagram and twitter every minute or so and watching Friends on Comedy Central.

Then I’ll end up feeling more miserable because I haven’t done anything productive. I hate that feeling when you know you’ve wasted the whole day so here’s some things to save for those dark and rainy days that you have no plans for.

Read a good book.

There’s nothing like starting a book and reading those first few pages and knowing it’s a GOOD book. I always find inspiration from it. Make it cosy by burning a candle and cosying up under a big blanket. I recommend The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary, it’s such a feel good book and one everyone should read.

Have a wardrobe clearout.

I’ve got to admit I love having a good clearout. It’s one of my favourite things to do, in fact I had a clearout just a couple of days ago and feel so much better for it. I normally have one every couple of months or so depending on what I have ton get rid of, it’s just a never ending thing.

Why not make a charity shop or depop pile. You can make a good amount of money to put towards your next accidental online splurge.

Scrapbook.

Even if you’ve never scrapbooked before, now is a great time to make use of all those old invites, birthday cards and tickets that you’ve probably chucked in a draw somewhere. Why not order some photo’s online or go to Boots and print some off and pick up all the tissue paper and crafting supplies you can think of. It’ll be a memory that you can look back on.

Bake something.

Nothing cures rainy day blues like a fresh batch of cookies coming out the oven and if you’ve put some graft in to bake them surely the calories don’t count, am I right?

Have a search through Pinterest for some recipes, there’s some amazing one’s on there. Yesterday I found one for chewy chocolate chip cookie bars which I am totally going to make soon as they looked so good but if you wanted to cook something a little more healthy why not try sweet potato brownies.

Do a workout.

I love a good home workout. There’s nothing like the feeling after finishing one and knowing you can stuff your face with all the food afterwards. Why not look up video’s of a new workout you’ve been meaning to try, like Zumba or yoga?

Have a movie marathon.

Nothing makes me happier than to catch up with all the movies I’ve missed or have not watched in absolutely ages. Just curling up with all the chocolates and having a much needed lazy day, you just cant beat it I swear, it’s one of my favourite things to do when the weather is rubbish and I’m all caught up on my work.

Hopefully I’ve given you some inspiration for the next cold & rainy days which probably won’t be too far off knowing the UK weather right now.

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6 things to do at home on cold, rainy days - Samantha. J

Beauty products I can’t live without through winter

January 22, 2020

This post contains gifted items.

My skin really suffers throughout the winter months so changing up my skincare is essential.

Every new season I change up my skincare and I get all excited because that means I can explore and try out different products. As it’s very chilly right now and there’s frost and ice on the ground, it’s definitely time to bring out the heavy duty skincare products that I can’t stop using throughout the winter months.

I do have a love/hate relationship with the colder months of the year as my skin is so sensitive I have to be so careful with my skincare routine, changing up my routine too often can really irritate my skin but I think I’ve finally got my routine down with the following products.

Origins drink up intensive overnight mask

If there’s one thing your skin needs during winter it’s the drink up intensive overnight mask. I swear this has been a game changer for my skin and it’s something I would not go without during the colder months. I put it on twice a week after my skincare routine and just gently massage into my skin before I go to bed and my skin feels super refreshed and moisturised when I wake up. It restores the moisture and repairs the skins natural barrier overnight while you sleep. I really do think this had made such big difference to my skin.

Dior capture youth intense rescue serum

Before moisturising my skin, I’ve been using a serum but not just a serum the Dior capture youth intense rescue. It’s really been an amazing product for my dry and tired skin and leaves it glowing. I thought at first it would be greasy but nope there’s no grease just glow. My skin just feels nourished, smoother and softer. Definitely the best serum I have ever used.

Pixi rose ceramide cream

One of the newest products that’s been added to my skincare collection recently is the Pixi rose ceramide cream which I was gifted as part of Pixi’s celebration of 20 years of glow and it’s just the perfect moisture cream. It’s infused with rose flower and rosemary oil and the scent is just beautiful. It helps to lock in and retain moisture which is very much needed on my skin right now. This truly feels luxurious to apply just before bed.

Alya Skin pink clay mask

Everyone needs a good clay mask in their skincare collection and this one from Alya Skin I have well and truly fell in love with. The texture of the mask isn’t too thick so goes on really well and the scent is just gorgeous and it’s not too over-powering. On the days when I know my skin is suffering I’ll put a layer of the mask on, leave for 10 minutes to 15 minutes and my skin just feels so soft afterwards.

