Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan | Book Review

This is a spoiler-free review of Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan.

You will like Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery if you’re looking for a cosy Christmas book with plenty of spirit and a great story that keeps you hooked.

Set in a harsh coastal winter, it’s the perfect book to read under blankets, drinking a warm hot chocolate. There are even recipes at the end.

It has an almost whimsical feel, with exotic characters from across the globe whose lives converge on the small seaside village of Mount Polbearne.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery has:

• lavish decorations
• a pet puffin
• freezing cold weather
• wrapped-up villagers
• drama
• secrets
• more Christmas baking than you can imagine
• romance
• reunions
• a Christmas fayre· 

This Christmas chick lit is guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit.

Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan | Book Review

 

This is a spoiler-free review of Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop by Jenny Colgan.

You will like Christmas at Rosie Hopkins’ Sweet Shop if you’re looking for all the festive feels wrapped up in one cosy novel.

This book is a brilliant Christmas read. It’s bursting with everything you’d want at this time of year including:

• carols
• excited cute kids
• sweets galore
• a puppy
• snow
• family reunions
• romance
• Christmas shopping

It’s perfect for reading while sipping a hot chocolate in the cold dark evenings, wrapped up in a warm blanket.

M&S Beauty Advent Calendar Final Update

Here we are with the third and final M&S Beauty Advent calendar update. I'm already missing opening the boxes each morning. Between this year and last, the M&S calendar has definitely established itself as one of my Christmas traditions. 
Contents from the 20th-25th: PUR Correcting Primer  Leighton Denny Mini Crystal Nail File - I think Leighton Denny is such a good brand for all nail products. I absolutely love my Renovate Kit from last years advent calendar (which is still going strong) and the clear top coat from the Summer Box. Filorga Time-Filler - This is one that my mum really likes. A face lift in a cream. Formula Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream Shay & Blue Perfume - This little treat came in box 25 and I think they kept one of the best until last. Its such a pretty bottle and gorgeous smell. It is £30 for 30ml on the M&S website so a 10ml mini is pretty generous. Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - I've wanted to try this lip balm for ages as its supposed to be the very best. 
Unlike previous years, I've actually not had a massive Christmas comedown this year. Usually I get to about 9pm on Christmas night and feel really deflated because its all over. This year though I feel like its more of a festive season that one day, and I'm enjoying being cosy, eating lots of chocolates and relaxing well beyond Christmas day. I'm beginning to think about my new year's resolutions but I can so far only come up with 'Don't go on my phone before I go to sleep'. I want some that are ambitious but also achievable. What are yours?
Edit: I'm a big silly - I've included the Filorga Time-Filler twice in my posts and forgotten the Studio 10 Miracle Effect Priming Serum. Please accept my humblest apologies for this rookie mistake.

Life Lately

Happy Christmas Eve Eve everyone! After building up to Christmas for so long (I had the Christmas CD playing in my car in October) its hard to believe its finally here. The excitement was so real when I recieved my first few presents a couple of days ago. I love trying to guess what could be inside the parcels! I also watched The Santa Clause 3 yesterday which left me feeling very Christmassy. I love how the adults are just as, if not more, excited than the kids to be at the North Pole. I'd be jumping up and down with joy too! 

I was looking through my old instagram/ updatey posts a couple of nights ago and it was so interesting to see what I was doing a few years ago. I thought I'd do a new one to show you the nice Christmas pictures and ridiculous amounts of unhealthy (but delicious) foods which I've snapped lately.

From left to right and down:

