12 Days Of Christmas | Gift Guide For Children

Day 3 of my '12 Days Of Christmas' posts.

Today, I thought I'd follow the theme of the Gift Guides I have previously posted and bring you the last one 'For Children'.

I thought I'd split it into boys & girls, aimed at 3-16 year olds, but all gifts may not be applicable. 

The two gift guides are very similar but I thought I'd split them up anyway. 

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1. Lindt Santa Sleigh £8.99 - Chocolate is always a good idea! Whats a better present for a child than chocolate? Nothing I tell you. 

2. Marvel Superheroes Eau de Toilette Gift Set £10 - I think it's such a cute idea to get a young boy a mini aftershave gift set. It's the start of him growing up!

3. Animal Towel £12.50 - I used to have a dalmatian one of these and it was the best thing ever! They're so fun to play around in too.

4. Cluedo Board Game £14.99 - Last year my little sister received this from Santa, and I must say, I think my dad and I enjoyed playing this more than she actually did! With all the electronics about today, I think it's nice to still have traditional games, such as Cluedo.

5. Harrods Annual Christmas Bear £24.95 - I received one of these for my first Christmas and it has always stayed with me. It is a tradition in my family that every new child born, gets a Harrods Annual Christmas Bear for their first Christmas.

6. Fairisle Pattern Navy All-In-Ove (3-16 Years) £25-£31 - Once again, you can't go wrong with a onesie! Perfect for snuggling up in on boxing day whilst you're doing nothing. 

7. Lego Movie Lego £49.99 - Lego is a present you definitely can't go wrong with, in fact it's rated the number one toy according to a programme I watched this weekend! Any boy of any age would love Lego - trust me, my 19 year old boyfriend STILL loves it at his age! It's a foolproof present and there are now so many different types to choose from to suit anyone.

8. Disney Pixar The Complete DVD Collection £67.49 - Disney is of course the best! Even adults I think would appreciate this.

9. Experience Day - I think experience days are a great gift as it allows you to give someone the gift of something they wouldn't usually expect, such as being a zookeeper for the day or visiting their favourite football team's stadium. They ideal for any age as there are many different experience days to pick from.

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1. Minnie Mouse Eau de Toilette Gift Set £6 - I always loved getting mini perfume sets as presents; it made me feel all grown up!

2. Lindt Santa Sleigh £8.99 - As I said before every child loves chocolate!

3. Guess Who? Board Game £10 - Another classic board game that I used to play for hours on end. I don't think there's anything better than a classic game that all the family can get involved in.

4. Animal Towel £12.50 - Once again, animal towels are so cute and fun.

5. Red Reindeer Fleece All-In-One (3-16 Years) £20.50-£26.50 - I love this onesie, it looks so cosy - I might have to go into Next and try it on for size. 

6. Harrods Annual Christmas Bear £24.95 - Again, this is a tradition in my family to buy a baby it for their first Christmas. I think it's lovely to grow up with a bear that has been with you since the beginning.

7. Disney Princess Lego £24.99 - Who said girls can't like lego? I would have loved this when I was younger! A great way to incorporate Disney and lego - two of the best inventions! 

8. Disney Pixar The Complete DVD Collection £67.49 - Disney, Disney, Disney. What more needs to be said? It's the best and anyone of any age would appreciate it.

9. Experience Day - Experience days, like I said before are a great idea for children of all ages. So, if you're stuck for ideas, why not just buy an experience day?

What ideas do you have for presents this year?

How are you liking my '12 Days Of Christmas' posts?
Keep an ear out for tomorrow's post!

12 Days Of Christmas | Christmas Wish-List

For the second day of my '12 Days Of Christmas' I thought I'd tell you my Christmas Wish-List for this year. 

As a disclaimer this is strictly a wish-list. 

A couple of the things on here, I know I am potentially going to get, however other things are likely to be on my wish-list for a while.

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1. Real Techniques Stippling Brush £11.99 - The first thing on my Christmas wish-list is the Real Techniques Stippling Brush. I already have one of these, which I received for Christmas last year, however it's starting to malt now, so it's best I get a new one.

2. Real Techniques Powder Brush £12.99 - Another Real Techniques brush I'm wanting this year is the Powder Brush. I rarely use powder, however I'd use this for either bronzer or blusher.

3. Noto 2015 Diary £15 - I've been after a nice diary for ages & when's a better time to get a diary than Christmas? Perfect to go into the new year with. I love this simple diary, it looks so chic.

