The Christmas Tag 2016 - Blogmas

I love the blogging tags that do the round especially Christmas themed ones.  I have seen a couple floating around this year so I have mixed them together, such a rebel (don't tell Santa).  For you beady eyed folk I have included 12 questions and answers, this is the 12 days of blogmas after all.

1. What is your favourite Christmas Movie?  I can't pick just one. Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street and a new one is Arthur Christmas. Oh just remembered Elf. It's too hard to choose one. Top five anyone?

2. Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Used to be Christmas morning when my brother and I were younger now its more midday.  Obviously only the naughty kids open their presents on Christmas Eve as Santa wouldn't have even been yet, right?

3. Favourite festive food? All the chocolate, so much chocolate. Though the thought of a good cheese board did nearly make me dribble slightly.

4. Favourite Christmas gift? My favourites are always the surprise ones, even when I think I know what I'm going to open I'm lucky enough for Santa to throw a special surprise out there for me.

5. Favourite Christmas song? I really like Driving Home for Christmas but I always sing 'It's beginning to Look a Lot like Christmas' so everyone thinks that's my fav.

6. Is your Christmas tree real or fake? I always had a real one up until recently when we got a fake one but it was a good quality one and I am so glad I don't get those needles stuck in my feet anymore. Anyone with a cat you'll know the pain.

7. Are you a pro-present wrapper, or do you fail miserably? I am definitely a pro. My dad is massively OCD about the wrapping which I seem to have taken over.  My boyfriend knows he is not to touch anything.  I couldn't even let him wrap his work secret Santa.

8. Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions? I normally work during the day, but last minute present wrapping and a good Christmas drink. Actually I think I'm going out Christmas Eve Eve so I may just be chilling in bed this year.

9. What tops your tree? We had an angel for about 20 years but a few years ago my mum decided she needed to hang up her wings so we have a red star now.

10. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixon.  Oh blimey and Rudolph. I think there are more so nope soz. 

11. What's the best part about Christmas for you?  Seeing people's reactions to their presents, I love buying for other people so its great to see the look on their face.   I guess it must be wierd for parents when kids get to my age, its like role reversal.  Also I enjoy spending time with my family having a good time and normally playing board games. 

12. Do you make New Years resolutions? Do you stick to them?  I am quite a reflective person I like to look back on the year and remember what I enjoyed and also what I maybe didn't get round to doing and use those as goals rather than resolutions for the year new. 

The Christmas Tag

1. Do you prefer a real or a synthetic tree?

We always had a real tree up until a few years ago, with a real tree I love the smell and the whole saga about which tree to get. But to be honest I don't miss getting the needles stuck in my foot when I go downstairs in the middle of the night to get a drink.  Always when you least expect it!  So probably synthetic you always know it's going to fit in the front room.

2.You're in a coffee shop it's December, what do you pick?

Ooh interesting, I really want to try the Black Forest Hot Chocolate from Costa.  I'll Instagram it if I get a chance to try it ;)

3.What's your favourite colour scheme for decorating the tree?

I really like red and gold they seems the most festive to me.  But I like to have odd little ornaments scattered around the tree such as my homemade bauble that I designed when I was 8.  My mum always puts it to the back but I try to sneak it forward every year.  Also there has always been a strict ban in my house, no tinsel on the tree.  My mum is a true Christmas tree snob, and she admits it :) So I cannot wait for when I own my own tree, there is going to be tinsel of all the colours of the rainbow on it. (Sorry mum)

4. Giving or Receiving?

Who can say they don't like receiving presents? But then again, who can say they don't enjoy the look on that person's face when they open up the gift that you have given them?  Now I am older and work full time, I spend so much of my free time researching and organising presents, it's the reason I now get excited for Christmas. Cringe, let's move on.

5. To Mince pie or not?

Sadly I hate mince pies, I try them every year thinking that someone may have reinvented them, but no it never happens.   It doesn't stop me from enjoying all the other obligatorily biscuits, sweets and chocolates that come with Christmas.  Jheez Christmas is such hard work.

