Packing my Hospital Bag | Checklist

With just 4 weeks left until baby number 2 is due, I thought it was about time I packed my hospital bag. Next week I'll be 37 weeks, which means baby is considered 'Full Term' and I could go into labour at any time. Dark & difficult times lie ahead (Harry Potter reference for those who don't know, lol). Having done this before, I can almost remember the main things I really needed/used when at the hospital, and with a little help from Pinterest to rejog the old memory, I've managed to compile a checklist of the things that really do come in handy when going into hospital.

For Mum to Wear

• An old nightie to give birth in. Last time I bought a new one and it got covered in blood and all sorts of other pleasant bodily fluids, and I ended up just binning it as soon as I got a shower.
• Pyjamas for after you're all clean. Preferably dark ones to hide any mishaps. A button down pyjama top will also help if you're planning on breastfeeding.
• Slippers - just because everyone loves a nice comfy pair of slippers to walk around in.
• Dressing gown - maybe not a necessity for some people but I couldn't do without mine.
• 1 or 2 nursing bras (again, only essential if you're planning on breastfeeding, and even then you might just be comfortable in just pyjamas. I probably will be lol).
• Disposable maternity briefs - I found these really handy last time, as they're mahoosive enough to hold those ridiculous maternity pads, and you don't have to worry about stashing loads of dirty knickers in your bag when you need a change. These ones from Asda are cheap.
• Some big comfy knickers - for if/when you run out of disposable ones, or if you want something a bit comfier.

Essentials

• LIP BALM LIP BALM LIP BALM!! I know I sound like a crazed lip balm freak. I am to an extent, as I can't go to bed without it at home, but during labour your lips can get seriously dry, which is why lip balm is an absolute essential for your hospital bag.
• Nipple Cream. This, again, depends on whether you plan on breast/bottle feeding, and it also depends on how long you stay in the hospital. If you're in and out within 24 hours, then it can probably wait at home, but you never know so I'd rather be safe than sorry.
• A hair bobble. Seriously, nobody wants their hair in their face when they're in labour.
• A handy travel mirror. Thank me later.
• Maternity Pads. Yep, those beasts. Normal pads just won't do it at first. You'll bleed the biggest period of your life for a good few weeks. (I did anyway).
• Toothbrush/toothpaste - obviously.
• Small makeup bag with the basics in. You might wanna make yourself look awake/alive for your visitors.
• Toiletries. This is where I save a bit of space. I bought the Badedas 3 in 1 Revitalising Shower Gel, Shampoo & Conditioner, which should do the job in the shower until I get home. I have a big bottle of the Original Badedas Bath Gelee for when I get home, too. Badedas is absolutely amazing on the lady area, especially if you have stitches. It really helped soothe my stitches when I had George.
• Tissues - for the weepy moments, and everything else in between.
• Face Wipes & Moisturiser
• Hair Brush
• A couple of towels, I don't know if all hospitals are the same, but mine advises to bring your own towels.

Essentials for Baby

• Nappies & Wipes. Clearly the biggest essentials going.
• 4 or 5 vests
• 4 or 5 babygrows/sleepsuits
• A swaddle blanket. I didn't take a proper swaddling blanket last time, but I wish I had as newborns love to feel safe and secure in a swaddle.
• Snowsuit for going home in.
• A warm cosy blanket.
• Hat/mittens for if the hospital room is cold.
• Nappy cream suitable for the delicate newborn skin. I've gone for this one.
• Muslin Cloths - just so handy with newborns.

Extras for Mum/Dad

• Bottled Water. I know you can get cups of water in the hospital but bottles are always handy to have on hand.
• Mobile phone & charger.
• Spare change / money. For things like the tv, vending machines, tea/coffee etc.
• Energising snacks (cereal bars are handy for both Mum and Dad).
• Camera
• Tablet, magazines. To keep yourself sane if you stay in hospital a while.
• Maternity file (notes).

So there we have it. I hope this list helps new mums in the future. No doubt I'll have forgotten something SUPER important. If anyone has any other hints or tips please feel free to let me know. I've got most of the essentials now so I'm pretty much ready if the baby decides to make an early appearance. 

