thank u, next.

The release of Ariana Grande's smash hit 'thank u, next' which I've had on repeat ever since it's come out has recently got me thinking on a monday night at 10 to 12, standard.
First off all if you haven't heard the song then are you living under a rock? or if not you should definitely give it a listen as this song is so powerful, strong and meaningful as instead of slamming and shaming her ex boyfriends she sings about what they've taught her in life and what she can learn from that. Ariana references a new relationship with herself and how she's going to come out stronger and have some self love and be a strong independent woman.

This song couldn't have come at any better time than now for me as it's been a couple of months now I've been back at uni and just got out of a toxic relationship it's empowered me to be a better me and put all that negativity behind me and think about myself and the future.

Coming out of a long term relationship is hard but you always need to put yourself first and think about what is right for you despite how you might make the other person feel, this can be said for any circumstance, a family situation or a work related situation, put yourself first as selfish as it sounds.

Now, I especially know that it is a lot easier said that done having always gone through life putting people before myself and letting them walk all over me where I get to the point I am no longer happy and getting myself down because I'm adhering to everyone else but, if you never learn to say no then your life will always be that way.

I went through the majority of my school life not feeling like I belonged with a certain friendship group, now don't get me wrong I had a lovely group of friends but I never felt like I fitted in and that was no ones fault but I stuck with those friends being unhappy and feeling different because back then I didn't like to party or talk to boys that I'd feel odd but since growing up and having moved away to Uni which has changed my life in a completely different way I can honestly say you do truly find yourself when you move away from your hometown,  don't get me wrong I love my hometown, it's not the best town but the people there make it and I couldn't imagine havin' grown up anywhere else but it's like a breath of fresh air moving away and starting again meeting new people, being in a new environment it's great. I know it's not as easy to just pack your bags and move away but if you get the chance jump on it with full force as you never know what opportunities are out there for you.

I recently just came out of a long term relationship which started to get toxic on both ends I still tried my best for things to work even though it was clear nothing was going to but I was too busy thinking about the 'what ifs' and 'buts' to this relationship ending instead of thinking about what was best for me in the long run and since my breakup I've been so unbelievably happy not having constant worry and/or crying but instead spending more quality time with friends and family and just enjoying my life at 19 years old. I have learnt many things from past friendships and relationships and can say thank u, next in moving on to a happier and healthy lifestyle which I can say so far so good.

I've been having such a positive week despite the overload of uni deadlines and thought it was important for you all to remember to give yourself some self loving and realise your worth, that if you are down then believe that things do get better if you allow them too and moving on is a possibility even though at sometimes it might not feel like it.

Hope this little bit of motivation helped at least one of you today!

Thank you for reading
See you soon,

Katie x

Cute cafes & coffee stains

Living away from home and in a new town comes with a lot of new experiences one of them being finding cute and quirky cafes and restaurants that you wouldn't find anywhere else.

My friend, Abbie who is vegan found it online when searching for vegan cafes near us and was firstly intrigued by their name 'Om is where the heart is' this also had me intrigued as I was firstly thinking it's called this because when you eat you chew like 'om nom nom' but in fact I was wrong and it is called this because it is a vegan cafe with a yoga studio up stairs and apparently the word 'om' is associated with yoga when you are working out, very good 

marketing if you ask me!

We didn't actually get to see the yoga studio as we were too hungry to even think about taking a look and instead got seated and read through the very lengthy menu!
After we had all looked through the 181787 pages that were filled with scrumptious sounding vegan and non-vegan foods we took in the surroundings which were so niche and different! They had flowers hanging on the wall in milk jars and a feature wall which is very Instagramable hint hint, check out my Instagram to see more pictures.

The place was rather small with only a couple of seating available but this is usually typical of cafes and made the atmosphere very warm and homely.

After taking what we thought was enough pictures our food arrived and I was literally drooling when the waiter put it down on the table, it looked delicious.

We all got some form of avocado incorporated into our  meal but I got an avacado and bacon sandwich on sourdough bread with cheesy fries, which I know totally defeats the purpose of going to a vegan cafe but I did think the sandwich would be a little to plain for my liking so opted to get bacon with it.

