A very special announcement...

October 4, 2014, 6:24 am

≫ Next: Sorrento - part 1 (our hotel/jetty, Amalfi and Positano).

≪ Previous: French Connection: little white dress.

I have a very special announcement to make which, if you don't follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may not know. Last Sunday, a day which started out like any other Sunday, turned out to be the happiest day of my life when Jonathan proposed!

His proposal was wonderful and I will be sharing the story with you all very soon, but here's a sneaky clue: there may have been two little Pugs involved... ;)

Here's to the last 4 years and many, many more!

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Sorrento - part 1 (our hotel/jetty, Amalfi and Positano).

October 7, 2014, 10:39 am

≫ Next: Personalised products for Lily and Lola (with GettingPersonal.co.uk)

≪ Previous: A very special announcement...

We recently spent a week in Sorrento which feels like a million years ago thanks to the wet and wild weather we're experiencing in South Yorkshire at the moment, so I thought I would share some of my photos to cheer myself up.

One of Jonathan's very good friends was getting married in Sorrento so we, along with some other couples we know, spent a week there to take in the sights and, of course, attend the wedding!

Our hotel was lovely with stunning views out to sea. I don't think I could ever get bored of sitting on the terrace for breakfast or lunch and looking out at all the boats. It was particularly beautiful at night. We had our own private jetty where we had a couple of relaxing afternoons in the sunshine and a bob in the sea.

We did a few day trips during our holiday, the first one being a boat trip to Positano and Amalfi. Approaching them from the water was absolutely breathtaking. The buildings built into the hills, the stunning colours and the clouds rolling down over the top of the hills made for some stunning photos. I must have taken a hundred photos of the same stretch of land!

We had some free time to explore both places, and had a particularly treacherous bus journey from one to the other along tiny windy roads at about 80mph! We looked in the shops, tried the ice cream, stopped for lunch, and explored as many nooks and crannies as we could before heading back to the port for the boat home.

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Personalised products for Lily and Lola (with GettingPersonal.co.uk)

October 8, 2014, 1:05 pm

≫ Next: Sorrento - part 2 (including Capri and Pompeii).

≪ Previous: Sorrento - part 1 (our hotel/jetty, Amalfi and Positano).

Sometimes it seems like Lily and Lola get better clothes and accessories than I do and their latest treats are no exception thanks to GettingPersonal.co.uk, a website which sells a range of personalised gifts and cards for people and pets too.

Lily and Lola recently received a parcel containing a personalised blanket and towel each which we think are absolutely adorable. The blankets are so soft and cosy and the towels are a really big size, as well as being really fluffy, which makes them great for post-bath time or for drying muddy paws.

Personalised towels and blankets c/o GettingPersonal.co.uk

Imagine what a great gift they would make for someone with a new dog as you can personalise them with any name you like. They also come in a few different colours like ivory, red, pink and blue but I like black and brown as they're the most practical.

I love the other personalised pet products too, like the slate feeding tray and the chalkboard (here's the link if you fancy a nosy).

If you don't have pets or fancy buying your pet loving friends/relatives a present like this I'd still recommend having a rummage round the website. The Christmas gift section is packed full of personalised gift ideas, searchable by the type of relative. Genius!

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Sorrento - part 2 (including Capri and Pompeii).

October 15, 2014, 12:13 pm

≫ Next: Our engagement story...

≪ Previous: Personalised products for Lily and Lola (with GettingPersonal.co.uk)

Read part 1 - here!

Apart from visiting Amalfi and Positano we also did lots of exploring near our hotel and in the main centre of Sorrento. We visited a different restaurant every night, and a few cafes in the daytime, as well as a few ice cream shops (would be rude not to..) The best meal we had was at a restaurant called L'Antica Trattoria. We tried the set menu, a different menu each, and it was definitely a good choice. My main of pork was one of the best dishes I've ever eaten and Jonathan had rave reviews about his pasta course served inside a hollowed giant lemon!

Aside from a couple of relaxing days and a day spent at the wedding we also managed to squeeze in a day trip to Capri and half a day in Pompeii.

We took a boat ride from Sorrento to Capri and located an open top taxi at the port which we thought would be a nice way to make our way up to Anacapri. It turned out to be the most hair raising car journey of our lives. Think a rollercoaster without the track! Luckily we made it in one piece and spent the next few hours in Anacapri.

