My December Favourites

  

 

 Hi guys,

Welcome to my December Favourites.

These are the things I've been loving this month:

 

 

I'm going to start with a bit of an odd one, Fabreze sleep serenity - bedroom mist. Now I do use Fabreze a lot whilst I'm cleaning I love how they make my house smell. I'm also mindful that I have a dog and I like to make sure that even though she is clean and smells of blueberries (which is apt as she is called muffin. Blueberry muffin, get it? you get it, it's fine) that the house smells nice as well.

 

So when I found this new one I had to snap it up. It says it's a bedroom mist and that it smells of warm milk and honey. I'm not sure how you get the smell of warm milk and honey in a can but hey ho, it does smell lovely and calming but doesn't lose any oomph just because its a 'Bedroom mist'. Yes I said oomph.

 

Speaking of oomph, on to the next one. This V05 heat protect is gorgeous.

V05 have out done them selves with this one. It smells amazing, which is actually my favourite bit about it, the fact that it saves my hair from being completely frazzled comes in a close 2nd and the shine that it leaves is amazing. I have quite dry hair any way (probably my own fault as you'll read in a sec) so anything that helps give my hair shine is a small miracle in my book.

Did I mention the smell? Because OMG! soooo nice!

 

 

This little life saver is Real Techniques Silicone Eyeliner brush.

I had read about it previously and it kinda gave me the heebie-jeebies. A silicone brush? eew.

 

Honestly... A brilliant idea and amazing little tool. I'm so glad I bit the bullet and got it, I'm a bit crap at eyeliner... ok, ok, a lot crap at eyeliner. 

I can have everything else perfect and how I want it then BAM! Ruined!

This brush makes it so easy that I even used it on my wedding day and managed to get my eyeliner spot on. Also super easy to clean. Who doesn't want that from a make up brush, am I right?

Of course I am!

 

I've always used TRESemmé hairspray but recently my friend told me to get this one which I think is a level or 2 up from what I normally get, but when she used it on my hair for my hen do and it didn't budge all night.. I ran out and got some for my self.

It holds all night and in to the wee hours of the morning and if like me, you get home a little too late(/early depending how you look at it) to wash your hair before bed.. It also holds in to the late hours of the next morning. Helps to hide the hangover. Bonus!

 

As I've mentioned before here. I have quite dry skin, So this Garnier Moisture Match moisturiser really helps. I tend to use this during the day and especially before putting on makeup. No one wants flaky foundation. Brilliant little thing. I still use the Nivea night cream as it's really thick and my skin  needs the rich cream before bed, but this one is a slightly more watery consistency which is really nice and easily soaked in by your skin for day time wear.

 

Clearasil, now you don't hear about this often in blogs (or at all), or at least I haven't anyway. This is something I picked up when looking for a gentle exfoliating face wash and it hasn't disappointed.

It leaves my skin so soft and also, as usual, the things I love smell amazing and this one does smell really nice. I know usually anything that says it clears pours or helps fight breakouts usually smell quite clinical and chemically. This doesn't at all and it's really creamy. Love it.

 

Lastly this one, Aussie Miracle Recharge. So when you I leave my hair over night after washing it without drying or styling.... it happens ok, don't judge! ... shockingly my hair gets a bit dry (as I said, probably my own fault...ok, definitely my own fault) and unruly so this, as labelled, is a miracle! After spraying it through my hair and brushing it out, it's back to it's night before state, leaving it ready to either be styled or... as you guessed, just left and shoved up in  ponytail. It happens.. it's fine.

 

So there you have it.

My December Favourites.

 

I hope you liked it and try some of these out if you haven't already. If you have, let me know what you thought.

 

Have an amazing new years eve, be safe but have fun and I'll see you next year. Or tomorrow... maybe the day after... note to self - drunken posts not a good idea.

Happy New Year!!

Gina xoxo
 



Nails, Kittens and Staying at Home

 

 

Is it just me that has no idea which day it is when I have time off work over Christmas?

I really need to get my hours back to normal for work. At the moment I'm staying awake until 3ish and getting up at 11ish. That's gotta change asap.

 

It really does make me wish I could work from home or have my own business. The amount of stuff you can get done at home that you just don't have time to do when you work 38 hours a week and travel to and from work for 15 hours a week.

 

At the moment it just seems like so much time just wasted. I was thinking of maybe looking at events planning, including weddings. That would be a nice, helping people have the perfect wedding but there would be a lot to think about if I did decide to do that.

 

If not that i'm definitely going to look in to doing some kind of course or go back to college, I feel like I really want to do something with my life before having children, because I would love to be able to stay home with them as much as possible. I don't want to miss out on the best bits of them learning things while I'm sat at work.

 

I guess getting married has given me some perspective.

 

I could just get a kitten like my chummy but I don't think that's going to hold off my broodiness, as cute as he is... and he is cute!

 

 

This is Ed, like Ed Sheeran.... you know, because he's ginger.

