Winter Evening Essentials.

I am the first to admit that I hate Winter. I hate snow, I hate freezing cold days, I hate feeling so stuffy in coats and scarves, I hate how dark it is, I just hate it! It only has the one saving grace for me, and that's that I can spend all my evenings in, on the sofa with a good series playing on Netflix. So here's some of my winter evening essentials.

- Candles. Lots and lots of candles.
- Soft, fluffy pyjamas.
- TV or a good film.
- Hot chocolates.
- A good skincare routine.
- Cushions and blankets on the sofa.
- Comfort food.
- Nail polishes.
- Books.
- Lush bubble bars.

What are some of your winter evening essentials?

Time For Sleep.

I love sleep. It's my second ever favourite thing, after food, obviously. One of the best feelings in the world is waking up from a really good night's sleep, but sadly not everyone experiences this, and it definitely hasn't always been that way for me either. Time 4 Sleep found that a Sunday night is one of the most stressful nights of the week, with many of us experiencing anxiety about going to work, school or college the next day, and hence our sleep suffers. So to help, here's some of my best tips for getting a good night's rest.

Switch It Off:
I'm guilty of this, but I'm always reading we should switch off our tvs, phones and laptops for at least an hour before bedtime. Personally I've been known to fall asleep checking Instagram with my phone in my hand, but if you are struggling to get to sleep, switch it all off and read a book instead.

Drink Up:
A sure fire way to get my relaxed before bed is a hot drink. If I'm being healthy then it's usually a green or peppermint tea, but the occasional hot chocolate works wonders too.

Use Pillow Sprays:
I can't exactly testament to this one quite yet, but I've heard nothing but great results from using a relaxing spray on the pillow to help people drift off. Some good ones are from This Works or Blended Therapies.

Talk It Through:
When I was suffering with anxiety one of the things I really struggled with was sleep. I was in a bad relationship at the time and living with people I didn't really like, so I didn't feel like I could talk to anyone about it, resulting in still being awake at 4am feeling awful about having to get up the next day. It's an old cliche but a problem shared is a problem halved, and you'll never recover from having anxious feelings by letting it all build up inside you.

Make It A Place To Enjoy:
One of the reasons I find it so hard to drag myself out of bed is that I love my bedroom. I invest in good quality bedding, comfortable pillows, candles, and fairy lights to create a really lovely environment to go to sleep in. Remember to keep it clean and tidy too, and of course blow out the candles before you nod off!

What are your tips for getting a good sleep?

Decorating On A Budget.

I wish I had the capabilities to see everything I love for a house and buy it all there and then, but sadly it's just not possible for me. I know there's quite a few people out there in the same situation too, so I thought I'd give my tips on how to decorate on a budget.

Know When To Spend:
I'm a firm believer in being thrifty around the house, but there's certain situations when you just should spend a little extra. Paint, for example; I've used cheaper options from B&M in the past, only for it to wear away a lot quicker or having to do so many coats you end up spending more anyway, which is especially true if you're going for all white walls like me. The same is with areas like laminate flooring; if you make the investment it will last a lot longer, rather than chipping away or fading. Save the money by roping in friends and family to help you paint and lay the flooring.

Mix Second Hand With New:
I was lucky enough to be able to borrow or be given money to buy myself a few new items of furniture, such as a couple of new sofas, but the most of my furniture has been bought second hand. By raiding the charity shops and vintage fairs, I've managed to find most of my furniture for £20 and under, despite it probably being worth quite a lot more. I think my home has a pretty good mix of the two, and it makes for a more interesting home too!

Recycle & Reuse:
I love a good afternoon getting crafty with items, as you may have guessed from my latest copper updates post. There is A LOT of junk out there, especially if you like perusing around the charity shops and car boots like I do, but if you keep an open mind, anything can be turned into something more your style with a quick lick of paint or altering. It's also incredibly easy to whip up a few cushions or some curtains if you have some nice material, although having a sewing machine may be a little easier.