there is a fab Christmas market in George Square for the first time ever and its so festive and cheery! | Frasers on Buchanan Street have lit up their whole building - its so pretty | my manager bought me this cupcake to have at lunch one day. It was lovely but I got in quite a mess because it was so tall| Costa festive hot chocolates are my FAVE - this year I've had the black forest (not as good as previous years), the toasted marshmallow (yum) and the mint (also yum)! | cute decorations I have hanging from my wardrobe | my first Christmas card this year, some Santa ornaments and a M&S Christmas candle | I've put fairy lights and tinsel round my mirror - love! | Frasers again | Tiger is excellent for these cute small decorations for only £1 or two | does anyone remember this laughing lady on MSN messenger?! | high fat, high satisfaction dinner of mac & cheese & chips before seeing Fantastic Beasts in the cinema | a Lush bath bomb | eye makeup inspo | I absolutely love Dirty Dancing and this twentieth anniversary soundtrack accidentally found its way into my Amazon basket when I was ordering my uni books for next semester | new shoes for work only £7 from H&M | Aldi's answer to Dominoes pizza - stuffed crust pizza for only £2.49 - don't mind if I do | they said these new £5 notes were unrippable - | everyone loves a snapchat filter!

Right now I can hear the rain pelting off the windows  - I'm so glad I'm indoors and all cosy. I hope you all have an absolutely fantastic Christmas! Let me know in the comments what you've been up to lately.

M&S Beauty Advent Calendar Update 2

Time for another update on what surprises have been in my M&S Beauty Advent Calendar over the last few days. These are the contents from the 10th to the 19th. So far, I'm really impressed with the variety: there's hair products, makeup, creams and now even a makeup brush.
Products since my last post: Rituals The Ritual of Sakuka Emma Hardy Moringa Cleansing Balm: I've heard lots of good things about Emma Hardy so I'm really glad that one of her products is included! NUXE Huile Protigieuse Oil: This was one of my favourite products from the M&S Summer Beauty Box so I'm excited they've included it again and in a bigger size. You can read my review of it here. Skyn Iceland Icelandic Relief Eye Cream REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: This too was in either the Summer Beauty box or last year's advent calendar and has sat in my drawer ever since. It seems like a product that requires a lot of effort because you need to apply to sections and leave in a cap before shampooing. Look Good Feel Better Mini Powder Brush Nails Inc Gel Polish in Piccadilly Court Percy & Reed Wonder Balm: This seems like a hair product I could get on board with as, from what I gather from the directions, you apply it like a mousse and it makes your usual styling and styling products work wonders. I'm really not sure about the smell though.  Rosie for Autograph Lip Glossy in Super Model Shine: I have been admiring the Rosie for Autograph makeup line since it launched but couldn't justify the price - now I can finally try it! I'm in love with the rose gold packaging. 
I'm going to be so sad when advent is over because I won't be waking up to this calendar everyday. My actual chocolate advent calendar has been totally side-lined. I had to eat five day's worth today - poor me (!)
P.S. A heads up for M&S fans: they've already reduced their Christmas wrapping paper, crackers, cards, etc. to half price!

M&S Beauty Advent Calendar Update 1

One of the things I was most looking forward to at Christmas time this year was the M&S Beauty Advent Calendar. My mum bought one last year before I even know they were a thing and we opened alternate doors ever morning. I absolutely loved it and discovered some of my now favourite products. I am always surprised at the amazing brands stocked in M&S from Nails Inc to Pixi to Burts Bees. So, come September this year (yes- September) I was tweeting Marks & Spencer asking for a release date for this year's edition to make sure I got my hands on one. They were £35 when you spent £35 on beauty/ clothing/ home. I think they're totally worth £35 because all the products are good brands and generous sizes. You can get some Christmas shopping with the £35 you have to spend instore too (or, ahem, buy full sized products of last years contents). I know its sold out online but the last time I was in my local store there were still plenty so there might still be time to get one. My mum and I are sharing it again this year because some products suit her better and vice versa. And its the time of year to share. I thought I'd do a little round up of the contents at the end of each week to share the excitement. 

Products so far:

Alpha H Liquid Gold: A product that I'd never think to buy but will probably end up being fab (like the NUXE oil from the summer box)

Ultrasun Face SPF 30: This also came in the M&S summer box. Its good for sensitive skin like mine though it won't be needed for a good few months.

Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil

Eyeko Felt Tip Liquid Eyeliner: I have wanted to try this brand for so long so and I wear liquid eyeliner everyday so this will be a product for me.

Filorga Time Filler

Rodial X-Treme Acid Rush Peel: I'm excited to see what this product is like as I haven't used anything like it before. I can't help but think of Sam in SATC when she has a facial peel when I read the name though (yikes!)