Abbie, is in fact the only one out of the three of us who is vegan so went for a veggie wrap which was a wrap loaded with veggies (obviously) and hummus!

They cater to everyone's needs offering gluten free bread for anyone who needs/wants it.

After we had all filled our bellies until we couldn't fill them anymore and drank our lattes or in my case poured half of it on my self, typical Katie, we headed out into the little town of Slaithwaite to do some exploring and see what the town had to offer.

It was a rather chilly day and none of us dressed appropriately so we didn't go too deep into the streets and stuck to the main road and ended up going into a few charity shops for a bit of a gander but in my case ended up doing a photo shoot with the beautiful scenes we had the chance to admire.

After our little walk burning off all those calories we had just eaten we were shattered and decided it was time to head back home for a nap.

It was such a fun day spending time with friends and doing something different we wouldn't usually do!

Also, I believe it is really important to support local businesses such as this one and help people succeed in doing what they love. Local coffee shops are run by people in your community and care about it's people. The owners of the cafe were so kind and made us feel at home catering to our every need. I know it wasn't a lot but when my friend asked if it was possible to have cheese on her fries there was no questions about it she could have cheese on her fries, in other chain restaurants they'd have to double check with the chefs first and even then they could possibly say no! So help a friend and support independent companies you won't regret it.

Thank you for reading.
See you soon.

Katie x

The Great British Gin Festival

Yesterday I attended The Great British Gin festival in Chester as one of my gifts for my friends' birthday! Even though I didn't know anything about the festival or what it would be like I still thought it was something different and knew my friend would love it as she is an absolute gin obsess!

     

So after a rather hectic morning we arrived at Chester and at the festival which was right outside the station (thankfully as the heavens had just started to open).

It was held at the Carriage Shed, an outside venue which is partially covered with conservatory like windows which was needed for a day like yesterday.

Once we were inside and given our free 'Great British Gin' gin glass and programme with a list of 100 gins they had for us to taste (which included a chocolate flavoured gin which I am saddened to say I didn't try however, I can't imagine it being very nice anyway).

We were then directed to the merchandise stand where we deiced to get four gins between us for £20 so £5 for one big glass of gin and tonic is not too shabby in my opinion. And then of to the gin tasting we went!

After having a quick gander in the programme we quickly decided on what to get. I got Pink grapefruit with tonic which I wouldn't usually get as a mixer as I despise the stuff but I was an idiot and didn't realise that you could in fact get lemonade as an alternative but, it was actually still really enjoyable and tasty! My friend, Aimee decided to go for peach and hibiscus which was very aesthetically pleasing having a red/pink colouring to it and tasting very nice too!

We then walked around the venue which was rather small with very little seating so we ended up standing up the whole day trying to juggle holding a big gin glass, taking those pictures for the gram and reading through the list of gins, it was a struggle. But, besides that we had a bit of a boogie to the entertainment who sang acoustic songs of popular songs such as Bon Jovis - Livin' on a prayer which was in both of our heads for the rest of the day! We then had a search down the many rows of gins to see what our next and final gin choice of the day would be! But before we did this we decided to try a few of the gins that were out for samples. We firstly tried raspberry gin which was gorgeous! And then Aimee had a sip of her favourite gin, Rhubarb and ginger so she could feel at home still!

The last gin I decided to get was Blackcurrant and ginger and luckily this time I realised you could get it with lemonade so I did and it was really sweet but I love sweet things especially the parma violets gin so it was right up my street. Aimee decided to go for the strawberry gin which was probably my favourite gin of the day as I love strawberries, the taste, the smell everything, it wasn't too sweet as sometimes strawberry flavoured things can be and that can ruin it, but it was just right!

    

So, after about an hour of getting legless (not quite but) we decided to head into town, we didn't expect to be at the festival for much longer as it was starting to get rather crowded and other than drinking, which we had done enough of by this point, there wasn't much else to do so we decided to do something else we know and love which is eating food.

We went to this very cute and edgy tapas and Mexican restaurant called 'Fiesta Havana ' and decided to go all out and get a starter and a main! For starters we shared pork scratchings which if I'm honest weren't the best but we still devoured them as we were starving and then for mains we both got quesadilla, but I got chorizo filled ones and Aimee got chicken, which were much more pleasing than the starters!

