January Playlist

Image originally from Google

Have wanted to write a post like this for SO long but I always have other posts to publish before and usually it gets deleted. This will be a series of posts, I'll try and publish once a month and it will be a collection of my favourite books, tv shows, films and music of each month. For January I have been loving three TV shows in particular, two albums and one, slightly unusual book.

- Wavves: I came across the band Wavves via Helen Anderson aka. melon lady baby, aka. Anderz on Youtube as her band Box Of Light toured with Wavves. I instantly became addicted to the new album V. If you follow me on Instagram then you may have seen the new addition to my life, an adorable rose gold vinyl record player *it's exclusive to Urban Outfitters* so I've been listening to music much more and this record has been pretty much on repeat - it's so addictive and uplifting.

- Shetland: Myself and my parents have been watching the new TV show Shetland which I think is the third season *I definitely need to watch the first two seasons now* but it is on BBC currently. It's a crime drama, my favourite kind of TV show and you can watch it now on BBC iPlayer. I am definitely going to buy the dvds of the first and second season! Also Shetland is just stunning - I need to visit one day.

- Fortitude: Another TV show I've been addicted to, I have watched up to the eighth episode and I'm putting off watching the rest as I don't want it to end. It's a bit of an unusual and dark TV show but I love it and apparently there is a season 2 coming out this year.

- 2 Broke Girls: My last TV show favourite is a long term fave of mine - 2 Broke Girls. It is so funny, relatable, interesting and I love Kat Dennings. I have the first season on dvd and I've watched the second. I really need to watch the other three seasons as I know I will love them!

- My Dinosaur Life - Motion City Soundtrack: This is my last music favourite and sadly I cannot find the vinyl version so I've downloaded the album onto my iPhone. I always listen to music in the car, I can't not listen to music in the car and this album has been on repeat for at least a week non stop *I think I might have a problem*.

- Not That Kind Of Girl - Lena Dunham: One of my 2016 goals was to read more books and I'm aiming for 30 this year but I've only finished one fully and I'm half way through two others, oops. I hadn't watched or read anything about her before but I knew she was in a TV show called Girls. The book is a collection of stories about her life, her relationships, sex, working in the TV industry, her parents and sister and her friends. It was slightly uncomfortable reading it at times but on the whole it was such an enjoyable book and I read it in about four days! Just buy it and if you have read it and have any recommendations of similar books then please let me know.

Have you watched any of the TV shows I've mentioned? What books have you been loving lately? 

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Valentines Day Gift Ideas

How is it the first of February already, it was 2015 like five minutes ago! Anyway, now that it is February, valentines day is just around the corner and I have some exciting and freakin' adorable gift ideas for you:

- *Biscuiteers Personalised You're My Lobster Valentines Biscuit Card (£22.50): If you have an instagram account the you will at some point have seen the adorable and pretty adorable biscuits from the Biscuiteers. Cards are so 2015, say how you feel with...biscuits. I love the idea and the box the biscuits came in is so cute too. The design is unique, it's a memorable gift and best of all, it's delicious!

- *Chatty Feet Pillow Cases (£12 each or £22 for the pair): Now this is one of my more unusual gifts I have to show you, the people at Chatty Feet *they make cute character socks* now have a Taylor Swift..I mean Taylor Sleep and Johnny Slept...pillow cases. I think they would make such a funny and interesting gift. I know quite a few people who would love the Johnny Depp one!

- *Jolly Awesome Coffee Bear Bone China Mug (£12.50): How adorable is this mug! Perfect for coffee drinkers and animal lovers! I have a mug of an obsession with mugs, I can never have too many and this one is a very welcome addition to my collection. It is hand decorated and fired in England. I think it would make a lovely gift. You can add extra gifts inside or add the mug to a personalised hamper of goodies.

- *Jolly Awesome Bumble Bee Gold Edition Enamel Pin (£9): Another freakin' adorable gift idea from Jolly Awesome *I'm loving pretty much everything on their site*. This would make a cute and inexpensive gift which again could be added to a hamper. They have so many other designs too, I may need the coffee cup pin and the doughnut pin...and the pizza pin.

Gold ring holder handmade by me!

- *Nikki Stark Sally 9ct Rose Gold Ring (£35): As a blogger I am naturally drawn to anything rose gold, it's a condition. I have a few rose gold pieces in my collection but none as beautiful and delicate as this ring. I love the almost sound wave curves, the slightly hammered metal effect and the delicacy of it. The ring is so comfortable to wear, it fits so well and it compliments any outfit perfectly in it's understated elegance.

- *Nikki Stark Sterling Silver Ring (£25): I personally think these rings are incredibly inexpensive for the quality and the gorgeous design - I love everything minimal, especially jewellery. The silver ring has the same gorgeous hammered metal effect and it is just as dainty and delicate as the rose gold variation. I love both and I think they would make lovely valentines gifts that won't decimate your bank balance!

Overall, I think all of the items in my gift guide would make lovely valentines or birthday presents. I especially love the Nikki Stark rings and the adorable Jolly Awesome bear mug and obviously the cute biscuits! I have a short video showing all of the products in more detail:

What do you think of my valentines day gift picks? 

