THE CHRISTMAS GIFT POST

This post has been sitting in my drafts a little while now and I have been debating whether to hit publish or not since posts like these are always a bit controversial. Personally I love seeing what people unwrap for Christmas as it introduces me to great products I didn't know about before, and gives me gift buying ideas for the year ahead. So here goes...

Estella Bartlett necklace -  I love anything to do with angels (big clue in my name... Lucy Angèle) and the iridescent packaging really appealed to my inner magpie. I spend 93% on Pinterest pinning inspirational quotes so I loved the fact that a quote was incorporated in the packaging. And this quote has been particularly apt of late (new job offer!)

Mug - my friend Alison also found this amazing mug. Sadly we don't get to see each other as much these days, but we have stayed incredibly close. She is my forever friend so this was very apt! I love the gold typography.

Ladybird book - knowing about Tia and Bailey she also bought me some cat related goodies including a calendar and this book. I love the "How it Works" series of Ladybird books and every cat owner needs this book.

Picture - a friend of my sister's is an illustrator, so my sister reached out to her some with some photos and she created this amazing design. She really captured the essence of my day in Hampstead when I wore my ASOS coat and Boohoo dress. She also drafted in Tia and Bailey last minute. I can't wait to get this hung up on the wall!

The White Company - those closest to me know how much I love The White Company - and more specifically their candles and reed diffusers! I had the winter candle for Christmas last year, but was especially excited to receive something from my favourite range - Orange Grove. This is the freshest smelling scent and perfect for all year round.

Whiskey - Christmas just isn't Christmas without whiskey! Jameson and ginger is the best

Yankee Candles - my friend Sof gave me the cutest kitchenware, a cat climbing tower for Tia and Bailey and one of these lovely candles. My sister bought me the other candle. Both are such lovely fresh scents which are perfect all year round.

Pinata cookies - I made pinata cupcakes for a charity event at work and when my mum saw this pinata cookie set she thought of me! I am so excited to try these out!

Sandwich toaster - the holy grail of kitchen appliances. The days in-between Christmas and NYE were full of sun-dried tomato, pesto and mozzarella sandwiches and it was GOOD

Gingerbread - I'm not sure anyone else gets as excited about gingerbread as I do. But that's ok.

Bake Off book - Bake Off will never be the same again. But at least I can hold onto the glory days with this book and try my hand at the bakes seen so far.

Gardening book - I asked for a gardening book this year. I am officially becoming old before my time. But in all seriousness... I have a garden now and I'm in no way green fingered. This book is the perfect idiot's guide to gardening. With colour photos of every plant, tree and shrub, I'm looking forward to choosing out a colour scheme, heading to my local nursery and making this garden my own.

CK One - CK One is one of my favourite perfumes as it's not too feminine. I have days where I'm girly, but there are other days I don't want to smell too sickly sweet. I also received the body lotion which I didn't know existed!

Zoella Beauty - I've never tried anything from the Zoella range before, but I love the fact these products are presented in crackers!

Alice in Wonderland cookies - my parents found this tin of cookies knowing only too well that Alice in Wonderland and cookies are two of my favourite things!

What did you unwrap over the holidays? I'd love to know!

Shopping the sales

Tell me, was I the only one not excited about the sales this year? I of course had a snoop, but nothing really excited me. There are so many sales and offers pre-Christmas now (hello Black Friday and Cyber Monday!), the January sales aren't quite what they used to be. I'll be honest, I didn't buy anything until the other week. Being this far into January you would think that all the good gear would have gone already... but nope. If there's one thing I've learnt... there's always time!

The slogan sweat

Long time readers will know that I love anything French. The Reiss French sweaters are my faves <3

I was in town the other day and noticed:

1. my local Gap Outlet was holding a sale event
2. this navy blue loveliness in the window

I tried it on and it was like the jumper was made for me. In a I-can't-believe-it-fits-so-perfectly kind of way. Thanks to the Gap sale, I paid less than £20 which is amazing value considering that Gap knitwear is such good quality and always lasts the test of time.

Silent Night Hotel Luxe bedding

The boring one! I was after a spare duvet for when friends come to stay but when I spotted that this duvet was 50% off, I selfishly decided to keep for myself! Straight from Silent Night's Hotel Collection, it does what it says on the tin. It's luxurious, cosy and like sleeping in a super fluffy cloud. I also bought the matching pillows which are extremely satisfying sinking into. It has made such a difference to my sleeping patterns and quality of sleep. There are some things in life worth investing in, and bedding is definitely up there!

Christmas cards

Yawn, Christmas cards. But hear me out. How about a box of cards for... 24p? No joke, I went to my local Card Factory and they had some amazing deals on boxes of cards that were only 99p in the first place. I bought two boxes (the second was a box of 30!) for the grand price of 48p and look how cute they are:

Anthropologie

Remember last year when I got super spendy in Anthropologie? I must admit, I did get lured in the other day by an extra 20% off all sale fashion. That old chestnut. But this in itself warrants it's own post. I could literally spend all day browsing the Anthropologie website! <3

Did you pick up anything nice in the sales this year?