We took the cable cars to see the spectacular views at the highest point of Anacapri which was well worth it. We spent ages taking in the views (ahem, and eating more ice cream).

Pompeii was the highlight of our trip. It's obviously a tremendous tragedy but absolutely fascinating and incredible to see a town so in tact after 2000 years. You really get a sense of what life was like in those days, like stepping back in time.

You can hire a guide or make your own way round. As it was just me and Jonathan we decided to do our own thing and make our way round using a guidemap. We managed to see pretty much everything, although we didn't manage to find the brothel!

I can't really do it justice with photos so I suggest you visit if you find yourself in Italy!

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Our engagement story...

October 21, 2014, 10:16 am

≫ Next: Wedding ideas: "Save the Date" cards / invitations.

≪ Previous: Sorrento - part 2 (including Capri and Pompeii).

Jonathan:

I always wanted to include the dogs in my proposal, but I knew coming up with something that would actually work would be tricky. I decided to enlist the help of some friends, and came up with a plan. The crucial part of the plan was Victoria and I going for a walk to a lake near where we live. Unfortunately on this particular morning Victoria wasn't feeling her best so didn't particularly fancy a walk! Because I had planned everything out and had other people waiting to help, I knew that I didn't want to wait for another day. So I managed to persuade her to come for a walk, however that was almost scuppered when I said I didn't want to take the dogs with us!

Eventually though, Victoria agreed and off we went. I had to stall for time, so drove a particularly strange way to where we were going. Once there, I kept stalling on our walk, all of which made Victoria slightly suspicious. Once our friends were in position though, it was all go.

We walked round a particular corner onto a nice long path, at the end of which was a bush. Suddenly though, there were people everywhere, and whilst I was fairly confident Victoria wouldn't say no, I didn't fancy proposing in front of 20 complete strangers! So I had to stall for time again! Eventually though, they cleared, so we headed on down the path.

Victoria:

So there we were, looking out at the sail boats on the water. Jonathan seemed keen to stop and take lots of photos, but I didn't think much of it. The next thing I know the path cleared and I spotted a dog at the end of the path, and caught a glimpse of a blonde female ducking behind the bush.

I panicked! Why was the dog on its own? Where had the owner gone? When I realised it was a Pug my concern grew and I told Jonathan I was going over to investigate!

The next few seconds felt like they happened in slow motion. As I got closer I realised it was my little Lily and as soon as she saw me she came waddling over. I spotted the ring box that was tied to the back of her harness and I burst into tears. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and just about managed to say "yes" when Jonathan produced a ring from the box and popped the question!

Some really good friends of ours were hiding round the corner with Lola and had put Jonathan's plan into action by collecting them from our house shortly after we had set off. This explained Jonathan stalling for time and the flurry of txt messages as they updated him on their whereabouts.

It was brilliant - the PERFECT proposal. I couldn't think of a better way!

Jonathan:

Although there were a few complications I was so happy with how it worked. Victoria's face when she saw Lily and realised what was happening was the happiest moment of my life and something I will never forget. To involve the dogs like that and have it work was perfect for us.

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Wedding ideas: "Save the Date" cards / invitations.

November 5, 2014, 12:07 pm

≫ Next: (a much needed) 5 good things.

≪ Previous: Our engagement story...

The first things I started to hunt down after getting engaged were "save the date" cards and wedding invitations. I was overwhelmed by the amount of choice and I searched high and low, finding so many that I liked. It was almost impossible to choose just one design, so in the end we decided to go for a DIY option for our Save the Date cards and our invitations too (more about that soon).

I thought it might be useful to any future brides out there to share some of my favourites that I found along the way. I found that although Etsy was a treasure trove of pretty invites, a lot of the sellers were in the USA which wasn't very practical with postage costs. Not On The High Street came up trumps with UK sellers and so many amazing and unique designs, something a bit different to the usual invites you may see. The personalised pencil with the black and white invitation is my favourite - it's so different!

Jonathan was dead set on number 6. Hmm, not sure how that would have gone down with the elderly relatives!

one / two / three / four / five / six

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(a much needed) 5 good things.

November 7, 2014, 9:11 am

≫ Next: The Christmas Tag.

≪ Previous: Wedding ideas: "Save the Date" cards / invitations.