Use Freecycle:
Freecycle is a fantastic website where people can list stuff they basically just want to get rid of, so it's all free. I've used this myself to get rid of old items, and a quick "thank you" and make sure you keep to the times you planned to collect, as well as being polite, and you can usually transform a room for free. I've given away paint, furniture and electrical items, so it's a good idea to keep your group bookmarked and check it daily if you're in need of a certain thing.

Buy Plants:
If you don't have the money for little decorations or bits and bobs, add a few plants. Get to a nursery or Wilkinson's and you can add a great amount of colour and interest by just buying a few plants. I'm a great advocate of this, I have a plant on pretty much every surface in my home.

Take It Slow:
Probably the most important point of all is to take it slow. Don't blow all your budget every month because you're getting a little impatient with how your home is looking, because we've all been there. If you've moved into an unfurnished place, it will take some time to get it how you like it, and sadly that's just the way it is! Don't rush into it, and that way you can plan exactly how you'd like it, spend some time researching everything and get it spot on.

What are your tips for decorating on a budget?

Stripping It Back.

I don't know about you, but Winter for me results in A LOT of make-up, especially around the festive period. Bases are heavy, powder is a must, eyelids are glittered and I'm rarely seen without red lipstick. My skin doesn't seem to have thanked it for me though, and I'm struggling to get it back to the state it was around Summer, so I'm stripping back how much make-up I'm wearing to see if that helps.

I got a little sample of the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation, which upon seeing 'light coverage' I assumed I'd hate, but it's actually pretty good! It's a buildable coverage so enough for me to cover up some scarring without pilling on the concealer, it's a good colour match for me and it lasts long enough throughout the day, too. It is quite a brightening foundation, but I still like to add a highlight on top, which of course is my No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter. Some cream highlights seem to just push around your foundation underneath but this doesn't, and applied with a Real Techniques Stippling Brush it applies really naturally to give a pretty glow.

Keeping it on the cheeks, I've been loving the NARS Unlawful blush* which is a pretty dusky pink with a hint of brown in, meaning it sculpts the face a little whilst it's at it. I know I said I've been wearing a lot of glitter lids, but I'm still using my Bobbi Brown Sand Palette, but not quite as intensely. I've been using either of the matte brown shades and just adding a tiny bit of glitter with one of their more sheer shades which creates a pretty, natural look without looking like you've made loads of effort.

Brows are something I just don't compromise on, and I've recently treated myself to the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade in medium brown. It's a little harder to work with than the usual pencil I'm used to, but I'm determined to make it work, the results I've seen online look seriously amazing. My lips are in less than good condition too, so I'm using a couple of tinted balms, my favourite of which is Korres Mandarin Rose Lip Butter.

Have you been cutting down your make-up routine after Christmas?

H&M Home Haul.

Yep, it's one of those again, my all time favourite alliteration, the H&M home haul. In case you hadn't noticed by now H&M is one of my favourite home stores, everything is so on point and they focus on some of my favourite interior trends, which right now are marble and copper. Thanks to Kane's debit card I treated myself to a few items I'd had my eye on for quite a while.

I had a vision of all white bedding with some striped pillowcases, but the price of these ones (£6.99 each) put me off for ages. Almost £14 for a pair of pillowcases is a little ridiculous, but considering Kane was buying, I thought I'd get them! This reduced stripe cushion cover (£1.99) mostly made up for it though, as if I needed any more to add to my bed. Comfort overload.

I couldn't resist getting one of the marble frames (£6.99), I just need to find a cute print for it now. Tealight holders are something I seem to go a little crazy for at H&M, so I thought I'd add another one to the collection for just a couple of pounds. And last up, I got one of the really cute scented candles (£6.99) in Peony, but it just has the cutest design on the front.

What do you think of my buys? Have you made a H&M Home order recently?

