For me resolutions posts always go the same way every year, you make resolutions and don't really stick to them however I did accomplish the majority of the ones I made last year, which is a first for me! So this year I wanted to set more goals rather than resolutions, and if they don't amount to anything I can at least say I tried, and keep on the goal list until I do eventually accomplish it.

Continue to work on my photography: This year saw me change up my blog's photography and in the beginning I was really happy with the fresh approach I was taking, but in true me style I found it started to get quite repetitive and I got stuck in a major rut with my photography. You may have noticed recently that i've been taking extra steps to improve my photography, and i'm loving where it's going, so I want to continue to push myself when it comes to my blogs photography in 2018.

Give my blog a much overdue update: For months i've wanted to give my blog a fresh lick of paint by giving it a new layout, but i'm just so indecisive at finding one I like. I've been eyeing up a few from Pipdig but I also feel that everyone has one from them, so if you know of any good blog template designers, hit me up!

Push myself content wise: One thing that I did notice in 2017 is how much of a little fish I am in such a huge pond, and nowadays it doesn't matter how long you've been blogging for. I noticed a lot of bloggers, newer and older than me paving their way and although I feel that my content is the best it has ever been, I want to push myself more this year to make some killer content.

Continue on my fitness journey: In 2017 I promised myself I would get myself back in the gym, and I have. I even now have a PT who absolutely kicks my ass and i've gained so much confidence and also strength, because I never thought i'd see the day where I could squat 50kg. This year I want to continue with my fitness journey, to learn more and gain more confidence in myself, as i've seen absolutely amazing results this year!

Save the hardest I ever have: Last year I made it a goal to move out in 2017, but that was soon put on hold when I couldn't physically pass the affordability tests in order to do so (lol). So at the end of  2017 I paid off my car, which was one of the reasons that I couldn't pass the affordability tests, and it now means I can save more. So 2018 is the year of saving every penny that I possibly can, and fingers crossed i'll be able to move out this year/next year.

Letting go and stop being so hard on myself: As I touched on at the beginning of this post, I want leave the word 'resolutions' in 2017 and stop being so hard on myself going into 2018, and with that comes letting go of some people in 2017. The last few weeks have been a massive eye opener for me on who has really been there for me this year, and those who really haven't. The team at ThirdLove are also celebrating the idea of banishing resolutions and just doing you in 2018, which I love the concept behind and definitely think more should get on board and battle the resolution guilt!


What are your goals for 2018?

As this is my last post before Christmas, I firstly want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and secondly I also thought i'd share the ways in which i'll be winding down in the run up to Christmas.

Having some down time - In true Christmas style, i'll definitely be enjoying some down time for now until New Year as I officially break up from work today! In terms of the blog, I will be taking the Christmas days off from blogging but I will be back with a 'what I got for Christmas' style post early next week, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Catching up with friends and family - In the run up to Christmas i've ensured to make plans to see friends and family, of who I don't see that often by just taking advantage of this time as it's not often that I get the time to see them whenever I can.

Watching Harry Potter back to back - It's not Christmas without a bit of Harry Potter, and i'll definitely be whipping out my box set whilst snuggling up on the sofa with a large chia latte and a cookie or two!

Prepping the Christmas day feast - As we're hosting this year, i'm really looking forward to the prepping of the Christmas day dinner, which might sound more stressful but I absolutely love it as it get's me into the festive spirit good and proper!

Wrapping the last few presents - It's not Christmas if you haven't finished wrapping presents until the day before is it?! I've absolutely loved wrapping my presents this year, as i've gone for a cute little theme that I just love! If you're still stuck for some wrapping inspiration, make sure to check out my latest post.

How are you winding down for Christmas?

A beauty brand that I never thought i'd dream of working with would be Charlotte Tilbury and they ever so kindly sent over a couple of gifting bits of which would make a lovely beauty gift for any beauty lovers out there. This year they have released their Beauty Icons Giftset* (£55) which contains five of Charlotte Tilbury's best selling products, which include the Charlotte's Magic Cream, Wonderglow Primer and a few more products all of which come in a beautiful branded box, and would make a beautiful gift this Christmas.

