Trends from the 2000s not to bring back into fashion

Happy Sunday folks i hope you are all well.

I have so many blogs/ vlogs i am going to write and record this month and i have been wanting to write this one for a while as i am going to be doing a video on this on my youtube channel; natural blonde and i wanted to talk about throwback fashion items we used to wear back in the day (well in my day) when i was a teenager.

I have been searching all over for good images to show you exactly what these items look like yet been very unsuccessful in doing so for this reason i am going to give a description of the items i am talking about instead.

Fashion in the 2000s;

Cast your mind back to 17 years ago (thats if you where old enough to remember or even born) it was the millennium everyone said the world was going to end that obviously didn’t happen and fashion went out of control but we all loved it at the time and thought we looked great. 

I might only be 30 years old but i remember all my fashion outfits growing up especially some of these i am going to list below;

PEDAL PUSHERS/ CAPRI PANTS: If you didn’t have a pair of these then you weren’t cool as a teenager they where a tight fitting trouser or jean that came to the knee and where very fitted i had them in denim, white, dogtooth print and even a floral pattern with matching top (looking back at them now they where hideous and i just hope no designers bring them back or brand them up with there logos on them to make them look trendy again because they wont).

GYPSY MAXI SKIRTS: All i can say is thank god i never took to skirts as i had one of these in brown yes brown and it was awful so long it dragged on the floor with uneven patterns throughout and very heavy to wear i used to wear it with a vest top on top of a t-shirt with a huge disc belt and some backless loafers from faith in yellow with a flower on them (what was i thinking this is an item that can never return or be improved it was a huge fashion faux pa).

DISC SHAPED BELTS: I had more than one of these i had brown, white and black with a huge gold disc on the front to fasten it together it just went over and around jeans or skirts as it was way to big to fit through belt holes, i used to get mine from indoor markets as they where £5 each what a bargain (I know for a fact this will come back i am waiting for an online retailer to bring them back or a celebrity to be rocking it).

SHRUG CARDIGAN: Yes i said it a shrug and the name itself isn’t trendy let alone a practical piece of clothing i had so many of these i used to wear them over my vest with a t-shirt on and knot the front with my cargo pants and kappa trainers and i thought i was in a girl band or the 8th member of s club 7 (how wrong was i they where ugly looking and pointless yet everyone had one).

PATCHWORK DENIM JEANS: I had 2 pairs of these 1 pair flared with glitter in the denim from new look 915 and a pair from tammy girl with buttons instead of a zip i can honestly say these where my favourite jeans ever until i got grass stains down 1 pair and the other pair i borrowed a friend and never got back (thanks friend) i have seen that topshop and asos have something similar to the ones i had but not overly patch worked which is a shame (but something i would never buy or wear again nostalgia has kicked in on these for me and should be left in the fashion past).

PONCHOS: I hated it then and ill hate it again if i comes back these where everywhere in every pattern, colour with tassels without tassels they made everyone look bigger than they really where so unflattering and impractical for putting your bag on your shoulder, however i did have one from a shop called pilot which my mum would take me too twice a month at mcarther glen Mansfield as that was the shop to go to when i was at senior school i soon got bored of my poncho and it got given to a family friends daughter who loved it.

CARGO TROUSERS: I loved these especially as tammy girl had loads on back in the day i had a beige pair with hanging bits of the legs a khaki pair with huge pockets and a black pair to match my cool babes t-shirt as it looked cool together all the pop groups wore them and made them look cool and i loved steps 5,6,7,8 i blame Fay for me wanting these (I hope kanye west doesn’t release these for his next collection as its the kind of thing Kim will rock with a corset top and clear heels and pull it off).

TROUSERS WITH A SKIRT OVER THE TOP: I didn’t love these trend when i was 13 and i am glad as it was so random yet lots of people wore it if you haven’t seen this before google it theres not many great photos of it but you can get the idea of the style (I hope this never gets released just because of how random it looks leave it back in the 2000s).

I am sorry there are no images to show you just how bad these items where but if you do remember any of them leave me a comment below or on my Instagram page; naturalblonde86

Also let me know if you can think of any other fashion stores you shopped at back in the 90s or early 2000s as i can only remember these;

• BAY TRADING
• TAMMY GIRL
• ETAM
• PILOT
• MORGAN
• KOOKAI
• MK ONE
• JANE NORMAN

Thanks for reading and comment below 

Amy x

Just because it’s in fashion doesn’t mean it suits you

Happy hump day everyone i do hope you are all well.