Copper Updates.

So, I don't know whether you had figured from my interior posts, but I'm kiiiiinda diggin' copper at the moment. 'Diggin' being a bit of an understatement, having bought a lamp, candles, a tray, and now spray painting everything with a couple of cans I bought on Ebay too. The tray was a recent charity shop find for £1 which I thought would be perfect for the block pillar candles so they don't drip all over the marble fireplace.

The other items I've had lying around for a while, with the intention of spraying, but just hadn't really got around to it. Now everything has had a cute facelift thanks to a couple cans of paint!

Are you as much of a copper fan as me?

A Tomato Red Trio.

There's something about those tomato-red shades that just get me weak at the knees. They're the first shade I head for on the lipstick, polish and blush stands, but after I tell myself I own far too many already, they end up back on the shelf. I have a fairly impressive collection, but there's three favourites I've been reaching for a lot recently.

Starting up with possibly my most worn, the Bourjois Velvet Lipstick in Peach Club. I've spoken of my love for these several times on here, but they're just winners in my book. It's such a creamy formula which takes a minute or two to dry, and when it does you're left with guaranteed full coverage all day that just doesn't budge without being drying in the slightest. When I bought Peach Club I was expecting by the name a more peachy, coral shade, but I'm so happy with this one. I'm even on to my second tube now, which is an achievement for me!

When I'm not wearing a red lip, I always reach for NARS Liberte blush. It does look a little scary in the pan, but with a slight hand and good blusher brush, this gives me a really natural flushed look, as if I've just spent a little too long out in the cold. It's really pigmented and of course a fantastic formulation from NARS; as it is quite dark it would be great for quite a lot of skintones, too. The polish that's been on my nails pretty much constantly recently has been Essie's Chubby Cheeks, which I think is pretty aptly named for me too. Essie formula's are sometimes so hit and miss but this seems to be a good one, I can go a good few days without any chipping, and it's a lovely bright tomato shade.

Are you a fan of the tomato red beauty offerings?

Creating An Ideal Workspace.

Whilst I don't spend all hours of the day, every day, at my desk, I do appreciate that creating a workspace ideal for the work I do is pretty essential. And when I'm working at my desk, I do manage to get everything done a lot quicker, and I get to relax earlier on in the evening. I've been through several desk set-ups in my time, and I think I've finally found the right one for me, so here's what I've learnt so far.

Be Practical:

This is probably the big one, for me. If you're a painter or more creative in your day to day job, a bit of a mess can be inspiring, so perfect for you. Myself however, I spend my days photographing, listing new stock, blogging, and then packaging orders, so I need a clear empty space. Of course I have the odd print or two as well as a lamp, plant, and my glasses, but the majority of the space is clear for me to get to work. If clutter works for you, fantastic, but you need to find your ideal space without being too inspired by others; just because it looks pretty, things in the way may halt your working.

Buy What You Need:

As just mentioned, I'm not a big fan of clutter, but I am a fan of making practical items pretty. If you've got a noticeboard, why not add a few Pinterest pictures, or add family photos. You've still got space for the important stuff you need, but it makes the area a little more relaxed and happy. Shelves can also make a cute extra to store your business bits and bobs, but you can also add little decorations if there's space. 

Have Everything On Hand:

I've learnt the hard way with this; I used to do all my packaging downstairs, and every evening I'd be running around getting stressed being unable to find my scissors, or any sellotape. Now doing it in my office, I keep all my supplies in one area so I can head straight back there when I need them. It's a fairly obvious point, but it'll save you so much time and possibly tears!

Keep It Clean:

Again, it's an obvious one, but definitely something I've had to improve on. Despite how long of a day you've had, spending just a couple of minutes making sure it's tidy for tomorrow makes such a difference for me. Always having a space I can go to where I'm ready to just straight to work means I work so much quicker and feel relaxed in a clean environment whilst I'm at it.