I haven't done one of these posts in aaaages (June to be precise - oops!) so I figured it was about time, considering the chaotic past couple of weeks I have had. I got my first cold in forever, followed by a bout of food poisoning which left me feeling completely drained and gross, on top of lots of wedding planning worry and general anxiety. Delightful!

I have found it easy to think of good things because we have so many exciting things going on at the moment, even though it can be easy to let the doom and gloom take over sometimes.

1) I am getting married! Duh - point out the obvious, but what I mean is although it feels overwhelming at times and stressful most of the time, it's also very exciting. Someone wants to spend the rest of time with me which either makes them mad or makes me pretty brilliant.

2) The cold weather. Yes the dark mornings and dark nights suck. I can't walk the dogs without my fingers falling off. And I have to wrestle Lily and Lola out of the door when all they want to do is hibernate. But the Christmas gifts are in the shops, hot chocolate is in the cupboard, all of my favourite clothes are my jumpers and coats, and there's not much that can beat snuggling up under a blanket on the sofa in front of a film.

3) Parcel/letter swapping. I recently started to do this with a few people and it is so much fun. I treated myself to some fancy writing paper, postcards and even a wax seal kit and have been enjoying take the time to put pen to paper (even if it does hurt my hand to write for more than two seconds - does anyone else find that?!) The news that a big Paperchase shop is opening near my work is both very good and very, very bad as I will no doubt spend all my wages in there.

vintage email stamp from Etsy

4) Cinema plans for the weekend. We are finally getting round to seeing Gone Girl! I enjoyed the book, apart from being a tad frustrated by the ending, so I am intrigued to see how good the film is. We are also looking forward to seeing Interstellar at the IMAX soon and the next Hunger Games installment when it comes out.

5) New hobbies. I recently ordered a papercutting kit which has been keeping me out of mischief. It is incredibly difficult and, being as clumsy as I am, I live in fear of chopping a finger off but I hope with a bit more practice I can complete some pretty projects.

What are your good things of the moment?

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The Christmas Tag.

November 9, 2014, 2:12 am

≫ Next: Going for the chop?! (again)...

≪ Previous: (a much needed) 5 good things.

Borrowed from Becky

1) What is your favourite Christmas movie?

This is a tough one as I love so many, but I can narrow it down to one modern(ish) film and one old film. We watched It's A Wonderful Life for the first time a couple of years ago and fell in love with it. I cried and cried and felt like my whole perspective on life had changed! Jingle All The Way is my other favourite. You can't beat a bit of Arnie and Turboman action!

2) Do you open your presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Always Christmas morning. I don't think I have ever been allowed to open anything on Christmas Eve. Sometimes I sneakily open the odd present from work friends that are sitting under the tree calling my name!

3) Do you have a favourite Christmas memory?

When I was younger Christmas was always a two day event, where we spent Christmas Day at home and Boxing Day at my Auntie and Uncle's house. I have lots of happy memories of Christmas, especially from when my Grandma was still with us.

I have a funny memory (although I didn't find it so funny at the time) of playing charades in front of my family and I couldn't think of what to do. I accidentally let a little trump out, got embarrassed and ran away. My Uncle shouted "Gone With The Wind?" Mortified!

4) Favourite festive food?

I love pretty much any kind of festive food but Stollen is my favourite. I try not to buy it as it disappears immediately. Jonathan doesn't like it so I can't even share the calories!

5) Favourite Christmas gift?

I have received so many lovely gifts but I remember my Dad surprising me and my sister with a swing and slide set in the garden one year which was pretty exciting!

6) Favourite Christmas scent?

Tough question! I love burning candles all year round but at Christmas all of the amazing cinnamon, mulled wine, pumpkin-y scents come out and fill the house with a lovely, rich, warm smell. One of my favourite candles is Yankee Candle's "Merry Marshmallow".

7) Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?

Our Christmas Eve plans tend to change every year. When I lived at home it would be relaxing in front of the telly with my sister and parents, probably begging to open one present early (ha!) But now Jonathan and I seem to either have friends or family round to our house for games and food, or Jonathan goes to the pub and I spend the day at my parents house getting under my mum's feet! Hopefully when we have our own little family we can start some new traditions of our own.

8) What tops your tree?

Sadly, nothing! We are still on the hunt for something worthy enough to top our tree.

9) As a kid what was the one (crazy, wild, extravagent) gift you always asked for but never received?

