Showing posts with label december. Show all posts
Showing posts with label december. Show all posts

Monday, 2 January 2017

Month by Numbers: skates, stars & shimmying

7 favourites...


1.) There’s been ice-skating, there’s been present opening and there’s been drinking. Oh my has there been drinking…I think at one point it was just pure prosecco and cocktails running though my veins. Festivities to the max y’all.

2.) This month has been filled with a lot of work-related fun outside of work time. This time last year I had lost one job, working a freelance job, and hunting for another job. It was lonely and soul detroying to be quite honest, but this year could not be more different. Colleagues have become more than just that and are now friends, and I danced with them along to cheesy festive songs, drank with them in cringey christmas jumpers and boozy brunch-ed with them on a Sunday afternoon. Once upon a time in Sheffield, me and my bestie said ‘imagine if one day we’re both journalists, living in London & in the same office!’ and lo and behold, here we are! From shorthand lectures together to dancing the night away at the office Christmas party together. And I could not be happier or how it’s all turned out and the new friends I’ve made in my life because of it.


3.) Every year some some of my closest friends and I get together and have a Christmas weekend together, or as we call it, Hunmas (long story). We stayed up until the early hours of the morning swapping secret santa presents, we drank wine, we ice-skated, we ate food and we talked the world to rights. That how weekend with these girls usually go and they never, ever get old and I’m always planning and feeling psyched for the next one.


4.) One of the perks of my job is I get to go to cool events, and one of the more recent and also coolest things I’ve been to is the Christmas party that Netflix held. Not only were there sets made up to look like some of their original shows, but the actors and actresses dressed up in those sets never went out of character and pulled up in to get involved.

 I essentially played charades with Queen Elizabeth on the set of The Crown. There was cocktails being passed around, I took full advantage of the gif-making photo booth, and there was a free chrome cast in my goodie bag to take home. Oh and I met Bake-Off winner and queen, Candice Brown, who I just banged on about how she slays the lipstick game and I love her piggy sausage rolls. So there was that too...good job Netflix.

5.) And one of the other perks of my job is that I get opportunities to go to stuff that I’ve loved for years, like Strictly Come Dancing. It’s the one show me and my whole family all love - it’s just pure joy! And after the hellish year my mum’s been through, it was an absolute privilege to be able to take her and every now and again, I was sneakily look over at her and she was laughing and enjoying herself with so much joy. It filled my heart up with so much love and not gonna lie, it filled my eyes up with tears.


6.) Christmas calories don’t count, and i may have taken that motto a bit too seriously. Just maybe. My body is made completely out of pigs in blankets, Quality Street sweets and red wine right now. i think when you you cook essentially a Christmas dinner in a pie and plait the crust of it and feeling like flipping Snow White, you’re in full on festive mode aren’t you? I’ve even been gifted sparkly jam that has prosecco and actual glitter in. I mean, I’m living my best damn life right now, but my waistline and health says otherwise.


7.) Living your best life during Christmas consists of mainly of drinking, dancing, partying and not much sleeping. And as much as i love a life of that, it starts to take it’s toll, and that’s when it’s time to hop of a train back to the shire and switch off for a bit. My fave thing about Christmas is how people bound together with joy and I’m lucky enough to have an amazing family full of love to share that with. And being an aunty in that family to 3 gorgeous nephew and nieces means i get to spoil them rotten and seeing their faces and reactions of pure, unadulterated excitement when they open presents that i’ve put so much thought into buying, makes me feel like there’s no better way for me to spend my hard-earned money.

5 tweets...
1.) My neck hurts from too many hair whips on the dancefloor & I'm still finding glitter on me - THAT'S how fun the xmas party was last night ๐ŸŽ„
2.) Have come to China Town for dim sum with family. Randomly developed a rash out of the blue - am I allergic to my own culture?! ๐ŸŽŽ
3.) My friend just told me I look like I'm straight out of a 90s music video & I couldn't be happier with comparison ❄️
4.) Nephew's present consists of Star Wars, Pokรฉmon & McFly's @TomFletcher. Couldn't be more excited, pysched & proud of that combo ๐ŸŽ #TopAunty
5.) What do you mean I have to go to work tomorrow and can't sleep in till 10am and have a cheese board as a snack?

3 songs…
1.) Gallant -  Weight In Gold
The coolest, most chilled vibes you could want to balance all the cheese and excitement of December. I started hearing this and was thinking ‘oh this is cool, I feel like i’ve come across this sound before?’ And that would be because they supported Jack Garratt when I went to see him and I can say they are fucking brilliant live so go and do that guys and girls.

2.) Barbara Streisand - Rain on my Parade
I found myself listening to this many a morning on my commute, and i think it was solely to psych myself up to get myself to work and make my commute that bit less shit and that bit more chipper.

3. ) JC Cooper - September song
December is an odd time to feel all summery, but this is what this song did. And as much as I am essentially Mrs.Christmas, this made me look forward to sunny summers to come and feel nostalgic about sunny summers past.

Until next time,
A.x

Saturday, 9 January 2016

December disco

The festive season of December calls for 3 very important components, and in 3 varying degrees...