I am still battling with this bad back of mine and have been bed bound since Friday which is making me go insane and get frustrated with life.

As i have had lots of spare time on my hands this week i have been doing a lot of online wishful thinking shopping as the bank balance is saying NO and so is the other half and my mum, i just feel like i am loving so many items at the minute and thats always the case when funds are low or have to be spent elsewhere.

I am loving the trends for SPRING/ SUMMER this year as there is something to suit everyone i always find that (JUST BECAUSE ITS IN FASHION DOESN’T MEAN IT SUITS YOU) and this is where people go wrong i look around and think that Topshop mannequins have thrown up on some people or they wear things that are unflattering just because its in fashion.

These are the main trends to look out for in all high street stores;

STATEMENT TSHIRTS; I have seen these in Topshop, Primark, Zara and pretty much every other high street store this is a big trend to wear with mom jeans and converse for casual or with a leather look skirt and statement boots or sandals for summer, I do love this particular tee by @TOPSHOP but its becoming super popular everyone on Instagram already own this and if your anything like me you might want to get creative and make your own.

TIP; Buy a plain tee for a few quid get some transfer iron on paper, create and design a cool saying in a statement bold colour and print it on your tee and you have your own personalised statement tee.

GINGHAM; This is becoming popular on asos, Topshop, river island etc i previously purchased a ruffled top in this print from primark for less than £10 and thats probably the only gingham item i will buy just because its a full on print and very bold and wont suit everyone, nobody wants to look like a picnic table cloth or have a flash back from wearing this in summer at primary school (I WORE IT IN RED AT SCHOOL).

TIP; Depending on your figure and height depends on what kind of gingham clothing will suit suit, play it safe with a top or a skirt if you are taller, if your petit like me then this playsuit above or trousers may suit you with a statement tee and some backless loafers.

BACKLESS LOAFERS; I am loving this trend i have 4 pairs of backless loafers already and ill no doubt invest in some more just because they are super comfy on they dress up an outfit especially jeans and a tee, they come in so many designs, prints, colours and are a great dupe to the Gucci ones which are £700 i have some from eBay, primark, sainsburys tu clothing and ego.

TIP;Shop around for the style and design your after primark have basic colours in for £6, river island have gold tassel ones in for £45, eBay have a great selection from £12 plus the faux fur gucci Princeton dupes at £16.

DENIM; I love denim and at one point i owned over 25 pairs of jeans but that was a few years ago, denim is huge for this season whether it be this jacket from @TOPSHOP or statement jeans with embroidery on or buttoned down denim skirts which seem to be popping up online.

TIP; I love statement denim but wont pay the prices for it when i can customised my own for over half the price, i would buy some jeans and get a few patches from ebay and sew them on or get some pearls and sew them on like i did which you can see on my INSTAGRAM; NATURALBLONDE86

POM POMS; This was in late last year but it didn’t take off until now and its all over whether it be on bags, hats, sandals, playsuits you name it i’ve seen it with pom poms on, it just brightens up a bag or gives off cool look on sandals lots of high street stores have them like river island and primark plus asos online have lots varying in prices from £12.

TIP; diy make your own pom poms i recently bought a pom pom kit and it comes with 4 sizes with the simplest instructions (even i understood them) and i bought some colourful wool and started making my own and i have transformed a bag some trainers and a straw beach hat so far.

PEARLS; This is the trend i look at and see any items with pearls on are so much more expensive than any other trend at the minute especially in zara and river island, these sandals above are from @ZARA and as beautiful as they are they are the cheapest of trends to introduce into your wardrobe for the season.

TIP; I purchased a bag of 50 ivory pearls from ebay and sewn them on my basic mom jeans from primark and now i have my own customised pearl jeans for the price of £14 unlike the zara ones at £40. 

Here are the images of the items i’ve customised so far with these trends going forward and i will be filming a customisation video on my youtube channel go and subscribe to be one of the first to watch it. (youtube channel name; natural blonde)

Mom jeans from Primark £13

50 ivory pearls 6mm ebay £1

Gold tassel backless loafers Primark £6

Flamingo straw clutch bag Matalan £8

Sunglasses Primark £2

Wool Boyes £1.80 per colour

Pom pom maker Boyes £4

Pink trainers Asos £20 last years 

Wool Boyes £1.80 per colour

Pom pom maker Boyes £4
I am a creative person i get the from my mum who has worked in fashion for over 40 years and i always love designing creating and coming up with ideas of things i want to make.