Good luck to all those getting ready for labour, it's the scariest, most exciting time in the world and I can't wait to do it all over again.

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A Little Newborn Haul

Just over 4 weeks to go guyyys! With this being my 2nd baby and not finding out the sex for either of them, I didn't really need to buy anything new this time around, as all of the newborn things I had for George are neutral and immaculate (they grow too fast). Having said that, it's pretty much impossible to not buy at least a few new things. I (well to be fair my Mam paid for most of these - thanks Maaa) picked up a few things that I thought that I did 'need' aswell as a few other adorable bits that I couldn't leave behind.

First up is Swaddling Wraps as I really wanted some of these this time around. I didn't use them last time and I really wish I had looking back. I've read so much about how effective they are in keeping baby settled for longer as they don't wake themselves up with their startle reflex. George was quite an unsettled newborn so I'm hoping these help this time around. I got the GroSwaddle Jungle Friends Wrap in the sale section in Boots for a mere £6.25. Then we were browsing Mamas and Papas and came across their Swaddle Wrap & Swaddle Shell both with 10% off so we grabbed them.

Ok so the next thing technically isn't for a newborn as I picked up the 6-18 month size, but I included it anyway as I got it at the same time as everything else. Baby sleeping bags are so handy and George slept in them every night until he was about 1. They are so much safer than duvets, and this one was reduced from £36 down to just £10.50 - bargain! I got the bigger size as I have a few smaller ones already and the baby will be hopefully sleeping swaddled for the first few months anyway. Whilst we were in Mama's and Papa's we also came across the most adorable, geeky looking chime toy and we couldn't leave him behind (Ma insisted, lol). He was £12 but with a massive 70% off so he came home with us.

The next thing was just too cute to leave behind. George at Asda do a few newborn starter sets, and I thought this would be perfect to take in the hospital bag as the first little outfit. It comes with a sleepsuit, a t-shirt, leggings, a vest, a bib, scratch mits and a hat. Loving the neutral colours and the little button pattern too!

To complete my little haul, I picked up some new cotbed sheets for when baby moves into the cot, aswell as the most adorable cosy fleece blanket from TK Maxx. It will be perfect for the pram and carseat when we're out and about.

So there you go, sorry if my going on about newborn/pregnancy stuff bores you. I just like to include lifestyle posts in my blog aswell, and as having a baby is pretty much the biggest lifestyle event, I couldn't leave it out, could I?

Much love,

  
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Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him: In Association With House of Fraser

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, our thoughts may (or may not - don't wanna assume) be turning to gifts and how we can show our loved ones that we care. Martin and I don't make a huge fuss on Valentines Day usually, but we do like to get cards and chocolates etc just as a token gesture. I was recently contacted by House of Fraser with a collaboration idea to create a Men's Valentine's Day Gift Guide. I was hoping thinking that it would be something some of my readers might be interested in, as I know men are notoriously hard to buy for!

I had a browse through the House of Fraser men's department and came up with a fair few ideas, which makes me think I'll be getting Martin a little bit more than normal this year as there's so much on there I think he'd like. Take a look for yourself, hope these ideas help those who are struggling. There's a few bargains in here aswell as HoF have currently got a Blue Cross Sale going on! Brucey Bonus!

Charbonnel et Walker Pink Champagne Truffles. Was £11 now £8.80

Ted Baker 3 Pack Stripe & Spot Sock in a Box. Was £24 now £9.50

Skopes Leather Wallet. Was £25 now £15

Polo Ralph Loren Classic Trunks. Was £30 now £15

Original Penguin Charim Coloured Cufflink Set*. Was £38 now £18

Hugo Boss Hugo Red Eau De Toilette 75ml Gift Set. Was £40 now £26.28

Ted Baker Hip Flask £28

Clinique For Men Essentials Kit for Oily Skin. £30

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34 Week Pregnancy Update

Hi beauties. I'm back again to check in with a long overdue pregnancy update! My last update was at 25 weeks, and I'm now at 34+5 and feeling like an absolute whale! I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy has gone, and I'm starting to really panic fret about the fact that this baby could potentially come within the next few weeks and I've still got so much to sort out.