I must have always been fairly sensible as I can't think of anything! When I was little we had 6 dogs, 3 cats, and a host of budgies, guinea pigs, mice, you name it - so I never needed to ask for a pet. Me and my sister had to put a Dreamphone on our lists a couple of years running as they sold out and my mum couldn't get one anywhere. She had a "Jingle All The Way" moment where she asked for one in a toy shop and got laughed at!

10) What's the best part about Christmas for you?

Seeing family that you haven't seen for a while, having some time off from work and generally feeling happy and content with lots of food and drink!

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Going for the chop?! (again)...

November 10, 2014, 12:43 pm

≫ Next: Lily and Lola's letters to Santa.

≪ Previous: The Christmas Tag.

My current obsession comes in the form of Julianne Hough who pops up on my Instagram feed from time to time as I follow the hairdressers in LA that she goes to. Not only is she beautiful with an amazing body but she has the cutest short hair-do!

The problem when you have hair that grows like weeds, like mine, is that the shall-I-chop-my-hair-off dilemma comes round all too quick. My hair has been super long, super short, and everything in between. When it's short I want it long, and vice versa. The grass is always greener, as they say! Earlier this year I had quite a big chop and found that I could style my hair really quickly and get lots of volume, something I struggle with once my hair goes past my shoulders.

Since going blonde again my hair has been pretty dry and it has always been knotty, making it a real pain to wash, dry and style. I love long hair on other people, when it is thick and luscious, but sadly that's never going to happen for me.

I am very tempted to go short again. What do you think? :)

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Lily and Lola's letters to Santa.

November 15, 2014, 5:51 am

≫ Next: Gift ideas under £10 (the mug edition).

≪ Previous: Going for the chop?! (again)...

Dear Doggy Santa,

It's Lily here. My mummy says I have been a good girl this year so I should write a letter to you.

I get very cold during the winter because I am only small and I get confused easily, especially when the ground is wet. It feels yucky on my feet and fur. I prefer staying in because my bed feels warm and cosy, especially when my mummy puts it near the radiator. When I do go out I like to feel safe in a harness and sometimes I like having a coat on over the top. The best kind of presents are the ones that keep me warm and dry.

I like treats (but not as much as my sister does). Please could I have something tasty to eat when I have been good like letting my mummy cut my nails? I don't let her do it very often so the treats will last me a long time!

Lots of love,
Lily xo

Dear Santa,

My name is Lola and I'm the best Pug ever.

I haven't been such a good girl but I'm so cute, can you forgive me? My mummy likes to dress me up as a reindeer which I don't mind so much, because I get lots of fuss (and fuss = treats) but I think it's time for a new look. A Pug has got to keep up with the trends you know. I would like a festive bow tie to wear over Christmas because I think it would make me look rather gorgeous. The Chihuahua round the corner would be so jealous!

I heard my mum talking about Pets at Home selling rocky road for dogs, which sounds like it would be very tasty. I promise I wouldn't eat the whole lot in one day.

Thanks a lot Santa!
Lola xo

P.S. I ate your carrot and mince pie, sorry about that.

All available at Pets at Home

* I have worked with Pets at Home to create Lily and Lola's Christmas wishlists in return for them receiving a few goodies under the tree.

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Gift ideas under £10 (the mug edition).

November 16, 2014, 2:54 am

≫ Next: Iconemesis: Gemma Correll Pug iPhone case.

≪ Previous: Lily and Lola's letters to Santa.

If you're a tea or coffee drinker you will know the importance of having a varied mug selection and potentially even your own mug for work. After all, who wants to drink out of the same vessle that dozens of other people have had their lips round?!

If you're stuck for what to buy your 'Secret Santa' recipient you can't go far wrong with a mug in my eyes, the more comical the better.

Here's a round up of my favourite mugs to buy the hot drink enthusiast in your life, or, you know, the random guy in the office you're forced to buy for.

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve

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Iconemesis: Gemma Correll Pug iPhone case.

November 20, 2014, 11:34 am

≫ Next: Our Save the Date cards: rustic DIY "tying the knot" cards.

≪ Previous: Gift ideas under £10 (the mug edition).

I'm a big fan of Iconemesis and have had a couple of cases from them before. The designs are so quirky. When they offered to send me another case to add to my collection I didn't hesitate to say "yes please" when I saw the Pug design by Gemma Correll.

