Daily Diary #5 : It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

It's finally here!

Tomorrow is December and officially the countdown to Christmas!!! I couldn't be more excited! This year I've gotten in to the Christmas spirit a lot faster than normal. The tree in the living room is up, the tree in my bedroom is up, I've dug out my winter coat and the advent calendar has been bought!

Let the countdown begin! 

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Sunday 30th November 

Today began with a big bowl of coco pops and the writing of a history essay; just like every other weekend. 

However it did differ from the average weekend when we put up our Christmas decorations!! 

My mum did the living room yesterday and it looks fab- 

And today I decorated the little tree I have in my bedroom and wrote all of my Christmas cards! I'm not going to hand them out just yet though! I sort of feel ashamed at how early we've prepared for Christmas this year! We normally laugh at people with decorations up in November, but this year I have no choice but to admit that my family is one of those eager ones!

The lights for my little tree need the batteries changing so it isn't complete yet, but I'm sure I'll post a picture on twitter when it is!

My mum is off work tomorrow ( I'm extremely jealous ) so she's going out tonight with my dad and I'm staying at my Nanna and Grandad's. I needed to stay there though because I want to make my mum and dads Christmas pressie and it needs to be left out to dry so I wouldn't have been able to do it at home without them seeing! You can see what I'm making them on my D.I.Y Christmas Gift Guide post but I'll also write a post about their presents in a couple of weeks when I've finished them!

To stay over at my Nans I just packed the bare essentials. I have school tomorrow and I literally just wear foundation and concelor in terms of makeup so I didn't have to pack a lot.

I packed it in this cute little makeup bag that I got from primark several years ago-

The things I packed were-

Toothbrush and Hairbrush

Travel Sized Perfume

Deodorant and Mini Mosturiser

Concelor and Brush

Foundation and Brush (signed by Sam and Nic!!!) 

Viatmins

And my Lucky Bracelet 

(because I have exams tomorrow )

My nanna cooked us a good old Sunday Roast which was super yummy- 

It was just what I needed after feeling pretty crap all day about the amount of exams I've got this week. It looks like my lucky bracelet will be having a lot of outings over the coming week! 

I think I'll do a post on my lucky bracelet sometime in the next few days because I'd love to explain to you guys why I chose it as my lucky bracelet. I've only worn it once so far and it managed to scoop me an A* on that exam so I think it's serving me well! 

I posted this picture on my twitter yesterday in a little collage of Christmas pics- 

I just wanted to put it on my blog as well because, without sounding big headed, I quite like it and it's really Christmassy and wintery and I love that coat I'm wearing, haha!

Sorry that this post has been quite the ramble and hasn't really had much of a point, other than to document what I'm up to and announce my excitement for Christmas! 

I hope you enjoyed the randomness of it and looking at the many pictures I included!

Speak Soon

X

Get Ready With Me: Aimee's Birthday Meal!

In a few days it will be one of my best friend's birthdays and on Friday we went out to an Italien to celebrate.

I took a few pictures of me while getting ready to show you.

Enjoy!..

As soon as I got in from school I took a quick bath and read a few blog posts. I'm particularly loving 'Inthefrow' at the moment!

I took a picture of the shower gel for no particular reason. It's good, but no different to any other shower gel! 

When I get out the bath I always put on something warm and cosy while I do my hair and makeup and today I put on these purple joggers I got from Brookhaven at JD about 5/6 years ago (!!!) and this topshop jumper from last year. 

Then I wrapped up Aimee's presents! Yes that is Christmas wrapping paper you see, but I thought it was too nice to not use and Aimee does love Christmas so it'll be fine! The bags not great but in all honesty I forgot to buy a nice one and this is the only one I had in the house! 

Finally we're on to makeup- the best bit!

 I used my Rimmel Fix and Perfect primer. This is the only primer I've ever used, so with nothing to compare it to I can't really tell you how good it is, but I think it does the job just fine! I used my Maybelline Better Skin foundation, which I am LOVING at the moment! It blends super easily and the colour is the perfect match! I powdered with the Rimmel Stay Matte powder (yes it does only have half a lid, and no I don't know why I bother to put it on!) which needs no explanation because I'm sure you've all used it, and finally I used the Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer. I shouldn't have put it on this picture though because I don't actually use it at this point. I use it after eyeshadow, to hide any mess I make around my eyes!

I used my usual bronzer and blush combo. The blush is from accsessorize in the shade starlet and the bronzer is natural collection.

I used the brown eyeshadow from this Avon quad to fill in my eyebrows, but since then I've actually started using a different one. Filling in my eyebrows is the worst thing! I just can't find the right colour, product, technique, nothing! It's a nightmare!

I used a few of these eyeshadows tonight. I wrote about this palette in my last monthly favourites post if you want to know more! I went for more of the grey toned colours that night.