What is your idea of the perfect workspace?

In Case Of Emergencies.

There's many situations where my 'in case of emergency' products come into use; usually I'm having major breakouts, huge bags under my eyes from a lack of sleep, or generally just feeling a bit down a certain day. But if I do, I know I've got some favourites on hand to sort any ailments I may wake up with. 

Starting with skincare, it's all about the masks for me if any blemishes do appear. I start off with the Superfacialist Tea Flower Clay Mask from Una Brennan, which is just one of the best masks I've ever tried for oily skins, high-street or high-end. It really cleanses everything out from the skin without being drying and my skin looks so much clearer after a use or two. I then move onto the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey mask which helps to hydrate my skin as well as helping to clear blemishes too. If it's just scarring I'm struggling with, I reach for Clinique Clarifying Lotion 3 and I can see a huge difference in how clear my skin looks after just a few days of twice daily use.

However, if my skincare options aren't quite cutting it, a concealer is my best friend. On a daily basis I use the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer, but if I need to bring in the big guns, I always reach for Seventeen's Phwoarr Concealer. It's a little too heavy for everyday use but literally covers everything in sight. I don't usually get any sort of dark circles (thank you, 8 hours sleep) but if I've had an interrupted night, they do like to make the occasional appearance. I got Benefit's It's Potent! Eye Cream in a recent beauty box, and it seriously works wonders at brightening the under eye area and making me look a little more awake.

And onto make-up, if I've having a bit of a down, meh day, there's a couple items I'll always throw on. First is NARS Final Cut blusher which is a gorgeous peachy pink that really brightens and suits my complexion. I'll pop on Topshop's Rio Rio lipstick which is a perfect red for me with a slight bright undertone, and after a quick spritz of my favourite perfume, Coco Mademoiselle, and I'm all good to go!

Do you have any products you'll always reach for in case of emergency?

A Mini ASOS Haul.

I decided I wanted a pair of chunky heeled t-bar shoes quite a while ago, but patent ones are my idea of hell; as pretty as they are, I know it'd be constant blisters with them, so I decided to have a little look on the ASOS website to look at some different ones. I managed to find a cute suede pair from Park Lane which were over half price in the sale, but they've sadly sold out now, I think I managed to nab the last pair! I decided to have a little peruse of what was left in the sale and picked up a couple other bits to go along with my shoes.

I love any sort of cropped, comfortable tee. I pair them with a pencil skirt or high-waisted jeans and it's sort of become part of my uniform. I did have to get it a size up as it was the only one left, but I'll just take it in it it's a bit too large on me. I need a little coin purse for all the mini-bags I like carrying around, so I decided on this kitschy burger one. It may seem a little odd for someone who's been vegetarian and vegan over half my life, but I'll just pretend it's a veggie burger! I really want some cute, dainty jewellery as well and couldn't resist getting the Circle Necklace, I love the design and I'll be able to pair it with a lot of things.

What do you think of my buys? Have you been ASOS shopping recently?

The Mid Week Refresh.

I'm not sure what it is about Wednesday's, but it seems so many of us go on a mid-week slump. We're ready for the weekend but it's still so far away. It's the perfect time for a bath and a little pamper session, so I thought I'd talk through everything I'll be using tonight..

I start off running the bath and popping in my latest Lush buy (I'm planning an early morning trip!) and pop on a face mask. If I wasn't in the bath I'd be doing a double, but as I am it'll just be the one, the Nuxe Creme Fraiche Mask. This arrived a few days ago in the Look Fantastic Beauty box, and I'm really looking forward to trying this one out being quite a newbie to Nuxe. I'll be giving my hair a wash in the bath too, and pop on a hair mask. I've forgotten about these recently but I find a weekly use of Bumble & Bumble's Quenching mask* leaves my hair feeling so soft, shiny and nourished, which is essential for someone who uses so much heat on their hair.