6. What's Your Traditional Christmas Lunch?

Turkey and all the trimmings, and every year my mum cooks too much.  Once my dad bought a turkey that was bigger than the oven, there are only four of us.

7. Christmas Day Fashion?

Pajamas! This year I plan to wear my festive fleece pajama bottoms with my polar bear Christmas jumper.  Would never believe I work in fashion.

8. What's Your Favourite Christmas Song?

Driving home for Christmas, I think it comes from my love of American Christmas films.  They always play that song when the dad can't make it home in time, or so they think!

9. What's Your Favourite Christmas Film?

Miracle on 34th Street, the 1994 one. Need I say more?

10. Open Presents Before or After Lunch?

Before! Before! If I ever make it till I'm old and grey, I still will never sleep the night before Christmas.  I don't know how anyone does.

The Liebster Award

I am very pleased, and actually quite overwhelmed, to say that I have been nominated for The Liebster Award by the lovely Frankie at Frankie's Say. 

The Liebster Award is a way of encouraging small, up and coming bloggers to get involved in the community. To me, being nominated shows that my blog is not only a personal hobby and place for me to share my thoughts, but is also recognised by someone else in the blogging world. So I am very grateful for Frankie for showing me that my hard work is appreciated.

The Rules:

The nominee must link back to the blogger who nominated them to keep the community link

The nominee must state 11 facts about themselves so that everyone can find out more about them

The nominee must then answer the questions provided by the blogger who nominated them

The nominee must also nominate a further 3-5 bloggers with less than 200 followers who they think deserve the recognition and post 11 questions for them to answer

Also, don't forget to let them know that they have been nominated

The Facts:

1. I love Millie's Iced Smoothies

2. The sun puts me in such a good mood, the rain sort of depresses me
3. I eat Nutella straight out of the tub with a spoon
4. I hate snow, skiing and ice skating
5. My favourite Disney film is Aladdin
6. I nap so much, then wonder why I don't sleep at night
7. My feet and hands are always cold
8. Seeing an old person alone always makes me sad. Unless it's a crazy old woman waving her walking stick around. Then I get scared
9. I always make stupid faces in pictures, then when I see the picture I regret doing the silly face. I never learn
10. I love listening to the radio
11. I live in an organised mess. My mother would tell you different though

Questions from Frankie:

1. What's your favourite day of the week? Saturday, lie ins while catching up with the beauty world and a good night out.

2. If you could be any celebrity for the day who would it be? Kelly Brook, I absolutely love her. Not only is she amazingly pretty but she has a lovely personality and doesn't take herself too seriously.

3. Favourite place to eat out at? Anywhere that sells pasta. Or a good cocktail.

4. What one makeup brand dominates your makeup bag? I have brands that dominate certain parts, for example Sleek dominates my eyeshadow palettes. In my current makeup bag though, it's Maybelline.

5. Why did you become a blogger? I spent about 3 years reading other people's blogs and watching Youtube videos, always wanting to share my own views and passion. One day I decided to take the plunge and just do it. One of the best decisions I ever made, I love it and wish I had done it sooner.

6. What is your favourite item of clothing you own? My leather jacket from Miss Selfridge, it goes with everything from jeans to dresses. Definitely a staple in my wardrobe.

7. Iphone or blackberry? I loved my old Blackberry till it died on me, so now I'm an iphone geek. 

8. Where do you work if you have a job? Full-time student, though would prefer to just talk about makeup all day.

9. Do you have any pets? Yes a Persian cat. She thinks she's a human though, she even sits upright in a chair.

10. What's your favourite blog to read? Oh I have so many I can't name them all but I always look forward to reading Corrie's blog at Dizzybrunette3

11. Who couldn't you live without? My dad, or my mum, or my boyfriend actually there are quite a lot of people.

I Nominate:

Emma - Girl with Makeup

Ashleigh - Ashleigh's Little Closet

Taylor - Beauty Blogger Taylor

Becca - Becca Talks Beauty

Questions From Me:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What is your holy grail product?