How I've Been Feeling

Warning: moaner alert! Well last time I was saying how wonderful I'd been feeling (the wonders of the 2nd trimester), but now I'm really starting to feel big and pregnant. I've been getting a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions, which I remember getting a lot last time. They don't really hurt, but my whole bump goes rock solid and it feels really uncomfortable for about 30 seconds or so. Also, I ache everywhere, I can't for the life of me get comfortable in any position and my mind is in constant overdrive about everything I need/want to do before the baby comes. Wanna see my hefty list? Well we've gotta... 

• Sort George's new bedroom out. (it's just been painted etc - thanks Hubby).
• Get his new wardrobes & drawers built (another task for Martin) & organise his clothes into there. 
• Move George into his new room and into his big boy's bed (God help us, thats a major task in itself).
• Get all of his newborn baby clothes out, sort through the unisex (white and neutral) baby grows, wash them and organise them.
• Sort out the nursery ready for the new bambino.
• Buy maternity/hospital stuff.
• Pack hospital bag

Not much at all! ARGHHH

Cravings/food aversions? 

None really.

Bump

I swear I must have doubled in size at the weekend. I could even feel myself stretching on Sunday, ouchie! I've got a few more stretchmarks this week that Hubby kindly pointed out! Not happy, but what can you do? I'll just have to work on reducing their appearance once my body is back to normal. This baby is growing at the speed of light and my body is trying hard to keep up. I feel like Bella Swan!!

Baby

I had my 34 week appointment yesterday and she said I was measuring perfectly for 34 weeks which is great news. She said it was a nice healthy heartbeat, and the baby's head is in the down position but still free, which means it hasn't descended down into the pelvis yet. Phew! 

According to Baby Centre, my baby now weighs more then 2.2kg and is approximately 45cm from top to toe! Awwww. I still find it baffling how a human can carry a fully grown baby. Mother Nature at her absolute finest!

Next Appointment

In 2 weeks time when I'll be 36+5

Much love. We'll be back for a final update before baby is born (hopefully) x

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Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palettes in Hot Spice and Sugar & Spice | Review

Makeup Revolution is a brand that's fairly new to me, but so far I'm absolutely LOVING them! They exploded onto the scene last year and have been unstoppable ever since, with some amazing new launches to be seen. They can be found in selected Superdrug stores and online, aswell as on the Makeup Revolution Website. They're super affordable, with products ranging from £1 to around £12. I've got 2 of their Ultra Blush Palettes to show you today, in Hot Spice & Sugar & Spice.

Both blush palettes contain an amazing 8 shades - 6  powder blushes in a range of shimmers and mattes, a baked blush and a highlight shade. The packaging is sleek and shiny, and they contain a full sized mirror which I really like. At £6 they are absolutely amazing value, and both palettes have a little something for everyone, as they both contain brights and neutrals. Less than £1 a blush people!!

Hot Spice

Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette in Hot Spice. £6

Hot Spice contains 6 warm toned blush shades, a shimmery baked blush and a shimmery highlight. If you love peaches, corals and neutrals then this is the palette for you. They are all extremely pigmented (apart from maybe the highlight, but nobody wants an overboard highlight anyway), a little really does go a long way with these so I'd certainly recommend tapping off the excess before you apply. They are buttery soft to touch and the lasting power is fantastic.

Sugar & Spice

Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush Palette in Sugar & Spice. £6

Now this is one for the pink blush lovers! As with Hot Spice, this palette contains 6 blushers, 1 baked blush and a baked highlight shade. I absolutely love every shade in this palette, as there's even a couple of light bronzey shades that would work as a slight contour. The highlighter is very icy pink so I wouldn't go too overboard on that as it might look a bit overdone. Again, the pigmentation is spot on and they are so buttery soft it's hard to find a negative.

Have you tried any of Makeup Revolution's Blush palettes? You seriously can't go wrong with these!