Also for anyone who loves a bit of fragrance, then you cannot go wrong with the Charlotte Tilbury Scent of a Dream Perfume* (£68) which is probably the most sophisticated perfume i've ever seen or smelt. It has a beautiful classic smell that would make a perfect gift for any fragrance lover out there.

Finally for this last minute gift guide I have a bit of fragrance for you from Ghost who have released some lovely, yet affordable gift sets this Christmas that would make perfect presents and also stocking fillers for anyone this Christmas!

For anyone who loves their fragrance but also their beauty products in general then the Ghost Whitelight Gift Set* (£38) which contains a full size and also a handbag/travel size of their well known Whitelight fragrance, as well as a little holographic clutch bag, a compact mirror, a silver nail polish and a lip gloss! Now for what you get in this gift set, I think it's an absolute bargain and would be a lovely gift to give this Christmas.

For stocking fillers, they have released their Ghost To The Moon & Back Gift Set* (£12) which contains two of their iconic fragrances and also a mini lipgloss, which again would be a lovely little gift to give this Christmas! Finally they have also released a few gift sets of which double as cute Christmas tree decorations and I personally love when brands do this. This year they have released mini's of all of their perfumes, of which come with a nail varnish to match and the one they kindly sent over to me was the Ghost Sweetheart Mini* (£8) but unfortunately this one seems to have sold out everywhere, so it must be proving popular! However all of the others are still available, and for £8 you can't go wrong!

I hope this last minute gift guide was of some help, as there are so many wonderful gift sets out on the market this year !

Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?

This year i've also decided to do things slightly different and for a couple of my family members i've decided to do them a Christmas style hamper, as a way to display their gifts but so they can also use the hampers at a later date. Hobby Craft stock a selection of different sized hampers, but I opted for the 36cm Wooden Hamper (£10) which are such a decent size and fit a good amount of gifts in! They also sell loads of hamper dressing bits as well as this Decorate a Hamper Kit (£25) which comes with everything you'd need to dress a hamper!

What wrapping themes have you gone for this year?

Happy 5th Birthday little blog, you've been there through a lot of changes in my life and I thought i'd take this time to reflect on what i've achieved in the last five years.

Five years is probably the longest i've dedicated myself to something, other than education it tops every job, relationship and a lot of my friendships. I've grown up and grown as a person with this blog and looking back to when I was merely a young 19 year old, who was a little bit lost in terms of uni, I had no idea back then what this little space of the internet would bring me, and I honestly wouldn't change anything for the world. 

I've had some amazing opportunities because of this blog, whether it be working with some of my favourite brands which include Soap & Glory, Rimmel and Lush to name a few, to also meeting some amazing bloggers who I now call my friends. All of those things wouldn't of happened without this little blog and I honestly think i'd still be a little lost if I hadn't hit publish on that first post five years ago.

I've learnt a lot about myself but i've also expanded my skill set in so many ways, and if it wasn't partly for this blog I wouldn't be doing the job i'm doing now or have had half of the opportunities within my job role that I've had in the last twelve months. It's amazing to think what i've added to my skill set and knowledge because of this blog, all of which i'm so proud to say is self taught through the trials and tribulations, and although some of my early blog posts look and read horrendously, I wouldn't change them because they just show how far i've come. 

I'm not entirely sure where this blog will be in the next five years, but I hope to continue to build this little space of the internet and I hope to still be blogging, maybe part time, who knows. But for now i'm so proud to call this little blog my own and to see how far it, and I have come.

Thank you to everyone who has followed along with my blogs journey, whether you've been following from the beginning, or you joined half way through, i'm so thankful for every single person who reads my posts and every single comment that has ever been left on my posts as it means the world to me.

xx

When it comes to home and interiors a favourite of mine has got to be Amara Living as they stock a wide range of brands and also products for anyone and everyone. This year they have an amazing range products that would make beautiful gifts and they have kindly sent over a couple of products to feature from two of my favourite brands. Any girl would be thrilled to receive anything from Kate Spade this Christmas, and the Kate Spade Daisy Plate Dish* (£31) would make the perfect gift for any girl to store her daily jewellery on. Another brand I love have recently released a range of candles and my favourite from the range is the Ted Baker London Scented Candle* (£28). The packaging of these candles is very traditional to the brand, but also look stunning and would be perfect for anyone who loves a candle or two!

