What I Got For Christmas Haul 2016

It's over a month after Christmas and I'm still blogging about it... that has to be a new record, even for me! This is the last one, I swear!

I had hoped to blog about the presents I was given for Christmas before the New Year, but I've not been up to taking photos lately, so this is the best I could do. Better late than never, though, right?

I know a lot of people don't like these kind of posts, but I personally love reading them on other blogs- mostly because I'm nosey- and I know some of you guys love them, too, so I'm going to blog about them anyway. I'm not here to brag, I'm just sharing and documenting a recent part of my life, and the lovely things I was so generously given by my family for Christmas. If you'd rather click the 'x' button, no hard feelings; I'll see you next time.

So, this Christmas, I was given loads of lovely and very thoughtful gifts from my family. We actually agreed to cut back on presents to ease a bit of financial strain (although, some of us still went over board because we just can't help ourselves!), but Christmas isn't about the presents, and to be honest, I still feel like I was spoiled rotten. I don't need a million gifts to feel spoilt.

The majority of the gifts I received were beauty products, and you'll never hear any complaints from me about that! I'm always happy to pamper myself with some lotions and potions. I got some great products this Christmas, too.

One of my favourite presents was a set of Tarte 'Radiance From The Rainforest' make up, given to me by my parents. I've been dying to try Tarte make up for years, but being an American brand it's difficult to find in the UK, so I've never had the chance 'til now. The set includes a small eyeshadow and blusher palette, a mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, foundation, double-ended foundation brush, and a make up bag, so I've got a good mix of products to play with, and they all look so wearable. The foundation is, sadly, too dark for my skin tone, since I'm paler than an anaemic ghost in a snow storm, but I'm hoping it might work for me as a tinted moisturiser in the Summer, if I dilute it down with moisturiser.

I was also given lots of lovely beauty products from The Body Shop, which I'm always happy to receive because you just can't fault their products. I received the Vitamin E Skincare collection, including a gentle facial wash, hydrating toner and moisture cream (best moisturiser ever!), along with the Vitamin E moisture mask, and facial mist separately. I've used some of the Vitamin E range for over a decade, but haven't tried several of the products I was given, so I'm excited to finally try more of the collection. I was spoiled further with a Satsuma soap (my fave!), Oils Of Life Intensely Revitalising facial oil, Pinita Colada body scrub, Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter, and Blueberry and Frosted Berries shower gels, plus a spray on moisturising mist from Soap and Glory. They all smell soooo good!

My Mum regifted a set of Natural Extracts shower gels to me because she felt they were too young for her (result!), and Marie gave me the Philosophy 'The Cocktail Party' gift set, which included a Melon Daiquiri high gloss lip shine and the Senorita Margarita 3-in-1 shampoo/ shower gel/ bubble bath. I've never tried any of these products before, either, so I'm looking forward to trying them all.

One of my relatives gave me an M&S robin mug with a clementine and cardamon hand cream and shower cream inside. I haven't tried the creams yet, but the mug is really cute.

I also received some candles, including a Garden Collection trio of rose, lavender, and magnolia mini candles, and a small jar of Yankee Candle Festive Cocktail, which smells amaaaazing!

My parents gave me this gorgeous pair of drop earrings, although I've completely forgotten what they're made of. (I'm not much of a classic jewellery buff; I actually prefer quirky, kitsch pieces over gold, silver and jewels). I love that they can be worn as drop earrings, as they are above, or detached and worn as studs for a more understated look. They're so versatile.

Both of my sisters gave me craft kits for Christmas, which  was awesome because I'm in such a crafty mood at the moment, and one of my new year's resolutions is to try lots of new crafts this year.

Sarah gave me a 'create your own Winter world' snow globe kit, with an extra bag of artificial snow, and it looks like so much fun. I can't decide whether to make it soon or put it away until the end of the year to make over the festive season.

Marie and Steve bought me the cutest strawberry DMC Hoop It embroidery kit, and a rosette brooch craft kit from The Makery which makes five brooches. They both look like they're right up my alley, so I'm looking forward to getting stuck in to them both really soon.

I was given the creative book '104 Things To Paint', which is basically a sketch book full of blank paper with painting prompts on each page, to inspire and challenge the painter to paint a variety of different subjects in to the book. It's been on my wish list for years, and will hopefully give me the inspiration to paint, and improve my painting skills, which is something I was already planning to work on this year.

Another book I was gifted was one of the most recent books from Maggie O' Farrell called 'This Must Be The Place'. I always enjoy her novels so I'm looking forward to finding out if it's as good as her earlier work.

