Saturday, 24 December 2016

10 Christmas Eve Traditions to try! ❅

I can't believe that Christmas is tomorrow, and that this is the final of my 12 posts leading up to Christmas. What better way to end this series than a post about today itself! So here are 10 Christmas Eve Traditions to try.

1. Give and get Christmas Pyjamas. In Winter who doesn't like receiving new pyjamas so whether its just you and your partner exchanging or it is a family affair exchanging new pyjamas on Christmas Eve is really fun.

2. Christmas movie night. Find a film to watch may it be a new one or an old favourite and watch it with your favourite people. After the stress of Christmas it's good to relax and appreciate the time together.

3. Hot Chocolate. Whether it's peppermint orange or plain, making hot chocolate can be really fun.

4. Make cookies. Maybe they are for Santa or maybe just because you love cookies it's a fun thing to do on Christmas Eve.

5. Wrap presents. Some people find this festive, some stressful. It can be really fun if you only have a few left to wrap!

6. Have a games night. Playing games with family can be really fun, just make sure it doesn't get too competitive. No one wants a bad atmosphere!

7. Go to a midnight candlelight service. Not for everyone but there isn't anything more festive than that. It can really put you in the Christmas mood.

8. Exchange tree decorations. Buy family and friends ornaments and exchange them, a sneaky way to do presents before the actual day.

9. Get started on food preparations. Whether it's cooking the meat or preparing the veg, it'll be one less stress on Christmas Day.

10. Make it a pamper night. Paint your nails, do a hair or face mask and chill. After all that stress it's time to enjoy the festive season.

Is there something you do on Christmas Eve that you love? Merry Christmas, I hope you have a lovely Christmas and an amazing end to 2016.

Love Sarah 

Thursday, 22 December 2016

Top 10 Christmas films! ❅

With Christmas fast approaching what better way to get into a festive mood than being curled up under blankets with a hot chocolate, the lights out and a ton of candles?

1. Love Actually. Who hasn't seen this film? It's definitely a classic. I showed it to my boyfriend last year and he loved it, and now he keeps asking when we can watch it this year. It seriously pulls on those heartstrings! It's also packed with amazing actors, definitely one to watch. 

2. Greatest store in the World. Growing up I watched this film every year with my family, it always used to be on CBBC! Recently I rediscovered it, but it's impossible to find online and there's barely anywhere to buy it. Luckily I found the link online so we cuddled up to watch it on Saturday evening, it's just as good as I remembered! 

5. Elf. Who hasn’t heard of this family film? This film is well-loved by many. It’s a typical Christmas film, it has the laughter and the heart-warming ending and I can never get enough of it.

4. The Grinch. It’s a fun silly adaption of beloved children’s tale. It’s memorable and I love to watch it time and time again.

5. Home Alone Series. Kevin McAllister is seriously legit! In both the first and second film he saves the day and Christmas. It may not be at all realistic but even after all these years it’s still funny!

6. Nativity Series. I LOVE this series. Whilst these films are family friendly the adult jokes and the slight inappropriateness of this series is seriously the best! It’s get me every time.

7. Four Christmasses. This is one of the films I've seen more recently. I was searching for some more rom-com Christmas films and I came across this. It really tells it how it is when it comes to visiting family and needing to be in multiple places at the same time!

8. The Holiday. I gotta admit I'm a massive fan of Cameron Diaz, and who wouldn't love to spend Christmas in a snowy cottage. It's a good ol' rom-com, and it really puts you in the Christmas spirit! 

9. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. This film is super funny and  puts me in a good and Christmassey mood. Also there is a few familiar faces. 

10. Scrooge. This is traditional film that gets you in the mood and ready for Christmas.  

Have you seen all these? Is there a film you love that’s not on this list?

Love Sarah

Tuesday, 20 December 2016

Sugar cookie recipe ❅

This year was the first year that I made sugar cookies and most of the recipes are in cups which isn't exactly the easiest measurements to be using. So I have put together the quickest easiest recipe to make the best cookies ever.