Had to be done.

 

He is soooo small and cute, I get to babysit new years eve as my chummy and her wife are going out new years eve. Call me boring but I don't do going out on New years eve.

It's too crowded and expensive. You get charged to go in to places that are usually free, you get twice as many drunken twits that can't handle their alcohol and you can't get a taxi home at the end of the night.... no thanks. 

I'd rather go to my parents like every other year, have food and alcohol in warmth, watch some good TV and have a laugh with people I like instead of a load of crazies I've never met.

 

This year I guess baby Ed will be coming with us.

 

As 'boring' and 'old' as I am I did decide to treat my self and get my nails done for the occasion anyway. As you do. I don't think you could get less boring than these sparkly things.

 

 

  So when I say pink and sparkly...This is what I mean!!

 

Soooo Sparkly!!

 

I did have them made a little shorter for work purposes, so at least now I can type and it doesn't take 10 hours. I may have to get these again, what do you think?

May be a different colour or a mix of colours. Jo did have some sparkly black.

 

I'll think about it but for now,

Night all!

 

Gina xoxo

Wedding Diary - My Wedding

 

 

Well this week has been eventful and hectic and this will be my last Wedding Diary.

As you know I got married on Christmas eve, so I can't really keep going with the wedding diary, so it's time to brainstorm really and decide what to do next, but that's off topic.

 

My chummy stayed over with me at my house the night before the wedding and after Prosecco I don't think she appreciated me singing along to Disney songs and keeping her awake... but I couldn't sleep.

I couldn't help it.

 

So that was me getting evils all morning while she was yawning at the hairdressers.

Although, she did manage to stay awake so it wasn't that bad.

 

Getting our hair done took slightly longer than we thought it would, so we all had to rush home to mine and get ready, we all did our own makeup, which is really stressful before a wedding.

Usually when you do your make up and you do a bit slightly wrong you either do it again

 or just go with it.

There is no 'just going with it' on your wedding day and when you're surrounded by 2 bridesmaids and your mum rushing you for time there is no way you can re-do all of it, so you have to fix the tiny bits as you go along and hope to god it all looks ok at the end.

 

After that you have to attempt to get the heaviest dress on without touching your hair and makeup. Which is easier if you step into it rather than lift it over your head. Saying that, you then need someone underneath your dress to find your feet so that you don't stand on the netting.

As if that wasn't hard enough you also need to get your hoop on under the dress. You can't have it on first if you're stepping in to the dress as it won't fit, and you can't lift the dress because of hair and make up so yet again someone needs to go under the dress and pull up the hoop.

Very lady like... thanks mum!

 

If that wasn't enough, someone who knows what they're doing or 3 people in my case, need to hold the dress tight, hold the ribbons of the corset and lace and tighten the dress.

You've seen it in films... yes she did put he foot on my back to tighten my corset.

 OMG did I look thin when they'd finished!

 

All that's left to do then is navigate the stairs in a huge dress that you cant see your feet in.

I have two flights of stairs!

 So anyone who can do that downstairs in the kitchen or living room... do it.

 

Once all that was done everyone left and my dad came in, and we waited for the car

 to come and pick us up.

 

Again that it's not very lady like.

You get bundled backwards in to a car and the rest of your dress thrown in after you.

To say it's supposed to be the most lady like, elegant day of your life.

You'll find it's not.

 

Especially when you get there and they have to bundle you back out of said car dress and feet first and you're met by your photographers to catch the whole fiasco. 

 

Some one met us at the door and showed us into a room to go over final details to confirm that the wedding certificate would be correct.

 

Then we waited for everyone else to get ready and be in the positions and places they're meant to be in and we were walked to the entrance of the room.

 

They asked for the room to be upstanding for the bride and my bridesmaids set off, one by one then it was my turn. Nerve-wracking isn't the word... my heart was beating out of my chest and I was shaking like mad. My dad walked me down the aisle to where Mikey was stood with my mum as his witness and that's when he looked at me for the first time with his eyes slightly teary. 

 

Then we started our vows, Mikey was first and his voice was shaking.

I kept squeezing his hand, trying not to give too much eye contact because that made his voice shake more and it was making my eyes tear up too.

 

When he had done, I had to say my vows and my voice was low and shaky and I couldn't help but look at the Registrar because I really didn't want to cry.

 

My cousin who is my hairdresser already had me in tears earlier that day when she listened to my aisle music. So I thought as soon as I heard it again that I would be in tears to but my heart was beating that loud and I was concentrating that hard on not falling over that I didn't even hear it.

 

My aisle song was 'Kissing you'

It's from Romeo and Juliet if you think it sounds familiar.

 

We both managed to get through our vows, tears intact then we had to sign the register. Mikey did his fine but my hand was shaking so bad, plus with the wedding nails, my signature looked nothing like it should have.

 

While we were signing the register and having photos taken we had

'Somewhere only we know' playing.