Anything Pug themed is always right up my street so this is no exception. It's super cute, sturdy and the best part is it's only £9.99 which I think is pretty good value, even for an old dinosaur of an iPhone like mine.

I'm deciding whether to upgrade to an iPhone 6 or 6plus, what do you think?

Pug pattern iPhone 4 case c/o Iconemesis

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Our Save the Date cards: rustic DIY "tying the knot" cards.

November 26, 2014, 12:20 pm

≫ Next: Gift ideas (the Pug edition).

≪ Previous: Iconemesis: Gemma Correll Pug iPhone case.

Our Save the Date cards were posted out a few weeks ago so I thought I would share a few photos with you, as I was pretty pleased with how they turned out.

After toying with the idea with buying one of the designs in this blog post I decided to save a lot of money by going down the DIY route. After a ~~bit~~ lot of googling for inspiration I found this 'tying the knot' idea which we both loved. I wanted to find a design that was simple and easy to put together, so they were perfect!

The tricky bit was putting the Word document together and getting the alignment right. I had to do a few test prints to get it just-so. Once that was sorted out came the guillotene to chop the invites to size. One A4 sheet produced 3 invites but you could make a larger card if you wanted to.

Each strip was folded into three then I used a needle and the end of some scissors to pop small holes at either end. Some string (complete with a knot in the middle, of course!) completed the design. You could also use coloured string to match your wedding scheme, or twine.

I finished them off by wrapping gold raffia around each card and tying a bow.

I hope you like them. I was so pleased with how they turned out and got lots of nice comments about them. I am currently making our main invitations so I will share those once they're ready!

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Gift ideas (the Pug edition).

November 27, 2014, 12:06 pm

≫ Next: Blogmas!! 5 good things.

≪ Previous: Our Save the Date cards: rustic DIY "tying the knot" cards.

So we have had the mug edition, now it's time for the Pug edition!

I feel like I am such an easy person to buy presents for because, if in doubt, go down the Pug related paraphernalia route. The shops are full of products featuring dogs of the squished face variety so there's definitely plenty to choose from. Plus there are lots of quirky online brands on Etsy and Not on the High Street who offer unique items that you might not see on the high street.

Here's my guide on what to buy the Pug owner/enthusiast in your life.

P.S. Family and friends, I would be more than happy to receive any of the following ;)

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve

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Blogmas!! 5 good things.

December 1, 2014, 12:06 pm

≫ Next: My ultimate Christmas list!

≪ Previous: Gift ideas (the Pug edition).

I have been feeling a bit 'funny' about my blog and the blogging world lately. It's such a different place to when I first started blogging where I felt like I knew so many other bloggers and so many people read and commented on mine. Now I feel a bit lost in the crowd, wondering where my blog fits in the grand scheme of things.

In a bid to battle that I thought I would attempt one blog post per day in the lead up to Christmas Day. It's not going to be easy, judging by my recent efforts, but I will give it a go. It will be a chance to catch up on my resolutions, set some more for 2015, chat to you all about life, wedding plans, Christmas, and share a few outfits and bits and bobs.

To kick things off, and as a nod to my old tradition of doing these posts every Monday, here are my 5 good things:

1) Buying comfy winter clothes and accessories. I am cold pretty much all of the time so the flurry of blanket scarves in the shops are a welcome sight! I treated myself to a couple of Accessorize numbers recently as I couldn't decide between the two. Next on my wishlist, a bobble hat and some faux fur lined leather gloves!

2) Getting my hair chopped off a couple of weeks ago. Gone are my dry ends, it's so quick and easy to blow dry and it looks great with a bit of curl!

3) It's almost time for our yearly tradition. We pop a Christmas film on, lay all the presents we have bought out on the floor, tick them off our lists and spend the rest of the night chatting, wrapping presents and eating Christmas goodies. The film is usually Home Alone FYI.

4) Packed weekends from now until Christmas and a 2 week festive break on the horizon.

5) Discovering Nutella hot chocolate!

What are your 5 good things?

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My ultimate Christmas list!

December 2, 2014, 12:15 pm

≫ Next: How I did with my 2014 goals/resolutions.

≪ Previous: Blogmas!! 5 good things.

Just for fun, here are a few things I would ask Santa for if he had an unlimited budget and thought I had been extra good this year!

