Wedding

What are my 5 Goals…… making me plan and think!

Advice, Personal Experience, Planning, Travel, Wedding

Day7, 5 year goals, 30 day blog challenge.

So this has made me think, think about what I want for myself, my work and my relationship.

So in 5 years I want to achieve…

1 get married. I know you already know I am achieving this goal this year but it still a big one for me!

I love Gavin I want to be his wife. I can’t wait for our wedding day. Hopefully it doesn’t rain but if it does we will have to go out and buy wellies and umbrellas!

For my home

2, get a new kitchen. Can that be a goal, yes well we will have to save for it so it isn’t something we can just splurge on willy nilly. It will take time to plan and find the right bits.

Our kitchen is nice it’s just tired. The bottom of the cabinet have spit due to water issues and I really really want a dishwasher!

I also would like a cabinet next to the sink and maybe french doors that go out into the garden but we will see.

I would also love a little toilet and sink upstairs but Gavin is really against that for some unknown reason.

There a few bits around the house that are tired and need a bit of TLC and after the wedding is a good time to focus more.

3 my blog being successful

I am so greatful for every single follower it means the world to me that for some reason you would read my blog. Gav gets an update with each one I get, and I punch the sky, John Bender style.

I would love it to be even better where I can have a proper website not just a page. I would like it to reflect me a lot more. My friend is a super talented graphic designer and after all the wedding craziness is over I will be looking to her for advice.

If it was a success I could spend a lot more time on the photography. Carefully planning layouts rather than the snaps you get right now.

4 travel

Japan is on my bucket list along with Vietnam, Laos and Singapore. I would like to have visited all of these countries in the next few years. We are honeymooning in Japan and plan to stop of on the way at another destination. So that will be two ticked off my list.

I have a fair few countries in Europe I really want to go to. I have never been to Italy, there is so much I would love to explore there. I feel like Italy’s city’s deserve destinations of there very own! I have also never been to Ireland and need to visit as we have ancestors there.

Iceland, Norway and Sweden are places of such beauty that are not far away but expensive to visit so this will definitely be a highly planned exciting schedule.

So travel is a big one!

5 Working less and earning more

Is that possible? I meaning working 4 days a week instead of 6. Maybe doing my dream job/ jobs…..

I wouldn’t mind working from home once a week so I could look after my dog. Currently I work 5/6 days a week. But I set the Rita so at least I decide when I work even if it is 6 days straight. I don’t mind but it can be draining.

Perhaps in5 years I will achieve my dream job and be a blogger full time. Travelling the planet, renovating my perfect little house and writing full time.

Who knows?

I always struggle to think of answers to these questions but so far this challenge has been more about a challenge for me to understand what I want rather than a challenge of writing a blog everyday!

I am really enjoying this!

The wax and wane of wedding planning excitement

Advice, Organising, Planning, Wedding

So when you get engaged you will find moments of pure bliss then you find moments of pure frustration. This is definitely a Wax and wane situation.
Waiting to find out from suppliers, yes or know can be frustrating enough.


I am currently going through the issue of finding dresses for my bridal party. Its tricky, all different shapes an sizes. Different tastes………. Oh well.
We are looking at pretty much every shop. Zara, ASOS and lots of vintage shops. Collectif is a bit of a favourite at the moment because of the styling. Worse comes to worse I can ask George my friend and super talented seamstress to whip me up some dresses but I will ask her if we haven’t found anything in the next two months.

Under Preasure

I feel pressure to pick something but at the same time I still have 6 months to get this.


So I am going to take a deep breath


Uhhhhhhhhh


And relax


Fooooooooooo


I am not going to rush this. I am going to ignore the pressures and wait for the right dress. I am not wearing the colour dress I wanted so I am not going to be rushed on my Danette choices. I know it when I find it. I have found one that is lovely but it wont suit my sister so unless she goes for something completely glam.

Wax


The only issue I am facing is a lot of opinions and no one wanting to offend anyone. They all want to please me and I intern want to please them.
So I am waiting.


Waiting for the right dress. I think I want something colourful and floral. So not your ordinary plan bridal party. I don’t mind if the girls change the neckline, hem sleeves etc to make them feel comfortable. Tailoring can a simple dress look glam. I don’t really want them to look like Stepford wives either. They can wear there own shoes and choose to have their hair and makeup to suit them.