Once our bellies were filled to the brim and we decided we could actually walk again we decided to head back to the station to head home after a long but very fun day!

The Great British Gin Festival is definitely something I would recommend to people, especially gin lovers as it is something different than an ordinary day out just going for a meal somewhere and can lose an hour or two from your day without having to spend too much money, so make sure to keep an eye out for when they're touring near you!

If you happen to be curious about my outfit and where things are from I have left details down below:

    

Camel Jacket - Topshop

Black chunky boots - BooHoo

Dress - Miss Selfridge

Black T-shirt - Matalan

Gold pendant necklace - New look

Black over the shoulder bag - TKMaxx

Thank you for reading, 

see you soon.

Katie x

Expectations.

Having nearly completed my first year at uni I can tell that year 2 is going to be even more difficult and that the expectations are high.

From the beginning of secondary school right up until now, I have gone through education with expectations form my peers and teachers to do well.

Now, I'm not saying I'm a smarty pants and consecutively receive straight A's and firsts but I do like to think I do pretty well and people shouldn't make me feel ashamed for saying that even when I receive a B instead of an A or a 2:2 instead of a first as everyone has something they struggle with and to have still passed that is and achievement for me even if it isn't good and up to your standards and expectations of me.

I am one of those people who starts work straight away as soon as they get it so I have chance to edit it when needs be and check over it 545 times but it also gives me that comfort to know that I have it finished in plenty of time and to not rush at the last minute. I often get laughed at by my friends for doing this because they are very last minute people and that's totally fine, do what suits you best!

But remember, by me potentially getting it done and finishing it before you doesn't necessarily mean I found it much easier and that I am expected to get a better grade. This infuriates me loads when peers say this as it makes you feel 100x worse when you look at your mark and you receive a 2:1. Not because a 2:1 is bad, because it definitely isn't, but because of the pressure that was put on me and the expectations people had of me to receive a high mark and to be honest makes you feel really shitty about yourself as you think to yourself that they are laughing at you as if to say "well I started mine yesterday and I got 1 mark higher" or "what happened you usually receive firsts" I am happy for you, I really am, I want you to be proud of your success, I don't want you not to tell people and not show it of because you should be proud of yourself, but don't then make other people feel bad for not doing as well just because of the expectations you have of them for having received two firsts in previous assignments and maybe have found them easier but still going wrong somewhere to have not gained full marks and that's totally fine.

This was very common in sixth form with bitchy people who would always talk about their success but never be proud of you, and rub it in your face when they got higher. I was never like that I was always for praising others instead of myself as I know what a bit of praise can feel like when you've done a good piece of work, but I'm glad to now say that I've found a good group of friends who are all different for when it comes to work ethic, but we are never for putting people down or acting surprised when they didn't receive that first they definitely should have got because they knew the answer in class but worded it wrong in the test and it just feels so much nicer and welcoming to have friends like that.

I also believe that I put more weight on my shoulders when I put the expectation on myself by not wanting to let people down especially teachers who go the extra mile to help you but you still don't receive top marks which they had faith that you could and are probably disheartened for you but that just makes you feel worse because you weren't just doing it for yourself you were doing it for them too. This is something I worried about when taking my theory and practical car test as I know my driving instructor was so confident in me but I wasn't and when I took my test I was determined to do it for her more than I was to do it for myself.

I know a lot of people who have high expectations put on them from their family members which can be challenging for them and upsetting when, even though they tried their hardest they didn't get full marks and get nervous to tell their parents, I sometimes get like that when I involve people in my work and they commit their time to help me possibly receive a better grade especially when it is something I was struggling with, but my parents have always been those "you tried your best and that's all you can do" type and I'm so thankful that they are but I still have that mindset that I wan't to do well to make my parents proud and even though I know they'll be proud of me no matter what grade I get and that it's only my little brain piling more stress on me to think about and the expectations to achieve.