3. What is your favourite blog to read?

4. What are you favourite type of blog post to write?

5. What is your favourite food?

6. If you could have any special power, what would it be?

7. Would you prefer to be freezing cold or boiling hot? (Neither is not allowed)

8. Where is your favourite place to shop?

9. What is your favourite country or place to be?

10. Cats or dogs?

11. What is your favourite lipstick/lipgloss?

What's In My Bag

I love these types of posts.  I would love you give you lots of intriguing reasons why, but the truth is plan and simple. I'm nosey! Don't you pretend like you're not too. 

Right let's get on with it. My handbag is from River Island £30, but I bought it on ASOS and to be honest I wasn't impressed with their service. They sent me one that had already been sent back because it was faulty. It had a fault sticker on it and it was still sent out to me. I contacted them and they sent me a new one, once I had returned the faulty one, bit of a palava really. I love it though, I fit most of my life in here which is what I like and goes with practically every outfit. I only wish the shoulder strap was slightly shorter as I'm not a fan of my handbag swinging down by my ankles. 

My purse is also from River Island, I didn't realise I was such a big fan. This is actually a few years old but I know the style is still available but it might possibly be in a different colour. I really like this purse I can also use it as a clutch on a night out as its compact but also big enough to fit my phone in it. I'm not keen on how hard it is to get your cards in and out of the main card section, I've broken a couple of nails. 

My little odds and sods back from Primark. This doesn't normally come everywhere with me, but I went to see my parents at the weekend so it's nice to have a little bag that you know contains some essentials.

Some beauty bits that come along for the ride, I don't normally have a big bottle of perfume either but I threw it in there as I forgot to pack it in my larger bag that I was taking away with me.
My little Travalo is so handy, I usually take this with me on a night out to freshen up. I think there is Ted Baker body spray in there at the moment. Hand Food and Hand Maid are both Soap and Glory products, both I really love. The scents are amazing, Hand Food is really similar to the Righteous Butter but in a littler formula and Hand Maid smells florally and is a really great hand sanitiser.

Notebooks and diaries, I can't help it I normally have 3 different ones with me, don't ask.  The smaller pink one is from Wilkinsons for under £1 and I bought it to keep all the information about my trip to New York with me. Important contact details, accommodation and flight details, that sort of thing.  I now use it for everyday notes that I want to jot down and To Do lists. It is so handy as it's not bulky but I can include everything that I need on one/ two pages.  The taller pink one with leopard print is from WHSmiths and cost me about £7. This is my everyday diary, mainly includes any deadlines and work that needs to be handed in. 

I am a little bit of a hoarder and tend to keep the receipts of things that I might take back in my bag and not my purse, strange I know but they are safer there. I've got loads of No7 vouchers floating around too. Another bottle of Blink drops as the other bottle isn't normally in there. Wires and Headphones always seem to end up in my bag for some reason and get everything else caught up with them.

In the little pocket at the back is my favourite section, I keep my lipsticks: 17 - Flirt and Mac -Peach Blossom as well as Blistex intensive Lip salve which has helped my cracked lips. My little mirror is from Next and I love it, it has a magnified mirror as well as a normal one which is handy.  Random earrings get everywhere in my house, let me know if your earrings turn up in some strange places too.

So that's a little insight to my handbag, something a little bit different from me so I hope you liked it. If you do like these more personally posts please tell me and I will try and do some more.

How Much Is Your Face Worth? | TAG

I've seen a few people do this tag, but I first saw it on Louise's blog.  This post is where you total up the cost of all the products used to create a Face of The Day, I'm going to do my current everyday makeup using the products from my Shopping My Stash post.

17 Photo Flawless Primer  £4.99

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation  £6.99
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer  £4.19

 Maybelline Dream Matte Powder  £7.19

Natural Collection Bronzer  £1.99

NYX Cream Blush  £5.50
HD Brow Palette  £19.96

No7 Eyeliner  £6.50
Maybelline Falsies Mascara  £7.99
L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipstick  £7.99

This comes to a total of £92.10.  Obviously this is not including brushes, tools or skincare so could have been much worse.  As this is my basic every day pop to the shops routine I am actually shocked and definitely do not want to even think about a night out look when I mix in more high end products.

How much is your face worth?