What I Got For Christmas 2014

I thought I would share with you a few of the bits I got for Christmas this year. I love looking at these posts to get some inspiration of what I would like to add to my ever growing wish list of stuff!

Every year Soap & Glory products come high up on my wish list. They are so moisturising and my skin craves them!

I love this dainty little ring from my friend Mia!

My friend Lyn got me this lovely Ted Baker make up bag which is the perfect size and has a French Bulldog on which she knows I love. She also tracked down MAC's Velvet Teddy which I thought was very lovely as I had been banging on about it for the last 2 months.

Mum got me this money bank; you have to smash it to get the money out so I can't keep dipping into it. Rather than save for shoes I'm going to call this my New York fund - I want to go there in 2016 and have a huge shopping spree!

I was also very lucky & received some money towards my trip to Budapest as well as some lovely little bits too. Most surprisingly my Dad picked out a 3 hour make up class for me and a friend using high end products which I am really looking forward too!

If you got any amazing presents please let me know as I am always on the look out for new present ideas for my friends and family. 

New Year Resolutions 2015.

(Source: Pinterest)

Happy 2015 Everyone! I have just returned from celebrating last night in Budapest (post to follow) which was amazing. I thought I would review last year's resolutions and set myself some new ones for 2015.

How I got on with 2014's resolutions:

Improve my mental wellbeing.

This time last year I was really struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. I took the right steps to get some help but counselling was not for me at all. I know my anxiety is 100% stress related so caught on I needed to find ways to relieve this in order to help myself. I used a couple of different meditation apps which I did before bed for 2 months which made a huge difference and then tried yoga for a little while in the mornings. I haven't had a panic attack since August and feel really happy that I'm in such a better place now.

Read more books. 

I have definitely taken the time to read a good few books this year. My favourite book of the year was The Night Circus - apart from Harry Potter this is the best book I've ever read and would recommend it to any HP fans.

Spend more time with my Sister.

She's been out the country doing her thing since September but we went to Spain for a week before she went! We Skype all the time and she's coming home next week and I get her for a good couple of months!

Save Money.

No comment.

Blog at least three times a week. 

My workload has increased a lot since there were talks of me changing my job role slightly and as much as I love blogging it is just a hobby for me I have no intention of making money from this; so my job will always come first. That being said I have missed it a lot so I have some plans to get my ass back on here more regularly.

Go Running at Least Twice a Week.

HA. This didn't happen. However I have lost 20 pounds since May and feel a lot better in myself so surely that counts?

2015 New Year Resolutions

Do more of something different.

I've turnt into a creature of habit. Town most weekends, hangovers most Sundays. I want to go to different places and just make some different memories this year.

Use up my lipsticks.

I no longer have space for anymore. I have got to start using up some of the older ones which got replaced by nice new shiny ones.

See more of old friends.

I'm incredibly lucky to say I have a few different groups of friends however you get into a place where you make all your plans with one lot! I'm usually very good at making an effort with everyone but I'd like to arrange some nice things to do with my older friends so I can see some more of them!

Make more of an effort to see and speak my Grandparents.

It's not that I don't see or talk to them but I just want to make more of an effort to give them a call just to see if they've been up to anything nice. 

Get my tattoo touched up. 

I have be happy written on my back and when I got it I didn't get the letters completely joined up in case I didn't like it. I feel it could look slightly better so want to get it altered slightly as it rarely makes an appearance but want it to look good for when it does!

Use Instagram more.

I really want to start recording my memories through some photos so I think Instagram is a quick and says way to do this! I want to print a load off and make a 2015 scrap book.

As for the blog I have a few series of things in mind which I think will help me post more regularly and hopefully give you all something fun to read!

Fashion: Birthday Dress Choices 2014

Dorothy Perkins £15.00 (on sale now)!

Oasis £55.00

New Look £49.99

Miss Selfridge £39.00

Miss Selfridge £39.00

H&M £19.99

It's my birthday this Sunday and I am off to celebrate in Dublin with two of my friends for a long weekend - so excited! I am going for a big night out on the 8th and wanted a pretty dress that wouldn't break the bank. I usually go towards a darker colour seeing as a November birthday doesn't exactly scream the height of summer but I like something with a pattern or texture to keep it interesting. I'm loving shift dresses with t shirt sleeves at the moment - I tend to go for short dresses to show off my legs so like to have a high neck to cover up the 'gals' and keep it balanced.

Since writing this post I have actually bought one of these dresses but I shall do an outfit post when I go so you can see which I chose! But which one is your favourite? I could always try one of the others!