 

Then we all walked out myself and Mikey first while everyone clapped. 

Then everyone else followed us out where we had loads more photos taken and they took us to the grand staircase for more photos. We where there must have been half hour taking photos, trying to get everyone in and some separate.

 

The car was waiting for us when we got outside, my mum and dad went back first while we got more photos with the bridesmaids, then I got bundled back into the car and taken to my mums house where we had a small party. As we only wanted a tiny wedding we didn't want to book out a huge room, so my mum did the catering, helped by one of my bridesmaids' mum.

 

A few hundred photos were taken and quite a few bottles of wine, lager and whiskey were drunk.

Nothing ever goes exactly to plan, especially at weddings, but mine went pretty well and I'm really grateful to those that took the time out to come and to be with us on one of the best days of our lives.

 

We have decided, as I do want all of my family involved, that we will be having a big reception in the new year which all my family will be invited to so that no one feels left out as that's not what we wanted. we just wanted it to be as small and as stressless as possible.

 

So that's something we will get on with planning soon.

 

Thank you x

 

Gina xoxo   

 

 



Christmas Eve - My Wedding Day

 

Hi guys.

 

I did it, I got married.

 

It's hard to pick from 300 pics but these are just a couple.

 

Night all

Mrs Larkin xoxo

 

Blogmas Day 23 - Top 5 Christmas Films

As mentioned in my last blog; here is one I made earlier to give myself chance to make last changes with the wedding.

So right now I'll be running around like a headless chicken, wishing I was sat watching Christmas films. Here are my top 5 Christmas films:
 

The Polar Express

  

Nightmare before Christmas

 

The Grinch

 

 

Disney Christmas Carol - Jim Carey

 

Muppets Christmas Carol



 

I hope these are some of your favourites too.

 

Night all

Gina xoxo

Blogmas Day 22 - Weddings Flowers

 

Yesterday my chummy came over for a catch up and hot chocolate and we ended up watching Polar express - Does anyone else just love that film??

 

Look out for my blog tomorrow with my top 5 Christmas films, I'll get that uploaded while I'm running around like a headless chicken trying to sort all last minute details and decorations.

 

As for today, nothing has happened and we haven't left the house and I'm glad. Have you seen that weather??

 

Fiona did drop by though with my flowers for the wedding. 

Bridesmaids are the outer two at the back, mine in the middle, Dad's and Mikey's are the two outer at the front and Mum's is in the middle.

 

So they will go with the bridesmaids red dresses and my Christmas theme.

 



 

I haven't opened my advent calendar in day or two... or four..

 

So in order from left to right:

19th Christmas Garland, 20th Christmas Memories, 21st Spiced Orange

and 22nd Christmas Cookie.

 

Just 2 more to open and that will mean it's Christmas Eve and my wedding day.

 

Not long now.

 

Night all

Gina xoxo

Blogmas Day 20 - Burgers and Markets

We decided to go shopping in Leeds today and we took a little wander around the German Market, so obvs I took some pics for you guys.

 

There is stall for everything at the German market, there are German beers, German sausage, Stollen,

German Pretzels, Donuts and hot drinks that can smell as you walk around.

 

 

There have loads of stalls with handcrafted gifts and trinkets, I love all that, there was one stall devoted to feathers and angels and this one devoted to hand sculpted wooden ornaments.

 

 

So that was very festive; even though it was freezing it was still packed with shoppers.

 

It was a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning looking around and mooching through stall trinkets.

 

Also 'let it go' was on as we walked around,

so I may or may not have been singing along to that.

 

Then we went into town to spend the money my mum gave me for Christmas. We had been shopping together months earlier and one of the Ladies in Harvey Nichols sprayed us with

Atelier Cologne - Orange Sanguine.

We were obsessed with the scent so I knew I was coming back for that perfume for Christmas.

 

 

I got it gift wrapped, so I will show you the bottle in my Christmas Presents post.

 

I'm so stealing the way that lass gift wraps though, I was mesmerised watching her, there's no sign of sticky tape anywhere on this present, bring on the bows and ribbons next year.

 

 

We went over to Trinity for lunch and we decided on the handmade burger co.

 

I've never been before so I didn't quite know what to get, I usually really fussy and I stick to what I know but the waitress showed us the festive burgers:

 

 We went for The Festive Pork & Apple Burger.

 

Now if you get a chance to go there definitely give this a try because OMG it's amazing. I honestly didn't even touch the sides that we ordered and I left a bit of the burger just because of the huge portions, so go there with an appetite, but it is well worth it.

 

 

By the way, that's Mikey, my husband to be, even he struggled with the portions.

I'm definitely going again even if it's just for the Butterscotch milkshake.

 

 

That was amazing!!! That is the only thing I stayed and finished.

Soooo good.

 

I literally napped as soon as I got home after the amount of food we had, I'm glad I didn't have breakfast before setting I think I might have popped. 

 

Night all

Gina xoxo