Thanks for reading and let me know what trends your loving for this season.

Amy x

With these shoes i thee wed

Happy Sunday and Happy Mothers day to any mums that are reading this i know mine will.

( I am currently bed bound due to pulling my back on Friday and i have been highly frustrated and hating life as all the things i had planned to do went out the window theirs only so many films i want to watch and tea i want to drink before i go out of my mind, so i thought i would write a blog on wedding shoes as I AM GETTING MARRIED THIS YEAR yet have gone off the shoes i had originally bought last summer).

Wedding shoes are what i look at more than dresses when attending weddings in the past as the shoes in my mind should be worn again and shouldn’t be a big expense just for one day like the dress as to me £500 on a pair of jimmy choos or christian louboutins is a waist for one day to then live in the box at the back of the wardrobe collecting dust.

Everyone is different when it comes to how much they spend on there weddings and what they want for there big day please remember these are my views and opinion.

I have seen SO MANY BEAUTIFUL PAIRS ONLINE at super affordable prices and i thought i would share my favourite picks with you all I am also considering turning this into a video on my Youtube channel please let me know if you would be interested in watching this plus seeing me pick my perfect pair for my big day.

MY TOP 10 AFFORDABLE WEDDING SHOES;

As you can see i have shown them in pricing low to high as it makes it easier to view and see what you can get on a budget plus they are all less than £140 which i think is great and they are really nice for that special day plus they can be re-worn to parties, events, ladies day, weddings etc.

Wedding shoes sold in bridal shops are unflattering shapes, round toes, midi heels, fake crystals, ivory satin material (JUST A BIG FAT NO FOR ME).

I am loving a couple of these i have featured above and will probably buy a pair for my own wedding as they are subtle enough to wear again plus they aren’t breaking the bank.

Let me know how much you have spent on your wedding shoes or what you think is acceptable to spend on a pair for the big day.

Thanks for reading x

Starting my own youTube channel

Happy Sunday everyone i hope you are all well.

Let me start by telling you all the NEWS I now have my own youTube channel called Natural blonde (the same name as my blog) I decided late last year that i was going to do something completely different and out of my comfort zone and start my own channel for people to watch as i love watching so many youTubers myself and thought i would give it a go, i might decide in a few months its not for me and stop making videos but for now its something i wanted to do and i am excited to start my very own youTube journey.

The reasons for me wanting to do this is for me and my confidence as when i meet people for the first time i am very confident but when it comes to filming a video for the world to watch its slightly more daunting if i over think it (which i am trying not to do) I wanted to do something for me for once as when i started my blog last year i never knew how much i would enjoy writing posts every week or how much you guys would like reading them and relate to them.

I have decided to do some videos on my channel which collate with some previous blog posts i have written for example;

• Living and working in Dubai
• Anxiety and mental health chats
• Being gluten free
• Shopping and beauty hauls

I am at the stage in my life when i don’t want to dread getting up for work in the morning or tell people i hate my boring job as i have done that for the past 14 years this is the year i do something for me and try and turn a hobby and passion into possible opportunities it might not work out for me but i am not going to let any negative people or comments stop me from doing something i want to do, negativity just fuels the fire for me as it makes me more determined to do something and succeed.

This is my first vlog which is live on youTube from Sunday 15th Jan and its a short trailer with clips and images of me and what kind of things you can expect from my channel, i decided on a trailer as when you see a new film come out you always get snippets and clips of what to expect which makes you either want to watch it or not and thats the same for my 1st video.

I have watched all the people on Youtube i am subscribed to 1st ever videos to get an idea and understanding of how far they have come on and all of them started off with nerves, not the right equipment or lighting but this comes with time and experience the same as it will for me as i have a camera, tripod, good editing software and i am relying on natural light as i am yet to invest in a good ring light.

I am not going to ramble on anymore i just hope you all take the time to have a look on my youTube channel and support me as much as you have my blog post.

I will still be writing my blogs every week on here and i am looking into working with a company to make my blog stand out more so watch this space…

Thanks for reading x 

My top 10 Fashion items for January

Happy Monday everyone hope your all well and had a lovely weekend.

I am in desperate need for new clothes at the minute as my least favourite time of the year to buy for is winter and knowing that spring will be around soon and these thick coats and wooly jumpers are fading out in all the sales i can actually start looking for items i will get my wear out of.