Palmers intensive relief hand cream

Last but certainly not least is the Palmers hand cream, I mean who would go without hand cream during winter, that’s just crazy. I’ve actually written about my love for Palmers products before, they really are the best during the colder months. Anyway, without this my hands would be super dry, it’s really good for itchy and irritated skin and anyone who’s prone to eczema. I actually put this on at night and put some hand gloves (if that’s what you call them) over the top and after just a couple of hours my hands feel super soft, you can leave the gloves on overnight but i tend not too as I’m just not sure I could sleep with them on but anyway hand cream will always be a cult product for me in winter.

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Beauty products I can’t live without through winter - Samantha. J

2020

January 4, 2020

New decade and year. Happy new year! I still can’t get over that we’re in a NEW decade, how crazy. Bye 2019 and hello 2020..

2019 seemed to go faster than any other year, I swear I blinked and it was June. It honestly seemed I didn’t have much time to do anything so I’m hoping 2020 goes a bit slower although it’s already January 4th and i’ve been ill for 2 days so I’m behind with most things and still have Christmas stuff to put away so you could say 2020 isn’t off to the best start but it’s got to get better hasn’t it?

Last year was pretty good in terms of blogging, I’ve had some of my biggest collaborations to date including Dior (how did that happen?!), Hotel Chocolat & Pixi. To be able to make content for these brands just doesn’t seem real but I couldn’t be more grateful that they reached out.

I have set myself some pretty big goals for this year in terms of my blog but I’m going to keep them to myself for now as I don’t want to put too much pressure on myself. If I hit them then great and if I don’t it’s not the end of the world but I thought i’d share a few personal goals as I love to look back on these at the end of the year.

Goals for 2020

Get more into charity work | Something that was always in the back of my mind at the end of 2019 was to get back into my charity work with Blood Cancer UK a lot more. I feel like last year I let myself down with not doing a lot. I was focused on everything else and didn’t put time aside to help them in the fight against blood cancer but this year is going to be different.

I’ve already started being more productive as I’ve signed up to become a buddy for one of our newest ambassadors and started to create more content for Team Samba which I’m also thinking of re-branding soon. This is just the beginning of me being more involved in the blood cancer community.

Overcome my injury and run my first half marathon | This kind of goes with my first goal about charity work as I’m running the London Landmarks half marathon in March for Blood Cancer UK so training and fundraising will take up a lot of my time for the first few months of the year. I’m pretty sure most of you would have seen that I’m currently dealing with an injury so I’ve been trying to take it easy these last few months and thankfully my inflamed tendon is healing but very very slowly. I still get pain from it but its definitely not as bad as it was so I’m praying that when i’m training it goes well and holds up for the half marathon.

I’m on a 12 week training plan which starts on Tuesday with 4 days of running and 3 rest days I really want to try and stick to the plan as much as possible but I’m not going to be strict with it. If I can feel my tendon playing up and hurting I know I’ll have to rest it. I don’t want to get to the end of my training plan and have a bigger injury then not to be able to run the half so I think I’ll have to be sensible.

Stop buying pointless stuff and save money | I am the worst for buying little things using them once or twice then putting them in a draw never to be seen again so this is definitely one goal I want to achieve. I started the end of year clear-out but there’s still a lot I want to get rid of so that’s the first step. The second step is to maybe download Monzo? I’ve heard so many good things about this app and it looks amazing for saving money, I love how you can integrate it with IFFT and every time you tweet it saves a certain amount. I think that’s genius.

Create better content for my blog & Instagram | I’m pretty sure I said this last year and maybe the year before but my blog is something I’m so passionate about and want to make it the best it can be as well as my instagram. I think consistency is key for growing and I want my blog to grow, I worked with some amazing brands last year and I want to do the same in 2020.

Instagram is just so frustrating but instead of focusing on the numbers I’m just going to put out content I’m happy with even if its not to the aesthetic of my feed. Sometimes you can get so caught up in the numbers which isn’t healthy.

That’s my 2020 at a glance. Have you set yourself any goals for 2020?

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42 festive blog post ideas

December 1, 2019

Am I actually right that it’s now the 1st of December? What the hell. Christmas Day is edging closer and closer and I still haven’t brought one present but I am on top of my blog content so I can’t really complain. I’ll just need to get more organised on the present front.

