What I got for Christmas

Hi everyone,

Now I just want to start by saying I am not doing this to show off how much I got this year for Christmas. I am writing this post because these tend to be one of my favourite things to read or watch online.

So todays blog is about what I got for Christmas and I was well and truly spoilt this year. The wonderful gifts I got this year include:

-Sweets and chocolates

-Smellies

-Yankee candle in jelly bean

-Yankee candle scenterpiece easy meltcup warmer

-Yankee candle easy meltcups in pineapple cilantro and pink sands

-Oral B pro 670 white and clean toothbrush

-Marc Jacobs Dot eau de parfum 50ml

-Morphe vegan make up brushes

-Converse in black

-American horror story: freak show

-The complete collection of friends

I would love to say a big thank you to all the family, friends and clients who all gave me lovely presents.

What did you get for Christmas? Let me know below. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a happy new year. I cant wait to start blogging in the new year with all my new ideas. I am very excited for what 2016 will bring and I cant wait to take you along on the journey.

Happy new year, bring on 2016.

Love

Zoe x 

Gingerbread house tutorial

Hi everyone,

This weeks blog post is how to make a gingerbread house. Now I purchased a kit from Tesco's, which had the gingerbread ready made. This kit was brilliant and included everything that you would need. So here we go, this is how I made my gingerbread house.

Step 1:

First off check that you have everything from your kit and lay it all out. Your kit should include:

-Tray to build on

-The gingerbread house parts

-Tube of icing

-Sweets

Step 2:

Pick up your icing bag and move the icing around between your hands to soften it. Then take off the cap. Next cut a small amount off the nozzle of the tube using a pair of scissors.

Step 3:

Lay out all the parts to the house, including the tray. Using the icing bag provided, ice round the four grooves in the tray. Then down the sides of the front and back of the gingerbread house. As shown in the picture below. Make sure you do it on the rough side of the gingerbread.

Step 4:

Then start to build your house onto the tray. Starting with the back panel and then a side. Next place on the front panel followed by the other side. Make sure it is all straight when you are done.

Step 5:

Next you need to ice along the tops of the front and back panels.

Step 6:

Apply both sides of the roof, one at a time. You need to hold these in place for  a couple of minutes. Then apply a thick layer of icing between both sides of the roof, going down the middle. Now you need to leave it for 30 minutes.

Step 7:

The last thing to do is to decorate your gingerbread house.

         

 I really enjoyed making this gingerbread house and I am so happy with how it turned out. Have you made anything this Christmas? If so what? Let me know in the comments below. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas.

Love

Zoe x

Christmas party hair-curly

Hi everyone,

Todays post is how to achieve curls for short hair. I think this style would look great for the Christmas parties you will be attending this year. So get your party dress and heels at the ready, here is how to create your perfect Xmas party hair to go with your perfect outfit.

Step 1:

Get all the equipment you need at the ready. This includes:

-Babyliss Pro wand (or any other brand)

-Comb

-Sectioning clip

-Hairspray

-Wax/putty (optional)

Step 2:

Once your wand has heated up. Comb through your hair to remove any knots and tangles. Then section one of the sides so you only have a small amount of hair coming down.

Step 3:

Take a small amount of hair from the section you have just let down. Then wrap this piece of hair round the wand starting at the thicker end to the thinner end. Once you have curled a section give it a good coating of hairspray. Then do the same to the rest of that small section. Only taking small subsections from the main section.

Step 4:

Then do the same through the rest of that side.

Step 5:

Then continue to do exactly the same on the other side.

Step 6:

You then need to do the same on the back. Be careful as it is difficult to do the back while trying not to burn yourself. You may want to ask someone else to help you with the back. If not, if you do it yourself just take your time, don't rush it and be patient.

Step 7:

Once you have curled everywhere you can now apply the wax/putty, if you are choosing to use it. To do this I just apply a small amount to my hands and rub it between my fingers to soften it. I then just scrunch my curls to make them a bit more defined and not so uniform. To finish apply a good amount of hairspray all over to keep your curls in all evening.

This is how I would wear my hair for Christmas parties this year. How are you wearing yours? Let me know in the comments.

Love

Zoe x



My ideal christmas

Hi everyone,

So we are in to December now and its almost Christmas. This is one of my favourite times of the year. So I thought that I would write about my ideal Christmas. Now I do have to say I have my ideal Christmas every year. My Christmas is all about family, food, music, films and spending time together.

Here are the things I love about my Christmas:

-Getting the tree up:

Now we may do this a bit early in most peoples opinion. Our tree goes up on the 1st every year. I do have to admit I don't always help with the Christmas tree, but there's something magical and festive about getting the tree up. We personally have an artificial tree, but it still looks beautiful by the time we have got all the lovely decorations on it. If anything was to change about my Christmas it would have to be that we got a real Christmas tree.  

 -Decorating the house:

Throughout our house you will find Christmas everywhere through December. From my mums nativity set and teddies in the living room to the bedding, fairy lights and mini Christmas tree in my bedroom. I believe Christmas is a great excuse to go a bit wild with the decorations and fairy lights. I think it should look as fun as possible.