❅ 227g Unsalted butter
❅ 200g Granulated sugar
❅ 375g Plain flour
❅ Vanilla extract
❅ Almond extract
❅ 1 egg
❅ 2 teaspoons baking powder

  1. Pre-heat oven to 175.
  2. Cream together the butter and sugar until it is smooth (at least 3 minutes).
  3. Beat in extracts and egg.
  4. In a separate bowl mix together your dry ingredients.
  5. Add these a little at a time, as you do this your dough may become quite stiff and tough to work with. If it does wet your hands and knead your dough by hand until well combined,
  6. Roll out and cut shapes, your dough should be around half a cm thick.
  7.  Back for 6-8 minutes, 6 for soft cookies and 8 for crispy ones.
  8.  Let cool on tray until they are firm enough to be transferred to cool on cooling rack. Let them completely cool and decorate!
I hope you enjoy these cookies!

Friday, 16 December 2016

10 Favourite Things about Christmas! ❅

1. Family! I love spending time with my family. It's the only time I see a lot of my family. On the 27th we will be having a second Christmas with my boyfriend and lots of his family, which will be lovely.

2. Food. Oh how I love food, especially at Christmas time. I mean who doesn't love a Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings. Oh, and bucks fizz and smoked salmon and all the other yummy foood that you only have at Christmas. 

3. Christmas Jumpers. Every year I buy a new one so over the last few years I have really built up quite a collection. Sometimes it can be hard to decide which one to wear because I have so many options. 

4. Christmasey films. When it's freezing outside there's nothing like curling up under a blanket and putting on a lovely Christmas film. I love Elf, my all time favourite Christmas film is The Greatest Store in the World.

5. Christmas Music. Following on closely to this is Christmas music, I love putting a playlist on and dancing excitedly around it really gets you in the Christmas spirit and definitely puts me in a good mood.

6. DIY projects. Christmas doesn't have to be about spending a ton of money. Pinterest is filled with cheap and easy gift ideas that can be really fun to do and will show you've put a lot of effort into them.

7. Presents! I love giving presents! There's nothing like buying the perfect present for your friends or family and then wrapping them beautifully to put under the tree. It's also so lovely when you receive a really thoughtful gift.

8. Putting up the Christmas tree; whether it's a table top tree or a 7ft one, putting up the tree is definitely a favourite. I love going through the decorations and deciding where to put them and making the house look beautiful.

9. Christmas lights. This one is a bit of strange one but I love it when people put up their Christmas lights. Ever since I was a child I have loved going on drives and looking at for the house with the most outrageous Christmas lights. 

10. Winter Fashion. Whilst this isn't directly related to Christmas I love being able to wrap up and wear coats, boots, scarves and the other fashion Winter entails. I much prefer it to Summer attire and there's really not much I love more than a thick scarf. 

Whats your favourite thing about Christmas?

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Easy dairy free hot chocolate recipe ❅

Being lactose intolerant it can be difficult to find hot chocolate recipes that I can actually have. Most of the pre-made ones contain milk powder or other dairy ingredients. So I did some research and figured out how to make a creamy hot chocolate that has no milk. You can also add orange oil or a candy cane if you want flavoured hot chocolate.

You will need:

❅ 2 heaped tablespoons Cocoa powder
❅ 2 tablespoons sugar (or until desired taste)
❅ Dairy free milk alternative i.e soy or almond
❅ A cute mug
❅ Marshmallows


❅ Orange oil or a candy cane
❅ Coconut milk

1. Measure the milk by filling the mug and pouring it into a saucepan
2. Mix the cocoa powder and sugar
3. Heat the milk until it is about to boil and then add the cocoa powder sugar mixture (add orange oil now if desired)
4. Let simmer, mixing continuously until the cocoa powder is well combined
5. Take off heat and pour into mug
6. Add coconut whipped cream
7. Add marshmallows and candy cane
8. Enjoy!

Coconut Whipped cream instructions
Refrigerate coconut milk ahead of time (24 hours is best). Put whisks in freezer 10- 15 minutes before removing can from fridge. Open can and scoop out hard coconut cream that has settled on top, whip for 3 to 4 minutes, adding sugar honey or maple sugar if you want it to be sweeter.

I hope you found this recipe helpful!

Love Sarah

Monday, 12 December 2016

Wilko Christmas Haul ❅

Today I popped into Wilko and picked up a few Christmasey things. Wilko is a definite favourite when it comes to festive items as they are so cheap and such great quality. I mean these decorations were less than a £1!

Have you bought any new decorations recently?

Love Sarah

Saturday, 10 December 2016

Favourite Festive Reds ❅

I'm not necessarily a big wearer of red products, but there is definitely something Christmasey about wear red during December. Due to this I do not own a big selection of red lip products but I do have a few favourites that I always reach for. Since my complexion is fairly pale they offer a Christmas hue whereas on people with a darker complexion they may show to be more orange toned.