My little sister bought me the Little Women soundtrack on CD, because it is one of my all time favourite films. It's one of the loveliest, most heart-warming , and comforting movies I've ever seen, and the score evokes the same feelings. It's lovely. I love to listen to it while I'm blogging, drifting off to sleep, or any time I want some background noise but can't concentrate with my usual rock and indie favourites drowning out my thoughts.

Marie gave me this pretty pink and blue Provence Rose Cath Kidston wallet which had been on my wish list for so long. I was actually with her when she bought it to put away for me for Christmas, so it wasn't a surprise, but I'm excited to finally have it after such a long wait! It's so pretty!

I was given two new mini Disney Tsum Tsums to add to my ever-growing collection- Mike and Boo from Monsters Inc. Look how cute they are! (FYI, I think they still have some of the Monsters Inc Tsum Tsums available on the Clintons website).

Sarah wrapped one of my presents with this awesome fifties-style knot-wrap from Lush. I really love mid-century style Christmas designs, so I absolutely adore it! I just need to decide what to use it for. I think it would make an awesome piece of hoop art if they made craft hoops big enough, or a cool picture if I got it framed. It definitely needs to be out on display at Christmas, somehow, anyway... but it needs washing first. (Sorry about the smudge, it's just powder from a Lush bath bomb).

Of course, I also got plenty of edible goodies from the parents, and a Cadbury selection box from Marie and Steve. I may or may not have already eaten most of it.

And I was also given a £20 Amazon gift card in the cutest little cupcake tin. I was torn between spending it on make up, beauty products, books, and DVDs, but in the end I figured I already have waaay too many of each of those things (I really do!), and decided to spend it on more cross stitch kits to keep myself busy with instead. I always have to be doing something, even when I'm on bed rest, or I go stir crazy, and become bored out of my mind. I really enjoyed making a similar set in December. so I picked out the  Blue-Grey Christmas Card Kit and the Christmas Carols card kit from the same brand, so that they'll compliment the others when I eventually turn them in to Christmas decorations.

I was also sent some Christmas money from some of my relatives, which I spent on loads of (like almost two dozen) nail polishes from The Body Shop during the sales, but I forgot to take a photo of them all for this post.

I love just about everything I was given for Christmas, and I'm grateful for everything I was so generously given by my family. They did well! Thanks, family!

What did you get for Christmas?

My Christmas Cross Stitch Makes of 2016

Over the festive season I somehow became super productive with a needle and thread, and cross stitched my freckled arse off throughout December.

I actually managed to complete two Christmas cross stitch samplers, four Christmas cards, and one cross stitch ornament in the last four or five weeks of the year, (along with eight pieces of hoop art and six Christmas crackers), which I have to say felt pretty darn satisfying. I ended the year feeling unusually productive and accomplished and it was a good feeling. It doesn't happen often!

These are the pieces I made...

At the end of November, I finished this fun colourful patchwork sampler from Riverdrift House, which I already blogged about in detail here.

I then went back to the Riverdrift House Christmas band sampler I'd cast aside out of boredom the Christmas before, and somehow found the time and determination to finish the remaining third about ten days in to December. I totally smashed my expectations with this one because I didn't think I'd finish it before the new year, so virtual high-five to me! I was so pleased to finally put this one to rest, because I found the repetition really tedious, and my heart just wasn't in it, but I am really pleased with the end result, so I'm glad I stuck it out. I think it's going to add a lovely, homey touch to the Christmas decorations when I eventually get around to framing it in five or ten years time.

Once I'd completed the samplers, there were still a couple of weeks to go 'til Christmas, so I decided to try to work my way through the last four Riverdrift House Christmas cross stitch cards I'd been meaning to get around to for a few years. I'd made one the Christmas before, and another the year before that, but for some reason I never found time to make the rest. I wish I had because I really enjoyed stitching these, mostly while watching Christmas movies or festive TV, and it was so satisfying to finish each one in a couple of days, instead of several months like the majority of the cross stitch projects I've made in recent years. I somehow found the time to finish all four (the top three, and bottom right) by the day after Boxing Day, which isn't bad considering I had so many other Christmas things to do, too.

I won't actually be turning them in to Christmas cards- although, the cards are included in the kit- because I just can't bring myself to give them away; I like the designs too much. I'm intending to turn them in to ornaments if I can find mini picture frames to fit them; failing that, I'll probably get them framed together in one of those multi-photo picture frames.

And finally... 

After finishing the cross stitch cards, there were still a few days left until the end of the year, so I figured I had time for one last cross stitch challenge, and finally got to work on the little Permin Scandi Christmas bells ornament that had been sitting in my stash for about four years. It had much smaller aida than I was expecting (though I couldn't tell you what count), so it took several days to make, instead of two or three as I'd assumed from the packaging, but that wasn't a problem. I had it finished a day or two in to the new year, and kinda enjoyed working on it. The design is far more traditional than I tend to go for, but I'm definitely more of a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas decorations, anyway, and I'd say the design is pretty timeless. 