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The Easiest False Nail Experience with Broadway Nails Impress Press On Manicure

I've never been a fan of false nails in all honesty. Faffing around for 20+ minutes with nail glue that smells like an industrial solvent, only to find that I've stuck my thumb to my index finger and a whole new war begins to try and prize them apart! When I heard about the Impress Press On Manicures* from Broadway Nails, I was keen to give them a go. I know other brands have probably already brought out pre-glued nails, but I'm not clued up seen as though I've always avoided false nails.

I got the shades Control Freak* (a deep red/pink) and Rated R* (an almost black-purple) to try, and I decided to try Control Freak first as it looked right up my street!

Broadway Nails Impress Press On Manicure. £5.99 - £7.99. Superdrug*

Well, was I 'impressed' - see what I did there? #sorrynotsorry. I found these to be an absolute pleasure to play with, and simply a dream to apply. Firstly, can we just take a moment to appreciate the packaging? How cute? Each set of nails (24 in total) comes packaged in this adorable little nail polish bottle, along with an instruction leaflet with a little wipe and nail file attached. So convenient! I found it really easy to find sizes to fit my nails without the need to file or cut them to size - bonus! The instruction leaflet advises you to find your sizes and line up the nails in the order you want to apply them in, and leave thumb nails until last to help with application.

Application is really simple. You start by (obviously) removing any old nail polish and prepping your nails the way you normally do. Then give your nails a good wipe using the little 'prep pad' provided to remove any excess dust and to make sure the glue adheres to the best of it's ability. You then remove the clear back sticker by the tab, and line the nail up (by the tab end) to the cuticle and press down for a good 30 seconds, making sure you've pressed down in the middle and both sides. Once you're happy with the first nail, move onto the next one until... VOILA! You've got yourself a perfectly shiny REAL LOOKING manicure. I was actually really pleased with how real they looked, as some false nails just look awful and too fake. You know what I'm talkin' 'bout!

As far as wear time goes, I can't vouch for them lasting a whole week, as after 2 days my thumb nail on my right hand fell off, followed by my index and ring fingers the next day. But I'm honestly not complaining as my nail polish usually chips in around the same time anyway. As a housewife & mother, my hands are constantly on the go, aswell as typing away at a keyboard whenever I get a spare minute, so that kind of lifestyle is bound to take it's toll on even the strongest of glues. I think I'll get a few more uses out of these if I use them the old fashioned way, as they still look super shiny, however I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to face a battle with the dreaded pot of nail glue just yet.

Don't they just look splendid? Yes, I did just use the word splendid. #poshgrannyalert. 

All in all, I'm loving these and think I will definitely repurchase for a special occasion, as I cannot believe how real they look, and I received a fair few compliments when I was wearing them from a couple of shop assistants. Bravo Broadway Nails, bravo!

Have you tried pre-glued nails before?

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Alesha Dixon Rose Quartz Eau De Toilette

I'm a massive perfume fan, and when it comes to celebrity fragrances I'm always especially keen to try them out - #sorrynotsorry ha! Britney Spear's Fantasy (the original) is one of my all time favourite perfumes, and I'm rather keen on Taylor by Taylor Swift aswell, so when I was very kindly sent Rose Quartz* by Alesha Dixon, I couldn't wait to give it a sniff!

Alesha Dixon Rose Quartz* £24.50 per 100ml

Top notes: Bergamot, Grapefruit 
Heart notes: Rose, Magnolia, Geranium 
Base notes: Amber, Patchouli, Vetivert, Cedar, Musk 

First impressions of this product were great, especially the packaging. The perfume is housed in a large, sleek, transparent bottle with a pink ombre effect. I think the pink and silver really compliment each other and it's certainly a lovely looking perfume to join the rest of my others on my dressing table. In terms of scent, in all honesty, I found it was just a little too much for me. I'm not saying it is a bad scent, because it's really not, and I know it will be right up a lot of people's street. I just find Rose to be slightly overpowering in general. Rose is one of those scents that you either love or hate, and I just find it a little bit of a headache in beauty products. It's a shame though, as it's a really fresh  floral/fruity fragrance which is usually the kind of fragrance I'm drawn to. If you like fruity/floral scents and aren't put off by Rose, then this is certainly one for you. It's a great everyday fragrance, and at £24.50 for 100ml it definitely won't break the bank.