 I love online shopping i think its the best thing to do on a Sunday from the comfort of your own home I am the typical online shopper who sits in my Disney pyjamas, wearing no makeup, with a nice cup of Yorkshire tea and card details at hand ready to do some damage.

I think my dislike of shopping in stores came from working in retail for 10 years i used to work for Next and thats enough to put anyone off when the sales are on and you on the rota to work Boxing day at 4am and the queues are ridiculous.

Here are my Top 10 Fashion items i am loving at the minute and will defiantly be adding into my wardrobe;

• 1st place i looked at was my favourite high street store which is ZARA and they do some have still decent things in the sale that you can carry through to other seasons but the main items i liked where in the new SPRING/ SUMMER COLLECTION all at affordable prices.

These jeans are in the new collection from the TRF section and they are the embroidered black jeans that are all the rage and at £29.99 they are a MUST HAVE in your wardrobe i would be quick though if you did like them as they are limited to sizes online.

These jeans are also from the TRF section and these ones are the faded black frayed hem jeans which are also very popular in most high street stores these are only £29.99 and limited sizes are left online as they are going to be popular this year.

This white ruffle sleeve detail shirt seems to be the big trend for ss17 as most stores are selling these in various designs i thought this was really nice with the pocket detail and the ruffle on the elbows this is £29.99 and you cant go wrong with a staple white shirt in your wardrobe.

• 2nd place i looked at was ASOS i don’t usually shop on here for things as the website always seems to crash on me when i am looking and the quality of some of the clothes i’ve gotten from there before aren’t very good or worth the money, but i have found these pumps / fashion trainers i liked the look of which are on trend and very affordable.

Here is the 1st pair i’ve found and these are in the sale for £17.50 with the pom pom on the back of the trainer these do come in mint or lilac (I wouldn’t advise wearing these if it rains as the poms will get dirty) and sizes are limited again.

This is the 2nd pair of trainers i found i would describe these as marmite you will ever love these or hate these but i LOVE them they are something Gucci or Sophia Webster would design but a lot more affordable to the average working person, these are £22 and come in half sizes.

• 3rd place i looked at was TOPSHOP i shop here less and less now days as the fashion online isn’t really aimed at my style and the pricing on some items are quite a lot in compared to other high street stores, i do however always buy my jeans from here as the Jamie jeans are a perfect fit for my figure.

These are the new in Jamie jeans in black with the tassels on the hems they are bang on trend for this year and will be a key piece in your wardrobe for spring and summer these are £46.

These are also from Topshop and they are similar to ones the designer Chanel did a couple of years ago but at 90% cheaper these are really practical for comfort and a great piece to dress up any skinny jeans at only £26 they are something worth buying if you love trainers as much as i do.

• 4th place i looked was MISSGUIDED i have never bought from here before but i have been after one of these jackets for ages now and i think these will be timeless in our wardrobes and they look more expensive than they are.

This is the jacket i have been after for the last couple of months i have seen lots of bloggers wearing these and i think they are a great statement coat this is the aviator jackets they sell online in a selection of colours this is the nude one and its £65.

• 5th place i looked at online was EBAY as i am a lover for a bargain and always look through loads of items on here and they have some great fashion pieces and thats when i came across these.

 These little beauties are just like the ones Gucci are doing and i love them but just not the price so i went on a mission to find some similar and eBay didn’t disappoint as they had a selection of colours in faux leather for £12.99.

This was the last item i found is an embroidered striped shirt which i have also seen at zara for sale but for a third of the price at £9.99 on eBay.

So thats all for my items for January to buy let me know if you like these items and what items your looking to buy this month as i am always interested in other peoples style and taste in fashion.

Thanks for reading x

Life’s not a competition

Happy Thursday everyone i hope you are all well and enjoying the new year so far.

This year i am wanting to improve on myself and my goals and ambitions yet struggle when it comes to comparing myself to others who seem to be excelling in life and going from strength to strength.

I can be really hard on myself at times and worry that i am not good enough and doubt my ability to do things which shouldn’t be the case as i know thinking these negative thoughts only prevents me from being happy and following my dreams and goals in life.

The worst place for comparing ourselves is to what we see on social media sites like Instagram, twitter etc and this is so unhealthy to do but judge people on the images they chose to share with their followers and leading them to believe there life’s are perfect, this is far from the truth (Not everyones life is as glamorous as they lead us to believe on social media and we need to stop thinking it is) Photos lie and so do people.