Autograph Nail Polish in Cranberry: This was today's treat. Its an absolutely gorgeous dark pink with gold iridescence. This one will definitely be mine when we split the contents as my mum doesn't wear nail polish - yes!

Pixi Brow Tamer: I'm glad that the Pixi product is from their makeup range. I fell in love with the Glow Tonic in last year's calendar so I'm expecting good things from this.

BeeLovely Hand Cream

Also featured in the picture is my M&S Christmas scented candle which is delicious.

Hope you have a lovely, festive weekend. I've already decorated my room and I'll be wearing my Christmas jumpers to work.

Christmas Presents!

I've absolutely loved reading everyone's 'What I Got For Christmas' posts. I hadn't planned on doing one of my own so I put some of my presents away before I took pictures. However, I did photograph the beauty related presents in the off-chance that I'd blog about them. I am so thankful for each and every present. I see a lot of pamper nights in the near future with all these lovely bath and body products. Special thanks to Melanie for the amazing gift (second picture) which I managed to keep until Christmas day (sheer will power!) I am beyond excited to try the Wet n Wild palette. I hope you all had a great Christmas.

Christmas 2014

I can't believe Christmas has been and gone. My first uni exams didn't finish until the 18th so in a way I feel like I missed out on most of the build up to Christmas during December (which I often think is better than the actual day). I certainly tried to make up for it though; the moment I walked out of the exam hall. I went to see a Pantomime for the first time in years and it was absolutely wonderful and so uplifting. With Christmas songs listened to, Christmas shopping finally done, Elf watched and TV caught up on, I ended up having an absolutely amazing time. What I love most about Christmas is seeing friends and family and everyone being so happy and festive. The food is also spot on. My mum roasted chestnuts on Christmas Eve Eve and everyone who was visiting tried one- it was a bit like an I'm a Celebrity challenge. I loved the way my Christmas tree was decorated this year too. It started off a few years ago very 'perfect' with coordinating gold decorations and gold lights but it has gradually become less and less gold until this year it was a multi-coloured, hand crafted explosion of amazingness. This year I actually remembered to open my advent calendar everyday too. How was your Christmas?

Instagram | The Last Few Weeks In Pictures #15

Hey Everyone!

In all honesty, I somehow cannot grasp the basic principles of instagram. Instead of taking a picture, adding cool effects and sharing it on the spot, I save 2/3 weeks worth of pictures and post them all in an enormous bundle late on a Saturday night (ready to post the next day.) This takes heaps of time, and I imagine my followers are a bit disheartened when 324837832 of my pictures come up in their timeline/ newsfeed (instagram equivalent?)

Therefore, over the next two weeks I aim to post pictures as I take them, which will make things a lot easier and ensure I use the app as its meant to be used.

Little rant over, onto the actual post! I have been so, so busy over Christmas and New Year; the homework I was given was off the scale which really sucks since Christmas is the time of year you have the least motivation to work. I planned to write heaps of blog posts and film videos etc but none of that happened. Its a shame that my blog gets pushed aside so readily as it really is something I enjoy, but I suppose its ultimately a hobby, and school is more important.

Ok I'm just going to stop myself rambling right there so this post doesn't turn into a novel (as my late night drafts so frequently do!)

Left to right and down:

Christmas decorations- all gone now! | shower time! | I'm so mature on trains | glitter gold tips | chocolate cake yum | Christmas eve | love this so much right now | MUA Christmas goodies | candle lantern | sleeper train cabin | almost Julz- woop | pretty papers | floral | BBC television centre | iconic | LONDON BABY | very healthy snack of course | new years resolution

How has your last few weeks been? Normal, non rambly posts will return soon I promise!

What I Got For Christmas 2012!

Hey Everyone!

How are you all? It feels like weeks since I last posted but its actually only been a few days. Did you have a good Christmas? Mine was great, though as always I'm sad its all over. Although, I am going to London for New Year which I am super excited about!