My current mascara is this natural collection one and it's the lash-lengthening one. This mascara is just £2!!!! Yet it's absolutely brilliant! I'm definitely buying this again when it runs out; which I sense is vey soon. The eyeliner I used was this chunky models own one that has little flakes of glitter in it.

My favourite lip combo at the minute is this Astor lipstick in the shade 102 ( I think) and this benefit lipgloss in the shade 'Foxy Lady' ( I love a good lipgloss name)!  It's quite brave for me as I normally go for a nude lip, but I've been enjoying this look a lot lately!

What I'm Wearing : 

Black Skinny Jeans- Primark

Top- Select

Leather Jacket- New Look

Boots- Asda

Bag- My Mum's Wardrobe !

I really liked this outfit. I think it looks quite smart, yet it's really comfortable which is just what you need when you're going out for a big meal! 

I hope you enjoyed my first Get Ready With Me! 

If you've any suggestions for future posts then please let me know! 

Thank you for reading, 

Speak Soon

X

Debenhams Gift Guide : Under £10

Debenhams always have great presents all year round, but especially at Christmas! Of course they have lots of perfume and shoes and clothes but I wanted to find a few different things that you might not realise they sell, or that might go a bit unnoticed in store or on the website.

Today I searched the website for a range of presents under £10! Of course there are many more on the site than what I found, so make sure you check it out.

Hopefully I have included presents to suit all types of people, however if I haven't don't worry because I've got lots, lots more gift guides to come and I'm sure I'll cover them eventually! 

*All links to where you can find the products will be at the end of the post!*

1. Key Finder : £5

The first gift I found was this key finder. It claims that when attached to your keys, if you lose them it will flash and beep at the sound of a whistle. How well this works I don't know; to me it seems a bit too good to be true. However it's a great quirky gadget and I have to admit that I actually bought this myself for my dad and if you read my d.i.y gift guide tomorrow you can see what I'm doing with it!

2. Polar Bear Bed Socks : £7

Three words- HOW FRICKING CUTE!!!! Nothing beats a good pair of bed socks! These were my favourite ones but if these aren't what you're looking for they had lots of different colours, patterns and designs.

3. Family Guy Socks : £7

On the subject of socks, I found these family guy ones, two pairs for £7 which isn't bad. Again, they had different ones, all for about the same price, such as Mr Potato Head and The Muppets. 

4. Gloves : £9.80

These gloves are right at the top end of the budget at £9.80 but like previous gifts, they had many styles and brands of different prices so you may be able to find cheaper if you wanted. These ones are by Henry Holland and I just loved the colour and the massive pom-pom!

5. Hair Straightners : £9

I used to have some mini straighteners and found them so useful, but I think they were only cheap so they didn't last long. However being a good brand I'm sure these would last and be much better than the ones I had.

6. Glass Jar : £4.20

This jar was just £4.20 which I think is amazing value. I'm in love with this and would love to receive it myself! It's a perfect gift on it's own but it could also be used to make a D.I.Y present; come back tomorrow and I'll post a list of D.I.Y present ideas!

7. Self Stirring Mug : £9.60

Here is yet another great gadget! It's a bit of a novelty present but it's the perfect idea for on the go, maybe someone who travels a lot. As you will know if you follow me on twitter ( @deliriousmagic ) I love a good cuppa and have so many mugs but I have nothing like this so this would be a great edition to my collection! 

8. Quote Plaque : £3.50

It wouldn't be one of my blog posts without me mentioning my love for quotes! I had to include this because it's an absolute bargain at just £3.50!! Like other things there are many colours and styles of this with different quotes too.

9. Football Pitch Phone Case : £8

I really liked this case, I think it looks really good quality and isn't too expensive, as many phone cases seem to be now adays! Again they had many versions of this, such as ones with beer and pool/snooker tables (sorry I don't know the difference!). 

10. Magic Wand Salt & Pepper Shakers : £8

Of course I've saved the best till last! These are my favourite things on this list! I would love something like this if I had my own house! I think they're so different and fun! I've never seen anything like this so I think they're a great little quirky gift for anyone! 

Links-

Key finder

Family Guy Socks

Football Phone Case

Magic Wands

Henry Holland Gloves

Bed Socks

Straighteners

Sign

Jar 

Self Stirring Mug

So that's it! 10 Debenhams gifts for under £10! I'm going to be doing many more gift guides for all budgets and people! More from Debenhams, on all different budgets and ones from other shops too.

Hope you enjoyed! 

Speak Soon

X

Christmas Gift Guide : D.I.Y

This year I'm planning on doing a lot of D.I.Y gifts! I've been looking high and low for the perfect presents for my parents and in the end I just thought, why not make something instead? I think making presents is perfect! It really shows how much you care because you clearly sat down and took the time to plan it and make it and I think they're so much more personal and special than something shop bought which everybody has! 