-Christmas music and films:

Again I probably start this to early, but as soon as its December there's no stopping me. I like to think it is acceptable from then up to Christmas. I especially love playing music on Christmas day as it puts everyone in the mood and is perfect when opening presents. Also Christmas films always put everyone in a good mood and makes you feel festive.

-Burning a Christmas candle:

To me nothing screams Christmas like burning a festive candle. They all smell so cosy and make you feel warm inside. I love the Yankee Candle in Gingerbread. As soon as I take the lid off, it just smells like Christmas to me. They also make a house feel like a home and they make it feel welcoming.

-Buying and wrapping presents:

This is a massive part of my Christmas which I enjoy incredibly. I love choosing presents for people and I do normally go a bit mad. Also I always buy the wrapping paper that is glittery, as what is Christmas without glitter.

-Christmas eve:

Now I work Christmas eve but I love it. All the clients are really cheery and the atmosphere in the salon is amazing. Then when I get home it is lovely just to sit down and chill. I still get really excited on Christmas eve about Christmas day. Even thought I am 19, your never too old to enjoy Christmas.

-Christmas day: 

I love everything about the actual day, from the opening of presents, the music playing to just the chilled atmosphere in general. Also being Christmas it means its never to early to start on the chocolates, so I end up eating constantly all day. We always have the dinner table set beautifully with crackers and napkins, all ready for a traditional turkey roast dinner with all the trimmings.


This is my ideal Christmas, what is yours? Also how are you spending Christmas this year? Also let me know your favourite thing about Christmas. Let me know in the comments.

Love
Zoe x

November favourites

Hi everyone,

Over November I was loving a lot of things. So I thought I would write a blog post and share them with you. These things range from hair and beauty to food and random things. So here it is.

Hair:

-John Frieda sheer blonde colour renew tone correcting shampoo:

I spoke about this shampoo in my top 5 hair products post (November). I do truly love this shampoo from the smell to how it works. In the winter months my hair can get a bit dry from walking everywhere in the cold weather. This causes my hair to lose it shine. I just found this shampoo great for keeping my blonde bright and shiny, just what we need in the winter months.

-FHI Heat Platform straighteners:

I was first introduced to these straighteners when I started working at the salon. I love these so much. They have been my go to styling tool this month. As with the damp weather here in England I tend not to curl my hair as much. As by the time I have walked to work it has dropped out because it has got wet. These straighteners are great as you can select the temperature you want. Also they don't take very long to heat up so are great when you are in a hurry.

Beauty:

-Vaseline:

This is my go to lip product in the colder weather. As I find my lips get very dry from walking in this weather. I am currently using the 'rosy lips' Vaseline but I have tried them all. They are all very nice. This one smells lovely and comes in a pretty rosy colour. This is tinted and leave a pinkie colour on your lips. I love the idea of this as it means you don't have to worry about it looking like there's nothing on your lips. But it keeps them from getting dry.

-Benefit they're real tinted primer:
I got this as a sample in a magazine I purchased, and I haven't stopped using it since. This is the first benefit product I have ever owned, and it wont be the last. The colour is 'mink-brown' and I just wear this under my normal black mascara. I was very surprised when I first used this product at how much better it made my mascara look. My lashes are longer and lovely and thick after I have used this. Any benefit products you have tried and recommend? Let me know in the comments.

-Original source lime shower gel:
I normally buy soap and glory shower gels but when I needed a shower gel at the beginning of November I couldn't get to boots. So I picked this one up in Tesco's. This is not a let down at all, this shower gel smells incredible. It really does smell of limes and it bubbles up really well. This is guaranteed to leave your bathroom smelling lovely and fresh and just like limes.

Food:

-Snow bites:
These are chocolates that only come out at Christmas, and I love them. So when I saw them in the shops I couldn't resist and had to buy a couple of bags. They are dairy milk chocolate balls covered in a sugar shell and then covered in icing sugar. They have to be my favourite Christmas chocolate. If you haven't tried them, I recommend you do. What's your favourite Christmas chocolates? Let me know in the comments.

Other:

-Writing in my journal:
Throughout November I wrote in my journal everyday. I have loved having somewhere to write about how I feel, how my day has been and just everyday stuff. I will defiantly keep this up from now on. A journal is a great place to start if you want somewhere you can just write everything and anything down and not worry what other people think. I find this helps as I also write anything negative in there as well. This just helps to get things off my mind.

-Lily-Flame candle- Verbena:
A little while back I purchased some candles from Lily-Flame. I totally recommend this company as their candles are not only beautiful they smell incredible as well. Verbena has been constantly burning at home throughout November. This candle smells of lemons and I can only describe it as smelling like lemon sherbet. It is very fresh and fruity. I own 4 Lily-Flame candles and I highly recommend them.

-Simply home by Yankee candle- White linen & lace:
Yet another candle, but I do love and own many of them. This one I bought from Tesco's when we moved house in early November. I keep this in the bathroom as it is a lovely clean scent. I love nothing more than lying back in a bubbly bath with a candle burning just relaxing. This candle is the perfect scent as it is not to overpowering and is very fresh. I cant wait to try more from this range.

So they are some of my November favourites. What did you love in November? Have you tried anything I mentioned? Let me know in the comments.

Love
Zoe x