 

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Urban Decay Black Magic 24/7 Glide On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set | Review & Swatches

Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners! We've all heard of them, right? The ones that do NOT budge, glide on and smoke out like a dream? Yep, that's the ones. A few months before Christmas (if I'm not mistaken) Urban Decay launched a set of 4 double ended eyeliners (8 shades in total) for those black kohl lovers who love to rock a dark smokey eye. I was very lucky enough to win one of these sets in a Twitter competition just before Christmas so I've got it to show you today. Boom!

Urban Decay Black Magic 24/7 Glide On Double-Ended Eye Pencil Set. £27*

Aren't they gorgeous? I know some might say you only need one black/dark kohl, but as you can see by the swatches they're all quite different. Each pencil has a shade of black at one end, and a smouldering colour at the other, for if you want to add a pop of colour and smoke it out. The pigmentation of these is absolutely incredible with just one swipe, and the coloured shades, especially LSD, can be built up to a really intense look. My favourites have got to be Perversion - because it's so intense, and Demolition - because I love brown on the waterline as it's not as harsh as black.

This set retails for £27, however I think this could be a limited edition set as it's already sold out on Feel Unique and Debenhams, but it's still available on the Urban Decay website and Beauty Bay if you fancy snapping it up before it's gone.

 
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The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter

After hearing so many good things about The Body Shop's Camomile skincare range, I finally caved a few months ago and bought their Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter and I can honestly say my days of standing at the mirror with 1000 makeup-remover-soaked cotton pads are over. I'm almost out of this one and I'm already worried about what I'm gonna do without it (ahem, buy more).

The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter. £12

That's right. Not only does this stuff cleanse my skin and leave it feeling wonderfully soft, it also removes 100% of makeup in just one cleanse - even waterproof mascara, something I rarely find from the first cleanse. I'd used cleansing balms before, so I knew my dry skin would enjoy this in particular, but this feels a lot lighter than others I've tried. The formula itself is a lot softer to touch than it looks, and a little goes a long way. I usually just get a pea sized amount on my finger and work it into dry skin. As you work it in it turns into an oil and removes all traces of makeup, and It's even gentle enough to really work into the lashes to remove waterproof mascara. To rinse, I'd recommend using a face cloth, as although it does rinse away with water, you can't guarantee with oil based products that you're removing 100% of it, and if there's even a tiny bit left.. well let's just say your skin probably won't thank you for it! Better safe than sorry pals! If you're worried about the scent, don't be, it smells calming without being overpowering.

The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter costs £12 for 90ml. I'm definitely going to repurchase this, but I think I'm gonna have to try their Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil first to see how it compares!

 
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Staying in, because going out is so last year!

Ok, so I'm over 7 months pregnant and the last thing I wanna do is go out partying anyway, but even when I'm not "in the family way" (lol), I would always choose a night in over a night out. Most nights consist of me sharing my bath with a splashy toddler, getting him settled and then me and Martin watching some TV with far too many snacks (currently loving Vampire Diaries Series 1 on Netflix). Some nights though, (maybe once a week if I'm lucky) I like to really go all out and give myself a proper pamper and light some candles in the bathroom and get some toddler-free time.