Avon Ultra glazewear in Fiery Red, £3. I love these Avon products. Whilst they aren't for everyone because they aren't matte you can blot them down a little and they wear well; leaving a natural looking red stain on your lips once the sheen has gone. The price can range with else but for £3 they are definitely worth it.

Mirabella Velvet Lip Pencil in Love, $25. These Lip pencils are ridiculously hard to get yours hands on; I received mine in the Love Me Beauty box. The formula of these is amazing, they feel velvety, they last all day and are very hydrating (they even stay on through eating). When they do start to wear off  it is gradual and even. If you can find these definitely try them!

Make Up Academy in Shade 13, £1. The lipsticks from Make Up Academy are a total bargain! They come in a range of colours so there is seriously one for everyone. The formula is very creamy but you do need to ensure that your lips are well exfoliated as they will stick to dry patches and can look uneven due to this. Whilst these lipsticks don't have the best staying power and will come off pretty easily they aren't half bad for a £1 and perfect if you don't want to invest in a colour you're only going to wear a handful of times.

Do you have a favourite beauty products that you love to wear at Christmas?

Love Sarah

Thursday, 8 December 2016

10 ways to get in the Christmas spirit! ❅

You feeling festive yet? If not here are 10 ways to get you in the spirit for Christmas!

1. Have a night of hot chocolate and tree decorating

2. Bake sugar cookies

3. Watch Christmas films and TV shows

4. Write and send Christmas cards

5. Drive around and look at Christmas lights

6. Wrap presents

7. Go see the Coca Cola truck

8. Get an Advent calendar

9. Listen to Christmas music

10. Buy a Christmas jumper

I hope post gets you ready Christmas, is there anything in particular that makes you feel really festive?

Love Sarah

Tuesday, 6 December 2016

November Favourites ❅

I've never done a favourites post before but better late than never. This month I haven't really tried all that many new products but I have definitely rediscovered some old favourites

Polaar La Veritable Creme De Laponie - The Genuine Lapland Hand Cream 
This hand cream is incredible; it smells good, it's super moisturising and it isn't greasy or sticky. Since it has been so cold recently this hand cream has really been saving my hands from the freezing weather and making sure they don't get all dry and horrible. Next on the list, looking after my nails! 

Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil
This proof pencil makes doing your eyebrows the easiest thing ever. The shape of the pencil means that it is perfect to follow the shape of your brows and fill them in naturally. Also colour 2 matches me perfectly! So no odd looking brows for me. 

Makeup Revolution Focus & Fix Eye Primer 
Recently I've been loving this eye primer, it's super cheap at only £2.50 and it really does work. It keeps my eye makeup on all day, even when I am using cheaper and not so pigmenated shadows. Definitely worth the money considering how expensive eye-shadow primers can be!

Primark PS Fine Liner Pen 
Whilst I wouldn't necessarily say this pen is water resistant or smudge proof as it suggests, it does last a long time, dries matte and is easy to apply. My only issue with this producy is how difficult it can be to get your hands on as it is always sold out. 

Urban Decay Naked 2 Basics
I love this pallete, the eyeshadows themselves are amazing and are no less than what you would expect from Urban Decay. This pallette in particular though has a good range of neutral matte shades that I see myself reaching to it everyday. Especially with a bolder lipstick.

What have you been loving recently?

Love Sarah

Sunday, 4 December 2016

Christmas Wishlist ❅

So excited for Christmas and to give gifts. This year there really wasn't anything that I wanted or needed so it took me a while to put together this wishlist. It's consists of cosy pyjamas, fluffy socks, a mug and  everything rose gold. What's not to love?  

Love Sarah

Friday, 2 December 2016

Gift ideas for Brothers, Boyfriends and Husbands ❅

Men can be notoriously hard to buy for. My boyfriend and I only do stocking fillers since Christmas is such an expensive time of year we'd rather not stress over buying each other expensive gifts. 

My first gift idea is food, yes it's the most obvious. But most guys like food, my boyfriend's favourite is Reese's. He's obsessed, every Birthday or Christmas it's a go-to gift for him. He's also a big fan of hot drinks, last year I got him Mulled Wine Tea and this year Gingerbread. 