Wane


In the UK you pay for your bridal party I was more than a little shocked when I learned that in America you are expected to pay for the dresses. This trend appears to be creaping over here. I hope it doesn’t stay. I am asking enough of my bridal party without asking them to pay for their dress. Imaging having a beautiful but unwearable bridesmaid dress in your wardrobe, taking up space and a waist of money. I have no issues with paying for my ladies, this at all but when it comes to shoes if I decide I would prefer them matching then I will pay for that too.


So right now I feel a wee bit of pressure to complete all my tasks. When I don’t have too. I have enough on my plate at the moment. So I have said it before.


Good things take time. I am marrying the man who makes me so happy. The details can take a back seat for a few days.

I have been told that I am too easy going (what is the opposite of Bridezilla) that i am trying to please everyone. But the truth is I want everyone to feel great.

That’s a fact.


I may have found my shoes……


But I will leave those for another blog.

Drunk Elephant littles : Wedding skin review

Beauty, body confidence, Personal Experience, Wedding

Hello reader! Hope you are well this last year I have been obsessed with my skin. Nothing wrong with a bit of self improvements but I have been fairly experimental.

I wanted to invest in the B hydra and the framboise but I wasn’t sure about splurging on these as they are not cheap.

My SpaceNK delivery arrived!

Good skin care is worth it if it works

So I bought the littles. I didn’t want to spend the full hefty price tag so I shopped around and got £15 off SpaceNK.

I read a few reviews where people have had bad or no results. The information was always similar, try using our products exclusively at first to see how they react with your skin. So I thought I would give it a solid two weeks before I start introducing my other bits of skincare.

Drunk Elephant Littles

Night 1

So excited my sister Skyped from New Zealand so I washed my face with her. (Never done that before) I started with the cleanser,even though I new it had a funny cap I still tried to unscrew it like a normal one. The cleanser was nice, light with no smell.

First impressions was that it could not replace my Elemis Rose cleanser for luxury but it did do the job. Then I used the Framboise serum on my skin then left my skin feeling tacky but no other feeling. I added the B hydra to help it out. I added eye serum And that was it.

No 8 step double cleanse nonsense.

I was impressed with how quick and efficient it was. Ten minutes later my skin was soft and lovely!

Morning day 2

So I popped in the shower and didn’t cleanse my face. DE tell you, you don’t have too! Bonus my skin routine is not taking as long!

I applied the C Firma then the B hydra to my skin. I keep finding it tacky to the touch so I left it on whilst I cleaned my teeth. Then I put on the eye serum and manual a bit of whip to add moister. Then used my La Roche Posay SPF because you have to look after your skin.

My skin felt soft all day.

I can’t see any visible changes but my skin feels good and hydrated. So super happy.

Drunk Elephant Night Time Skincare

Night 2

Same as before, I like how nothing smells even though my favourite usual products all have amazing smells. I tried the whip tonight, it’s rich and lovely and good.

Morning 3

Same as yesterday…. except I mixed my B hydra with the C serum and bingo! OMG this was heaven. I made a noise when I but it on. I think I need this in my life!

Night 3

Same as before…..

I am going to skip a head a bit!

Night 4

I wanted to change today up a little and give my skin a break so cleansed which was lovely and then I added the virgin Marula oil to my skin. I have eaten chocolate today ( a lot of chocolate) so if I get a flair up in the next few days I have only myself to blame.

Drunk Elephant & La Roche Pose Day Care routine

Day 5

Same routine as before just no sunscreen but I did use the Whip cream. I am finding that my skin isn’t as dry as normal but as I don’t wear makeup on a day to day basis.

Two Weeks Later

I haven’t had a great week emotionally. I am a comfort eater so I have indulged in a lot of Chocolate which is terrible and my skin has hated me for it. I have had break out on my chin so I need to stop with the chocolate fix.

It fixes nothing… but a brief happiness. Damn you mint Areo and Galaxy!

So I have kept it up. My day and night routine is so simple now. The rest of my face looks okay. The texture is lovely and soft. Generally it takes 12 weeks to show actual effects.

I am going on holiday soon so I will take this skin care set with me. There is a surprising about of product in these tiny bottles. Overall I am happy with them. I do understand that I need to give them more time but there are some products I will definitely buy again and others that are just Meh!

I am going to do a breakdown of the products to let you know what I thought of them and will I be buying any bigger bottles when I run out! But as this blog is already long enough I thought that may be I can break this into two blogs.