At Christmas you can't go wrong with a DVD or two, and during the last couple of months a few decent films have come out and would make a pretty good stocking filler. A personal favourite of mine is Girls Trip (£9.99) which is absolutely hilarious, as I found myself laughing the entire way through and a proper good chick flick! For the guys the latest Fast & Furious 8 (£8.99) has not long come out DVD and again would make a good stocking filler or an extra present for any guys that love their car films!

What lifestyle bits have you asked for this Christmas?

Fran and I were then escorted to our table and presented with a few menu options, including their brand new Christmas menu where you can enjoy two courses for £18.95, or three courses for £21.95 which is available at most Vintage Inns from now until the 30th of Dec (excluding Christmas Day). We both chose to enjoy three courses from their normal fixed price menu, all whilst washing it down with a much needed glass of wine.

STARTER

For starter, I chose to have the Chargrilled Lamb Kofta's which was served with tzatziki and a slaw style salad of which was presented beautifully and tasted amazing. Fran then chose to have the Oven Baked Button & Portobello Mushrooms of which looked absolutely delicious and Fran said they deserved a 10/10 rating, they were that tasty!

All in all we both had a lovely evening as it was lovely to end the week with a nice pub meal, and a large glass of wine. The staff and the service at The Nightingale was so lovely, and just what you'd expect from a local country pub which is really refreshing. 

If you're local to the Worcester area and you're looking to visit a cute local pub then i'd highly recommend checking out The Nightingale as they have so many menu options from steak evenings and pie evenings, to the perfect Sunday roast!

Have you visited any Vintage Inn pubs recently?

*I was kindly gifted £50 towards my bill by Vintage Inn's but all opinions are my own.

Here's a few festive things i'm really excited for this December...

Putting up the Christmas tree - I mean of course this is top of the list because what else is as exciting other than Christmas day itself than decorating the Christmas tree! This year we're hosting Christmas day and i've made a point of demanding we have a real tree and by real, I mean a huge real tree! Every year I decorate the tree and every year I go for a different colour theme, so i'm excited to get experimenting!

Finishing my gift guides - If you've been following my blog for a while, then you'll know that every year I put up a few gift guides and this year the stress has been real! I finally posted my first gift guide this week, which you can read here but i'm very aware that my gift guides are a lot later than everyone else's and the stress is real! Having said that over the next two weeks you'll be getting gift guides left, right and centre from me so watch out for those.

Enjoying all of the Christmas parties/dinners - I like to think i'm very lucky to have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas more than once and this year I have four different celebrations planned. Our team at work are going for a cute Christmas meal next week at the local pub, and the following week we have our office Christmas party, which i'm so excited for (Give me all the prosecco, yass)! Also because my Dad lives in Plymouth we have a few things planned when I go to visit, and then of course Christmas day itself. I'm already accepting the fact i'm going to put back on all the weight i've lost these past few months!

Spending time with loved ones - I know Christmas isn't the only time to do this, but I love that Christmas brings everyone together. I have definitely taken for granted the years when I was younger when I was able to see family fairly often, whereas now being in a full time job it's not as easy so i'm really looking forward to seeing my family and friends over the festive period!

Giving gifts - There is nothing more that I love at Christmas than spoiling my family and friends. I'm one of those that loves giving and seeing everyone's faces beaming with happiness, as it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

Enjoying some down time - This kind of links into a few of these goals but I can't wait for some time off. Some time to myself to just recoup, chill and get myself geared up for the New Year!

What are your plans for December?

Here's a gift guide of some ideas that the men will (hopefully) love this Christmas...

Being a beauty based blogger of course i'm kicking off with a few beauty bits that the men will love! Most men nowadays seem to be rocking some form of facial hair and there are so many brands now that specialise in beard products. L'oreal have recently released their Barber Club range which I spotted online a few weeks ago and thought the concept behind it all is great but also affordable for those who take pride in caring for their beards. With four products including a moisturiser, oil, wash and styling cream you really can't go wrong and they all smell incredible! Also another brand that i've seen a little about is Brisk, who are a mens beard brand aimed at grooming any type of beard and I spotted their Brisk Mini Duo (£6.50) and thought this would make a cute stocking filler. This little set contains two beard oils, one mulled wine scented and the other fresh forrest scented which ties into all the festive vibes!