When it comes to Christmas as a blogger I know it can become stressful trying to constantly come up with new ideas especially if you decide to do Blogmas (blog everyday in December) so I’ve put together a few festive blog post ideas which may give you some inspiration.

1 | How to style the Christmas jumper

2 | Your favourite Christmas memories

3 | DIY: Homemade decorations for the tree

4 | New Years resolutions

5 | Christmas money saving tips

6 | Winter skincare must haves

7 | Festive days out on a budget

8 | Secret Santa gift ideas

9 | Pinterest Christmas inspiration post

10 | How to get into the festive spirit

11 | Photo’s taken while decorating your Christmas tree

12 | Stocking filler gifts ideas for the whole family

13 | Top 10 Christmas films

14 | Alternative ways to give this Christmas

15 | It wouldn’t be Christmas without..

16 | A round up of your favourite posts of the year

17 | A Christmas homeware wishlist

18 | What’s in your bag? Festive edition

19 | A Lush Christmas haul

20 | How to make a gingerbread house

21 | Top tips for travelling at Christmas

22 | What to put in a Christmas Eve box

23 | Favourite holiday scents

24 | Best beauty stocking fillers

25 | A guide to your local Christmas market

26 | Homemade festive hot chocolate recipe

27 | How to do Christmas on a budget

28 | Host your own Christmas giveaway

29 | Top 5 Christmas movies

30 | A round up of all the best beauty advent calendars this year

31 | A recap of your last Christmas

32 | Winter goals to achieve on your blog

33 | Ideas for a winter break away

34 | Things to be grateful for over the holidays

35 | 5 ways to spread the holiday spirit

36 | Last minute gift ideas

37 | The best gifts you’ve ever recieved

38 | Your least favourite Christmas films or songs

39 | A festive makeup look

40 | Gift wrapping ideas

41 | 5 of the best board games to play with the family

42 | 10 things to do in December

Check out my other Christmas posts:

Ways that you can give back this Christmas

The best Christmas jumpers out right now

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Tips for embracing the darker mornings and early evenings

October 11, 2019

If you’re anything like me then waking up in a morning can be hard because who wants to wake up to darkness, as the days get shorter it can be hard to be productive and fit everything in but I have a few little tips on how you can embrace the lack of daylight!

I am definitely not a morning person and struggle to wake up after 5 alarms not 1. I used to dread and still do sometimes the thought of getting up super early in the Autumn/Winter months but I’ve been trying to adopt some little habits in order to help me get up and embrace the darker mornings and early evenings.

Start the day right

The first thing I do when I wake up is go downstairs and put the kettle on for a hot drink. I don’t think you can beat a hot cup of tea or coffee as soon as you wake up, it always makes me feel ready to start the day as well as a piece of toast and a few biscuits. I don’t normally have a lot for breakfast and just fill up on snacks throughout the morning. My favourite mornings are just spent in bed with a cup of tea, I think this really does help me start the day right.

Make plans

While it’s great to get all cosy and warm during the winter nights, I would be quite happy under a cosy throw with a candle burning reading a good book but I also think it’s not good to spend all your time at home. When you have time make plans with friends and family to get out and explore during Autumn and have fun! Obviously halloween and bonfire night are coming up so it’s the perfect time to make some plans and attend some amazing events.

Sort your stuff out the night before

I have always been someone who likes their sleep so preparing all my stuff for the morning the night before is essential because this means I can have an extra 10 minutes. Not only this but I’m not stressing and I normally have some time to be productive like reply to comments on Instagram or reply to those emails that I’ve been putting off..

Exercise

Exercise is a great way to start and finish your day. I’m definitely one to exercise in the evenings rather than the mornings but saying that exercising in the morning is a great way to feel refreshed and awake when it’s so dark and cold outside. Motivating yourself to actually get up and start is probably the hardest thing to do and for me I do prefer exercising or going for a run in the evening as it’s just easier for me and a great way to wind down before heading to bed as I’m normally exhausted and just want to sleep once it’s over.

Get yourself into a routine

Even though you get less day time hours it’s so essential to get yourself into a good routine so you get used to the increase in darkness. Having food at the same time each day and having a a schedule can help so much as well not using your phone or laptop just before heading to bed but I am very guilty of this and should probably take my own advice.