The best of the Anthropologie sale

You know me. I like Anthropologie. A lot. And shopping the Anthropologie January sale has become some what of an annual tradition. Unlike some other sales which only reduce things by a few pounds (*cough* Zara *cough*), there are always some decent savings to be had at Anthropologie. This year I wasn't quite as spendy as last year (post here), however I did found some incredible savings on the website. Here are my top picks of the sale this year:

Off the shoulder dress - £98 £28.95
I'm not usually the biggest fan of pink, but the velvet detailing is beautiful and catches in the light to create the illusion of more red / burgundy tones. This looks like the comfiest dress and off the shoulder doesn't just have to be for summer!

Blue printed skirt - £148 £37.95
Anthropologie are at the top of their game with skirts at the moment. I loved everything about how this skirt was styled (those strappy shoes though!). Sadly my size sold out before I could get my hands on one :(

Denim shirt dress - £118 £37.95
You can't go wrong with denim and this looks like the slouchiest, comfiest dress. Perfect for those days when you don't know what to wear, you can just throw a dress like this on and be ready to face the world. This was on my wish list but again, I was late to the game and my size sold out :(

Navy embroidered coat - £378 £188.95
What a coat! The most perfect over-sized coat with pretty gold embroidery around the hem and cuffs which would elevate any outfit. I would wear this draped over my shoulders cape style.

Gold print skirt - £108 £53.95
If you like gold and copper, then this is the skirt for you! This metallic print livens up an otherwise simple black skirt and gives it added warmth. Pair with a plain black knit or tee to keep the print the star of the show.

Blue off the shoulder dress - £118 £34.95
Yes, perhaps more of a summer dress... but it's never too early to build up your summer wardrobe right?! My size sold out in record time but I wait with baited breath in the hope that someone returns one!

Velvet slip dress - £158 £49.95
The most beautiful dress with rich jewel tones. And such a versatile piece. Wear with jumper on top to highlight a seriously dreamy skirt. Or with a white tee or long sleeved top underneath for clever layering in this cold snap we're having.

Layered knit dress - £148 £29.95
On the website it says this dress is grey but it looks more pink to me? I love the marble effect. The beauty of this piece is that on the site it looks like the dress and knit aren't stitched together so you can mix and match them with your own clothes.

Blue pleated skirt - £198 £58.95
Another beautiful blue skirt. A skirt like this should take center stage. Pair with a plain white tee and statement necklace.

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I would seriously buy all of the above if I had the funds (I don't). So I limited myself to the two velvet dresses, the dusty pink layered dress and the embroidered coat. Their current extra 20% all sale clothing was a nice touch and is still active if you want to take advantage!

Which items are your favourites?

Say hello to Bailey and Tia!

Things here have been a little quiet on here lately and I can only apologise. It was quite the year. There were a lot of publicised deaths in the press (still massively in shock that Alan Rickman and Victoria Wood have gone), as well as one a little closer to home whereby I lost a member of my family. Any loss is horrible, but one where it's unexpected and someone just dies in their sleep and never wakes up... I was in pieces. I didn't take any time off from work to grieve properly and then amazingly work took a dramatic u turn and transformed 2.5 years of happiness to making me feel like nothing. It really hurts putting your heart and soul into something and then finding out it has all been for nothing. That you are invisible and undervalued because you are a woman. This in itself warrants its own blog post, but I'll save that for another day.

I don't want to dwell too much on the negatives as there was also plenty good with this year. One highlight was buying and moving into my first property after waiting almost a year. It's starting to feel more like a home now there's a dining table and chairs. But the main reason it's starting to feel more like a home is starting my own little family. A family of the furry variety. Say hello to Bailey and Tia!

Those of you who follow my Twitter or Instagram will have seen their adorable little faces already! One weekend I went to my local RSPCA but never imagined I would be putting my name down for two eight week old kittens that very day! With this particular rescue shelter, it's very rare that they have kittens that are still available or even that young / small. But as soon as I saw them, I knew.

They came from a litter of four and they were all named after drinks. Tia (Maria!) was the only girl, and their two other brothers were called Brandy and Bourbon (one pure brown tabby, the other identical to Tia). It was heartbreaking to separate the gang, but Brandy and Bourbon were more independent and preferred their own company, whereas Tia and Bailey were inseparable, following each other around everywhere - so it was an easy decision which two to adopt!

I am still really happy with my decision to adopt not buy. Although cash was obviously handed over, being a charity, I see it as a donation for the good work that they do and the care they give the animals there. But also the money paid towards the chip, registering, flea and worm treatments, neutering etc etc. - additional things I would have had to pay for on top of if buying from a pet shop or breeder. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking down on people who buy from pet shops. Everyone is their own person and makes their own decisions. But I liked the idea of rescuing a homeless animal rather than handing money over to people who have intentionally bred an animal for profit. For example, a local pet shop were charging £400 for a kitten and that sort of money is madness. I don't know how anyone can justify that.