Secondly electronics; headphones, computer accessories, gaming. Chances are he's interested in gaming or music and so a new pair of headphones or a new mouse can be a great gift. I mean you can never have enough pairs of headphones since they are always going missing.

Clothes can be hard to buy for guys unless you really have their fashion preference down to a T. That being said maybe he has a favourite sports team, TV show or computer game and with that you can't really go wrong; my boyfriend is a Reddit obsessed so I got him a T-shirt with the Reddit logo for his birthday. My brother on the other hand is a brand addict, so a Ellesse top is great for him

Bath products can also be hard and not for everyone but I know a lot of guys that love LUSH products and they do have a lot to offer. The shower jellies are great for people who don't have baths and are great for guys that don't like a lot of fuss but you still want to give them something with Christmas spirit. I'm going to buy my boyfriend a ton of lush goodies, I've also got him a Star Wars soap on a rope. I mean everyone needs to wash; you can't really go that wrong.

Alcohol! Chances are they have a favourite whether it's a whisky or a beer and Christmas is the time for gift sets. Sets with glasses or hip flasks can be great gifts, or maybe just a miniature bottle of his favourite can be a great stocking stuffer. 

Personal gifts are also great, if you have a memory that means a lot to you it can be great to buy a gift that revolves around that. It can also be a good idea to use photos within your gifts, for example I bought my boyfriend a personalised mouse mat as he uses his computer a lot. 

Box sets can also be a really good idea, whether it's a favourite tv series or a favourite film they will really be appreciated and it may even be something that you can watch together; which is definitely a plus!

Most of these work for any guy but if you're looking for a gift that is more slightly more expensive and specialised here are a few ideas:

  • Gaming; new game, Steamlink, steam voucher.
  • Sports; game tickets or team merchandise.
  • Foodie; new gadget or cookbook.
  • Ultimate Geek; loot crate subscription.
  • The Comedian; t-shirts or socks with jokes or funny quotes.
  • DIY; tools or books are great gifts. 

A great place to buy gifts is TK Maxx; they sell everything! You can go in there not having any idea what you are looking for and come out with a selection of gifts that you didn't even know existed, which is great for people who have no idea what to buy. 

I hope these gift ideas have made shopping that bit easier. 

Love Sarah

Monday, 28 November 2016

Copper Illuminated mirrors - Spend and Save!

Applying your make-up when you have bad lighting can be really difficult, and so I've been looking to buy an illuminated mirror for a while but they can be so expensive. And since I'm currently copper obsessed at the moment it kinda had to be copper! Then a couple of months ago, one caught my eye, it light up, it was copper; it was everything that I was looking for; and then I had to go and forgot where I had seen it. With no amount of googling was I able to find it again! Until recently when by luck, I came across it on Boots' website. Due to mirrors of this design being difficult to find I wanted to write a blog post to make it easier for anyone else looking for one like these. 

Wilko (£10) & Boots (£18.99)

The cheaper option is this one Glow Light Up Mirror from Wilko, it costs £10 and is battery powered, which is super convenient if you didn't have a plug socket nearby. Since it is only £10 it is very basic, it only has one light setting and doesn't have varying magnification. It is perfect if you are on a budget or looking for a mirror that is basic and doesn't have many functions. It is definitely a more of a rose gold than copper. You can find it here.

The more expensive option is the No7 Rose Gold Illuminated Mirror from Boots, it costs £18.99 (as of 27/12/16). It normally costs £49.99. Whilst it isn't the most expensive mirror, it is definitely much more of an investment. It has 5x magnification, 360° lighting, a dimmer switch and a swivel motion so that you can potion it at various angles. Unlike the Wilko mirror it is mains-powered and so needs to be by a plug. This is the mirror that I own and I am really excited to use it. You can find it here.

Either way having a good mirror can really effect how nicely you can apply your makeup so it's important to have one that is good size so you can ensure your overall make-up looks good and works together. 

Do you have a mirror that makes applying make-up super easy?

Love Sarah 

Tuesday, 8 November 2016

7 ways to not be broke at Christmas ❅

Many people struggle with money over Christmas. It can be really expensive especially if you have a ton of people to buy for. It can be possible to not overspend and make yourself broke whilst still getting great gifts.

1. Budget

It's a really good idea to decide on a budget for everyone. So make a list and decide how much you want to spend on each person and stick to it, doing this really makes a difference when it comes to not overspending on gifts. My budget this year is £10-15 per person and £20 for the kids. This is an amount that you can afford to spend and will not cause you to have any monetary issues, bearing in mind how many people you have to shop for; we have around 15 people to shop for between us.