If you look at friends or people you went to school with and compare yourself to what they are doing in life we are all at different stages for different reasons not everything works out the way we planned in our minds things happen to change the direction we go.

• So what one of your friends married a footballer and have a range rover and a designer wardrobe (who cares).
• So what your friend got married before you and her wedding cost £15k and they honeymooned in the Maldives (who cares).
• So what someone you know moved to another country and landed a great job and go on yachts every week (who cares).
• So what someone you follow on Instagram has more likes on a photo you also put up or have more followers than you (who cares).

What i am trying to get at is comparing ourselves to others just frustrates us and prevents us from being happy with what we have achieved in our lives so far it doesn’t matter if you haven’t reached the goals you had set in life, the only person putting limitations on them is ourselves and we are our own worst enemies for that.

”  on your own grass without looking over your neighbours fence to see how there’s is growing, it’s not a competition who’s is the greenest or grows the fastest.”

I am 30 and ;

• I still don’t know what career i want in my life.
• I don’t have a mortgage or own my own house.
• I am not married.
• I have no children
• I don’t go on 4 holidays a year.
• I haven’t got expensive clothes hanging in my wardrobe.
• I don’t have a luxury car sat on my drive.

Because i haven’t got any of these things doesn’t mean i have failed, it just means i am not settling for less than what i want in my life, this year i want to focus on me and what i want.

This year we all need to focus on ourselves and stop worrying that others are doing better than us in life, thats what life is, there will always be someone with more money than you or has a bigger house, newer car, multiple holidays a year it doesn’t matter we create our own life’s to fit around us (it’s never to late to make a change).

Thanks for reading and following my blog x

My New Years resolutions for 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE 

Welcome to my 1st blog for 2017 and this one is all about my resolutions even though every year i say i’m not making any i always do.

My resolutions are relevant for me and my life some of you may be able to relate with them, I am not giving up chocolate or going to join a gym or stop drinking (As i don’t drink alcohol anyway) instead i am being more ruthless and selfish as i think this is the way forward for 2017.

For me 2016 was more lows than highs and was a huge test on me and Dan as well as our mental states, my anxiety and illness with food we had a lot of crap going on in our personal lives by having to move out our lovely home and go to stay with my parents we left our jobs as the company we worked for are appalling and treat staff like crap and we couldn’t cope with it any longer so onwards and upwards for this year, i believe people create there own look and this year cant be any worse than the last one.

Here are my resolutions for 2017;

1. To travel more and see the world i love going away and even though i am not a huge fan of flying due to my panic attacks it doesn’t stop me from seeing the world for what it is and visiting places i have never been before, places on my to visit list this year are; Florida (which is my 2nd home) Bahamas, Barcelona, Monaco and Edinburgh.
2.  To remain positive and not let the slightest things get to me or upset me i am a very sensitive and emotional person even though i don’t come across like this in person to most people and put on a front i intend to stay positive in all situations as everything happens for a reason and thinking negative makes you feel a whole lot worse and ruins a good day.
3. To not settle in life over the past 14 years since i got my very 1st job i have done nothing but settle in my career, i have worked in retail most of my life and its never been the dream job or the life i had imagined for myself its good if your a student but not full time if you want nice things or a car, house etc as the pay is minimum and the rewards and discounts aren’t as good as you may think, this year i am going to focus on what makes me happy as i am unable to do something i have little or no interest in and i want to start living my life how i imagine it to be, we spend more of our lives at work than we do with our own families so its about right i made a change and went after the job i want and i wont stop until i get it.
4. To get better in myself and my health as the past 9 years i have had ongoing issues with my stomach and digestive system which means i have been living on a gluten free diet for the past few years and now i am on a fodmap diet, i intend to get a diagnosis for my illness this year as its been left nameless by the drs and consultants and i am ready to get it solved so i can get back to being healthy again.
5. To be more confident this is something i struggle with on a daily basis and i think most women also struggle with this its not reassurance i need from others its what my brain tells me and i believe it (not good enough) to do the things i would like to do in life but feel i would be no good at so i wont attempt to try, i think i need to believe in myself more that i am just as good as anyone else and not to get so down if it doesn’t work or pay off.
6. To be selfish and cut out negativity i always put others 1st before myself but this year i vow to be more selfish and not go without or put my needs behind others, also there is lots of negativity in my family more so my dads family they all like to talk about you behind your back and slag you off for doing better than them in life as they don’t like to see anyone do better than them so this year i am cutting of all negative people in my life as they are toxic and i don’t need people bringing me or my dreams down.