I have had my eye on a Kitchenaid for so long. Our baking has really gone downhill since we moved to our current house 3 years ago mainly due to a dodgy oven that either doesn't cook anything or cremates it. When we fix our oven (or move house!) I might have to take the plunge and invest. The blue version would look lovely in our kitchen. Look how pretty it is!

The Louis Vuitton Montaigne bag has been in my sights for a while now. I nearly bought it a few months ago but the exorbitant price tag eventually made me see sense and I bought the more reasonable "Neverfull" instead. One day, Montaigne, one day!

I am a sucker for scarves and have a rather sizable collection in my wardrobe, including a few Missoni numbers and an Alexander McQueen which I've had about 7 years so it's starting to look a bit tatty. I love big chunky checked scarves at the moment so the ultimate is obviously this Burberry tassled one. I'd love another skull scarf and the navy/white combo is my favourite.

Finally I wish I had a pretty pastel coloured bike with a basket. I imagine I would only ride round the block in it or pop to the corner shop but I would look fabulous doing so. I could even take Lily or Lola with me in the basket, imagine that!

What would be on your ultimate Christmas list?

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How I did with my 2014 goals/resolutions.

December 3, 2014, 11:17 am

≫ Next: Life lately (illustrated by Instagrams).

≪ Previous: My ultimate Christmas list!

How did I do with my goals for 2014? Not too bad. It could definitely be worse! I feel like I gave them a good go and I have definitely made some improvements but to sum it up; could do better.

I am looking forward to setting some goals for 2015 but for now, here's how I did this year:

♥ Get fitter / be more consistent with my exercise / stay at my goal weight - this has been a tricky one this year and my weight has been up and down more times than I care to remember. I think 2015 calls for more health updates, weigh-ins and general chit chat to do with weight loss and exercise. I haven't made any massive set backs and have maintained my weight, or thereabouts, so I don't feel massively disappointed with this goal.

♥ Try Yoga or Pilates - I have done a little bit of yoga at home and enjoyed it, but I prefer high intensity exercise. I may still try a proper class at some point, but for now I'm happy that I gave it a go at home.

♥ Go indoor rock climbing - I didn't do this but it's not my fault. Hear me out! I was given a rock climbing gift voucher last Christmas and have been putting it off and putting it off. I finally plucked up the courage to ring up last week and I discovered that the climbing centre has closed down! It is something I plan to do very soon though.

♥ Try to be a better friend - I try to be as good of a friend as I can be, but sometimes I think I am too hard on myself and I over-think things. Towards the end of 2014 I have tried to be a better listener and supportive to the best of my ability. But at the end of the day, nobody is perfect.

♥ Comment on every blog post I read - I think I have done pretty well on this. It has definitely got me into the habit of commenting and it is something I will continue to do in the future. I think this is something easy we can all do that makes a big difference to the blogger behind the post!

♥ Read 52 books i.e. a book for every week of the year- big fat FAIL. I started the year off doing really well as I used to get the bus into work which meant I had a good 40 minutes each way to read my book or Kindle. Now that I drive into work every day I only get to read here and there; 10 minutes before bed, in the bath, or occasionally on the weekend. I definitely won't put pressure on myself next year to read a certain number of books but I would definitely like to make more time to read, even if it's just a magazine!

♥ Get to the bottom of my acne problem and have more confidence in my appearance
(But ultimately accept that appearance is not the be all and end all!) - my acne completely cleared up this year, hurrah! I *think* I have got it under control and my confidence has definitely improved.

♥ Have more bubble baths and "me" time - I have definitely been doing this with the help of Comforter bars from Lush which are my current obsession. You can't beat a bubble bath!

♥ Relax... (yeah right! ;)) - erm, this one is a work in progress!!

How did you do with yours?

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Life lately (illustrated by Instagrams).

December 4, 2014, 11:29 am

≫ Next: Weight loss/fitness update.

≪ Previous: How I did with my 2014 goals/resolutions.

Life lately has been a pattern of wedding / Christmas / wedding / Christmas / eating / seeing friends / more wedding and Christmas.

Our wedding plans are well underway. We have a venue and a date, a photographer, best men, ushers and bridesmaids. I have a dress! The DJ is booked and so is the hair and makeup lady. We have also met with a florist but are toying with the idea of doing the flowers ourselves as we have lots of ideas. We've made our intentions to Rotherham Registry Office, picked our vows and had our food tasting session.