My overall results are simple. My break outs are my own self induced fault. The weather in the UK is forever changing. Hot and sunny one day, freezing cold and Icy the next. IE not great weather conditions for your skin. I normally suffer from dry skin or get those weird patches of dry skin that come from nowhere.

My skin had been nicely hydrated. I haven’t had to layer on lots of moisturiser some nights and days I have added a bit of Whip for an added layer but most times I haven’t needed to. I don’t wear makeup so my skin has been allowed to breath.

Drunk Elephant little pouch and Sparkly French Bull dog

£70 odd pounds is not cheap for tiny bottles. But there is a lot in them. This will be great for my holiday as they don’t take up any room. My biggest gripe is the fact that in the American set you get an SPF but because of one of the products they can sell it over here. This is reflected in the price but an SPF is vital if you are selling Retinals and acids. I feel like Drunk Elephant should still put it in or make one with less harmful products.

So was it worth it…. for now yes. My skin routine is great and I am going to add the Drunk Elephants Babyfacial. I have also missed my The Ordinary Matrixyl which is amazing for shrinking pours and fine lines. So I am going to keep going till after my holiday. Then I am going to start introducing other brands back into my skin care routine. I feel like i should give the DE time to work on its own first!

I do miss my Elemis Rose Balm cleanser. I miss the smell and the feel of it on my skin! Drunk Elephant is a luxury brand but without the smells and decadence of other Brands. My skin for the first time in a long time is hydrated without piling on the moisturiser.

I will review each product in another blog.. I am sorry I missed Wednesdays blog. Like I said it hasn’t been a great week. I will bring the Product review out shortly to make up for it.!

How is your skincare journey going?

What brands couldn’t you live without?

Productive Week wedding Planning

Advice, Organising, Planning, Wedding

Its very rare that I have a brilliant week in one go. But this week has been super productive already.

We have we have ticked off

  • Booked food vendor
  • Chosen menu
  • Booked our cake tasting
  • Closer to booking the entertainment
  • I purchased some wonderful Drunk Elephant skincare to try
  • Found a local hair salon to help me get rid of my weird blond streaks
  • Arranged a space for myself ( blog to follow
Monthly spread for Bullet journal

Here is a truth universally acknowledged in the world of wedding vendors…

Sometimes they don’t get back to you.

Because they are super busy and have a million weddings before you.

You will physically have to chase them. We have done it with both the entertainment and the food. Now just to reassure you reader, I don’t mean stalk and harass. I just mean email them, call them follow it up with another email… all over the space of a few months. We really want our guests to have an amazing time, so food and music is really important to us.

And they still don’t get back…. honestly the food was worth the wait and I think our guests from all over will be super happy with the food.

The entertainment are reluctant to book with us until 6 months before but they pencilled us in. This scares us only because if they turn around and cant work our wedding we will have to search for someone else, and the first one I wanted were already booked! This band is Gavs first choice and we both agree they suit us perfectly and they already do an amazing version of our song! ( hence the reason why I let him pick his over mine).

Our food vendors where just busy, thy are getting more and more popular but honestly I could eat there food everyday and be happy.

It can just be frustrating when your to do list is a million miles long and you just want to tick them all off.

Soho Bun House

A good week

The week started off on Sunday with a gorgeous meal at the Soho Bun House, where in the restaurant they don’t serve buns but the food was so good we didn’t care! My uni friends like to meet up monthlyish to catch up. We all love eating and drinking (slight understatement we get super excited about trying new places)

The boys went off to a gig and we decide to stay out for one more and visit Basement Sate which Gav had been raving about for months. It didn’t disappoint. Even though i am a huge gin drinker I just love a gin and tonic I don’t need a gin cocktail. I like to taste the gin. My taste buds always head toward whiskey cocktails, Old-fashions etc. The After Slate was beyond yummy.

Being Grateful

Last week I wrote a post about being grateful and pre-thanking people. I think it is so easy to forget the person you are marrying.

Gav loves to tease me constantly. Most of our conversation are spoken with a grin on his face because he is about to take the piss out of me. Its all in good humour but sometimes it gets a bit much.

Then I remember how thoughtful and kind he is. How wonderful he can be. We had a bit of personal good news this week and so to celebrate he picked up some Chinese pork buns from Soho Bun House ( which we missed out on last time). had a feast at home.

We don’t celebrate Valentines Day, ever.

It just doesn’t interest me or him so we don’t we just like to spend it together.