These aren’t the usual resolutions people generally make but for me this its what i want to change in my life this year and i won’t give up after the 1st month like most people do as if i make these changes i believe it will change me for the better as a person going forward.

Thank you for reading and let me know what your resolutions are.x

Blogmas day #9 (Christmas sale shopping tips)

Happy blogmas day number 9, 

This will apply to anyone who loves a bargain without having to leave your home.

The past few years (few being 5) i have always done my sale shopping online on Christmas eve morning, most stores go into sale ONLINE on the 24th December and the shops themselves will be in sale from BOXING DAY onwards some opening as early as 5am like Next for instance, i worked at Next throughout my college years and i always worked a 10 hour shift on sale days and we would always get 1st pick of all sale items the day before they went on sale to the general public.



• MY TIP; If you know someone who works at a Next store then get them to get the items for you as it saves you que-ing in the freezing cold to be pushed and shoved and fight over a £4 top, your better off getting the item code and writing a list of what you want and see if the person you know who works there is kind enough to pick them up for you.

The 1st site i go on christmas eve morning is always Boots as they have all the christmas perfume sets half price aswell aswell as all the 3 for 2 items, over the years i have gotten so many bargains and saved lots of money, i am more than happy to go without any presents from boots on christmas to open as i have saved myself a fortune shopping online in the sale the day before, i got 5 perfume sets last year and some Ted baker makeup all for less than £70.

• MY TIP; If you have seen something in Boots you like for yourself or maybe to put away for gifts for next year then buy them on the 24th online, as people are getting wise to the half price offers on boxing day and all the good stuff has gone by the time you get to the shop and you would have missed out.

Retail stores like River Island, New look and Topshop start to do offers and mark downs on clothes before they go into sale on Boxing day, but these shops are sneaky as they know in advanced whats going to be in the sale, they mark on the price tag in PENCIL what the sale price will be (for example; 0025) in the corner of the tag, if the item is £50 then its very likely its going to be reduced by 50% which is a huge saving and means you can buy more items in the sale and are getting more for your money.

• MY TIP; Keep a look out the week before christmas if you go in any of these shops and have a look on the labels and i guarantee they will have numbers in pencil written on them with the new sale price, shops can’t sell you these items until the day they officially go into sale at the pencilled price, so don’t make the mistake of buying it the week before when you could save yourself money the day after Christmas, I think we are all guilty of doing this once. 

My favourite shop of them all is Zara which unfortunatly for me they don’t go into sale online and instore until the same day, when it comes to the end of certain seasonal stock warehouses tend to have a lot of items left over they haven’t sold aswell as they hoped, these are the items that are normally reduced 1st, Zara sales aren’t as good as the others straight away as they only take a small percentage off items to start off with and then the bigger reductions tend to happen in January and thats when you can get some great bargains.

• MY TIP; When it comes to sale shopping online with Zara i always add the items to my basket a couple of days before the sales due to happen and then once the sale has started i go back into my online basket and see whats been reduced or sold out because i missed out, If you wanted to go into a Zara store when the sale is on then you are brave as its like a jumble sale gone wrong, its messy, untidy, unshoppable, ques for days and instantly puts you in a bad mood.

I hope this helps any of you that love a bargain as much as me and getting more for your money when it comes to shopping in the winter sales.

Thanks for reading x

Recap on the last week 28th Nov – 4th December

Happy Sunday everyone and welcome to weekly blog number 12!

Its officially December and the advent calendars are open and i am enjoying a cadburys daily chocolate and a make up item from my Tanya Burr advent calendar which i am loving so far.

This last week has been busier to normal, as you know from last weeks we decorated the tree on Sunday the 27th November, i know its early but i got impatient and wanted it up, heres is a picture below.

My beautiful Christmas tree at my mums house all ready for Santa to put the presents underneath. 

Monday; I went to see my Gran as it was her birthday, i don’t see her that much as to be honest as i am the least favourite grandchild she has, as i was always my grandads favourite and i don’t think she liked that and since he passed away the effort i’ve made with her has gone unwanted and unnoticed.