The first thing I like to do is get tea out of the way and run myself a nice hot bubble bath. For bubbles, my absolute faves have to be Lush bubble bars, but if I don't have any of those, any old bubble bath will do. I actually prefer bubble bars to bath bombs from Lush as you can get a few baths out of them and I can't have a bath without bubbles so I'm getting the best of both worlds with one of those bad boys, although I do sometimes use both if I'm feeling extra saucy! The next thing I like to do is light a couple of candles around the room. We always have Yankee Candle Tarts burning through the house on an evening so in the bathroom I'll just burn any old candle just to set the calming mood. Whilst the baths running, I like to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin in the sink. For this I've been using The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter and I can't get enough of it. It's the most amazing cleanser I've tried and I love the way it leaves my skin afterwards. After cleansing I like to use a face mask, and for a deep cleanse I've been using the Sanctuary 5 Minute Thermal Detox Face Mask, which is the strangest mask ever, cos it instantly turns hot when it hits the skin. I love this as you can really feel it working into the pores and leaves my skin with a wonderful glow afterwards. I usually leave this on in the bath and remove it with a face cloth when I get out. I always take my phone or tablet into the bath with me and browse Bloglovin or Instagram whilst I have a soak, but I'm gonna make more of a conscious effort to take a book in with me instead and take a break from the internet whilst I relax. I got the book Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes for Christmas so that can be my next bathtime book! After I've had a little chill out time, it's time to get washed and scrubbed. At the moment I've been loving Snow Fairy from Lush, who hasn't? It's the first time I've tried it this year and I'm absolutely loving it. Can't believe I was so late to the Snow Fairy Party, it's definitely gonna be an annual thing for me from now on. For a scrub I'm currently using the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub, which leaves my skin super soft. After my bath it's time to get out, get dried, finish my skincare routine and moisturise my body with a rich body butter. My favourite body butter of all time has to be Soap & Glory's The Righteous Butter, I must have been through 3 or 4 big tubs and I currently have 2 backups. After that, it's time to get my clean pyjamas on, make a nice hot cup of tea or hot chocolate and settle down with the Hubby for the evening.

Oooh I could just fall asleep talking about it.
What's your pamper routine?

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What I got for Christmas 2014

Happy New Year Everyone! Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and New Year. I better warn you now, this is a pretty picture heavy post, so grab a cuppa, sit back and relax. I've made a pact to myself to become more organised this year and make a conscious effort to comment on more blogs and really put the effort into my social media. In doing so, I've already come across so many great posts on what people got for Christmas so I thought I'd like to share mine too. *Disclaimer alert*: I'm not in any way trying to brag or show off here, as some people might think I got way too much, while others think I didn't get much. That doesn't matter to me either way, I just enjoy reading and having a nose at what others got so I thought I'd do the same. Anyway, here's what I got...

From the hubby: Something I'd had my eye on for a long time. I love Olivia Burton watches, they're so simple, but really pretty at the same time. I chose the Big Dial Mink & Rose Gold Watch as it jumped out at me on the website instantly.

From my parents, a Nifty Fifty, I've been using my Canon eos 600d with the 18-55mm kit lens since I got it for my birthday in August and absolutely LOVING it, and knew it was time to get another lens, especially for making my blog photos that little bit more special. I chose the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens as I know that gives a great depth of field and will be perfect for both portrait and product photography.

My brother who has been staying with us over Christmas as he works away in Kazakhstan went wild and gave me his 3DS and bought me a copy of the new Pokemon Omega Ruby. Yes, I know I'm 27, but I've always LOVED the pokemon games, and I knew I wouldn't be able to play this on my DSi so he very kindly gave me his 3DS as he'd upgraded to the XL. How kind? Can't wait to get stuck into this game!

The same brother also went CRAZY and bought me a Benefit gift box with 5 amazing Benefit products inside (none of which I've ever tried). I couldn't believe it when I opened it and gave him a right telling off for spending so much. He said it was a thankyou for letting him stay at ours whenever he's home from Kazakhstan. Expect reviews on all of these in the near future!

The 5 presents above were all from my In-Laws, along with some chocolates that my hubby already has his eye on! How amazing? I feel totally spoilt and grateful that I really do have the best in-laws in the world. Really looking forward to getting stuck into the Sali Hughes book as I'm seeing it everywhere!

I received this BEAUTIFUL Alphabet Mug from Bombay Duck from my Stepdaughter and I can't stop looking at it! I'm an avid tea drinker and think this looks so pretty. It's already had so much attention on Instagram when I posted it yesterday!

From my Auntie and Uncle I received this amazing Estée Lauder Gift Box with so many gorgeous makeup products inside. I don't wanna show too much as I think it deserves it's own blog post.

Some of the other wonderful gifts I received from my very generous family and friends. Of course Christmas wouldn't be complete without the big Soap & Glory set. I also got a tripod off my Hubby but I haven't bothered taking a photo of that.

I feel completely spoilt and so happy with all of my gifts and can't wait to get stuck into them all.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and Santa was as kind to you as he was to me.

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