Goals for Feb in Bullet Journal

Round Up

I can’t tell you happy I am that I can tick these things of the list. It just feels so productive. What we realised after such a good week is that we have all the major elements complete. We now need to focus on the detailed bits.

Wedding planning can be stressful not like other things in life but still stressful. Lack of communication from everyone! Difference of opinion on details. I think when people say its not stressful they have already forgotten how much effort they put into a wedding.

There is also a massive difference when your venue is all inclusive and not like ours where we just have the space and have to bring in everything we want.

But it will be wonderful and we cant wait.

Thank you for joining me on our wedding journey.

Being grateful: A Pre thank you

Flowers, Organising, Wedding, Wedding Budget

I am trying to prethank all my wedding party for what they are about to do, or have already done for me. Weddings can cause rifts and there is nothing like a wedding to bring out the worst in people.

I have a wonderful team of Danettes family and friends who have offered to help and I am taking them up on it. And quite frankly I don’t want to piss them off and appear ungrateful!

So this week, as a prethank you I took my mum, mother in law and sister in law out to a posh restaurant for a slap up feast. They have already done so much for me Gavin and the wedding and there are 7 months to go!! I know we will be asking a lot more of them especially their time and opinions.

Flowers

My mum was only here for a few days but she was a whirlwind of help and answers. She trained as a florist so disapproved of a few of my choice ( apparently no to pink and yelllow). But I love them together so she obliged.

She ummed and arrrd over the flower arrangements which half way through, I was like perfect, next! But she took her time and it did look really beautiful when she finished. She was happy, even with my yellow ( freesias are her favourite) so I knew she would give in!

Budget savings

I refuse to pay for vases but she was impressed with my array of jam jars thank you Dowe Egberts and your perfect coffee jars! Plus my mother in law kindly donated a lot of golden syrup jars perfect!

My table runners slightly scared Hayley and mum at first till we set it out but honestly I think the whole thing will look beautiful!

Granny Donelly wisdom ” suits the wearer not the starer”

I am going to do the rounds and make sure everyone understands how much I appreciate there help and input!

My best friend has always been my rock since I was 14 we have been thick as thieves! I am thinking of ways to thank them before I become a wedding zombie focused on all the details. She is off to Madrid for hen do planning, how crazy is that.

I need to plan something special for just us!

Grateful

Being thankful and grateful is easy but it is also easy to think our friends and family know how much we appreciate their help. Some times they need to hear it! I am trying to do this so if I do get a bit crazy, they will understand I am out of character.

I refuse to be a bridezilla! But that doesn’t mean she won’t show herself every now and then!

So that’s it,

My little Friday blog.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Hello Reader

Advice, Organising, Planning, Wedding

Thank you for reading my little blog, where I rant and praise in equal measure. I love my blog, it is my little burgeoning baby. I wish I could spend some more time on it.

So I was thinking ofdoing a little Wednesday catch up to let you know how the planning is going andthen Fridays will be my longer blogs.

Yes that’s right I am going to try and write two a week. Even though I am struggling to find time to write one. I feel like I really need to focus on this as it is something I really care about.

So, Wednesday’s format will be a little like this.

Humpday Blogging

I had my mum over this week to help me with the wedding bits. I basically had 4 perfect days with her.

We shopped, talked non-stop, watched a boring movie, shopped some more, picked out flowers I liked and had a play with my table settings. I got my paints out and started the wedding invites, yay. We also ate out a fair bit which we loved!

Things I still need to chase

  • Food vendors ( the food is so good but communication isn’t that great)
  • Book foodtasting with plan B
  • Hair and makeup- getting prices and planning trial
  • Order table cloths and napkins (Charlotte I need your help)
  • Changed my mind on Jimmy Choos….
  • Chased konditor and Cook ( first time being a bridezilla I may have to call them)
  • Perfect invites

This is just what I need to sort out this week. My list is super long but we had a sit down and a chat about what we actually need opposed to all the silly thing we thought we needed.

Gavin piece of advice is “Always marry a Payet, they are cheap and easily pleased!”

I think that that was a complement, shame it took him so long (he he).  He doesn’t have an appreciation for flowers and when I told my mum that I love white carnations and British flowers, i am not after anything fancy. Luckily its one area that I have complete freedom on. My mum is trying to convince me that tea roses would look nice so they may be making a debut at the wedding but won’t be the star of the show.

I need to get some storage for the wedding. We aren’t using half of the dining room and most of it can be packed away as long as it is all properly recorded in my wedding Bullet Journal, I will be happy.