Whilst they're both working their magic, I'm gonna give my body a good scrub to get rid of all the horrible winter dry skin with The Body Shop Coconut scrub. I absolutely love anything coconut scented so this is immediately a winner for me, but it does such a good job at removing any dead skin cells and making my skin feel gorgeous. I'm not sure why I've included two body lotions, probably 'cause I'll decide on the day which one to use, but I know I'll end up going for the Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Souffle, that one you're all sick of hearing about! There's nothing more luxurious and it's certainly perfect for a mid-week pick me up. I'm loving Vanilla at the moment too though, so the Korres Vanilla Plum body lotion would be a gorgeous lighter option.

Hopping in the bath with a few candles to have a little pamper is my perfect way to end a Wednesday. Are you planning a pamper this week?

Forming A Loyal Consumer Base in Blog & Business.

Running a business and a blog for a few years now, one of the things I'm always trying to achieve is to get people coming back. As a blogger I want people to click that 'follow on Bloglovin' button, and as a business owner I want people to buy, and be impressed enough to come back again. So I thought I'd talk through some of the things I've learnt along the way to always have people coming back for more.

Give Something Away:

Although it may seem it, I'm not just talking about giveaways, even though they are a nice little extra to thank your following, either on your blog or business' social media pages. If you're an expert in certain fields, how about give some of your valuable knowledge away? I personally love blogs where I feel like I've gone away having gained something, and that could be anything from knowledge of new products from a beauty brand or a free desktop wallpaper. We all love free content, and if we can learn from said content and improve ourselves at the same time, it's a win win for both blog and reader.

In my business, I decided a year or so ago that every purchase, no matter how big or small, would receive a discount voucher in the parcel for their next order, if they choose to make one. It's not huge, but it's a way of encouraging buyers to come back again if they had their eye on anything else and thank them for their custom. 

Stay Consistent:

I'm occasionally guilty of this, but especially in blogging I find people are much more likely to return if you update regularly. I've spotted fantastic blogs that sadly only posted about once every few weeks, and unfortunately it made me not want to follow. Whether you post religiously every day at 8am, or Monday's, Wednesday's and Fridays, keep it consistent so people know when to check back.

This point probably isn't so key in business, if you're selling products they'll still have something to see, but if customers recognize you have new items coming in most days of the week, they'll know to keep you followed on Twitter or Facebook so they can keep up to date.

Make It Pretty:

Although it may be a bit superficial, a good blog design seems to be almost as essential as good content these days. We've all got different ideas of the perfect design, but things most of us seem to agree on having a clear, concise layout with large photographs and not too much other fuss is the most attractive. And of course, pretty content, photographs and writing style is huge, too.

In terms of my business, I try to make everything as appealing as possible. That's including stock photographs, things I post on social media (keep it professional!), and of course, postage and packaging materials. If you just chuck in whatever they've bought in a jiffy bag without any thought on how they'll be experiencing it when they come to open it, you might not get very far. It's not just about making sure the product arrives securely with them, when you open a beautifully wrapped parcel with little extras inside that someone has gone to the effort to provide, it gives you a higher opinion of that business. 

Be Present:

I really think this is a big one, you have to be present and personable online. Your blog should show off your personality, but you can do this even more so on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. I spend a few hours everyday on these and if people like what they see, if you link to your blog, they can follow you on there too. Be authentic online and if people feel they can connect with you on something, they'll always be back.

Being present through my business just means for me being there for people. I'm always on my business Facebook and Twitter, posting about new fairs I've got coming up or new items of stock, and talking to people about it. It also means being present enough to get back to customers quickly - I don't expect people to respond to 11pm emails, but during standard business hours I try to get back to customers as quickly as possible. Whether it's a general query or problem with an order, no-one likes feeling ignored and people will be much more impressed if you deal with it quickly.

Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg, so I'd love to know your tips for creating a loyal base.

Creating A New Routine.