I'd love to see what your thoughts on this are and see if you also feel the same way I do or if you don't feel the need to please anyone but yourself which is great! Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you for reading,
see you soon
Katie x

7 things I learnt in 2017

Hello everyone and happy new year (5 days late, I know) hope you all had a wonderful new year celebrating it with friends and family!

I decided to take the time for today's post to reflect a little bit on 2017 as it was a rather big year for me! I turned 18, passed my driving test, did my A-levels succeeded and got into my first choice university studying my dream career, but it was also a year of lose and regrets that even though I don't want to be reminded of they will forever remain a big part of my 2017.

I feel like a grew a lot more as a person in 2017 and learnt a lot more valuable lessons (like finally using the washing machine by myself for the first time) and for that I have 2017 to thank. It's had it's up and downs but over all I feel like towards the end of 2017 I have become a lot more of a happier and healthier person and that's only the start to an even better year in 2018.

Here are 7 important life lessons I learnt in 2017:

1. Not everyone you lose is a loss

Obviously going off to uni and being nearly a 3 hour drive away from my friends who I went though school with we are going to gradually lose contact and drift apart, it was a given. Now I'm not one of those people who would stick around if I was the only one to be putting effort into the friendship, nope, it has to be a two way effort or that's it, as brutal as it sounds. And that was happening with a few friends who I went through school with and even though it does make me sad to thing that we could have this whole life ahead of us doing amazing things knowing we had grown up together but things happen people move on and that can't be helped, you've always got to put yourself first so feeling guilty because you've moved away to uni and have drifted from childhood friends isn't a bad thing especially if they aren't putting in as much as effort as you to stay in touch.

2. It's OK to say NO

It's OK to say NO in regards to saying no to going out drinking or doing certain things with your friends who ask if you want to join maybe because you just feel like staying in and getting that extra bit of revision or staying in to save money for summer activities! I've often felt bad for saying no as I'm letting people down who want to go out and enjoy themselves but they can't because I'm not going or something along those lines but always think about yourself first and that if you want to say no to not going out then so be it, you shouldn't be made to felt guilty.

3. There is always better days

Since moving to University in September and as stated before being a 3 hour drive away from family and loved ones it has been extremely difficult being in a long distance relationship, now I know it's only been a couple of months and we are still in the same country and people have it a lot worse but it doesn't discount the fact that it is still difficult and I've often spent my nights getting myself all worked up and stressed because I can't just drive down to my boyfriends or friends house and give them a cuddle or something but it doesn't always have to end up in tearful nights, I've realised that being in a long distance relationship makes us both grow us a couple and when we see each other after months it is a lot more worth while so there is always better days.

4. It's okay to grieve 

I've had a lot of sad moments in 2017, losing two people who meant so much to do me made months really tough for me, as well as dealing with family issues that I wish would never happen and being the person I am I often try and hold back my tears as I don't like making a scene or people asking me whats wrong? Now I know they are just trying to be nice and comfort me when I'm down but I don't know if this is just me, but it makes me cry even more! But anyway, I've realised through all the shit 2017 has thrown at me that I'm allowed to grieve and cry, death isn't easy to come to terms with so letting it all out is all you can do.

5. There is no point holding grudges

In regard to the shitty things 2017 has thrown at me I've decided that I'm not longer going to hold grudges against people! I've always been a person to hold grudges against someone for doing me wrong but I've realised that you never know whats round the corner as unkind and nasty as it sounds you never know when it's going to be someones last day so why end on bad terms? I understand that some things can't be fixed in terms of fallouts, but I'm going to go into 2018 giving everyone a second chance, I am a firm believer that everyone can change but only if they want to so for that deserve a second chance.

6. You never know unless you try

I was so excited for 2017 knowing that I would turn 18 and have a lot more opportunities but It was only when it came to it when I had those opportunities I would always try and talk myself out of it! For example learning to drive I thought I never be able to do this and every time I thought of trying my anxiety levels would go through the roof and I'd often get upset and get myself really down because I had so little confidence in myself and the things I could achieve if I just tried! This can also be said with venturing off to Uni, I thought I'd never be able to make any friends and I'd just hate every aspect of uni but I thought up the courage for them both and I moved to Uni meeting a bunch of new people who I can now call my best friends and know they will be for a long time as well as passing my driving test only taking me 6 months, so never think you can't because you can!