4. Techlink Recharge 2000 £19.95 - Another thing I've been after for a while is a portable charger. If I don't get one for Christmas, I will definitely be buying myself one after.

5. Michael Kors Card Holder £35 - I love the look of this Michael Kors card holder, again, something that I've been after for a while. This is definitely on my Christmas wish-list.

6. 1TB Mobile Hard Drive £74.95 - Perhaps a boring present to some but I'm in need of a hard drive for my computer as it's just getting too full of photos!

7. Russell & Bromley Chester Loafers £165 - I am in love with these Russell & Bromley loafers! I am yet to decide whether to put them on my Christmas list or purchase them myself after Christmas, but they are just gorgeous.

8. Michael Kors Watch £209 - I'm not a huge fan of Michael Kors watches that normally come to mind when you think of them - either huge gold or rose gold sparkly ones - however I love this silver one. The sterling silver will always be a timeless classic that won't date, which is something I'm really looking for in a watch. I want a watch that I'll be able to wear for years to come.

9. Mulberry Tessie Tote £595 - The most luxurious gift on my wish-list is this Mulberry handbag. I know I won't be getting this for Christmas, however I may ask for this for my eighteenth. I couldn't resist including this in my wish-list though as it's just so beautiful!

10. Dalmatian Puppy - Lastly, something I will definitely not be getting for Christmas but will continue to be something I ask for every year. A dalmatian puppy! Dalmatians have always been my favourite - to the point everything I possessed, had to be dalmatian themed, not in a Cruella DeVille way though! Just look at their gorgeous little faces! Hopefully, one year my wish will come true and I'll finally have a dalmatian puppy to call my own.

I hope you liked seeing what I was wishing for this Christmas.

What do you really want for Christmas?
Keep an eye out for the rest of my '12 Days Of Christmas' series.

12 Days Of Christmas | Christmas Cupcakes

This year I have decided to a little lead up to Christmas and name it the '12 Days Of Christmas'.
I know traditionally the 12 Days Of Christmas is from the 25th of December to the 6th of January, however I thought I'd do the opposite and post a blog everyday for 12 days before Christmas.

My first post today is Christmas themed cupcakes.

Although very simple to make, I love baking cupcakes, especially on Sunday's when I don't really do much.

I decided to buy some Christmas cupcake cases, Christmas decorations and Christmas themed flavourings. 

These are just simple cupcakes with a very tiny twist of flavour. 

The cupcakes in green cases were peppermint flavoured with peppermint chocolate icing & differing decorations; a snowman, silver balls & sugar pieces.

The red cases with just stars on them (far right) had caramel flavouring within the cupcake, with caramel icing - these were my favourite. Can't beat a bit of caramel!

Lastly, the other cupcakes were just simple vanilla cupcakes with both vanilla icing and chocolate icing.

If you'd like to recreate these, I'll leave the recipe below.

• 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk

I hope you enjoyed this post & are looking forward to the rest of my '12 Days Of Christmas' posts.

If you want to see what I'm up to in the lead up to Christmas, be sure to follow both my Instagram and Twitter.

Christmas Gift Guide | For Him

Onto my third Christmas Gift Guide, which today is for him!

All these gifts would be something I'd either get for my dad, brothers or boyfriend as I think they'd make great gifts. I picked twelve gifts ranging from under £30 to over £600 so there is something in here for everyone!

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1. Pyjama Set £28 - I love this set of pyjamas from next and think they would make a perfect present for any man in your life. They look super cosy and who doesn't love pyjamas? Especially at Christmas.

2. Christmas Jumper £30 - Everyone's got to have a Christmas Jumper right? (as much as my boyfriend refuses to wear one - I will make him one day!) I really liked this one from Topman, as I feel it's subtly Christmassy. If the guy you're buying for isn't particularly big on Christmas then this would be great!

3. Ted Baker Cufflinks £40 - I think cufflinks are an easy present if you're stuck for ideas, especially in plain silver. They're a classic timeless piece that every man should have in his life.

4. Dressing Gown £45 - I think guys would be lying if they said they didn't love a really cosy dressing gown, after all, everyone does! This navy blue fleece hooded dressing gown look so warm and fluffy - and the best bit is, you can steal it once you give it to him!

5. Pour Homme £56.50 - Aftershave/Pour Homme is an ideal gift for any man, if you're buying it for your boyfriend then what's better than buying a scent you love and smelling it on him everyday? My personal recommendations would be; Paco Rabanne 1 Million, Issey Miyake & Red Polo Ralph Lauren.