Of course when it comes to purchasing gifts for men, the key to their heart is through their stomach and again every man has different tastes as to what they like. For a coffee lover, there is nothing better than fresh ground coffee beans to make the perfect brew and the Native Coffee Pure Arabica Beans* (£10.95) would make the perfect gift for any coffee lover out there. For men who love a fruity tipple once in a while, the Cranes Cranberry & Blood Orange Liqueur* (£15) would be a lovely gift this Christmas. For men who love a bit of chocolate, you honestly cannot go wrong with the Hotel Chocolate and their selection of chocolates! A personal favourite of mine and probably any gin lover out there is their Gin Chocolate Truffles (£3.95) which would make a cute little extra or stocking filler gift idea. (These are currently on 3 for £10, so make sure to take advantage of that offer!)

Finally for this gift guide comes a couple of more luxury purchases and I don't know any man who doesn't wear or love a good watch. Daniel Wellington have an amazing selection of watches for both men and women, but I find their selection of men's watches to be so timeless. For Christmas they are currently stocking a range of bundles and they have some lovely options to choose from for both men and women. A personal favourite of mine is their Classic Petite Melrose* (£159) which contains this beautiful black mesh strap and rose gold watch face, and a gold engraved cuff to match. (Make sure to use my discount code 'STYLEANDSPLURGING' for 15% off your order).

The final gift for this gift guide is of course fragrance, as most men have a fragrance or two that they absolutely love and this time of year is the best time buy it in my opinion as there are always come great value sets about. Fragrance Direct currently have some amazing gift sets to choose from, all of which are slightly the cheaper than your high street department stores, so i'd highly recommend checking those out!

Here are a few ways in which I come up with content ideas, whilst being as original as possible.

Sharing my thoughts on products i'm loving - The main bulk of my content ideas come from the products that i'm genuinly enjoying because let's be real, us bloggers do reviews and we do them good! So when it comes to coming with content ideas, I always begin my thinking of the products i've been loving or using a lot recently, and how I can then pull a post together around them. An example recently have been my Exploring Autumnal Eyeshadows as i've been getting more into eyeshadows, and have been loving the products that I reviewed in that post.

Relating my posts to things that are happening in my life - From time to time when i'm lacking ideas, i'll turn to what has been going on in my life or around me, for example a few times i've put up a pamper style post, or sick day style post when i've been ill and also more so in the future I want to start incorporating fitness into my blog, as it's currently a big thing in my life.

Sponsored posts/gifted items - Another major inspiration for content comes from gifted products and sponsored posts, mainly because these are things that I have to blog about but one thing i've begun to do is not force content when it comes to sponsored posts and gifted content. I've also begun to incorporate gifted products into other posts, essentially so i'm not doing stand alone reviews that in the past i've felt forced to right, and in doing this i've seen such a difference in how my content is perceived from my readers. 

Look to other bloggers/bloglovin' popular posts - A way in which I think everyone comes up with ideas is to see what other bloggers are posting about, and whether its a topic you can add your two sense to. There is definitely a fine line between taking inspiration, and just straight up copying but when i'm stumped I often look to other bloggers to spark ideas.

How do you come up with content ideas?

As i'm all about sharing blog love and have been meaning to do so recently (as I haven't in a while), I thought i'd share with you some posts that have not only been really informative, but have also inspired me in terms of pushing my blog and content a little more, whilst also knowing my blogs worth.

One area of blogging that I feel isn't spoken about as much as it probably should is sponsored content, and i'm sure we've all dabbled in a bit of sponsored content from time to time but for me it's something i've never really gone after, and have waited for PR's to come to me. A recent post from one of my blog gals Gemma really got me thinking about sponsored content, as she shared some really good tips on how to find sponsored content but also how to ask brands/pr's about it in a way that doesn't come across demanding or down right rude (as I know some people can be from experience). Essentially a lot of what she spoke about I kind of already knew but i've never applied to my blog, purely because i've never felt that my content is worthy, which sounds crazy I know because everyones content is unique but it has really opened my mind up to sponsored content, and how it can really help to build my blog. I'd definitely recommend reading it if you're quite new to the world of sponsored content, because she breaks it down and makes it so easy to understand.