7. You can only ever give 100%

I was recently at an awards ceremony for my sixth form college and the guest speaker was discussing how you can only ever give 100% you can never give 110% and as long as you know you have given 100% then you know you have done your best. He also talked in relation to criticism and that it is always a good thing and you should always take it as a good thing! I thought these were very wise words and inspirational to someone like me who often sees criticism as a bad thing and like I've done badly but it's actually just guidance to how you can improve and should always take it into account.

Well there are 7 important things I learnt in 2017 that I intend to take into 2018 and continue to learn and grow as a person!

I can't wait to see what 2018 has in store for me, fingers crossed it's a good year for us all

Thank you for reading, see you soon.

Katie x

What I got for Christmas 2017

Welcome back everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and if you don't celebrate Christmas then I hope you still had a wonderful day!

I'm here today with a 'What I got for Christmas 2017 blog post' as these are very popular at this time of the year and I know a lot of people like to read them, me being one of them! I love being a little nosy and seeing what beautiful gifts people received on Christmas day and just seeing how happy everyone looks with the gifts they got that is why I thought I would share with you by own.

As on most posts and videos like these a little disclaimer is necessary to say in no way shape or form am I boasting or attention seeking I am just showing you guys the lovely gifts I received this year and am always very thankful for what I receive!

The first present I opened was this TOPSHOP beige duster jacket with a detachable fur collar that I had been eyeing up for a while now but couldn't justify spending that much on it so decided to ask for it for Christmas instead, hoping I would receive it on the big day! And thanks to my lovely parents I was lucky enough to receive it! I've always wanted a bit of a more sophisticated and fancier jacket to wear on special occasions and this is perfect for that!

The second present I opened was this gorgeous Morphe 35R palette which has also been on my wishlist for quite some time now but thought I'd save it for my Christmas list instead of splurging on it for myself! It's a beautiful palette consisting of some lovely brown, gold and bronzy mattes with a few shimmers in there too! Seriously can't wait to paint my eyes with this!

Within the box with the Morphe palette I received the Nars radiant concealer in the shade vanilla! I've heard many good reviews about the Nars concealers and have always wanted to try one out for myself! My sister knew this and decided to treat me to one! With this in mind she asked me what shade would fit me best and after trying some out in Selfridges and consulting with the very helpful assistant there she told me that the shade vanilla would be nice if I was wanting to brighten up underneath my eyes and that's exactly what I wanted. So was very happy to wake up to that on Christmas morning!

Also within that box I received the Jefree Star liquid lipstick in Celebrity Skin! I recently used my friends lipstick who had this and was obsessed, its such a gorgeous pinky nude matte that stays on all day and dries instantly! I love it!

The next item was a little bit of a surprise for me as I was undecided between two colours of the Reebok trainers and was unsure which ones my parents would choose for me but when I woke up on Christmas and found out they bought me the khaki ones I was very pleased as I was thinking the night before Christmas that the baby pinks ones I was undecided about were definitely not my style, so they made a good choice!

My main present from my family was these gorgeous Bianca Chelsea Dr Martens which I absolutely love with all my heart! I've always wanted a good pair of Chelsea boots but could never bring myself to spend so much money and I am so very grateful that I received these and they will literally never be coming off my feet!

From one of my best friends I received the Iconic illuminator highlighter in the shade original which is a gorgeous golden brown colour and is very different to all of my other highlighters as I usually use powder ones but it is super easy to apply which is a problem I thought I would face and the glow is absolutely unbelievable.

On top of this she also gave me the most beautiful Pandora ring which I was not expecting at all! My best friend knows how much I love cute dainty rings and spoilt me by getting me this one which I'm in love with.

From my boyfriend who also spoilt me! Got me this gorgeous Tiffany bracelet to match the Tiffany necklace I got for my 18th! I don't own many bracelets but have always wanted to have one that I could just wear all the time and this is definitely one of them! And as if it couldn't get any better than the he even engraved our initials on the back making it an extra special gift! I love it.