6. Jeff Banks Laptop Briefcase £60 - I really like this laptop briefcase which is perfect for the working man - whether that's your dad, brother or boyfriend. 

7. Ted Baker Wallet & Card Holder £65 - I love that this is a wallet and card holder that matches - this is totally my thing. A wallet is a great and easy gift for any man.

8. Leather Gloves £85 - A piece I'm not sure if I like on men or not, but I know many men love wearing them; leather gloves. The weather is getting cooler and as much as our men would love to think they can brave the cold, sometimes they need an extra layer to cover their hands.

9. Zara Coat £159 - I love the look of smart coats like this on men. Why not customise your mans wardrobe how you'd like it by buying him a statement coat?

10. Emporio Armani Watch £199 - A timeless watch is a classic present. Every man needs a high quality timeless watch in their life.

11. Lomography Diana Camera Deluxe Kit £220 - I would personally love this kit & I know my boyfriend would too as we're both photography enthusiasts - he's a lot better than me however! This is a lomography kit from Urban Outfitters which comes with different lenses and filters to create different photographs.

12. Drone Quadcopter £682 - A very expensive gift this one, however it is perfect if you're looking to treat someone with an extra special present. This would be perfect for any man that is enthusiastic about filming and/or photography.

13. Experience Day - Lastly, I didn't put this in the picture, however I think this is a great present for any man/boy. If he's a car freak, you could get him a supercar driving experience day, or if he's into a certain football club, why not give him the chance to tour their stadium? I love the idea of experience days as it's something different.

That's it for my 'Christmas Gift Guide | For Him'.

I hope you enjoyed this and it has given you some inspiration for a man in your life, whether that's your boyfriend, dad or brother!

If you'd like to see my two other Christmas Gift Guide's, you can find the 'Christmas Gift Guide | For Her' here and the 'Christmas Gift Guide | Stocking Fillers' here.

Also, keep an eye out for my next post, it's an exciting one...

Christmas Gift Guide | Stocking Fillers

If you saw my first Christmas Gift Guide post which was just for 'Her', you will know I am going to be doing a series of Christmas Gift Guides.

Today, I thought I'd share some ideas for Stocking Fillers, for females and males! 

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Lets start with the girls!

Christmas Cosy Socks £3 - A must for Christmas and one of the easiest gifts to buy if you're stuck for ideas. I love these christmassy themed cosy socks from Primark.

Fragrant Florals Travel Gift Set £7 - This travel set is one of those presents that is always handy to use for chucking in your handbag and is the perfect size for a stocking present.

Real Techniques Mini Brush Set £9.99 - I adore the Real Techniques brushes and think it's a great idea to have these travel size brushes. It makes it much easier to just throw in your handbag, instead of taking your full size brushes with you.

Thorntons Chocolate £10 - Mmm, chocolate... what's better than snuggling up with a christmas dvd and your favourite chocolates? I included these luxurious Thorntons Chocolates, but any chocolate is an essential stocking filler!§

Portable Phone Charger £13.99 - A portable phone charger is something I've been after for ages but I just haven't quite got round to buying one yet. I would say a portable phone charger is an essential for any girl that uses their phone a lot, as there is nothing worse than when you're out and about and your phone runs out.

Noto 2015 Diary £15 - Oh I'm in love... I'm really loving diaries at the moment and cannot wait to pick one out for next year when I go shopping in the next few weeks. Paperchase have the most beautiful diaries I have ever seen and I'm torn between so many on there. A diary would be great for a girl who can't beat a bit of organising.

Perfume Gift Set £24.30 - A perfume gift set is a great idea as it allows you to try a small perfume, and therefore if you like it you can buy the bigger version. I especially like this Lancome Miniature Gift Set as it gives you 5 small perfumes from their range which will last ages, as well as giving you an insight into their different scents.

Aromatic Deer Hot Water Bottle £25 - A hot water bottle is something which I'm asking for myself this Christmas, I've always wanted one and think this Deer one is so cute. PLUS it has a scent to it!!

Wildfox Eye Mask £25 - I've heard these eye masks are super comfy, and have had a few eye masks myself. I would definitely recommend them for an easy stocking filler, although, there are definitely cheaper alternatives out there.

Kate Spade Ace Of Hearts Phone Case £35 -  Kate Spade cases are great, I use to have one for my old iPhone and would definitely recommend them. They're so pretty as well as protective.