Here is a list of some of the things I'm planning on making this year and a few extra things I found that you might like to make for somebody special! 

1.

The first thing I'm planning to make this year is a canvas for my parents. They got married last year so I'm going to use one of their wedding photos to do it. I got the idea from one of Jim Chapman's videos and I just hope mine turns out as well as his did!

http://youtu.be/OUaR1aboRoU

2.

For my mum I'm going to be making something that I've seen a lot on the internet called 'Spa in a Jar'.

I really like the concept of this and as a busy woman my mum needs to take some time out and so I may as well give her the excuse she needs by giving her plenty of things to pamper herself with! I've seen several variations of this and I'm going to use different bits out of different examples to make it personal to my mum and the things I know that she'd like to use. So far I've put in a nail varnish, exfoliating gloves, a face mask, a mini reed diffuser and hand cream. 

3.

For my dad I'm making a 'Man Tin'. I bought this on amazon ( just search 'man tin') for fairly cheap, although I can't remember the exact price- 

I'm going to fill it with little bits and pieces I know he'd like. So far I've got gloves, earphones, a key ring, hankies and chocolate. 

4.

The 1st December is one of my best friends birthdays and so I'm making her a present, however this could obviously be a Christmas present too! 

I'm filling a scrapbook with pictures of us and inside jokes and memories and decorating it with ribbon and stickers. 

The book and ribbon were from a shop called The Works, the pens were from Wilkinsons and the stickers and gems were from Home Bargains. I really love receiving these sorts of presents because they're so personal and thoughtful, so I really hope my friend likes it!

5.

Another great idea I've seen all over the internet is 'Hot Chocolate Making Sets'. There are two ways people tend to do this. One way is in a mason jar- 

This way's cute and if you add more things in the jar like chocolate chips or cookies, you can create a sort of ombré effect. I also love the bottle of baileys on the side, as it's a nice little touch. I know my mum would love this!

Another way people often make this present is in little tubes-

This way obviously takes a little longer, and I've no idea where you would buy tubes like that from, but I think this is such a nice gift and it looks lovely! I really like the way they've been decorated and I think they look super cute and are perfect for any age!

6.

This present is great for Christmas, especially for someone looking to get organised in the new year! 

It's simple to make, just patterned paper in a photo frame and a whiteboard marker! It can be easily personalised though to suit the person you're giving it to and you could easily swap the paper for photos of the person and their friends and/or family. It's a great modern take on the typical calendars, planners, organisers and diaries that many people get every year.

7. 

Another super easy idea is a homemade mug. The picture below has some instructions on it but I've never tried them so don't blame me if they aren't right!

I like the 'His and Hers' ones above. They look shop bought and much more expensive than they probably were! Of course these can be tailored to suit absolutely anyone of any age, so they're a perfect gift for so many people!

8.

'52 things I love about you' has always been one of my favourite homemade gifts! It's by far one of the most special and personal ones and really shows how much you care! This gift can be perfect for anyone; a partner, husband, wife, parent, friend etc. This gift is also perfect for any occasion, not just Christmas! Also, although I love the idea of making this on a pack of cards, it could always be done in a little booklet, or scrapbook or something similar.

9.

My final D.I.Y gift idea is to bake! Baking presents is fab! Everyone loves food so why not give it as a gift! There's so many things that can be baked and you can always find a way to incorporate something the recipient loves, or their name (using icing for example) and make it really cute and specific to them. 

I really like the idea of presenting a homemade gift in a little basket like above. It looks brilliant and is so cheap! You could buy a pack of paper plates for about £1 and that could make baskets for all your friend's and family's gifts!

I hope you enjoyed looking at some ideas for homemade gifts and that it's inspired you to make something, and get a little creative this year too! Making presents can be just as exciting as giving and receiving them, which is why I love doing it! Stick on a Christmas jumper, some Christmas songs (preferably Michael Buble) and grab a hot chocolate and making presents will soon become one of your favourite times of Christmas! 

Hope you enjoyed,

Speak Soon

X

Babies, Magic and Youtube- My Favourite Buzzfeed Posts of the Week

Buzzfeed is quite possibly my favourite app. I think it's brilliant. It's where I get all my news and where I spend all my time scrolling through articles, watching videos and taking part in polls and quizzes. Today I thought I'd share with you some of my recent favourite buzzfeed posts. Enjoy! 

 Firstly is 'A day in the life of an agoraphobic'-

http://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-agoraphobic

I found this so intersting and it'd be helpful if you have anxiety, suffer form panic attacks or are an agoraphobic yourself. It also has some great links for help and advice on any of these topics.