At last but by no means least with the money I received off family members and friends me and my friend decided to splurge and my Jason Derulo concert tickets for next year! So thank you very much to all you who have kindly gave me money and helped me go and see him live who I have wanted to see for ages! I can't wait!

Yet again thank you to everyone who gave me a gift I am very grateful! And I obviously haven't included all my gifts in here just my main presents but I still very appreciative of them all!

Thank you for reading, see you soon!
Katie  x

Christmas Tag | 2017

I was recently tagged by the ever so lovely Katie from katiesummersfashion blog (make sure to check her blog out! I love it and I'm sure you will too!) to do a Christmas tag and here I am with my last blog post before the big man in red comes down our chimney, to deliver it to you! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas eating lots of food and spending good quality times with loved ones!

1. What is your favourite Christmas movie?

If you haven't already read my recent post on 'My top 5 Christmas films to binge watch' then you won't know what my favourite Christmas movies are but if I was having to whittle it down to just one movie it would have to be Nativity! I absolutely love this movie and even after watching it 18638 times it still gets me laughing! Such a good film to watch with a bunch of your mates or with family!

2. Do you open you presents on Christmas eve or Christmas morning?

My family and I have always opened them on Christmas morning and it will continue to always be like that! However me and my sister do get given Christmas PJs on Christmas eve as a little gift to wear them at night and on Christmas morning!

3. Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

I don't really have a favourite Christmas memory that instantly springs to mind as we usually do the same thing every Christmas but that's what I love about it! Just being able to relax and spend time with family especially visit distance relatives who don't live as close to me as I'd wish.

4. Favourite festive food?

This was the hardest question out of them all as I absolutely live for the food on Christmas day, I look forward to it every year! So I couldn't possibly only pick on and instead I picked three (oops) but they are in no particular order:

1. Pigs in blankets

2. Yorkshire puddings

3. Gravy

My mouth is already watering!

5. Favourite Christmas Gift?

As Katie said in her post it is very difficult to choose as I am very grateful for everything I receive but I have probably got to say my dog which I received 6 years ago! He was a late Christmas present that we got in the early new year and was a shock to both me and my sister as my dad always said no until 6 years ago! So lucky!

6. Favourite Christmas scent?

We've occasionally had a real Christmas tree but tend not to anymore because they make a huge mess and aren't the best with a small little naughty dog but in regards to this my favourite Christmas scent was the smell of a real Christmas tree, it would definitely feel like Christmas whenever you walked into my house!

7. Do you have any Christmas eve traditions?

As stated before my parents give me and my sister Christmas Eve PJ's to wear on Christmas morning and apart from that we don't really have any other traditions.

8. What tops you tree?

A beautiful handmade angel that my Nanna made before she passed away! We make sure it tops the tree every year to bring back all the lovely memories we had as children with her.

9. Whats the best part about Christmas for you?

The best part about Christmas for me is definitely seeing and spending a full day with my whole family and distant family who live hours away and we don't see as often! It brings a smile to my  parents faces as we know that they wish they could do this more often but cherish the special day that is Christmas that brings us all together!

Thank you for reading!

Katie x

2017 Christmas gift guide for him

I absolutely love spending money on my loved ones when it comes to Christmas and I think I do pretty well when deciding what to buy people (if I do say so myself).

However, I've always struggled when it comes to buying presents for any male relatives or friends! I think with being a girl I have a good idea on what other girls with similar taste to me like but not as much boys even though, I've been buying presents for my boyfriend and male relative and friends for a while now so should have had plenty of experience going shopping and searching the web for male gifts.

I know a lot of other people who struggle with buying gifts for men as they want to get them something they know they'll love but is also something more that a lynx aftershave set! So here I am to provide you with some ideas that you can buy for you boyfriend, dad, friend or even granddad!

Panasonic ER-GN30 Nose, Ear and Facial Hair Trimmer 

Now this might not be a gift that is on all of your male friends and relatives wish list but let me tell you they will be thanking you when they open this on Christmas day. I know not all men especially younger boys won't be needing one of these yet or older men who are happy with the way their facial hair is etc but not all men are into going out and getting their eyebrows done whereas this 4 in one tool can do just that and more for you in the comfort of you own home! This cost only £13 from Amazon and is a different gift from your average chocolate orange.