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Amara Living Valentines Gift Ideas

Valentines Day is almost here and to me it is a time to treat your loved ones, personalised gifts say so much and they are more special too although luxury gifts would be perfect for valentines day as well. Luxury items are usually products that people don't want to buy for themselves as they are a special treat so valentines day is the time to treat your partner, friends or family.

There are two brands that I personally have wanted to try for so long but they are also luxury brands so I'm always hesitant to spend the money on treats for myself. I was SO excited when this package arrived from the lovely people at Amara! The package from Amara came quickly, well padded and beautifully presented.

- *Neom Tranquility English Lavender, Sweet Basil & Jasmine Travel Candle (£16, 75g): Neom is an almost cult brand in the beauty and blogging world, everyone raves about their products, especially the candles. I chose this scent as I adore lavender and it doesn't disappoint - the candle smells incredible! It is floral, calming and relaxing, it would be the perfect candle to use on a pamper night. The candle feels like such a luxury item, not just because of the wonderful scent and packaging but the container is made from frosted glass. All Neom products come beautifully packaged and designed so they would make gorgeous gifts for anyone!

- Kate Spade New York Spiral Notebook - So Well Composed (£16): Kate Spade is another cult and much coveted brand in the blogging world, anything from Kate Spade is minimal, high quality and beautifully designed. I have a Kate Spade necklace and it's gorgeous! I chose this notebook as I think luxury or more high quality stationery isn't something most people would buy for themselves so it would be a lovely, luxury and practical gift.

I'm a bit of a candle and stationery addict *as most bloggers are* so both of these gifts would be absolutely perfect for me! Kate Spade and Neom are such famous and high end brands, I think they would make perfect gifts for valentines day. Here are some of my other valentines day gift picks from Amara:

What do you think of my valentines day gift picks? Have you bought anything from Amara?

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UK Flooding

Image from Google

If you don't live in the UK then you probably don't know about all of the awful flooding across the country since around Boxing Day; certain areas of the country will always be more prone to flooding than others but important questions have been raised - can more be done to prevent or reduce flooding in future? Is anyone to blame? Has enough been done to help those affected? Is enough money being devoted to flood prevention and warning?

The town in which my grandad lives was affected on Boxing Day by the flooding and the council weeks before had opened up the river running under the town which I think was part of a re-design and re-development of the town centre but in hindsight it may have made the flooding worse! The images of the town on social media were shocking, I've never seen the area like that before and the damage caused was quite far reaching. Also the photos on social media of Hebden Bridge, not far from were my grandad and other members of my family live, was even worse as well as Leeds were my sister is living for university. Thankfully my grandad's home wasn't affected but so many businesses and other properties in the area were, particularly the town centre and it doesn't seem like that much is being done and it seems that there wasn't much of a warning beforehand either, in my opinion.  

I think more needs to be done in terms of prevention and also warning so that people living in those areas to be affected can prepare their homes as the damage from the flooding must be awful to witness and to try and repair as well as pay for, particularly just after christmas. There are ways to help reduce the effects, the Home Owners Alliance suggest air brick covers and stocking up on sandbags just in case as well as excess damage prevention suggestions such as moving plug sockets higher, fitting water resistant skirting boards, sealing exterior walls and protecting the doors and windows. Flood gates or floor barriers may be useful too; also the government suggests making a flood plan although a better warning system would be needed for a flood plan to work!

One point that is useful from not only a design perspective but protection perspective too is smart storage (a point raised in my previous post about interior design trends). I'm all about interesting and unique storage solutions which is something I've tried to incorporate into my office as it has just been redecorated with simplistic and easy to move units and copper wire wall storage. I think wall storage, whether it's wire racks, floating shelves, boxed wall shelving and more are perfect ways to display valuable and interesting items as well as storing them in a safer place in the home. This is a collaborative post. 

The images of the flooding have been awful and so many people and businesses are still being affected by the damage caused by the flooding and I hope everyone gets the help and support they need. 

Were you affected by the Boxing Day flooding? Do you think enough has been done or could the flooding have been reduced? 

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Interior Design Trends 2016

All of the above images are from Pinterest

If you have been following me on Instagram or especially on Pinterest then you may know that I'm in the process of redecorating my blogging space/office and it's made me become even more addicted to Pinterest than I already was - the home and interior design photos on Pinterest are so inspirational and gorgeous! I have been scrolling through stores and Pinterest most days for design and product inspiration not just for the office but we are thinking for redesigning the kitchen this year too.

This is a sponsored post but as I've been a little obsessed with interior design recently and I ran a poll on Twitter about the topics I should blog about more and a lot of people voted for lifestyle topics, I thought this post would be interesting. Todays post is all about interior design trends, especially kitchen trends for 2016 from an article on the Better Decorating Bible by the kitchen worktop specialist, Mayfair Granite.