Another one of my close blogging pals Nicole also did a post on sponsored content recently but she also touched on when to say no to blogger collabs, as i'm sure we all once jumped at every opportunity came our way, when in fact sometimes you have to step back and realise that not all collaborations are good for your 'brand'. I loved her post because it made me think back to a few collabs i've accepted this year and in turn just turned out to be quite demanding of my time when in fact they weren't paying me a penny, but I felt that I had to give them what they wanted as they'd sent me a product to review. Granted I accept a lot of products to review for little to no payment, but it's made me take a step back and realise when I really should say no. Again, i'd really recommend reading this especially if your newer to blogging and are wanting to build your blog in a beneficial way when it comes to blogger collabs.

Lastly, one area of blogging that I will probably never get my head around is Google Analytics. Charlotte and analytics have never gone hand in hand and I doubt they ever will but Ellie posted up a really good post all about Google Analytics and although i'm still none the wiser, it's definitely a post that I will be returning to from time to time to try and grasp as much information as I can. If you too struggle with it then i'd definitely give it a read, as she writes it in a way that is easy to understand and doesn't contain a load of tech talk that no one can understand.

Have you read any good/informative blog reads recently?

Typically of a weeknight i'll come home from work/the gym, and all i'll want to do is get straight into bed, as I don't know about anyone else but the cold evenings always make me feel tired and it always seems so much later than it actually is. Having said that i've been adding a few things into my routine just help me unwind and to also give myself some 'me time' and self care, as they are always important.

Putting your Pj's on a radiator - Typically before I jump in the shower or bath, whichever, i'll put my clothes on my radiator to warm through as it's true that there is no better feeling than getting out of the shower, into the cold to then put on warm Pj's, am I right? Or am I right?

Making yourself the biggest hot drink - Whether it's a big ol' mug of tea or a hot chocolate, I bloody love snuggling up on the sofa with a warm drink, as it just instantly warms me up. I've also been treating myself to a few marshmallows on top of my hot chocolate when i've got a few calories left over for the day, because who doesn't love some marshmallows on their hot chocolate!

A long relaxing soak in the bath - Recently, especially after a really hard gym session i've been having a bath to help soothe my muscles and i've been getting through my Lush stash more quickly than normal! One of my favourites for this time of year is their Magic of Christmas Bubblebar (£5.95), which just smells incredible and gives me all of the Autumn vibes!

Putting a hot water bottle under the covers - Similarly to the pj's on the radiator, if i'm feeling really cold i'll pop a hot water in my bed about 30 mins before I go to bed so that it's nice and warm when I do get into bed. 

Lighting all the candles - For me my room is above the garage, which means my room is always a lot colder than the rest of the house so of an evening i'll light a good 2-3 candles to just warm up my room and boy does it make my room smell amazing!

What are you doing to make your evenings more cosy?

When it comes to Halloween I am one of those girls that will dress up but still look semi normal, for example last year I wore a red ASOS dress, with some devil horns and then applied some fake blood, making it look like i'd made some effort whilst still looking somewhat normal at the same time, and these kind of looks just work for me. This year i've teamed up with the lovely team at Johnny Loves Rosie to share some minimal effort Halloween costume idea's with you from their latest range of Halloween Accessories.

When it comes to Halloween, one of the easiest looks a girl can go for is a cat as they are super simple and you can create some really fun looks I think if you play around with your eye makeup. Another option of course is to go for a mask, which for a gal like myself I am more likely inclined to do so as you can just whip it off at the end of the night, and not have to worry about waking up with whisker imprinted on your pillow! This Cat Eye Mask* (£18) would be the perfect costume option with a smokey eye and a black lace dress of some description. 

A massive trend at the moment that I am loving is the glitter and gem stone style makeup looks, and I am really intrigued to see what looks come about this coming weekend for Halloween. I'm definitely going to be using this Skeleton Face Tattoo* (£8) along with my makeup look as I love playing around with these kind of looks and it makes it so easy for those who aren't that good at experimenting with makeup. What is also good about these face tattoo's, is that they are so easy to remove at the end of the night, which means no faff is involved! I'll definitely be posting up some Halloween selfies if I do dress up this weekend coming, so be sure to keep an eye out for those! 