I haven't been able to find a link to purchase this one online, but they're a Danish brand, and usually prominent in most specialist sewing / needlework / craft shops.

I'm pleased with all of the projects I made over Christmas, and impressed with how much I was able to achieve, especially considering it was during the busiest season of the year. It's encouraging me to craft more, and make good use of my time. I'm now working on another Christmas sampler and a flamingo hoop kit, which I'm sure I'll be giving you a peek at soon, either here or on my Instagram.

What have you crafted or created lately?

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My Christmas Cross Stitches 2015.

My Colourful Patchwork 'Home, Sweet Home' Sampler.

My Easter Cross Stitch.

My Christmas 2016

It feels strange blogging about Christmas now we're almost a week in to January and the last of the decorations have been packed away for another year, but I am strange (and lagging behind), so let's do this.

How was your Christmas?

I had a lovely, albeit very quiet Christmas at home with my parents, younger sister, Sarah, and our dog, Rosie. Marie and Steve, my other sister and brother-in-law, were away visiting his family in Scotland this Christmas, so it was just the four of us on the day. We don't live near most of our relatives, so we usually spend Christmas Day with just our immediate family, and visit our extended family before or after the day itself, and that works for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it would be lovely to have a house full of people on Christmas Day, but I actually enjoy having a quiet, low-key Christmas at home with my family. It's great to be able to finally chill out after a busy month, open presents in our PJs, dress up as much or as little as we feel like without judgement, eat waaay too much food, watch festive TV, play board games if we feel like it and not be forced to play games like charades, spend time together as a family, and even spend a little time apart later in the day if we've driven each other mad and need some space to recharge. We just keep things casual, and spend it in a way that's right for us. And as you'll see, this Christmas was no different...

I awoke at 8am on Christmas morning and we were all up and exchanging gifts by 8:30am. We vowed to cut back on presents this year, but somehow I still got spoiled rotten with lovely gifts. I'll be blogging about what I got for Christmas properly in a few days time, but for now, here's a sneak peek of some of the prezzies my family gave me.

Presents from my parents.

Presents from Sarah. I love the Paperchase brussel sprouts paper!

Some of the presents I received on Christmas Day.

Presents I received from Marie and Steve a few days later.

We popped Rosie in her crate while we opened presents because the little monster would have opened them all for us, and she looked so confused by what was going on, and a little wary, too, at first. That was until I let her open her own presents- yes, I wrapped up presents for my dog; I'm a crazy lady- and after that she was so happy and excited she barely stopped smiling all day. She had fun tearing open the paper, liberating her new toys, playing with the packaging, and enjoying her new toys and treats. It was so damn cute I think it was the highlight of my day! I even managed to dress her in a Christmas jumper, and put a couple of red bows in her hair, and she looked so adorable in her festive get-up that I kinda want to dress her up more often. And I'm not the biggest fan of dressing animals in clothes. She seemed to really enjoy her first Christmas, and I loved watching her experience it all for the first time. She looked like she was having the best day ever!

The next photo was taken just after she'd finished opening her presents- look how happy she was!

Her awesome Christmas jumper was from Boohoo (here), and she's wearing a size large, which was a little too big on her, but I'm sure she'll grow in to it by next Christmas.

We gained some of my Grandad's Christmas decorations this year after he moved in to a home. His tinsel candles are so retro, and I love it.

I spent the rest of the morning watching Santa Claus The Movie, putting up some more confetti balloons for my Mum as Christmas Day is also her birthday, throwing together some table favours, and setting the table for Christmas dinner. (Although I never got a photo of the finished table because I ran out of time, and had to go get dressed). We sat down for dinner early afternoon and ate waaaay too much delicious food. We had turkey with all the trimmings, and apple and blackberry trifle for dessert.

My Mum face-timed my sister while we were sat around the table, as she'd stuck photos of Marie and Steve to balloons on the empty chairs at the table for a laugh, and wanted to show her. The funniest part about it was that they were issued chairs, and my Mum ended up sitting on the uncomfortable Heineken tin stool that comes out when we're short on chairs! It was funnier than it sounds. I guess you had to be there.

After dinner, we had a lazy afternoon watching Christmas TV, playing with Rosie, and enjoying a few nibbles. I didn't have the pain tolerance for much else, and had to crawl back in to bed at 5pm when I'd reached my limit. I got back in my PJs, and spent the evening watching TV, cross stitching, napping, and eating turkey sandwiches. I'm so rock 'n' roll!

