Fifty Facts and a Catch Up

 

Pretty Snow- Cookie Dough- YouTube video- Dinner-Sunrise- The Hospitality Show 2013-Playing in the snow- Chilli and Ginger Salmon- New running trainer insoles- Cajun Chicken and Wedges- Card from my boy- Mozzarella and tomato Chicken- Woolly Hat- Easter Egg- Posing before work- Baking cookies- Cutie George- The Devils Number-

So it is finally the end of January… what a long month! Pay day was yesterday and I’m already itching to spend it after a month of having very little money. I never learn! It seems that January is everyone's least favourite month, and although it’s not my favourite I don’t hate it. I think January is a great time to focus on yourself and enjoy life's little luxuries. I mean the majority of people don’t have any money and we have all set ourselves New Year Resolutions, so why not get cracking on improving yourself than dwelling on the end of the holidays.

I have had a quiet month on the home front but a very hectic one for work. This month I got to go on my first ever business trip and although it was only to the Birmingham NEC it was great to get out of the office and talking and networking with everyone else in my industry.

So this month has been great for my career and also for my blog. I have already completed one of my New Year Resolutions which was to film a You Tube video. I was so scared and nervous about it, but after getting such an amazing response from all you lovely people I have gone ahead and made my second video, which you can see above. The second one was so much easier to make than my first one, I felt more at ease when recording it and am happy to hear that my accent has toned down and is a bit more natural now! So to anyone thinking about dipping their toes into the YouTube world my advice is to do it! Yes it is scary but you will never know how it goes until you do it!

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How has your January been? How have you been working on your New Years Resolutions?

Days Gone By| It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 

With only a week to go, it’s definitely starting to look a lot like Christmas. I don’t know about you but I enjoy the build up to Christmas just as much as, if not more, than the day itself! That’s probably why I start my personal build up from as early as possible. I started buying presents in October, I made homemade gift tags in November and I always put up my tree on the 1st of December.

I thought I would share with you my life in pictures from the past few weeks, in particular the Christmassy ones!

• The other weekend my boy and I went Christmas shopping in the lakes. I didn’t have much left to buy but wanted to get a few smaller gifts/stocking fillers, and it’s always great to support local shops. While at Bowness-on-Windermere I got his lovely picture of the snow topped fells.
• As I mentioned above, I started Christmas shopping in October so I managed to finish buying it all quite early. I enjoy wrapping presents just as much as I enjoy buying them, and this year I made my own gift tags featuring my cute and troublesome dogs. You can see how I did it here.
• As the newbie at work I was drawn the short straw and had to write a load of Christmas cards for our clients. It took me a good hour or so as I had to use my fancy writing, but on the plus side it did put me in a festive mood!
• My gorgeous Christmas Tree! I take pride in my Christmas Tree decorating skills and love nothing more than putting the Christmas music on and trying to and cram as many baubles on the tree as possible.
• As  you may have seen from my Twitter or Instagram, I bought this adorable faux fur Russian style hat from Primark last weekend. It only cost £6 so was an absolute bargain! I love how glamourous it makes me feel!
• A little shot of my Christmas Graze box… yes I am still buying these! I find that their little boxes are perfect for snacking at work.
• Christmas George! Don’t you just love decorating your dog in Christmas decorations! He doesn’t look impressed does he?
• This is the Christmas Fairy that I have had since I was a tiny little baby and it still sits proudly on top of my mum’s Christmas Tree.
• My mum also bought new Christmas decorations this year. The one I am most in love with is the Christmas glittery Hedgehog… how cute!
• My dogs got treated to new Christmas jumpers aswell. They were going to debut them on Christmas Day but we were too excited so took some pictures of them now.
• The last picture is from June this year when my friends and I travelled around Finland and Lapland. While we were there we visited the real Santa at his workshop in Lapland. I mean you can’t go to to Lapland without seeing Santa Claus!

Have you been getting in the festive spirit? When do you put your Christmas tree up? Do you have any Christmas traditions?