We had a shaky start when I tried to do it all on my own (and do it ALL AT ONCE because I am so damn impatient) but once Jonathan stepped in with his sensible head everything fell into place and we have concentrated on one thing at a time. If I'm unsure about any decoration or flower ideas we sit down together and decide what we like best between us. Now it feels easy and enjoyable making the decisions and everything has come together nicely, and with 6 months still to go! We are both super excited to see our plans come together.

This time of year always gets busy for us with seeing friends and family, going out for meals, Christmas parties at work. I have the day off tomorrow and Jonathan has got a rare afternoon off so we are going to head out for some lunch and a spot of Christmas shopping, making the most of the quieter crowds to get our lists finished off.

I am taking it easy on myself this year and not making my Christmas cards (I have wedding DIY to focus on!) but I do plan to blog about my present wrapping.

What have you been up to lately?

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Weight loss/fitness update.

December 5, 2014, 12:04 pm

≫ Next: My Accessorize winter wishlist.

≪ Previous: Life lately (illustrated by Instagrams).

This year has been a weird one for my weight maintenance/fitness progress and as much as I'd like to sweep it all under the carpet, that wouldn't be fair to the people who email me asking for advice who say I'm an inspiration for their own weight loss. I always try to be honest so here is a summary of what's been happening.

Last year I got down to my ultimate goal weight but I was being too restrictive to get there. I was eating very small meals and I developed a fear of eating anything that wasn't "clean". Then I would go out for a meal or something would happen which disrupted my strict routine and I would eat lots and lots for several days or weeks. It was all or nothing!

My aim, ultimately, is to reach that goal weight again by being healthy, eating enough, exercising regularly, losing the obsessive compulsive thought processes and being happy! Not too much to ask surely? ;)

Bad habits

I have a tendency to turn to food when I am really happy, really sad, anxious or worried. Chances are I experience one of those emotions on a fairly regular basis which means I am often reaching for the biscuit tin. I want to kick this habit to the curb and find alternative ways to deal with these emotions.

PCOS

Some of you may know that I have PCOS which I think is part of the reason why, even when I'm on track and working really hard, results can be slow or sometimes non existent. This can be a massive set back and leaves me wondering why I bother. I think the key is consistency and knowledge. I have been trying to read up on PCOS as much as possible to find out the best food options and types of exercise. If anyone can share any pearls of wisdom please do!

Looking forward to 2015

I need to try and remember the progress I HAVE made. It's easy to forget, so writing this has been really helpful because I've been looking back through old photos and have noticed the changes.

Compared to 2009/2010 my BMI is no longer in the "overweight" category, I have found exercise that fits into my routine and that I enjoy, I have learnt to cook and know how to make good choices. I'd say this is a pretty big achievement!

I have put a few pounds on since last year and I don't feel as comfortable in some of my clothes as I did then, so I'd like to lose that weight slowly and steadily.

I want to work on being able to have a treat without it throwing my whole routine off balance. I want to get stronger and fitter so I will try to be more consistent with my workouts and ensure I always do something at least a couple of times a week, but more if I can. I have found that HIIT workouts are the most effective for me so I will mix those in with some strength training. I will post regular updates to check in and chat to you guys about things. Hopefully that will be helpful to me and you!

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My Accessorize winter wishlist.

December 6, 2014, 8:54 am

≫ Next: Our (long) weekend.

≪ Previous: Weight loss/fitness update.

Accessorize have really produced the goods this year and sadly there is a small store just around the corner from my office block so I have been popping in rather a lot recently.

They have a large selection of blanket scarves for £19, which I think is pretty reasonable. I got myself a pretty pink pastel number and a brighter checked version. The days of shivering at my desk are over now that I can wrap myself up in these scarf/blanket hybrids!

I am lusting after a pair of leather gloves as I can't seem to hang onto regular gloves. They end up getting holes in the fingers or if they have any decoration that always pops off after a couple of wears. I am torn between the two pairs below but both are rather lovely!

You can't get through the winter with a cold head, which is why I'm eyeing up all of their faux fur bandos along with a rather fetching grey bobble hat. The bandos are only £15 which I think is a steal.

Finally a girl can never have too many pairs of socks and slippers. I am partial to a boot-style slipper but I can't resist these adorable koala bears.

What is your favourite item from my list?

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