I'm sad to say that the recent festive period has resulted in some serious lacking of any sort of skincare routine. There's been one too many late nights, and I have to admit, I've even fallen asleep after a little bit too much wine with a full fall of make-up on. Luckily my skin hasn't punished me too much for it, but I have noticed a bit of redness and the odd blemish or two appearing up. I haven't been buying any new skincare but I've raided my drawer and tried to create a new routine to help all my current issues.

I've not used the Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm for a while, but I've been using it recently and discovered why I used to love it. I really do think my skin benefits from a slight scrub, but being a balm it isn't too abrasive so doesn't damage my skin at all. It removes make-up really well and leaves my skin looking fresh and bright. I only use a light cleanser for the mornings, and the Antipodes Hallelujah Lime and Patchouli Cleanser is perfect for me. It's a really light cream, and having avocado oil in it makes my skin really soft and clear.

I love using toners but the laziness inside me means I occasionally skip the step and head straight for a serum. But I do know the difference they do make to my skin, so I'm using a couple every day now. I start off spraying the Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist* all over my face which feels really refreshing, as well as helping to moisturise the skin. After that I use one of the pre-soaked pads in the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads which help to clear any scarring I have from previous blemishes. It's quite a gentle exfoliation so would be best for people who don't have too much of a problem to start with, or are easily irritated by the more hardcore of exfoliators.

After toning I pop on the Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus* which is a light moisturiser which I think is perfect for my oily skin as it isn't too heavy but still hydrates really well. I only use this in the mornings, in the evenings I use the Antipodes Divine Facial Oil. Just a couple drops of this in my hands, I massage this into my skin and leave to work it's magic overnight. I know oils are a bit of a touchy subject and don't work for everyone, but for me, my skin looks clearer, redness is reduced, and even blemishes disappear after a couple of days.

What is a favourite from your current skincare routine?

A New Year Wishlist.

Doing a new year wishlist seems to be a bit of a tradition now, so I thought why not carry it on into this year. I'm not on so much of a spending ban, I'm rather just a bit skint after Christmas and a month of family birthday's and anniversary's in January (darn you, relatives!). But anyway, I've told myself there's no point buying too many new clothes before I lose a little bit of weight, but it's still nice to put together a little list, hey?

You've probably noticed there's two stripe items in this here wishlist, my love for stripes will definitely not be dying in 2015 (or ever). I've longed for a stripe tunic for ages and there's actually a couple online at Topshop right now but I do think this one is my favourite. I love a-line skirts too and this striped one (also Topshop) has a bit of a retro feel to it that I like. I need to branch out on the shoe department as I stay extremely close to ballet flats at all times in fear of the blisters I know I'll be covered in with new shoes, but I really love the look of these chunky sole t-bars from River Island. I'm always on the lookout for cute cross-body bags and I love this perforated bag from Zara, the colours are so pretty and it seems like it'd add a nice bit of texture to an outfit.

There's a few little splurges I'd like to make in 2015, and one of those is a Jo Malone candle. I've bought Diptyque before but always on ebay to save a few pennies, and the idea of spending £40 on something that is just going to burn away does seem a bit ridiculous to me, but that still doesn't stop me wanting one. I've had my eye on the Sweet Almond and Macaroon one for some time, I'd like to make the plunge eventually to see what they're like. I'm a newbie to Charlotte Tilbury too who seemed to be everywhere in 2014 and I'd love to try a few things from her brand. This Filmstar Bronze & Glow looks absolutely gorgeous, even the packaging alone looks worth the splurge. I'm still on the hunt for the perfect nude lipstick too, and I think the NARS Audacious Barbara shade looks really lovely. Antipodes were huge for me in 2014 and I'd like to keep trying more from them, I've heard great things about their Grace Cream Cleanser.

Do you have anything in mind you'd like for 2015?

Winter Hydration Heroes.