Lastly, a look I always turn to for a last minute Halloween look is a devil as it's so easy to whack on some horns and get yourself a devil stick, especially if you've already got the costume bits from previous years. The only thing I do find is that someone will try to steal one your horns, no matter how tightly it is attached to your hair. This is where this Devil Ears Headband* (£12) would come in handy as it's simple to just pop on and style your hair around with trying to hide any annoying grips. These, with a red eye look and a vampy red lip, and you are good to go!

If you're still stuck for Halloween costume ideas then i'd definitely recommend checking out Johnny Loves Rosie, especially as they currently have 50% off all of their Halloween range!

What are you dressing up as this Halloween?

It's safe to say that I am not a reading kind of gal, as I seem to instantly gravitate towards easy reads with a reality style approach or a more tips/self help kind of books, which you know each to their own and as I approach the dreaded age of 25 it's become very apparent that i'm all about getting my life in order (or at least from the books i've recently been reading).

One book that I have been absolutely raving about these past few months, of which I already mentioned in my recent post and that is of course Gracie Francesca or Grace F Victory (however you know her by) book No Filter (£10.49) which I kind of ordered on a whim as I didn't expect it to be a read i'd love or get into but I just couldn't put this down. Essentially this book is a tell all book about her life up until this point now and everything she has through in life from being raised pretty much by her mother, to her eating disorders and so much more, and I related to her on so many levels in this book but I also learnt a lot about things i've never gone through and it completely opened my eyes up to how different everyones childhood/past can be. The main message that i've taken away from this book, is learning how to love yourself and understanding you are enough as you are without thinking you have to change the way you act or your appearance just to please other people. It's also amazing to see the journey she has gone on, and out of all of the bloggers that have released a book it's definitely a read I would highly recommend!

Another book of which i'm probably half way through but one that I already would recommend to anyone is The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving A F*ck (£9.09) and let me tell you this book does exactly that! I love a book that is just straight up and real, and this book is just that and it's exactly what i've needed recently. I'm definitely one of those people that cares way too much about what other people think and I often beat myself up about what someones opinion may be of me and this book has really helped me think 'you know what, f*ck what everyone thinks' and it's the boost that i've needed! Definite must read if you're similar to me, or your feeling a bit stressed as it instantly just changes your entire mind set.

Finally we have Arden Rose's book Almost Adulting (£7.69) which as the name suggests is a book all about adulting, or trying to adult at least. I'm sure i'm not alone in saying that at 24 I thought i'd have grasped this adult life but let's face it, I don't think I ever will (lol). I decided to order this book purely on the basis that it is labelled 'all you need to know to get it together (sort of)' of which I could really do some help with and again this book just helps you open your mind, and actually understand how exactly we all somehow survive in this big world, but one step at a time. She covers all sorts of topics from friends to relationships and how to actually communicate with people face to face, and not just through a phone. Again if you're like me and love a good self help but easy read, and could do with a bit of a kick up the bum then this is a definite read you could do with.

What books are you currently reading?

Finally the one thing that impressed the most out of Lush's latest releases has got to be their naked products. If you haven't seen, Lush have now started selling products that contain no packaging, yes no packaging, which is incredible if you ask me! Also what makes these products even more buyable is that they are 25p cheaper than the packaged versions of their products, and you get a lot more use out of the products because they contain a hella lot less water, meaning you're not wasting product. (You can read a little more about these here, if you're interested and want to know more).

From the event I came away with the Berry Berry Christmas Naked Showergel* (£11.75) which smells absolutely incredible and I can't wait to start using this! I also will be sure to pick up a few more of their naked products in the coming months before they steal Snow Fairy away from us again, as I absolutely love the concept and after having them demo'd on my skin it definitely has impressed me to want to get more involved in using less packaging!

So that is a little look at my first ever Lush event, of which was everything I had hoped for and more! If you do ever get the chance to attend an event, make sure you go and get as much out of it as you can because I learnt so much, and i'm now officially obsessed with Lush again! I also have a haul coming on Friday, so watch out for that!

Have you attended a Lush event before?