'Friends christmas episodes quiz' - 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/tabathaleggett/how-well-do-you-remember-the-friends-christmas-episodes

I love love love the series Friends and with Christmas just around the corner I really enjoyed testing my knowledge and memory with this quiz! Let me know what score you get!

'Man's adorable reaction to finding out his wife is pregnant' -

http://www.buzzfeed.com/richardhjames/this-husbands-reaction-to-his-wife-being-pregnant

This is such a great video! It's the cutest thing and I really wish the video had lasted longer so I could of seen more of his reaction! It's great, please take 20/30 seconds out of your day to watch this, it's guaranteed to make you smile! 

'Do you eat like a weirdo video'-

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ameliaallwarden/do-you-eat-like-a-weirdo

This is a little video made by buzzfeed and it just has some statistics on how people eat and drink. For example, do you have soggy cereal or crunchy? I found it really cool and interesting to see how many people eat like me and if my habits are normal or not.

'Two brides married in Russia'- 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/two-brides-tie-the-knot-in-russia-prompting-outrage

This is an interesting article that I enjoyed reading. 

Congratulations to the happy couple! They both looked lovely and, although it's a bit off topic, that room that they got married in is absolutely stunning!! 

'Youtube Quiz' -

http://www.buzzfeed.com/neyann/the-ultimate-youtube-quiz-r0f7

I presume that a lot of people reading this will be huge youtube fans like me! If so you'll love this quiz, testing your knowledge on all big youtubers such as Jenna Marbles, Zoella and Tyler Oakley! 

'The world in 2009' - 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/kelleydunlap/what-the-world-was-like-when-justin-bieber-released-his-debu

I didn't really want to read this at first because it's about  the world when Justin Bieber started his career vs now. However it doesn't actually talk about him in the post that much so I just found it interesting to see what the world was like then. It would have been better if there was more general things on the list as it tends to focuses more on the media.

'Genius Umbrella'-

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/this-genius-umbrella-uses-air-to-propel-rain-away-from-you-a

The final post ive enjoyed this week is this one about an umbrella that has been invented to propel water away from you! I think it is magic and genius and I would take so much joy in propelling water away from me and onto others! 

So they are my favourite buzzfeed posts this week! Let me know what you've been enjoying on buzzfeed lately! 

Speak Soon

X

October in Pictures...

Although this is a little late and we are already well in to the month of November, I was recently looking through my camera roll and thought I'd share some of my favourite photos from the month of October. Enjoy! 

1.

Here's a picture of what my makeup collection looked like at the start of October, however it has since grown, yet again! So let me know if you'd like me to do a post on my collection! 

2.

In October it was World Mental Health Day and the charity Mind launched the 'Don't Panic Campaign' for people with or who want to support people with anxiety. When you see a red button it usually means PANIC! So Mind wanted to change this and urged people sew a red button on to their bag, clothes coat etc. Here's a picture of me on that day with my red button on my school blazer.

3. 

This is a picture of me and my friend Aimee one day in October when we were walking home from school. We thought that the trees looked really nice so we decided to pretend we were flying and stood awkwardly on a bench while taking photos!

4.

Here's a rather dark picture of me, Aimee and Callum. We love sitting on this little bench. It's by a huge lake which is surrounded by forest and it's just gorgeous! We've been going there quite a lot together recently and we absolutely love it! It's so peaceful and beautiful and next time I go, I'll try my best to remember to take a better picture with better lighting.

5.

This is a picture of my bath that I posted on my twitter account last month. I love having baths in autumn/winter as they are so relaxing and warm. I used a bath bomb from lush in this bath and I can't remember the name of it but it turns the water this gorgeous pink colour and leaves little heart shaped confetti in the bottom.

6.

I, again, shared this picture on twitter in October. This is my favourite mug at the minute! My nanna actually bought it me in October because she said she saw it and it just reminded her of me and I can see why! I love polka dots, I think they're so cute and of course I adore pugs!! The mug is from Primark Home so it obviously wouldn't have been expensive and it's the most perfect size! It's slightly larger than your average mug, so perfect for huge cups of tea or got chocolate on chilly nights! 

7.

My final favourite picture from October is this one of me dressed up as a moose! I spent a day at a snowboarding and skiing event dressed up as a moose to promote an indoor ski centre in Manchester. I was planning on doing this quite a few weekends leading up to Christmas to try and earn a bit of money for presents, however after doing it once I am never doing it again! I did the job with a friend and we weren't treated very well by people there (not everyone just a couple) and the suit was so uncomfortable it hurt and it was hard to breathe and you couldn't see, I just hated it! I now have a new found respect for any mascot I see, as I now understand the pain they must be in!! 

Hope you enjoyed seeing my month in pictures! Let me know if you've been up to anything interesting lately! 

Speak Soon

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