Vinyls, CD's or an iTunes/gift card

Depending on the person you are buying for and their preference on what they like to listen to their music on then a vinyl, CD or music gift card would be great! Everyone loves listening to music and would really appreciate their favourite album that would suit their preference. It's an easy but more thoughtful gift showing your loved ones that you really know them!

Beats Headphones or an Amazon Echo speaker

To go with the music related gift you may or not buy them you could pair it with some earphones or headphones depending on how much you are wanting to spend on your loved ones or you can spend a little more money buying them some beats by Dr. Dre headphones which come in many different styles and colour or some inexpensive earphone from the likes of Asda or Tesco.

Another item that you could pair with your music related gift is speakers! Yet again speakers can range from cheap to expensive but if he is a guy who is really into having parties listening to music or even just relaxing with some background music then this would be a great gift! I've heard many great reviews about the Amazon Echo which goes beyond just playing music it even makes calls! And is also voice activated.

Essentials - Dressing gown and slippers

Every guy needs to have a warm cosy dressing gown that they can just lounge around in whenever wherever especially on christmas day and whats better to pair them with a comfy pair of slippers! I found some goregous looking dressing gowns on John Lewis ranging from prices but this one in particular being £45 due to it's tartan pattern and soft cosy material! But you can find very simialar in places like Matalan for only £12!

Advanced car safety kit Extinguisher and torch - EVAQ8.co.uk

This would make a perfect gift for anyone who is often driving and don't think about taking essentials such as a safety kit or windscreen ice scraper because with England you never know what will happen! So having this little handy dandy kit filled with everything you could possibly need but don't ever think of taking on a journey would make a great gift and they will thank you one day!

For the amount of items you receive in this it is great for the price of only £30!

Virgin experience days

Now saving the best gift idea to last! 

Virgin experience days are offering Christmas Gift and experiences ranging from as little as £15 for a comedy night for two or up too £100 for a test drive driving super cars! There really is a lot of amazing experiences to choose from depending on your budget and on the person! There is a whole section on the Virgin experience day website dedicated to 'gifts for him' so really helps refine searches. This would definitely be a Christmas gift to remember!

Thank you for reading, see you soon

Katie x

Top 5 Christmas movies to binge watch!

Now its December Sundays are automatically dedicated to wrapping yourself in your duvet with a
hot chocolate and nibbles, binge watching Christmas movies!

But if you are like me and don't usually like re watching movies (unless it's mean girls then that can be re watched every day) then you'll find it hard trying to find some good decent Christmas movies.

Well here I am in today's post to share with you my top 5 favourite Christmas movies! I've tried to include maybe some unfamiliar ones that I haven't heard as many people rave about but I couldn't leave out some really well known ones that are my all time faves.

1. 12 dogs of Christmas

Now if you are a big dog lover then you are going to love this movie! Its such a warmhearted film about a girl who moves away from her home time during the depression to a place where dogs are banned and after finding an abandoned dog one day she hides him and with twists, turns and a bit of romance along the way she attempts to have the annual school Christmas Pagent show with all the dogs she and her friend rescues. Definitely an easy to watch film great for all the family.

2. Rudolph the red nose reindeer the movie

This movie was my absolute childhood at Christmas and brings back so many memories when watching it. Yet again another great animated movie for all the family telling the story of Rudolph the reindeer being bullied through out his youth because the colour of his nose running away discovering new friends who accept him for the way he is but after the evil ice witch steals Rudolph crush and threatens to destroy Christmas Rudolph has to overcome his fears of getting teased and save the day.

3.It's a wonderful Life

Another movie that holds so many memories and a special place in my heart being a movie watched every Christmas eve with my family! If you aren't a fan of black and white movies then this probably isn't for you being set in 1946 when an angel is sent down to earth to make George wish of never being born come true he soon stats to realise how much of an impact he has had on other peoples life and how he has changed them.