I usually suffer from quite bad dry legs, but throughout winter it spreads to my hands too, to the point that the dry skin around my nails actually hurts a bit. So a good hand cream and body lotion are pretty essential to me, and there's a few I haven't been able to stop using for the past few months.

I was kindly sent a couple new ranges from Roger & Gallet; I've tried a body oil from them before and was seriously impressed, it left my skin feeling so nourished but had a really beautiful, longlasting scent too, so I was expecting good things from them. The Gingembre Firming Sorbet Body Lotion* is quite thin but feels hydrating enough for me. It sinks in nicely and has such a gorgeous scent, you can slightly make out the ginger but it's quite a creamy scent. It's probably not something that off the name I would pick, but it's so lovely, I'm glad I ended up with it. I couldn't not include my other favourite lotion, the Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Souffle. I'm scrapping the bottom of this after using it sparingly for quite a while, but it's time to get it all used up as it'll possibly go off before I do. It just feels so luxurious to use, the scent is so delicious and it moisturises incredibly well.

Miniature hand creams are really handy for on the go, so I love the Roger & Gallet Floral Hand Cream Collection*. It's just £17.50 for the set (with 20.15% off available at Escentual until 12/01) so incredibly good value for the quality. All the scents are lovely, soft floral scents, one with a hint of citrus. Each tube is 30ml but a little goes a really long way, and it sinks into the hands quickly. At home I always have my Jurlique Rose Hand Cream* on hand which is probably one of my all-time favourites. It's pricey, but it's worth it as the quality is fantastic and my hands feel so soothed and soft after each use, it really makes a big difference. I also couldn't not include the L'Occitane Cherry Blossom hand cream, I absolutely love this scent so I went a little crazy buying from it in the airport in October.

What are you favourite hydration products for Winter?

Creating An Interior Style When Living With a Boy.

Interiors are seriously important to me, probably on par if not even more so than fashion or clothing. I've always had quite a particular style which has matured with age, and moving into our new home and knowing it would be ours, I had an exact idea in mind for how I'd like it to look and spent a few months beforehand thinking it all out. I knew I wanted to go for a 1950s meets scandinavian style with white walls, wooden floors, copper accents and lots of teak. The idea of having a home with a feature wallpapered wall and colour co-ordinated furniture brings me out in a bit of a rash; it's nice for the majority of the population, but not something I'd ever have myself.

However, it's not exactly all my house, I do have a boyfriend to think of who's style is pretty far away from mine. When we were painting the new home he told me if he had his own place he'd paint two walls white and two black, apparently that makes a room look bigger. He's incredibly minimalist too, a sofa, chair, tv and xbox would do him. So trying to create an inviting, comfortable and stylish home with more than one person in mind can be a bit of a challenge, so I thought I'd put out there some of the things I've learnt along the way.

Talk Through Everything:
Like most people, Pinterest was my best friend when I was moving and looking for inspiration. It's on there I saw a few items of furniture I loved the look of and tried to recreate myself. This can be especially handy as it's great to see what items will look good together rather than just saying "Do you like this table?" "How about these chairs?" without really being able to see how they're going to look. By showing him the pictures I knew he was happy with the style we'd be going for.

It's important to talk it through before making any large purchases too, although that sort of goes without saying. It took me quite a while to try to persuade Kane to let me buy one of our new sofas (rather than keeping a hideous beige one that was left in the house, he wanted to keep that because it was so comfortable), but he gave in in the end, as he eventually began to see my point of view. Which leads me on to the next point..

Compromise:
Like most aspects of a relationship, there has to be compromise eventually. Our compromise is that I've bought most of the furniture in the house; whether it's brand new or secondhand, it's usually me that's wanted it and me that wants to splash out on new things that aren't 100% necessary, so I'm okay to pay for it. It means that Kane occasionally pays more of the bills or food shopping to even it all out a bit. Whether it's letting him add a Marvel poster to the wall or having a little gaming section (surely my boyfriend can't be the only xbox obsessive) you do need to compromise so it isn't just your home, it'll only end in him feeling uncomfortable and unhappy.