- Smart Storage: I think this concept applies to every room, not just kitchens, smart and space saving storage is such an important aspect of any home. I've been trying to find new and interesting storage ideas for my specialist vegan and vegetarian products in the kitchen for a while and it's not easy! Also in the process of redecorating the office, I've been trying to find smart storage for one of the smallest rooms of the house. De-cluttering and keeping things minimal will help and a new year is the perfect time to organise and sort, well I do this all of the time but for most normal people the new year or the spring is the time to sort out the home and storage solutions.

- Pendant Lighting: If you look on Pinterest you will not only been consumed by the amazingness of it all and you won't be able to leave but you will also have home envy as the kitchens on Pinterest are heavenly. I especially love pendant lights *they feature heavenly on Pinterest* and they look so futuristic and striking in a minimalistic way that I adore. Also as I am a blogger, I naturally adore rose gold pendant lighting! I think pendant lights would also be perfect for a breakfast bar or dining room table and I'm currently looking for a pendant light *rose gold, of course* for the office. They don't necessarily come cheap though but this is a trend I'm all for!

- Colourful Cabinets: I am a big fan of neutrals and white walls but even I think there needs to be a least some colour in every room and as the kitchen is the heart of the home, it should be an inviting and also interesting and fun place to be. Colourful cabinets, appliances and sinks would make a great feature in a more neutral and minimal kitchen space - injecting some life and vibrancy into one of the most used and loved rooms of the home.

Also the combination of mixed materials in the kitchen, statement bathroom mirrors, charming fireplaces, luxury worktops and open shelving are set to be big interior design trends for 2016. What do you think of the new and upcoming trends for 2016? Where do you get your home and interior design inspiration from?

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The Fragrance Shop Classics Collection Discovery Box

If you don't know, every quarter The Fragrance Shop releases a new Discovery Club box which contains a selection of the latest male and female fragrance samples as well as so many amazing money off vouchers that can be used instore and online for the fragrance samples in each box. I have the new *The Fragrance Shop Classics Collection Discovery Club Box (£5) which contains classic, famous fragrances rather than new releases - it's an interesting idea and I love it as I always tend to go for the newer releases rather than well know and well loved classic fragrances. 

The box this month contains ten fragrance samples, there are six womens samples and four mens samples. Out of all the womens samples, I've only tried one (the Lacoste Touch Of Pink EDT) which shows how useful this classic theme is!  

- Nina Ricci - Nina EDT: I've wanted to try Nina Ricci fragrances since I was a teen and I still haven't bought one so I was excited to find this sample in the box. Sadly the fragrance isn't what I expected, it is quite musky, old fashioned and cloying, to me anyway. Overall rating: ★★☆☆☆, 2/5. 

- Paco Rabanne - Lady Million Eau My Gold: This is another fragrance that I've wanted to try for ages but I never have. It is such a gorgeously fresh fragrance - it would be just perfect for spring! Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Jimmy Choo EDP: I've seen this fragrance everywhere but I just seem to ignore it, I don't know why and I especially don't know why now that I have had a sniff - to me it smells so unique! It's sweet and fruity but spicy, I love it! Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

- Dolce and Gabbana - Light Blue EDT: Now this is a classic, it was release in 2001 and it has been a staple sight in Boots ever since. I've always thought that this was an old fashioned fragrance, without smelling it, but now not so much. It is a very fresh fragrance with the main notes of lemon which I love. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Lactose - Touch Of Pink EDT: As I said, this is the only one I've already tried and I still really like it. It's girly, sweet and musky - it's quite generic but I think it will appeal to a lot of women, particularly young adults. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Hugo Boss - Woman EDP: Just a side note, the final three womens fragrance samples are not spray bottles which is so annoying - I wish they all had spray dispensers! Rant over, the fragrance is actually so nice! It is sweet and fruity *very berry like* but it's musky too. Overall rating: ★★★☆☆, 3/5. 

- Hugo Boss - Bottled: My dad really likes this fragrance, it's rich and heady as well as musky and masculine. He said that he'd definitely buy! Over rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Issey Miyake - L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme: Compared to other men's fragrances, this one is light, refreshing and citrusy with a hint of musky - it's quite different but I think it would be a great option for the spring/summer. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Lacoste Eau de Lacoste - Blanc Pure: My mum actually hated this fragrance, she says its too sweet for men but my dad oddly liked it, it's clean, fragrant and citrusy - not a generic typical men's fragrance. Overall rating: ★★★★☆, 4/5. 

- Paco Rabanne - Million: My dad already has this fragrance and he loves it - it's fruity, unique and unlike the others. My mum loves it too but I personally hate the bottle! It's quite distinctive and strong. Overall rating: ★★★★★, 5/5. 

Overall, the discovery club is a fantastic idea! This is the second box I've tried and it has given me new fragrances to add to my wish list and best of all, now I know which fragrances my dad likes *he is so fussy* so I don't need to guess when it comes to his birthday! This box theme is fantastic as I've been able to try some classic fragrances that I probably wouldn't have look at. The next discovery club box will be the spring box and it will be available from the 1st March. 

Have you tried The Fragrance Shop discovery club box? Have you tried any of these classic fragrances?

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