4. Nativity!

 This is probably my favourite Christmas movie of all time! Its such a fun, humours movie to watch over and over again. The children actors are absolutely great as well as the very catchy songs which get stuck in your head all day long! It has a great line of cast member such as Martin Freeman and also has a cute love story along the way! There is also a nativity 2 and 3 however I do not found them as entertaining as the first one!

5. Christmas with the Kranks

A movie I actually only watched for the first time the other day and has made it to my top 5 Christmas movies of all time! Another great family, comedy seeing the Mr and Mrs Krank lacking their Christmas spirit in spite to take a cruise to the Caribbean until their Christmas obsessed  neighbours are determined to win the best decorated street competition and they soon see their lack of Christmas spirit.

I hope my suggestions intrigue you to give these movies a watch and love them as much as I did!

Hope you are all having a lovely snowy Sunday.
Thank you for reading, see you next week
Katie x

Uni room 2017

On the 14th of September 2017 I officially moved into my new uni accommodation that'll be my new home for the next year. It's a scary thing for a little girl from a small town in the lake district to move out of her hometown of 18 years to a much bigger city living with 10 strangers but it's also very very exciting, especially buying new bedding, knick-knacks and just general essentials. I've always been a sucker for buying home ware and stationary so I was in my element.

So, I'm here today to share my uni room home decor I have acquired which may give you a few ideas of items you could use for your uni room or bedroom in general.

Overall I went for a colour scheme of grey, white and pastel pink with a hint of copper here and there. With this colour scheme in mind I find a gorgeous geometric patterned double bed duvet and pillow set from ASDA costing £18 with separate pillow case and sheet costing an extra £6, I imagine you can get duvet sets from places cheaper however me being me once i see something I like I'll get it not taking into account the cost.

The pastel pink cushion (£12) and grey fluffy cushion(£6) which also matches the colour scheme perfectly from Wilkos and my grey super soft throw from Primark, which I'm not too familiar with the cost due to it being a birthday present but like everything from Primark it's very inexpensive. These were a must for me as they just add a little homeliness and comfort to the place making it seem more cosy than without them.

Due to my accommodation having shelfing already built in I thought it was important to bring a few cute home decor items making the room seem more full and feel like my own for example putting three of my favourite books on there. Aswell as cute little candles and other simialr items. My favourite item is the fake flower and glass vase from TK MAXX making my room more chic and classy which is the style I was going for, hence the Chanel Chance perfume being on display.

Like most uni accommodations they have a desk which is essentially used as a work station but me being a typical girly girl I spilt my desk into two seperate sides one where I have a copper basket from Home Bargins filled with coloured pens and fine liners as well as scissors and other stationary items as well as my pencil case and folder all chosen wisely as part of my copper theme. As part of my birthday gifts my family thought about me going to uni and the items I'll be needing so got me these three gorgeous notepads from PaperChase which I always love splurging in but try my very best not too.

On the other end I have my make up section. Which I store my everyday bits in a clear draw container, it's a perfect size fitting all my bits and bobs in and is so useful than having everything in draws when space is already limited as it is and everything just being unorganised and messy. Like my throw I also got this as a birthday present so I'm unsure where it's from but you can get very similar if not identical ones from the likes of Amazon online or Home Bargins.

Another item I bought which I found was helpful for being organised was an accessory hanger, I hooked this onto a builtin board due to my accommodation not allowing us to hang items on the wall but still it works just as well where I hang jewellery I don't wear as often as well as bandanas, it also adds a bit more to the room with it being copper adding to the theme yet again.

Last final items I thought (for me anyway) are essentials when moving away are photos! You definitely can't have too many photos of you friends, family or animals pinned on those builtin boards they're just a must they make the room feel more homely as they are constantly their so remind you of all the great people you have in your life this is also the same as photo frames where I put my favourite pictures in. I found a  cheap website that does professional printed pictures for as cheap at 15p as well as getting an extra 20% off with it being my first order, click here if you are interested. 

Finally, fairy lights! They just add more light to the room making it more cosy and homely. I decided to place mine round my full length mirror mainly for the good lightening for OOTD or selfies but for the warmth the create when positioned their.

So thats that, my new room for the next year, hope this gives you some ideas for when you go to uni or for present day.

Thanks for reading, see you soon.

Katie x