Tuesday; I decided to make a start and wrap some presents up, i always like wrapping and using ribbons and bows but this year i cant be bothered as it looks all nice to just get ripped open and go in the bin, so its a waste in my eyes, i bought my wrapping paper from matalan on 3 for 2 or they are £4 individually to buy but the paper is thin and rips super easy so i wouldn’t buy it again or recommend getting you gift wrap from there. 

Wednesday; We took a trip to Home bargains and matalan to see if they had any Christmas bits in, managed to get some stocking fillers and a new Christmas mug as that is something i do every year, it was from home bargains and was 99p it looks like the Santa from the coco cola advert then we came back and i started prepping for blogmas for the 1st December. (my new mug)

Thursday; 1st of December and 1st day of blogmas, i decided to do blogmas for the first 12days  of December as i wanted to start blogging more and so far a lot of you are reading them, liking them and i have new followers so thank you for that, Today i made mince pies too but slightly cheated as i used jus-rol pastry and just cut them into shapes and added the mincemeat filling but everyone said they where nice, as i cant eat them as they aren’t gluten free plus i don’t like mince pies anyway.

Friday; Today we went to wollaton park for a nice walk around the house and the lake, its based in Nottingham and was used in the Batman film as wayne manor, it wasn’t busy at all and cost us £2 to park for 3 hours, which isn’t to bad, we hadn’t been in over a year as this was where we had our 1st date back in May 2015, i got to use some of my new lenses for my iphone  i bought from Avon to take some good photos, after we went here we popped to the waitrose in wollaton and got a Christmasy hot drink, i got a salted caramel hot chocolate and Dan had a caramel latte, then we came home and caught up on some vlogs on youtube.

Saturday; Today was meant to be a do nothing day but that didnt happen as i ended up wrapping more presents, making some cards, going to tesco to get some food in as i am struggling again with meals and what to eat, me and Dan did make our own xmas cards this year as its more personal than buying them from a shop plus i love cards and always keep them.

Mine i made for Dan is on the left and Dan made me a Dory card as i love Dory and Disney.

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out my blogmas blogs x

Blogmas day #3 (Decorating my christmas tree)

Happy Saturday and welcome to blogmas day 3 of December.

I love this time of year so much especially decorating the house and the Christmas tree ready for Santa to put all my gifts under it on Christmas eve night.

Now i am living at my Mums house we have decided to use our Christmas tree from our old house as my mums was 3ft tall and an embarrassment that i refuse to put up, so we have my lovely artificial 6.5ft tree with my beautiful baubles.

There are some photos i took of the stages of decorating the tree with some of my favourite baubles and where i bought them from throughout the blog.

Now i did put this up before December but i am very impatient and lots of people on my news feed on social media had theres up and i wanted to join in with the tree spam and put mine up too, i decided to put it up on Sunday the 27th December. 

This is my tree in the stages we put it up, to complete the finished look it took about 3 hours, with 3 sets of fairy white lights and lots of silver, blue and glass baubles we finally got there in the end and i love the finished look.

This is the view from my mums lounge window and it has the tree in the corner with a yankee candle Christmas scent in (Christmas magic) a advent calendar from Aldi and some glass tree ornaments from Asda and a snowman from the range all bought last year, this is subtle but still festive and not over the top with decorations.

Here are my Top 6 baubles on my tree;

• Angel top left is from the range along with the blue star/ flower and the chandelier and ranged in prices from £2 +.
• The glass cinderella slipper bauble is what i bought from Florida back in June from the Christmas store at Disney Springs and cost $16 i think but well worth it as i love Disney.
• The silver bow is from home bargains at 69p each, i got these last year.
• The silver glitter globe bottom right is from home sense which is tk maxx home store and they came in a set of 2 for £5.99.

I also have a thing about the wrapping paper i buy must match the colours of my tree as i like everything to have a theme and flow , i think thats the visual merchandiser in me coming out, as i don’t do mismatch things and like colours from the same palette, if people wrap my presents in red paper they tend to be put to the back of the tree as i don’t want them on show.

This wrapping paper is from Matalan in a pack of 3 and on offer 3 for 2 at the minute.

Every year i like to add a new bauble especially with the date on, last year we had a 2015. one from M&S but they don’t do them this year and i am struggling to find a nice 2016 bauble, its still early days and i am on the look out but for now i’ve settled on the dress bauble in the photo above as its super girly and delicate looking, this was also from the range and it is glass so i had to be very careful with this one.

I hope you like my step by step of decorating my tree and thanks for reading x