It was a quiet Christmas and probably sounds boring to most peoples standards, but I still had a lovely day, and enjoyed spending time with my family and my dog, spoiling them with presents, and indulging in some tasty food. The basis of a good Christmas, if you ask me!

I didn't actually manage to take many photos this year because it was raining and so dark and dreary all day, so sorry for the lack of decent pics, My camera doesn't work well on overcast days; it only wants to cooperate when the sun is shining; kind of like me. I need to get myself a better camera this year and polish my photography skills.

I'll be blogging about what I got for Christmas, and the Christmas cross stitches I made in December over the next few days, and then I should be ready to take on the new year, and finally get back to normality.

How did you spend your Christmas?

Christmas Bedroom Tour 2016

I know Christmas is over for another year, and you've all probably packed your decorations away and turned your thoughts to the new year, but I'm a little late to the party, and still have a couple of Christmas posts to blog.

Today, I'm going to share some photos of how I decorated my bedroom for Christmas this year. I had hoped to blog about it before Christmas, but the last few weeks have been so hectic that this is the first chance I've had to finish putting it together. Hopefully next Christmas I'll be much more organised!

So, I like to decorate my bedroom for Christmas every year because I spend so much time on bed rest thanks to chronic pain and chronic illness, and I don't like to miss out on the festive cheer and pretty decorations altogether just because I'm laid up in bed. This year I think I put up more decorations than ever before, and I have to say, I enjoyed having my very own Winter Wonderland during December!

I bought myself a little Christmas tree from Sainsburys again this year, and since I needed to raise it up away from Rosie (my dog), I decided to create a little Christmas display around it on my dressing table. I decorated the tree with white lights, some gorgeous vintage-style baubles, and colourful snowflakes, and filled in the gaps with Scandi pegs and some jingle bells because I ran out of energy and decorations that matched. I know the decorations don't exactly work together and the tree looked terrible but after a while I was in too much pain to care. I definitely need to get some garlands, tinsel or ribbon to fill in the gaps on next year's tree, though.

We didn't put the big tree up downstairs this year because Rosie would have destroyed it, so I put some of the presents I wrapped underneath my tree until Christmas morning. I then built it up with colourful perfume bottles, sweet jars filled with mini colourful baubles, jewelled make up brushes, hummingbird and frog queen decorations, my jewellery holders jazzed up with festive pins and decorations, and even added in my masquerade mask with a flower in its feathers. 

My little collection of festive tea light holders and a Christmas candle I was given last year returned to their spots beside my TV. I'd usually light them each night during December, but this time I only lit them a handful of times; I don't know why, but I really wasn't feeling Christmas at all last month.

I had my pretty red jingle bell heart-shaped wreath hanging from an old light fixture just above the candle holders. I've had it for about three years now and I still can't believe it was a supermarket find.

I decided to overhaul the bags on the back of my bedroom door for Christmas, taking a gazillion bags down and replacing them with my Christmas bags, as well as others in festive red, green, and gold, before draping my snowman fairy lights over them. I actually think this was one of my favourite areas of my bedroom during December! It was oddly satisfying to look at while propped up in bed on my laptop.

Above my bookshelves, I hung a couple of paper snowflake decorations below the rainbow paper garland that I've actually kept hanging up since last Christmas. I personally don't see it as a Christmas decoration, just an every day decoration because of how colourful it is- even if it is similar to those cheap foil Christmas ceiling decorations we always had growing up.

Of course, I also added decorations to my bookshelves, where I could, mixed in with my books, DVDs, trinkets, and a few novelty bags.

My L'Occitane Advent calendar, telephone novelty bag, a vase filled with the remaining mini baubles, and a little wooden Christmas tree took the tallest spot on the shelves.

My LED decorations made friends with my robot bag. Unfortunately, I ran out of batteries by the time I took these photos, so you can't see them in action, but the large tree twinkles quickly with a snowglobe-like effect, and the four small decorations fade in to different colours. 

And I also added in some of the hoop art that I recently made amongst my books and DVDs, along with my old nutcracker candles and a Tatty Teddy ornament. I had hoped to create a wall feature out of hoop art this Christmas, but I ran out of supplies to finish them off properly, so that will have to wait until next Christmas now. I've still enjoyed looking at them propped up on my bookcase, just beyond the laptop screen.

I would usually blog photos of how our living room is decorated for Christmas, but we didn't put the tree up or decorate the fire place this Christmas, because Rosie is still in her everything-is-a-toy phase, but if you're curious, you can see how it was decorated for previous Christmases via the links below.

How did you decorate your home for Christmas?

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Christmas Home Tours 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Christmas Bedroom Tours 2013, 2014, 2015