But back to Bailey and Tia. They are growing fast but have great chemistry. They follow each other around everywhere and I can sit and watch them for hours playing and darting around chasing one another. Both have very different personalities. Bailey (black and white) is more shy around people, but is slowly becoming the biggest softy of them all. He sits up close to me most evenings and loves rolling over to have his belly rubbed. Tia (tabby) LOVES people and knows damn well that she is cute and takes it to her advantage! She purrs whenever she is picked up, chirps when she is looking for you, and loves hitching a ride on your shoulder / back. She has the cutest tail which she walks with all curled up like a husky.

Every day I look at them and they melt my heart. They seem to have that affect on any visitors we have too! They are cheeky little things and typical curious kittens who must see / do / play with everything. But so, so loving. And I can't imagine life without them.

NYE outfit inspiration with FarFetch

NYE is always a bit of a faff. There is always the pressure of where to be, what to eat and what to wear. However on NYE I find you can't go wrong with a bit of sparkle. Both in your champagne flute, and on your person. And with this in mind, here are some pieces I have been eyeing up which would excite anyone with magpie tendencies (tell me I'm not the only one?!)

Isabel Marrant skirt //  YSL gold sparkle clutch //  Lipstick //  Tibi off shoulder blouse

Aurelie Bidermann scarab turquoise earrings //  Blush //  Aquazurra X Farfetch Very Holli sandals

My ideal NYE outfit would include sparkles, and plenty of it. Isabel Marrant is one of my favourite designers and this skirt has NYE written all over it. NYE also calls for a statement bag and this gold sparkle YSL clutch would certainly turn heads. I love an off the shoulder top and I adore the white trim of this blouse. I've never seen anything like it before, and it's so much more interesting than a standard black off the shoulder tee. My look was a little lacking in colour, so I decided to brighten things with these gorgeous turquoise earrings and a bright blush and lipstick combo. I love a red lip at this time of year.

And finally the star of the show... the shoes. Lace up flats and heels have been huge this year, so it's no surprise that the Very Holli shoes caught my eye. Part of a four piece capsule collection - a collaboration that Farfetch has with Aquazurra - the other shoes in the collection are equally beautiful and consist of animal print Very Deena heels and their gold Claire platforms (the latter coming soon).

What will you be wearing for New Year's Eve?

The ultimate Christmas sandwich - what to do with Christmas leftovers

You know the story. At Christmas you eat and eat and eat, but still you have all the leftovers. I'm not a bubble and squeak type of girl, however monster Christmas sandwiches? I'm listening.

With leftover turkey, sausages wrapped in bacon, stuffing and cranberry rye*, I felt inspired to create my own pigs in blankets sandwiches. And they were insanely good. You can't get a more festive mouthful. Simply load leftover turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets into cranberry bread (my favourite recent find thanks to the Polish Bakery) and you are good to go!

Be generous with the stuffing as turkey can be quite a bland meat. The cranberry added a nice sweetness to an otherwise savory sandwich and then pigs in blankets because Christmas isn't Christmas without pigs in blankets!

Let me know if you give this one a try!

*cranberry rye c/o the Polish Bakery. As ever, opinions and love of festive sandwiches my own!  

Feeling festive with The Polish Bakery

Roll back a few weeks if you will, to one lovely evening where The Polish Bakery invited me along for an evening of festive cheer - mostly in the form of bread, cake and prosecco. And that's my favourite kind of festive cheer right there.

The Polish Bakery first founded in 2003 and are the longest established Polish bakery in the UK. With a very family orientated ethos, they are passionate about using high quality ingredients, and take the same level of care with their bread like they would with their own family. Their bread is award winning so I was pretty excited to try for myself at their Christmas shindig located in Kensington.

Myself and Chiara arrived to a glass of prosecco, a very talented guy on a piano playing a beautiful rendition of White Christmas, and tables groaning with food. No one was going home hungry that night, that's for sure!

How amazing is this Christmas tree tear and share bread?!

Other than being very, very tasty breads in their own right, they also held many health benefits. Their range of fruity sourdough based rye breads (one incorporating cranberries, the other, prunes) contain vitamins C, K, B, E, iron, calcium and lots of other vitamins and natural ingredients - with no additives, preservatives or nasties in there.

My favourite bread had to be their award winning chia seed bread. A bread prided for being rich in omega 3, antioxidants and being very nutritious with very few calories. It was far less dense than their other breads and melted in your mouth. The Polish Bakery very kindly gave me four loaves of bread to take home with me (x2 chia seed, x2 cranberry rye) and two of the biggest cheesecakes I have ever seen in my entire life - all of which have already been demolished eaten. I made the best festive sandwiches with the cranberry rye and the chia seed bread was the perfect accompaniment to a homemade tomato and paprika based fish stew.

A huge thank you to the Polish Bakery for the loveliest of evenings. I will be visiting soon to pick up more of your wonderful chia seed bread!