Michael Kors Card Holder £35 - This is another present I wouldn't mind seeing this Christmas. I've been looking for the perfect card holder for a while now and think this may be it.

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Pallet £37 - Now for the last item on the list is the Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Pallet. There are many variations of this pallet to suit any girls preferences, so if you're thinking of buying this, make sure you check out the others too! This would be a great gift for the girl who loves her makeup.

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Gillette Travel Set £7 - I think this is a great idea for a present, whether as a stocking filler or a normal present. The travel set comes with an Oral-B toothbrush and toothpaste, Gillette razor, shaving gel and deodorant and a Head & Shoulders shampoo. It is also 'suitable for hand luggage' so would be an ideal present!

Fair Isle Red Socks £8 - As I mentioned above in the Stocking Fillers for Girls, Christmas socks are a must! Although perhaps on the pricier side for a pair of socks, I think they look super cosy & christmassy.

Self Stir Mug £8.99 - For a guy that likes gadgets (and is a little lazy) I think this is a great present, it's a little novelty gift that is perfect as a stocking filler.

Lindor Gift Box £10.40 - Who doesn't love Chocolates? This Lindor gift box is great as it's Christmas themed.

Native Union Wooded iPhone Case £26.21 - I love the look of wooden iPhone case and think it is just the right case for any guy.

Pen Knife £23.50 - I don't know about the guy in your life, but my boyfriend has a thing for pen knives (I know, weird...) and this would be a great stocking filler for him.

Ted Baker Card Wallet £35 - A card wallet is a great alternative to a normal bigger wallet. I think this Ted Baker card wallet looks lovely and is again an easy, although slightly on the pricier side, stocking filler.

Made In Italy Hip Flask £45 - I think hip flasks are a great idea as a stocking present. Although this is quite pricey for a hip flask, it has a leather covering and just think it is a really easy stocking filler.

Vacuum 5 in 1 Grooming Kit £69.99 - Lastly, is the priciest item here but I think it would be great for any man. It is a 5 in 1 Grooming Kit, meaning it comes with 5 different heads which are used for different parts of shaving.

That's it for my 'Christmas Gift Guide | Stocking Fillers'.
I still have a couple of Christmas Gift Guide's to upload so keep an eye out for those!
I hope you've enjoyed this post.
You can find my 'Christmas Gift Guide | For Her' here.

November Favourites

ITS OFFICIALLY DECEMBER WHICH ONLY MEANS ONE THING...CHRISTMAS!!

If you couldn't tell I'm just slightly excited for Christmas!
All the Christmas decorations were put up last night, ready for today!
However, today I'm here to talk about my November favourites.

My first favourite of November is my Faux Fur Gilet from Topshop.

I've worn this almost non-stop this month as it's such an easy piece to just throw on over nearly any outfit. It's been great for layering as it's been starting to get cold here in England and I've been wearing it with almost anything, from jeans to dresses.

My next favourite is this gorgeous coat from Zara.

I've been after this for ages, unfortunately it was sold out in my size everywhere so I had to size up. However, my lovely mum decided to treat me to it as an early Christmas present and I am in love. 

I've worn it everyday since getting it last Friday and will continue to wear it this whole winter.

My last item favourite is my dressing gown. Perhaps a little sad but if you felt the cosiness of it you'd think again. It was only £13.50 from Sainsbury's which is quite a bargain for the quality of it.
Every night when I get in I just chuck on my dressing gown and cosy up for the night!

Now onto my non-item favourites of the month.

To begin, my favourite film of the month was Hercules. As you probably know, I'm a complete Disney fan but surprisingly I had never watched Hercules and I was just itching to watch it. So one night I forced my boyfriend to watch it with me and I was not disappointed!

I haven't had a favourite song this month but I've been loving a bit of Eminem and Dr. Dre on Spotify this month, as well as the Indie radio channel on there.

My favourite app of the month has got to be Pinterest. I've been using it non-stop and am completely obsessed with it. You can find my Pinterest here.

My favourite 'random' of the month has actually been shopping! I've just loved going out shopping this month, seeing all the Christmassy decorations going up and starting my Christmas shopping. It makes it all so exciting!

Lastly, my favourite day was probably yesterday! I loved putting all the Christmas decorations and getting right into the Christmas spirit.

That's my November Favourites.
What have been your favourites?
You can see my favourites from last month here.