Hidden Gems

17th December 2014
What is Christmas without a little sparkle? The closer we get to December 25th the more glitter I plaster on- eyeliner, jewellery or my clothes it doesn’t really matter I just love an excuse to look like a disco ball!

Dress: Blog Sale (from the marvellous Terri) | Boots c/o Ikrush | Headband: Crown and Glory | Ring c/o QVC

I haven’t taken off this Christmas ring from QVC since it’s arrival as it just goes perfectly with everything I have been wearing lately. Don’t be fooled by it’s name though as it’s not just for Christmas, this is one piece I’ll be getting a lot of wear from! Less can be said for my Crown and Glory headband as really it only gets worn a couple of times a year but when they launched this design a year ago I just couldn’t resist treating myself and the novelty factor and unique design will last me for years to come. I’m not usually one to wear headbands but this one doesn’t irritate me or make behind my ears hurt so it was well worth the money for that alone!
I’m actually sporting a manicure for once, which I had done at Blog Club during my week off. It’s a rare occasion that I get to have painted nails as I can’t have them for work so I took full advantage of the skill at Bettie & Baldwins and went for a decidedly un-festive hot pink look. I usually begrudge paying to have my nails done but this was still going strong by the time I had to take it off to go back to work five days later. For me this is some kind of miracle and I could probably have got another five days from it easily. I couldn’t resist having some glitter added, I mean, it’d be rude not to at this time of year!
Only a week until Christmas Eve and I’m raring to go (kind of). Everything is done and I’m either spreading festive spirit at work or working at home from the comfort of my bed whilst wearing novelty jumpers or plenty of tartan (I just love this dress!) working on some freelance stuff before taking a few days off. I’ll be winding down the blogging a little over the next couple of weeks too as things are pretty manic, I’m pretty sure my daily posts are becoming a bit of a bore any way!
Do you like to sparkle at Christmas?

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Posted in jewellery, life, outfits

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Coping with an Eating Disorder at Christmas

16th December 2014

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Why I Use WordPress Instead of Blogger

16th December 2014
As you know, I have been running this blog for some time now, so I have built up quite a bit of experience of running a blog website. As a result, quite a few of my readers ask me for advice about running their own sites. One of the most common questions I am asked is why I do not use Blogger for my site. Here I explain why.
Both are reliable

The first thing I need to say is that I have nothing against Blogger, Webbly or any of the other blog publishing services. There are pros and cons of using a blog publishing service, but I feel you are better off hosting your blog independently and using a good quality CMS like WordPress to allow you to easily post content to your website.

You are in complete control

The biggest reason for owning your own domain is that you stay in complete control. If you use a blog publishing service, the firm that runs the service is in control.
It is possible for them to take your site down at any time. In theory, if you stick to the rules your site will not be taken down, but it happens. Understanding the rules, remembering them and sticking to them is not easy. Add in the fact that the rules can change at any time and you can see that following the rules to the letter can be quite tricky.
If you buy your own domain and host it independently, you are in control, at all times.

Easier to make money

In addition, many blog publishers put restrictions on how you can monetise your blogs. They may not let you put affiliate links on your website or ad banners. Adding a shop to your site is also usually not possible. If you have your own website, you decide if and how you make money with your website.

Endless site design options

WordPress is a fantastic content management system. There are endless themes, plugins and widgets to choose from. This makes it easy to make your site look the way you want and to add additional functionality to help your readers to navigate and use your website.

Languages

WordPress is available in 150 languages. Most blog publishing services are only available in a few languages.

A last word

If you do choose to go with WordPress I strongly recommend that, you find a company that offers WordPress hosting. Doing so makes it much easier to get the CMS up, running on your site, and keep it up to date. It is also designed to speed up your site. Given the fact, the speed at which your site loads is an important ranking factor how fast your website loads is important.
As I said at the start how you set up and run your website is very much up to you. There are pros and cons to both approaches, but I prefer to stay in total control of my website, which is why I have gone down the self-hosted route and recommend this approach to others.

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Posted in blogging

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Oh Christmas Tree

15th December 2014
With only ten days left until the big day I am feeling more and more festive. I’ve completely caught the Christmas bug this year, having spent previous few years feeling more like scrooge. As such I’ve been embracing all manner of fancy get-ups and outfits that might bring more a little more attention to myself than I’d normally like. Case in point:

Hat and Jumper: Next | Dress and Tights: Primark | Boots: New Look | Necklace c/o Sushilla Jewellery

This hat, oh this hat! I fell in love with a very similar one at the Marks and Spencer magic and sparkle event and instantly regretted not buying it there and then because when I went back to get it a few days later it had sold out online and in all of the Bristol stores. I chalked it up to fate, a sign I really didn’t need a Christmas Tree bobble hat in my life…someone clearly disagreed though as a few days later Mum tracked down this look-alike from Next…complete with light up star bobble!
I may or may not have been living in this ever since I got my mitts on it, I just can’t resist anything novelty and knitted this close to Christmas. I do try to keep the rest of my outfit plain though- I’m loving these knitted cream tights from Primark (£3 and oh so warm, I need more!) paired with denim and neutral tones.
I’ve always been one to be drawn to more obscure items, but until a year or so ago I was always too afraid to wear them for fear of what other people might think. I suppose it’s all part of getting older, but these days I don’t really care, if what I’m wearing puts a smile on my face then that’s all that matters to me!

Anyone else sporting some festive headgear?

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Posted in christmas, life, life stuff, outfits

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Light up your Home this Christmas

13th December 2014
I love seeing the house all decked out for Christmas. If I had it my way our tree would be up on December 1st and wouldn’t be taken down until the New Year. I think there is something so warm and cosy about fairy lights and the smell of a Christmas tree and I’m always on the look out for new things to add to the collection.

I’ve featured the Hanging Lantern Company on the blog before (way back here) and was delighted when they got in touch again offering to spread a little Christmas cheer. They have a truly stunning range of festive treats and I was lucky enough to be able to try a few out (which also means I got my way and have some decorations up early!)

The first item I put together was one of the winter snowflake boxes (£12.95 for 8) which can be used either as a little gift box or be lit up with a Buttonlite LED and used as a table setting. I opted for the latter and loved the glow created, perfect for adding a subtle festive touch to the home (or placing on the cat for comedy value). The boxes were super simple to put together and the card is really sturdy so you know they’ll last- why not pop in some little nibbles and use as table settings for the big day?
Next up was this rather striking snowflake lantern which comes in a range of festive colours. This deep purple goes perfectly with the decor of the conservatory and it now has pride of place and looks stunning lit up in the evenings. It was a bit of a challenge to fit together, even with the extensive instructions but we got there in the end (thanks Mum!). This is something we’ll be bringing out year after year, and at £19.95 it’s an affordable way to add some cheer to your home over the festive season. A Buttonlite LED is included which will bring up to 36 hours of illumination.
Last but not least I found this Winter Floral cupcake holder (£9.95 for 12) which I think is a lovely idea for adding a special touch to Christmas bakes. I may not have had time to get in the kitchen lately, but it did make a brilliant tiara for the slightly bemused Mae!
Have you decorated your home for Christmas yet? I’m actually away this weekend and have a feeling that when I get home tomorrow night Dad might have snuck the tree up…

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Posted in christmas, inspiration, interiors

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