Lifestyle: Holiday to Salou

So the weather has been been pretty rubbish this week so I thought I would share my sunny pictures from my week in Salou. I went over with my family on 31st August and spent the whole week reading, drinking cocktails on the beach and getting a super tan. We stayed in an apartment and had lots of spit roast chickens from the market with salad as well as eating at some nice local restaurants. My nights were spent either on the balcony or in a bar with mojitos and a simple pack of cards playing all sorts of drinking games. I ventured around the local shops to collect some goodies and hopped on a catamaran on the last day to soak up the last of the rays.

I love my city breaks and love all inclusive resorts but sometimes a cheap trip to Spain with the fam-a-lam is all you need to reset the batteries. 

Lifestyle: Five Things I Loved in September.

1. Tartan.

I love a bit of tartan in the Autumn. So much so a few of my friends give me a gentle teasing now and again. Heck, even my nails are tartan.

2. Mojitos.

I tried a mojito years ago and it wasn't good so I just never went near them again. On holiday I needed a refreshing cocktail so tried another and I am now OBSESSED. Shame I have to stick to malibu or vodka to keep the syns down on Slimming World. There's always next summer.

3. Hannah Gale's Blog. 

She's a journalist for Metro and her posts just slay me. Always a great read and she has inspired this post. Find her here.

4. Planning Trips.

I am off to Dublin for my birthday at the start of November and have time off work over Christmas so Mia & I are going to jet off somewhere. We aren't sure where yet but it's exciting not knowing and dreaming of where we could go!

5. The Mindy Project.

I never watched it before now but I find it absolutely HILARIOUS. It's my go to Tuesday night programme on E4.

Lifestyle: Life without a phone.

My name's Tanice and I'm a social media addict. 

But this weekend something big happened. I drove my usually 50 minutes home from work sat down on the sofa and reached into my handbag to check my phone to find it wasn't there. After ringing work from my house phone I found I had left it on my desk. I deliberated going back to get it for a little while and then thought screw it I can go without it. And thus begun my 3 day weekend without my phone (Yes I had Monday off too which is why I really really thought hard about going to get it).

I've had a super busy weekend with friends and survived. I went to a see the Northampton Saints play rugby, a night out in town, bit of shopping and 2 meals out and I didn't need my phone for any of it. I didn't snapchat my drunk friend's dancing or take any selfies and I didn't check my Facebook or twitter 15 times a day. 

The reactions I've been getting have been too funny. Everyone I've come across has said they would have driven the nearly 2 hour round trip to go and get it. It kinda shocked me that everyone would be that distraught at the thought of not having their phones. Obviously I think we need to have a phone on us for safety in case we get in trouble or something but the fact is none of what them to get in contact with each other; it's all so we can be online and share how awesome our lives are! I think that's what is so great about social media - we all celebrate each other's successes. That is after all why there is no dislike button on Facebook.

It's taken this happening for me to realise just how addicted we all are to our phones, myself included. I reach for it non stop and I've only just realised now how much I do this. When was the last time you sat and watched a TV show without checking your phone, laptop or iPad? Or do you ever get your phone out at the dinner table? Surely something life changing isn't going to happen online in the next 30 minutes and if it does then someone would actually ring you. 

This weekend has been like a little intervention for me and I'd love to try and get some people to try it and see how refreshing it is to just live in the moment. I read this quote over on Becky's blog over at Milk Bubble Tea and I think it sums up what I'm trying to say perfectly;

"Sometimes the best moments are the ones that never make it to instagram because you're too busy enjoying them"

Lifestyle: Before you board a plane

I'm on the plane over to Spain for a bit of summer sun before Autumn starts! I packed way to late and am pretty sure none of my outfits match and to top it off I had a right old mare in the departure lounge. Here are my tips for you based on what just happened:

1. Make sure you pack a hand cream. I had the choice between a cheap Garnier one which leaves my hands super oily or some £15 rip off from L'Occitane. I miss my S&G Hand Food already.

2. Plan what you would like to buy. I get so excited at the prospect of all the crap I might buy (and definitely don't need) that I end up overwhelmed and  not buying a thing, except for hand cream. I was after a NARS counter but I know there's one in Sephora near Las Ramblas.

3. Buy a drink.  I'm parched on this plane & reuse to pay €3.00 for a mini can of diet coke.

4. If you already regret not buying Benefit's They're Real Push Up Liner, you definitely should have bought it. 

5. Should have got the Bose Mint headphones too. £139 is a lot for something which could be put towards a new MK bag.

6. Basically just buy what the hell you want; you are on holiday after all.

Hasta Luego!