2. Start Early

I know most people don't like to think about Christmas until November or December even, but starting early really does help. I know it's late to be saying that, but even starting now can definitely help. A lot of companies have deals and discounts at the end of Summer and those things may be more expensive in the lead up to Christmas. It's also a great idea to spread the costs so it's not one big outgoing in December.

3. Never pay full price

I refuse to pay full price for just about anything. I look around for coupons and deals, along with loyalty cards. More chances than not you will be able to save money on what you are being. Websites such as flubit are great for getting better prices than Amazon. I recently did a Mothercare order and received over  £140 worth of toys for only £58 through codes and deals. Meaning that I could get many gifts for less that half of what they would've cost me. For discount beauty Fragrance Direct is great. Boots also always has it's 3 for 2 every year.

4. Store gifts together

Keep the presents that you have already bought together so that it is easy to look and see how much you have for each person. Storing them together will also make it easier as you will know where they all are when it comes to wrap them and they won't get forgotten. It's also a good idea to make a list along with the prices so you can stay in your budget.

5. Try not to buy the same unnecessary presents

Think about it, how many times have you bought the same person pretty much the same bath set because you have no idea what to buy them. They are then obliged to buy you a presents back. It's a good idea to think what we're giving, to whom and why. These gifts might not even get used. So put a little thought into it, is it really a needed or wanted gift.

6. Food

Let's face it, who doesn't love Christmas food! It can get incredibly expensive with the Turkey and all the trimmings, but it doesn't need to be. Decide what you want to spend your money on, for us it's our Turkey and we will splurge slightly on that. Get your veg from Aldi and Lidl, our parsnips and potatoes were around 50p for each of them. Aldi also have really nice Brussels sprouts which definitely are indulgent without costing the earth.

7. Gift Wrapping

Having pretty presents is a must for me. It might sound ridiculous but I definitely put a lot of effort into ensuring that my presents look nice under the tree. It would be pretty easy to fall into the trap of spending £4 on a roll of paper, but with so many presents that would easily stack up, and it's just not worth it. The paper is ripped up and thrown away so why spend so much money. I like to use brown paper and decorate with candy canes and ribbon, the ribbons can be reused and the candy canes eaten. Brown paper is much cheaper than a lot of papers, Poundland also has some cute paper and bags if you look hard enough.

I hope these tips help your Christmas season be that little bit less stressful, and show you that you can spoil without breaking the budget.

Love Sarah

Friday, 21 October 2016

Goats cheese pasta recipe

It's no secret that I like to save money, it's also no secret that I love to cook. So I'm going to share recipes for a cheap and easy meals that literally anyone can do, along with what it costs to make them.

Starting off with a goats cheese and vegetable pasta. This recipe serve 8. Perfect to freeze and have meals saved for later.


600g of dry pasta - 34p
2 red peppers - 66p
500g of mushrooms - 92p
2 can of chopped tomatoes - 50p
1 large onion - 20p
150g packet of soft goats cheese - £1.49

Total cost of all ingredients is £4.11. Which means that each serving is approximately 51p. For that price you can't really go wrong especially since it includes multiple vegetables and the luxury of goats cheese.

1. Dice the onions and fry them in a deep saucepan until they have softened. Add the 2 cans of chopped tomatoes. Season as you wish. Continue to stir.

2. Chopped the peppers and mushrooms into large pieces- They will reduce in size when they cook!

3. In a separate frying pan, fry the peppers and mushrooms until you have removed majority of the water. Add them to the sauce mixture and let them simmer on a very low heat making sure to not burn the sauce.

4. Add pasta to boiling water and cook it just less that the time on the back of the packet so that the pasta is slightly undercooked - do not overcook the pasta! It will go soggy.

5. Drain the pasta and add the sauce into the pasta and mix it, making sure it is well combined.

6. Divide the pasta into portions, I tend to buy the foil trays from pound land. They are 10 for a £1 and perfect for freezing leftovers.

7. Leave the trays you will not be eating to cool, and put goats cheese on the portions you will. Add the cheese to the others when they have chilled - to prevent you melting the cheese. Put the pasta in the oven until the cheese has melted, it will only take a few minutes.

8. Enjoy your cheap pasta dish!