First there's the glitter and sparkle - now, you can just give a nod to the twinkly lights of Christmas with a long-length netted gold top, with a sparkly silver CK bra to save your modesty.
Step it up a notch with enough texture and shimmer to give Frosty the Snowman a run for his money. Pair with over the knee boots, pom-pom earrings and grey hair for maximum festive feels.
Or go the whole hog with big ol' gems and beads on your Elsa-worthy dress. Frozen? Eat your heart out.
Component no.2: The Christmas jumper. Now, you can go kinda traditional with a fairisle-style print full of beads and the like (Psst, it goes perfectly with dungaree-dresses and leather skirts with a touch of tartan)
Or drop in more of a novelty factor with some holly in embroidery form, with of course some added extra sparkle in the form of gems just for good measure.
But why do that when you could just throw caution to the wind and wear a jumper covered in glitter showcasing the very important motto that one is 'Kissing guys for mince pies'. Perfect with a shimmering, red dress that is oh-so-festive, or with a chevron skirt while you roller skate around the dance floor. Multi-purpose to the max.

And last but not least - tis' the season of giving! So that also means the receiving of gifts (if you've been good that is) And it seems that I can't have been too naughty this year because Santa bought me a swish new diary to keep my life in order, some pyjamas that are out of this world, and lots of other magpie-worthy shimmery sparkles.
Including a double-heart token asking me to sail away with them. Well, how could I resist the charm of rose gold eh?
Bonus round alert! If 3 major factors to Christmas isn't enough enough, then throw in a fishtail plan and enough tartan scarves to give the cold weather in Budapest a run for it's money.

 Until next time,
A.x


Tuesday, 5 January 2016

Month by Numbers: Kylie, Kiss-mas & Kicking Back

With December being the festive season of gifts, drinking and eating until you resemble a pig in a blanket, it was a hella hectic month, broken up by a stint of Crimbo limbo where you do nothing but sit on the sofa and only move to grab another chocolate out of the Quality Street tin - and it looked a little something like this...

7 favourites...
1.) When I set myself a goal to document more little bits and moments of my life this time last year, I didn't actually think I'd stick it out for the whole 12 months! (My attention span isn't the best..) But Even if it's just me and my odd cousin who I don't really talk to anymore watches it, I've loved doing it and it's made me see my day-to-day life in a different and more creative way. And it gives me a outlet for all the random bits of clips that I record or save from my Snapchat story - they're not just wasting away on my hard-drive. Here's my December and last mini documentary of 2015: there was lots of family time and lots of festive fairy lights.

2.) I love getting post, and I wish I got more or sent more. Maybe it's because it's the festive season, or cus my friends are just thoughtful munchkins, but I came home from work to find quite the few Christmas cards - from friends at home to friends on the other side of the world - and even a little letter just to say hi. Everytime I saw an envelope with my name on and ripped it open to read what was inside, I was grinning like a Cheshire cat and my heart felt all warm & fuzzy. So maybe this year will be the year I get my pen & paper out...

3.) One of the massive perks of my job is getting tickets to go see something that I might not necessarily have been able to or have thought about going to. And one of occasions is when I got to see the pop princess that is Kylie Minogue perform a one-off Christmas spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall with my bestie. It was one big camp, colourful and carasmatic Christmas party, and I left feeling hysterical, overjoyed and exhausted in equal measures (and with no voice...)

4.) If you know me, I'm all about the activities. Yeah yeah, going for a drink or a coffee is all perfectly well and good, but why would I want to go for a flat white when I can skating on the ice white? And with festivities well and truly in full swing for the festive season, I did everything from skating - roller AND ice - to going to Christmas markets and pop-up versions of Tokyo. 

5.) Budapest was the perfect winter getaway - filled with twinkly lights, beautiful buildings & hot coco that essentially was jut melted chocolate (which was completely necessary in the cold & rain). Sights were seen, wine was drank and many miles were walked. Budapest? You were the Buda-best!

6.) Christmas means home. But not driving home for Christmas a la Chris Rea cus, y'know...trains and shit, but every time I come back home and see my family and catch up with my friends, my heart feels all warm and fuzzy inside. 

7.) And speaking of Christmas, what a Christmas it's been this year. This year, I felt well and truly excited and content at the same time. Food, family and fun is what it's all about, and everything else on top of that is just a brilliant extra. Now I have little niece and nephews running around putting cookies out for Santa and ecstatic for the morning of the 25th, it makes the festive season all that more magical.

5 tweets...

"I've eaten a mince pie every day of December so far - Christmas is off to a 
brilliant start y'all ๐ŸŽ„"
"Listening to @britneyspears as I do yoga is making me feel sassy & serene in equal measures ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ’ƒ๐Ÿป"
"Pretty sure at this festive point my blood stream is 70% mulled wine, 20&% gin & 10% glitter ๐Ÿท๐ŸŽ„✨"
"Oh man! Dude on the train just sprayed an aftershave that smells just like my ex. Definitely don't miss the ex but god I do miss that scent"
"Today's the first time in about 6 days I've not had red lipstick on. Feels strange ๐Ÿ’‹๐Ÿ’„"

3 outfits... 
dress:ASOS, skirt:Mango
I spent most of the month looking like some form of wintery ice queen. Whether that's in a sparkly and bejewelled dress to honour the pop princess that is Kylie Minogue when you go see her festive spectacular. Or covered in a wool and shimmering textured mad mess of a skirt with complimenting glittery nails. 
top:Nasty Gal, skirt:Mango, boots:Daisy Street, earrings:New Look
Or you could just go all out with your trusty fluffy and shimmering skirt once again, with a low-cut, flared sleeved top (did someone say ABBA?) Add some equally as fluffy pom-pom earrings and some knee high boots for good measure and BAM! You've got yourself a snow angel. Extra festive points for icy silver hair.

Until next time,
A.x