Make it Neutral:
When Kane first moved in with me I was only 20 and already had the home, so as you can probably imagine there were lots of pink, florals and bright colours everywhere. He snuggled underneath a vintage crochet blanket on the sofa and went to bed underneath Cath Kidston style bedding, which you can imagine probably isn't the greatest for a bloke. Whilst the new place isn't the most masculine, with lots of white, grey and wood, it's a lot more neutral and is a style that suits us both a lot more.

Get Him Involved:
In the new house we're making a lot more changes and have changed quite a few of the rooms. So far he's already laid some new laminate flooring and I'm going to get him to pop in some shelves in a couple rooms. It may only be small but I know it makes him feel a lot more involved and more like he's contributing to the home too.

Do any of you live with a boyfriend or husband? How do you manage to create an interior space you both love?

The 2015 Bag.

I am all about minimalism when it comes to bags. The idea of lugging a huge, heavy bag around on my shoulder or in my hand is mostly my idea of hell, unless I actually need to carry something round. For the most part though, a little cross body bag with just enough room for my phone, keys, cards and lipstick is perfect for me. I picked up this cute Next bag at the weekend which is a lovely design and size for me. I love the cobalt blue colour with the gold hardware, and there's just enough room inside most of what I need day to day.

Aside from my standard iPhone and keys, I keep with my diary with me most of the time. I'm pretty forgetful so I made sure I bought a smaller one this year so it would fit in my bag, so got this cute geometric one on my latest supermarket trip. My most worn lip product from the end of last year is definitely the Sephora Lip Cream I picked up in my birthday Paris trip; there's just something so easy and quick about it that has me reaching for it most days. I keep a mini Daisy in with me incase I've forgotten to pop on some perfume, and one of the latest Roger & Gallet Rose Hand & Nail cream* from a little set I got. 

Have you switched up your bag for 2015?

Looking Forward.

2014 was a bit of an odd year. I moved into a beautiful new home, made some good progress with my blog and overall was extremely happy, but it doesn't feel like I accomplished that much. The last few months I spent working as a temp in retail so my blog and business both took a back seat, as did my driving lessons. There's a few things I'd really like to achieve in 2015.

Get Healthy:
Aaah, the obvious one. I've been saying this for years but this year saw my weight go up by about two stone to a size I'm extremely unhappy with. I'm only a small lady at 5'2 so any weight gain is extremely obvious on me, and the majority of the clothes in my wardrobe are now at bursting point or no longer fit at all. After Christmas I felt pretty disgusting with how much I've eaten so I started after boxing day, and I've already lost 5lbs which I'm happy with. I've got a pretty long way to go but I'm determined to finally make this a lifestyle change for good and stop filling my face with chocolate and takeaways.

Work Harder:
With the lack of time I had around the last few months of the year with working in retail and moving home, my little online store and blog got extremely neglected. At the moment I probably spent about the time that's necessary on working, but I need to put more into it. I'm looking at ways to try and grow both through 2015 and hopefully I'll get some results from the effort I'll be putting in. I'd also like to do more vintage fairs across the year and really try to get my name out there.

Exercise:
I have a bit of a fear of exercising. The last time I went to the gym I was about seventeen, and I actually used to run outside at that age too. Nowadays I would find it much too embarassing exercising outside, but considering I work from home there really is no excuse any more. My fitness levels are virtually non-existant but I'm just bought some new gear and I'll be kicking it off with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred so try and build them up a bit more.

DIY More:
I've always quite enjoyed being a bit crafty, but most of the time I put things off for ages before doing them and being really happy with the result. I've bought some copper spray paint to revamp a couple of things but so far they're just sitting in the cupboard, and I'd really like to give weaving a go. I need a good kick up the bum to get me going!

Do you have any goals for 2015?