Organising makes me happy.

I found out recently that my best friend is so amazing she is flying out to Madrid to do some hen do prep. Madrid is so incredibly beautiful that it is no hardship to visit it but she is going above and beyond. I just hope she is utilising the other highly talented Danettes in the group.

So thats its, a mini blog to help us on our Humpday!

Hope you like it.

Clean Slate: Bullet Journalling likes and dislikes

health, Organising, Planning, Wedding, Wedding Budget, weight loss

January always feels like a clean slate. Maybe its that everything looks dead but there is lots of promise growing beneath the surface. We just need to patient and soon we will have spring, blossom and all its glory.

It has come around so quickly.

After The chaos of Christmas we naturally have a clean out, put all the decs away, fill the house with more candles and look sadly at the corner where the tree used to live.

January is full of plans and promises.

New years resolutions are generally held for the month, even if they disappear into the either after that. I like to sit down and start my new planner. Although I didn’t need any new pens I couldn’t resist my new Staedtler fine liners.

Is anything better than crossing off a list.

If you have completed a bullet journal and are onto the next then this is the most exciting part

So I thought I would share with you my pages I use and love and the ones I started but never looked back at.

Love:

Year at a glance, it’s a yearly calendar so you can see the dates, circle any birthdays or holiday you have booked. It easy

Bill tracker. Yes I could do this all on my phone looking at my accounts but when the bills get mixed up with payments I like to tick them off. It makes me happy and feels like I am doing something. Also it makes me aware of my budget for the month.

Order tracker. I use this at work. I have my orders I have to put through every month. This makes sure that I don’t order things twice. I have to go through different systems so this little tick method reminds me of all my suppliers as well as all

Blog tracker

Again this one is for work. It helps me know what I am writing, when what images we need. Although we love other peoples work and always credit it in our blogs we know how important it is to create our own images but it takes time. Lots of planning and then follow ups on our social media.

Monthly spread

Again this is me seeing my month at a glance. This is especially good for planning my weekends, birthdays and other event. I always write when I have a workshop planned, parties just everything. When my friends meet up for a meal every so often, I can tell them when I am free. I am more likely to put in in my Bullet journal then in my phone.

Savings

We all know ( I bore you enough) that I am saving for my wedding. This fills me with Joy, I am already halfway through my target and still have 8 months of savings to go- so I am going to do it.

14 day meal plan

Okay so Gav loved this one. After every evening meal I would ask him what he wanted and he would always say I don’t mind. I love to cook and Gav loves to order takeout. We are trying to be healthier so I tried something knew.  I wrote 14 meals which are generally our favorites. I wrote out what I needed in each meal and then combined it to make a super grocery list. There were enough ingredients to make 14 meals but we weren’t a slave to it.  Take out was also an option on it! So after dinner I would ask Gav to choose and if he couldn’t decide I asked him for a number and we chose it based on that.

No wasted food, no extra food to buy for.

Not used

I tried a reading tracker. I am a big reader I generally read a book a week (the benefits of commuting) So I wrote a list of books I wanted to read and ended up ignoring them all and just buying books on my phone whenever the next one ran out. I also tend to read more than one book at one. At the moment I have a thriller on my phone for commuting, an organizing one in my bag in case I get bored of the phone one. A book about the army, which I bought because I had to wait two hours for my phone battery to be replace and then a murder mystery which I forgot I started reading.

Netflix tracker

Hmmm really don’t need this. Lots of people love it I guess its just the pure joy of ticking something off. Again I have a bout 4 series on the go at once. Me and Gavin live different things so Lemony Snicket, Diablo and The Protector we will watch together but You, The Sinner and The Staircase he is not interested in. But Netflix stores all the info for me so I don’t worry about loosing my place.

Water Tracker

I am trying to be heathy and drink more water. Now putting on its own page doesn’t make me look at it but I do put a mini tracker at the bottom of each day I find a lot more useful.

Weight tracker

Oh shoot me. No I am only kidding. I have a weight loss app on my phone and as I have to log my food I didn’t end up redoing it. Also seeing a list I am not great at completing makes me reach for a donut and fold over the page. I didn’t like filling out this page at all but I don’t mind the clinical aspects of the app.

Mood tracker

Ha ha ha ha not going to even try. I am a Scorpio, enough said.

Conclusion

I think a clean slate is great. I think a simple bullet journal is better. This year is going to be jam packed enough without fancy pages and more trackers but I am generally happy with it.