A Very Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year...

Hello you! I hope you had the most wonderful Christmas and stuffed your faces till you couldn't stuff them anymore - as we all know that is what Christmas is best for!

It seems to be that Christmas has come and gone in a whirlwind, I still feel like I'm in the pre-Christmas mood - help! I'm confused?

I don't know about you, but I just cannot get my head around the fact that it is almost 2014! This year has completely flown by - although I must sadly say, I can't wait to see the back of 2013, it just has not been my year at all! 

I'd be lying if I said I'm not excited to welcome the new year and embrace it to my hearts content, I'm really - rather cliche of me - hoping 2014 will be 'my year', onwards and upwards!

When I sat down to write this post, I wasn't entirely sure what it where it was heading - I'm winging it right now!

However, I have come to the conclusion that this is going to be my end of 2013 round up and pre-2014 resolution and hopes post.

To begin with lets round 2013 up...

Personally for me I went through a very hard time - I won't go into it and this is NO WAY a sympathy post - but I suffered for the best part of this year, only catching glimpses of times when I felt truly happy.

One of things that has made me happy this year is you! Yep that's right, every single one of you sweet little people who take your time to follow, read and comment on my blog. Every time I get an email about a new comment or follower my heart skips a beat - not even joking!

It's also the same on my themed Instagram account. I set the account up in April and no way did I think eight months later I would have two thousand plus followers! 

So, I'd like to say a huge, massive, gigantic, enormous THANK YOU!! 

As this year hasn't been the greatest, I'm determined to go into the new year with a positive, fresh mind. 

I know we all make resolutions - that come on, don't always get stuck to - but I honestly really want to try to stick to mine!

First is my effort with my blog, as you have probably noticed recently I haven't been posting too much, that is due to personal issues however I lost a bit of the love I have for blogging and so I'd love to regain that and put loads of effort back into blogging.
Secondly, I want to have a more clear, positive mind and not let the small things bother me!

Next year is going to be quite a big year for me: I'll be turning seventeen which means I can FINALLY learn to drive! I'll also be taking my A-levels - which could impact how much I blog before summer.

I honestly cannot wait to tackle another year, so let's see what is in store!!

I hope you have an amazing New Year and I can't wait to see you next! 

Now to end the year with some lovely Choies discounts:
Save 10% off on any Choies new arrivals

1) Save 15% off on Choies for any orders! 

Code: Jan2014aff

Ends Jan.31, 2014

(2) Save $25 off for orders over $159!

Code: 159aff

Ends Jan.31, 2014

A Cosy Christmas Bedroom

As you know, it's officially December which can only mean one thing... CHRISTMAS!

As soon as the clock strikes midnight on December 1st I jump right into the Christmas mood - well truth has it, I'm actually in that mood from mid-september but shh!

I couldn't wait to Christmasify my newly decorated bedroom, I chose to go for a gold theme with overly-Christmasy bed covers.

To start with is my bed. I actually bought these sheets back in October (like I said I'm already in the mood for Christmas by then) but had them stored under my bed waiting to jump out at the right time. I then went and bought these two white pillows which came in a set, as well as a feature pillow which is similar to the sheets. To accompany the pillows and to keep warm in the cold winter nights; I also bought a fleecy blanket which has the same pattern as the feature pillow, you can just about see it at the bottom of the picture.

Pillows, sheets & blanket - all from Primark

I then took out the tinsel and covered my walls with it! As you can see, I have a washing line-like feature with hanging pictures on my wall. I've been meaning to get some fairy lights to go on top of them for a while but at the moment I've took to sprucing them up with some gold tinsel.

Tinsel - Tesco

Carrying on with the tinsel theme, I also put some tinsel round the mirror of my dressing table. I already had some fairy lights round my mirror, so I just twisted the tinsel around the fairy light to make the tinsel glow. As well as the tinsel, I also bought this cute little snowglob with Santa in for only £3 from Tesco!! Then, I decided I want to change the white flowers I already had in my little jug for some red ones, which I found at Wilkinson for £1.50

Oh look, more tinsel! I love this little tree I got, especially the faux snow - it's like having a snowy tree right next to me. Every year I have to have a christmas tree in my room or I just don't feel christmassy! I picked up this lovely tree from Next a few weeks ago and this gold star from Tesco to top it. I then put some thin tinsel around it to make it look all pretty!

Of course, at Christmas time you HAVE to have an abundance of fairy lights! I bought these snowflake design white fairy lights from Tesco (again, what can I say? they have a great christmas range!). I decided to drape them across my window and I love how they look when it's dark out!

Lastly, what's December without an advent calendar? I've had this fairy one for years now - it's a childhood treasurey, I was told as a child that at midnight of each night in December, Santa's chocolate fairy comes and puts a chocolate in for the next day. Now that fairy has decided to put all the chocolates in on December 1st (lazy mum)! 

I hope you enjoyed this Christmas themed post, there shall hopefully (if I have the time as I'm very busy with work at the moment) be another one or two Christmas themed posts!

Hope you have a Merry Christmas and if you don't celebrate Christmas then enjoy the holiday you do celebrate!

And here are your Christmas Choies codes!

(1) Choies Sweaters Sale. Buy 1, get 1 50% off. 

    Click http://www.choies.com/sweater-buy-1-get-1-50-off

(2) All New-in 20% off at Choies. 

    Click http://www.choies.com/daily-new?Xmas

(3) Black Dresses Sale 15% off at Choies.

    Click http://www.choies.com/black-dresses-15-off

(4) Pre-Christmas sale up to 50% off

    Click http://www.choies.com/christmas-sale-all

5) Choies flash sale

    Updated weekly. Prices cannot be any cheaper in history!

    Click http://www.choies.com/activity/flash_sale?Xmas

(6) Party dresses sale

    Click http://www.choies.com/activity/party_wear?Xmas

REVIEW: Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

Recently, about three weeks ago I was in need of a new foundation and randomly I picked up the Rimmel London Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation as it was the first foundation I saw and I thought, 'why not try it?'. 

On the packaging it says; 'lightweight shine control' which I would say is definitely true, it is a really lovely moussey texture which when it is applied to my face it feels really soft and blends really well with a mattifying finish. I picked up shade 103 True Ivory which I would say is almost exactly right for my skin. 

For the first week of using it I thought it was a really good quality foundation which gave great coverage and lasted throughout the day, however, two weeks later and my opinion has completely changed.

I started to notice that after applying the foundation and then my Rimmel Stay Matte Invisible Powder over the top (which I had done every time) there seemed to be a weird dry looking effect on my face, especially on the end of my nose. 

As the days went by I started to realise there were dry patches coming up under my eyes, my eyes have always been really sensitive so I didn't particularly think much if it but decided to use an eye cream to hopefully get rid of the dryness. 

Unfortunately, I then had an allergic reaction to the eye cream! Which caused my eyes to swell up horribly, going all red and itchy. Obviously I stopped using the cream and although I really shouldn't have I applied my make up as usual.

More misfortune came when my eyes continued to be puffy, itchy, red and dry - seriously uncomfortable and ugly. 

The dryness has now started to travel down my face and I've come to the conclusion that it is the foundation that is making my skin dry as it has gradually got dryer whilst I've been using it.

Personally I wouldn't repurchase this product however I believe it would be the ideal product for someone with skin which is not dry prone, probably greasy skin. 

As today is obviously Cyber Monday, Choies have THE MOST amazing deal!!

• Up to 60% off
• Free shipping worldwide
• Attention: This deal only lasts ONE DAY (Cyber Monday)