So, I thought I'd share with you a few pictures of my presents. I'm not trying to brag at all; I just enjoy reading posts like these so thought you might like to see mine. Also, I was going to film a video on this instead, but my camera has broken! We might need to make do with my phone snaps for a while!

I am very, very lucky and have already got stuck into trying out all my new makeup (expect lots of reviews) and using my new hair tools and burning candles (my new obsession!). The only downside is that my skin is terrible with all the chocolate! 

'Twas The Night Before Christmas...

Hey Everyone!

I thought I would write up a little post just to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! 

I've said many times in the last few weeks that I don't feel like I have had enough time to prepare but in actual fact today I realised that I have appreciated the festive season very much this year and so far its been one of the best Christmases I've had. 

I am SO excited for the morning to run downstairs and open my presents (yea I'm a child at heart!) and I of course will be sharing with you what I got.

I'm off now to take all my make up etc off, send everyone Christmas wishes then get an early night!

Hope you all have a brilliant day!

Instagram | The Last Fortnight in Pictures #14

Hey Everyone!

I'm currently taking a break from my maths homework which, frankly is making me want to jump out the window. I have a lot to do today, so I'll keep this post quick.

I've had a very festive themed fortnight (besides the endless hours studying which is not enjoyable at all!) I decided to have Friday night and yesterday off so I got all festive on Friday and decorated my room whilst listening to Christmas songs and yesterday I went shopping (and bought some new killer red heels!).

From left to right and down:

pretty lights in town | tree of lights | green nails | someone put this sweet in my Christmas card- what a good idea! | Santa decoration outside my house | snow fairy shower time yay | Christmas shelf- spot the Santa I made in primary! | my first Lush bath - amazing- | I got my secret santa gift yay - this is it after I opened and re-wrapped it haha | organising my jewellery | stocking ooit | Christmas dance dress | feeling festive! | Topshop nail polish from my secret Santa- it changes colour in different lights- ooer | my lovely Christmas card from Melanie (blog + YT) - made my day! | day 16/24

Its safe to say that writing this post has cheered me up a little and I'm ready to go back to studying (eugh!)

How has your week been?

Step Into Christmas...

 Hey Everyone!

Its officially December woot woot! Today was absolutely lovely- I really made the most of my first day off in ages. I went into town with my mum and it was so Christmassy. It was great because we weren't looking for anything particular so we could just enjoy the atmosphere. It was crazy busy- especially in Debenhams which had a sale across all beauty. We sauntered about and popped into Starbucks and I got a Peppermint Hot Chocolate which was delish (and big thumbs up to the Starbucks lady who spelled my name right!) We also went into Lush; their employees are so 'out there' and positive, the smell is amazing and the Christmas sets look fantastic! The day has well and truly got me completely in the mood for Christmas!

Have you been doing anything festive lately?

My New Favourite Shop - TKMaxx

Hey Everyone!

To me, TK Maxx has always been a shop that's just kind of 'meh'- I would buy something occasionally, for a fair price. Either my vision was badly hindered or recently TK Maxx has become a whole lot better. 

Firstly, I love their clothing. They stock an enormous range of brands, often small boutiques, meaning your unlikely to be wearing the same as someone else. They strike the perfect combination between great quality, stylish clothing and an affordable price. 

I think TK Maxx is absolutely amazing for Christmas shopping. If I had to get all of my gifts in there- I would probably manage it. They have beautiful gift sets from many different brands including Cath Kidston and Baylis & Harding, all of course at a discount price. I also discovered while browsing a couple of weeks ago a great selection of elf cosmetics Christmas sets (my eyes were popping out of my head as you can imagine). Also, their Christmas section is like a winter wonderland- ooh you get excited just looking at the selection of baubles and stockings. And the home decor section is beyond describable- shabby chic galore.

I love the very strong American theme running through the shop. As a avid (verging on obsessive) viewer of many YouTubers from across the Atlantic, I often find myself thinking 'I wish we had that here' but TK Maxx meets that wish, stocking brands like elf and NYX. 

I can say, without doubt, that it is my favourite high street shop at the moment because of its huge variety and affordability.

Where is your one stop Christmas-shopping store?