The days gone by| Instagram

 

Just a little update for you all. I have been quite busy recently, with work but also as my mother’s wedding is next weekend there has been a lot of preparation for that, so I actually feel like I don’t have a lot of free time; which is a lie, as I still get up to plenty. So I will run you through the above pictures, as I seem to be documenting my life through Instagram at the moment, but I suppose that’s an obsession all us bloggers have. As much as my family tire of me taking pictures of even the least significant parts of my day, they enjoy the finished product; the blog posts, so they can’t complain too much.

• Flowers For A Friend- My best friend is going through a messy divorce at the moment, but we celebrated her becoming a ‘Miss’ again the other day. It’s great for her to be back to the name that was of the girl that I befriended 20 years ago, the name of the independent, fun and flirty girl she used to, and will be again in time.
• Blogging Goodies- Monu contacted me a few weeks ago and offered me some goodies to try, I was completely over the moon with this opportunity, and am happily testing them at the moment, so a review will come in time.
• Glitter Galore- Being a desk working girl now, my obsession with nail art continues. This week was my first attempt at glitter dipper nails.
• Product Testing Central- This was me using the Soap and glory Detox mask for the first time, the review for which is below.
• Cake Pops- We have had a busy week in our house making 100 pop cakes. We are yet to ice and decorate them, but I can say that the inners are so yummy!
• Train Travels- I have been travelling around for the past few weeks, very often to Newcastle to see my boy, but other ‘exciting’ places including Carlisle and Lancaster, to visit friends and family.
• Newcastle City Games- I was lucky enough to be in Newcastle for the Great North Run weekend, which meant I got to watch the City Games on Quayside and saw legends like Mo Farrah and Greg Rutherford!
• The Great North Run- I spend an hour in the rain cheering on the 55,000 runners, in which were a few of my friends who all did fantastic! It has even inspired me, to perhaps enter next year… if I’m lucky enough to get a place.
• Pretty in Pink- Another Nail of the Day.
• Massive Milestone- I surpassed 400 followers on my blog this week! It really surprised me as I think I gained 15 followers in a day. But as always I want to thank you all; new and old for reading, commenting and sharing my blog. It is my passion and I enjoy it so much, but to know that others read and enjoy what I have to say makes it so much more fun.
• Fun with fruit- My boy gave me a choice of a sausage butty or a bowl of fruit for my breakfast last weekend, and low and behold I chose the fruit! I even shocked myself, I think my fitness kick is finally starting to change my attitude towards food, which is a great thing!
• Christmas comfies- Last night (and right now) I have been rocking my Christmas pyjama bottoms, because it is just so damn cold! What happened to out Indian summer!

What’s been going on in your life recently? Am I the only one rocking my Christmas Pyjamas far too early? Please say I’m not!

Instagram| The past few weeks

-Hangover food- Saturday nights FOTD- Partying- Aztec nails- Saturday nights OOTD- Archie and I- Treats off mother bear-Retro Sweets-

-New workout top from Samsung- Sunshine in my back garden- Blogging- Graze box- Views on my run -Perfect weather for the Beemer-

-Ice Lolly time- Canoeing with bother bear- sexy hair curlers- Smart nails- Bridesmaid hair-Watching the Olympic ceremony-

As many of you know I recently purchased an iphone and don’t think I have put it down since. It really is fuelling my obsession with taking pictures, I don’t think my family and friends appreciate or enjoy it, but I’m sure they will get used to it.

As I now have an iphone, one of the first apps I downloaded was Instagram and have been uploading pictures on a regular ever since. My user name is Cat0805 if you do want to follow me. I love the app, its a great way to find motivation for makeup, fashion and nail looks, and a great way to be nosey as many share the little moments in their lives with the rest of us. As I am new I am still fascinated with this app, but wonder if the novelty will wear off over time. Anyways these pictures are mine from the past two weeks, which have been fairly quiet for me, but I have been out enjoying the little sunshine we have had.

What you you think of Instagram? Do you love it, or are you bored of it?