Get a good nights sleep

The best thing to do is get a good nights sleep to make sure you’re ready for the morning. I try to create a cosy and warm environment in my bedroom with candles and maybe a hot chocolate and try to wind down just before heading off to sleep. I normally get a good 8 hours but I know this isn’t possible for everyone.

How do you embrace darker mornings?

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My autumn moodboard

September 10, 2019

Ah Autumn. Every single year I get excited about creating my Autumn moodboard so this year I thought I’d share it with you. I am particularly excited this year though, I don’t know why exactly maybe just because Autumn is my favourite season and it seems to have come around super quick this time. I mean how are we SO close to Christmas but let’s not talk about that yet. I do love the longer days and the sun (well the little bit of sun) we have in the summer but I don’t think you can beat the autumn days. Nothing beats seeing the leaves changing colour to that crisp golden orange, the long walks and all the cosy knitwear. I just think there’s something so magical about it all.

Last year I wrote my Autumn goals post and even though I did actually do some of them including get back into running, I can’t believe it’s been nearly a year since I wrote down that I would like to do a half marathon and now I have one booked and start training for it very soon once I get passed my injury that is and I hadn’t even started driving lessons this time last year but a few months on I passed and now have been driving for 9 months.. WHAT. I feel so comfortable with driving and I didn’t think I would because I usually get too anxious but I can honestly say I love driving my little car.

SO, I did complete most of my goals but didn’t really get chance to do any autumn one’s like go for walks and go to a pumpkin patch so I’m going to write down a little bucket list which I can hopefully complete before the end of Autumn and I’m writing it down on my blog to keep me accountable. I will do some Autumn activities this year. I will.

bucket list..

Jump in a pile of leaves
Buy loads of cosy new jumpers
Read at least one book
Bake a little
Go to a pumpkin patch
Go on a hike
Watch a bonfire
Carve pumpkins
Go fruit picking
Make the best hot chocolate
Have a cosy movie day
Collect pine cones/conkers
Create a scrapbook full of memories
Build a blanket fort indoors (how cosy)
Buy all the seasonal candles
Visit a fair or festival

Can you believe we are in Autumn?! Have you got any goals or plans for the season?

*Photo’s from the moodboard were taken from Pinterest. I do not own them.

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UK travel bucket list

April 5, 2019

The UK is such a stunning place to live but I hardly take advantage of the beautiful cities, towns, little villages and countryside we have to offer. The amount of stunning photo’s I see on social media had me inspired to write a little bucket list of places I would love to visit around the UK in the near future. Let’s get into it..

The Lake District

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The Lake District has always been a place I’ve wanted to go for a little break for a good while now, maybe a few days as it seems perfect for that. It’s filled with beautiful lakes and mountains and just sounds perfect for a relaxing break.

There’s so many little villages to explore and amazing countryside views which make for a lovely few days away.

Cornwall

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This may not count as Cornwall is where I spent most of my childhood and I’m actually going back for a week at the beginning of June and couldn’t be more excited as I haven’t been for years. I honestly can’t wait to go back and explore more, take so many more photo’s and just see the places where I spent a lot of my younger years.

Although I’ve been here many times, I couldn’t not put it in my bucket list it’s just so beautiful and there are so many lovely places. Towns, harbours, beaches.. Cornwall has it all. It’s definitely best to visit in the summer as well!

Oxford

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Oxford is one place which I have visited before but only for a day and didn’t get around much but from what I did see, it’s so beautiful and I would love to go back and explore a lot more.

The architecture is honestly stunning and there’s so much to do. Last time we visited we went to see the famous Radcliffe Camera building. It’s one of the most photographed buildings in the city and it’s not hard to see why so definitely add this to your list if you ever go. There’s so many pretty places to see in Oxford that I haven’t seen so I can’t wait to go back.

Canterbury

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I’ve only recently added Canterbury to my bucket list but I’m so glad I have because it looks so pretty and such a gorgeous place to visit.

There’s so much history in Canterbury with stained glass windows and cobbled streets. Oh & apparently you can’t go to Canterbury and not visit the catherderal so I’ll be adding that to my list as well.

Bath

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The most famous place in Bath has to be the Roman Baths. I have seen so many beautiful photo’s from here on Instagram and a few of my family members have said just how amazing the place is in real life. Oh and not forgetting Bath Abbey!

There’s so many little quaint streets and that seems right up my street. (See what I did there?) Bath really does look perfect for a day or two so hopefully I can make the a trip soon.

Are there any places on your UK travel bucket list?

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